Thankful

We had a great Thanksgiving yesterday. I started cooking around 8:30 a.m. We had Swedish Tosca Cake and biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast. That's a tradition. I got the turkey in the oven before we sat down to eat in the morning and then the chopping, cutting, and buttering began. I can't believe how much butter and whipping cream was added to food yesterday. Here was our menu for Turkey Day:

Turkey with stuffing
Mashed potatoes (with garlic, sour cream, whipping cream, and lots of butter)
Creamed Corn
Rutabega
Red Cabbage
Sweet Potato Casserole
Green Bean Casserole
Cranberry Wine Sauce
Yeast Rolls
and Gravy
And for dessert.......
Pumpkin Pie
Key Lime Pie
Banana Pudding
and Dutch Apple Pie

We had some friends from church over for dinner and some more friends came over after dinner. We played Taboo and had a blast!

Christmas Traditions

We have a few that have been implemented within the past couple of years, but some have been carried on since our childhoods.

Spinach and Sausage Balls

Every year, on Christmas Eve, we have an appetizer meal. We just get some cold cuts, chips and soda, but we always have Spinach and Sausage Balls. They are so yummy!!!

Campfire

Last year, we invited our congregation over to our home for a Christmas Campfire. We had apple cider, chili, and other various fixins. We went caroling and took care packages to shut-ins and others who were sick. We will definitely continue that tradition.

Ladies' Shopping Trip

Every year I get together with some ladies from the church and we make a trip to St. Augustine to do our Christmas shopping. We usually go to breakfast first and then we make our way to the outlets! We spend the entire day shopping. We split up to cover more ground and then we reunite for lunch. We usually don't get home until very late. This year we are going to Jacksonville to the Town Centers. I can't wait. It's such good fellowship. I usually complete my shopping on this trip.

Candlelight Service

Our church has a Christmas Eve Service. It's become a tradition, but one I wouldn't do without. We come and celebrate the birth of the reason for Christmas. Jesus wrapped himself in flesh to come and be our Savior!

I'm sure there are some that I'm forgetting, but they will come to me as Christmas gets closer.