Article and Photo Courtesy of Organized Christmas
Last night, good Dr. Steve and I participated in one of our favorite
holiday traditions: watching the wonderful Christmas movie, A Christmas Story.
As we laughed along with Ralphie and his friends, we made the same
comments we make every year. "That kid looks just like my Dad, when he was
little!" said Dr. Steve. In singsong, I chanted "Mommy's little
piggy!" right along with Ralphie's mom.
Just as we have for the last 18 years, we turned to one another at the
end and said, "That is the best Christmas movie ever made!"
Earlier in our marriage? Meshing two sets of holiday traditions wasn't
as simple as watching movies together. His way, her way needed to become our
way.
How did we simplify and harmonize two sets of holiday traditions?
From the start, it wasn't a simple--or quick--process to come up with a
set of traditions that were truly ours. Working around our respective
expectations, and the viewpoints of our children and parents, the celebration
careened back and forth between traditions during our early years.
For me? Having children had softened my "No Early Christmas!"
stance, but I'd held firm to "No Christmas until after my birthday,
December 7th!" Until I married Dr. Steve, that is, and was converted to
"Decorate the house on Thanksgiving weekend!"
In turn, Dr. Steve gave up certain of his own family traditions,
involving multiple cocktail parties at multiple country clubs, all requiring
neckties and pantyhose (ugh). Two teenaged step-children brought that one to a
screeching real-world halt after a single, dressed-up year.
Now, twenty-five years into marriage, we've passed through the fire and
into a nice, comfortable frying pan. Like the linens and the cooking pans, our
traditions are finally ours.
Jumbled and homely, they're products of negotiation, transition, and
just plain getting older.
We've mixed old favorites, like opening a gift of something warm to
wear on Christmas Eve, with new creations, like the "Travel Tree"
displaying ornaments and souvenirs from our trips around the world.
Our traditions are simpler. They're less stilted and more fun.
And not one of them has come from a women's magazine. How? Check out
today's essay and Simplify Holiday Traditions!
Then use our printable Holiday Tradition Tracker to record the
meaningful and the fun activities you share with family this year. They're
traditions in the making!
To Do Today
Print the holiday tradition tracker.
Complete all gift shopping and craft gifts. Wrap and mail send-away
gifts by December 6.
To Read Today
Simplifying holiday traditions? You'll do less and enjoy it more!
Simplify Holiday Traditions
"Tradition" is a powerful force that sometimes pulls an
unsuspecting family along in its wake. Do your holiday traditions serve your
family, your values and your spiritual beliefs--or are you running a tired and
joyless circle each holiday season in the name of tradition?
To cut stress during the season, don't wait to give your family's
holiday traditions a stiff scrutiny.
Give some thought to your family's holiday traditions well before the
season is full upon you. Try these ideas to simplify your family's
traditions--and deepen the season's joys!
Be objective! Re-run last December through your mental computer, and
try to discern which activities were most enjoyed, most meaningful--and which
might be scheduled for revision or elimination.
The goal: to simplify the season by doing less and enjoying it more.
Cut back
You may find that some traditions have been outgrown and should get the
old heave-ho.
Sure, young married couples can manage to visit both sets of parents on
Christmas Day, but that tradition becomes a burden once the second child enters
the family. Time to end it when little ones are frazzled and cross at too many
long dinners in scratchy dress-up clothing.
Scale down
Simplify those traditions that make the cut. Take the gingerbread
house. You always make an elaborate gingerbread house the Saturday after
Thanksgiving--but last year, the teenagers were bored with the whole thing, and
you're working full-time now, and it's just so much work and half the time the
house falls apart and the icing drips off . . . .
Why not trade that gingerbread house for a quick session of icing dairy
case sugar cookies with those very teenagers? You've kept the fun, but freed
yourself from the chore.
Refresh the list
Best of all, promote some pleasurable family activities to the status
of tradition. How do you create a tradition? Simple: you do it every year, you
do it all together, and you all enjoy it.
Beware, though! Don't fall into the Women's Magazine Tradition Trap!
You know what I mean, right? You pick up a women's magazine, and it
tells about the aw-gee tradition that some other family has, and you get
tear-in-eye and want to inflict same on your own little brood--whether its right
for your family or not.
No, think back to what your family enjoyed last December. Did you all
giggle at the wonderful movie, A Christmas Story? Create a new tradition by
scheduling a Video Night, loading up on the Orville Redenbacher's, and cuddling
down together to watch.
Keep things simple--and there's no need to spend money to create a
cherished tradition. Drive out to see the lights in the most decorated
neighborhood in town. Volunteer as a family at the Food Bank. Invite neighbors
for punch and cookies.
If you do it every year, you do it all together, and you all enjoy it,
its a tradition!
Today's Recipe
candy cane cookies recipe
Bursting with the tastes of the season, Candy Cane Cookies are my
eldest child's all-time favorite recipe!
Melting, tender cookies shaped and colored like candy canes, Candy Cane
Cookies are flavored with sparkles of crushed peppermint candy.
This is a wonderful cookie, but I find it a bore to make. Each and
every year I drop this one from my list, and each and every year my daughter
asks, hopefully, "Are you going to make those candy cane cookies this
year?"
Each and every year I reply, "Well, all right, but ONLY if you'll
help me!"
The reason for this devotion is obvious from the first taste. These
cookies are distinctive and wonderfully flavored--and they look, smell and
taste like Christmas!
Ingredients
1 cuppowdered sugar
1⁄2 cupbutter, unsalted
1⁄2 cupshortening
1 egg
1 1⁄2 teaspoonalmond or peppermint extract
1 teaspoonvanilla extract
2 1⁄2 cupsflour, all-purpose
1 teaspoonsalt
1⁄2 teaspoonred food coloring
1⁄2 cupcandy canes or peppermint candy, crushed
1⁄2 cupsugar, granulated
Instructions
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix powdered sugar, margarine, shortening,
egg, almond extract and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt.
Divide dough into halves. Tint one half with food color.
For each candy cane, shape 1 teaspoon dough from each color into a
4-inch rope. For smooth, even strips, roll back and forth on lightly floured
board. Place 1 red and 1 white strip side-by-side; press together lightly, and
twist. Place on ungreased cookie sheet; curve cookie top down to form a candy
cane shape.
Bake until set and very light brown, about 9 minutes. Mix crushed candy
and granulated sugar; immediately sprinkle over hot cookies. Remove from cookie
sheet and cool on wire rack.
Notes
One final note: this cookie gives you a great way to get rid of last
year's old candy canes! As long as they're not sticky, they'll work fine!
