I hope all who celebrate are enjoying a very Merry Christmas Season! This is our Christmas tree for 2022. It is a true labor of love to decorate it every year as most of my ornaments are keepsakes that bring back memories from our children and vacations and other events. I also have another small tree in my kitchen/family room that is full of ornaments made by my grandchildren. Each year it takes a little more effort for us to decorate for Christmas--the bins holding it all are not getting any lighter--but once it is finished we are so happy to have it completed and to be able to enjoy it all. I'm sure you feel the same.
For the Thanksgiving holiday this year, we traveled north to Steamboat Springs where we rented a house for a few days. The scenery we pass as we drive up into the Rocky Mountains is always breathtakingly beautiful! I will have more photos to share of our drive in a future post. We've always visited Steamboat in early autumn and this was the first time in late autumn when it was snowing on Rabbit Ears Pass, which made it interesting.
I cooked our traditional Thanksgiving dinner ahead of time and we brought it with us in coolers. It worked out well and we had a relaxed and casual dinner. The house was cozy and had beautiful views as well as a hot tub that we all enjoyed. We even enjoyed Strawberry Park Hot Springs on a mountaintop one day--a fun experience with snow all around. As soon as we returned home many Christmas activities began! Our community always hosts a wonderful "Holiday Happenings" event with horse-drawn carriage rides and a visit from Santa Claus and hot chocolate and cookies. Our oldest granddaughter is in her school choir and we joined the choir on a chilly evening to go Christmas caroling.
Our oldest grandson plays the viola and his Middle School orchestra performed a very harmonic performance for Christmas, which we all enjoyed very much.
Another exciting event for us every year for us is the delivery of our traditional Baccala--salted cod fish--which I prepare two ways as one of our traditional Christmas Eve Italian-American "Feast of the Seven Fishes" dinners. It has been my husband's favorite fish since childhood. If you'd like to see a recipe for one way I prepare it called Baccala Fiorentina you can see it here in an older blog post. We order it from Frank and Sal Italian Market on Staten Island, New York, as it is difficult to find it in the Denver area.
There are many lights and decorations everywhere to enjoy in all of Denver's botanic gardens, zoo, and Denver Civic Center. It is a beautiful Christmas Season here and I hope you are also enjoying all the beauty where you live.
I have lots of baking ahead this week as I make treats for family, neighbors, and friends, and we have some more grandchildren events ahead and parties to attend to look forward to--will show all in my next blog post!
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Those mountain views have great appeal.
ReplyDeletePat - I can relate to some of the challenges of decorating the tree! We always harvest a live tree from our property, which means it must be carried to the house! Some years we have strong young men to help us, but this year it was just my husband and me. Amazing how much a 15-foot tree weighs!
ReplyDeleteI love all your photos, and was especially drawn to the tree skirt in your first photo. Gorgeous!
We are off to a good start with snow here, and my husband and I are looking forward to our first days of downhill skiing this week!
It is so lovely to see these Christmassy scenes. I put up our tree this week - also filled with ornaments that go back many years or which have some meaning Enjoy your Christmas, take care, I am joining you at Mosaic Monday this week.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteLove the beautiful scenic photos. Your tree and decorations look lovely.
It is fun to see all the Christmas lights at night. Happy Holidays to you and your family.
Love those Rocky Mountain pictures. Nice to hear you had a good Thanksgiving. Those hot springs look inviting.
ReplyDeleteI understand the your comment on the bins being heavy. Last year, I bought smaller bins, They are light even if a few more, but it works for us.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I enjoy the decor, but dislike hauling all out of the closets! Your tree is beautiful and I am looking forward to seeing all of your baking.
ReplyDeleteYour Thanksgiving celebration at the hot springs looked so appealing on FB and I think it a brilliant idea.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful area you live in, and you take advantage of the sights so well. I hope, as my husband retires in a few months, that we enjoy our area as much as you do yours.
Love all the lights, and what a pretty tree. It is a lot of work to set up, but I'm sure the family enjoys it.
Have a great week!
I love the Christmas lights! I hope we can drive around after dark and see some in our neighborhood this week. Happy holidays my friend!
ReplyDeleteI love your tree. These are my favorite kinds (and mine is the same) -- filled with things that carry real meaning. Stories of our lives.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea, taking your TG dinner with you to Steamboat. It looks like you are having a marvelous holiday so far! Keep it up!
I have so enjoyed my visit here with you this evening!
ReplyDeleteSteamboat Springs is one of my favorite places! We skied there often in years past. I especially love the book store called Off the Beaten Path. We visited it back in the late 1970's and early 80's and on ton the 90's. It is still there today and I still have a book mark from way back when!
Love all your photos and activities! I LOVE your life!!!
You sure have had a great holiday season so far and more to come. The lights in the Botanic Gardens are fabulous.
ReplyDeleteIt's fun to read about your traditions and your travels close by. You are certainly one busy Christmas Elf! So sweet to have family close by to enjoy the traditions with you! Blessings.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks being part of MosaicMonday. I enjoyed reading so much. Wonderful Christmas time here.
ReplyDeleteHave w wonderful time.
A very nice post ...
ReplyDeleteI always like this time of year seeing all the lights and decorations.
All of your photographs were so nice to see.
All the best Jan
I enjoyed seeing those Christmas scenes.
ReplyDeleteYour tree is beautiful!
Happy Thursday, Pat 💐
Hoping my earlier comment came through.
ReplyDeleteThis was such a lovely post.
All the best Jan
It sounds like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am loving all those Christmas lights; Denver does Christmas up big!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Pat, I hope you and your wonderful family have a memorable day. You live in such a great spot to really celebrate this beautiful time of the year.
ReplyDeleteThat tree is gorgeous! Hope you're enjoying the holiday season and staying nice and warm, dear Pat. All the best for the new year!
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Looks like you had a wonderful trip, and visits with family. The tree is beautiful. Our tree is also filled with vacation momento's, and memories of our lives. I'm always surprised how many people have what looks like a tree you'd see in an office building with nothing personal on it. All your Christmas lights pictures are amazing. It's been years (eons), since we've been to Steamboat Springs. Was the first place we traveled to for a ski trip back in younger years. Enjoyed your pictures. Merry Christmas, stay warm and healthy.
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