A Merry Little Christmas Hodgepodge!

Again this week I am joining in with the Wednesday Hodgepodge with Joyce at From This Side of the Pond.  She asks the questions, other bloggers  answer, and it's just fun getting to know one another more. 

🎄1. What's left to be done on your Christmas to-do list? 

Do you really want to know? Quite a bit.  Let's see: one batch of cookies (possibly more); 2 kinds of candy; 2 gifts to buy; several kitchen gifts yet to make (hot cocoa mix, bran muffins, little apricot cakes).  Still some decorating to finish.  A bit of cleaning would be nice, too.

Some kitchen gifts from 2013

On the plus side, nearly all of the wrapping is done and all of the out-of-town cards have been sent or are ready to send. 

🎄2. The Hodgepodge lands on the first day of winter this year. What's your favorite thing about winter? 

The beauty of freshly fallen snow, or snow that is falling softly.  (As long as I don't have to drive in it!)  I also love seeing the beautiful winter night sky.  The stars are amazing!

🎄3. In what area of your life are you immature? Feel free to elaborate or not. 

Many areas, I'm afraid.  I hate driving in winter, or in cities, or for long distances, or tight parking spaces.  Have you sensed that I dislike driving?

🎄4. What was the most (or one of the most) important lessons you learned in 2016? 

The word I picked for 2016 was faithfulness.  In choosing it I was thinking of the need for me to be faithful in all that God has given me to do.   I was also thinking of God's faithfulness to me and how He would continue to be faithful through every trial and test.  Both aspects of the word held true.  There were many challenges and difficulties that could have caused me to disregard the need for faithfulness in my God-given tasks.  And through every one, I saw God's great faithfulness to me and to His people.

🎄5. It's Fried Shrimp Day...are you a fan? What's your favorite way to eat shrimp? Will there be shrimp somewhere in your holiday feastings? 

I enjoy fried shrimp.  Our local seafood restaurant has a fried shrimp special that is wonderful.  I enjoy shrimp in other ways as well.  Probably my favorite might be just cold cooked shrimp served with cocktail sauce.  I don't have shrimp on any of my menus for the holidays.

🎄6. What sound lulls you to sleep? 

Rain on the roof.

🎄7. What one word best describes your 2016? 

Challenging. (Since I can only pick one word.)

🎄8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I still don't have the Christmas tree completely decorated, so I'll share a picture or two from a previous year.   I tried very hard to be much more organized with my planning this year -- and I followed my hubby's advice about not crafting after November 30 -- but life sort of went crazy for awhile there anyway.

2010

2015

Merry Christmas to all of you! 

A Holly Jolly Hodgepodge

Again this week I am linking up to the Wednesday Hodgepodge with Joyce at From This Side of the Pond.  This week, I thought it would be fun to post the answers to Joyce's questions in my Christmas blog.  Here we go!

1. Are you more task oriented or people oriented? Elaborate. 

Good question. I tend to be more people oriented, I think, in general.  I make a plan for every day and do what I can, but really, it's all about people.  If something on my list doesn't get done because God brought along someone to reach out to or to encourage, it's fine.  It helps me to consider my overall goal for life -- bringing glory to God with all that He has given me.  Part of the way I'm to do that is by touching the lives of other people.  Tasks are part of it too, but the people are more important.

2. December 15 is National Wear Your Pearls Day...do you own/wear pearls?  Everyone share a 'pearl of wisdom' with us here today.

I own pearls but haven't worn them for a long time. As a teen, I asked for a pearl ring for Christmas -- the type with two pearls entwined together -- and received it, too.  Hadn't thought of that in a long time, so the reminder was fun.

Here's a Christmasy pearl of wisdom:

Christmas will always be in the hearts of God's children everywhere as they extend a helping hand to a friend in need ... as they go about reflecting God's goodness in the little quiet and unheralded expressions of a loving heart ... as they share the light of the world with those who live in darkness."

-- Jane Hillsmen

3. Speaking of pearls...oysters? Are you a fan or not a fan? If you answered yes, tell us your favorite way to eat oysters? If you said no, be honest-have you ever tried one or does just the idea of eating an oyster make you gag a little? 

I like oysters all right. They're not my favorite seafood, and I wouldn't go out of my way to eat them, but I like them okay.  My favorite way to eat them would be in oyster stew.  My dad used to love oyster stew and my mother would sometimes make it for him.  I was allowed, usually, to just have a bowl of broth, because I loved the flavor, but leave the oysters for my dad.  I don't think any of my siblings liked oyster stew.   

4. Time Magazine has named President-elect Donald Trump Person of the Year. Let's take presidents and presidential candidates out of the mix for a minute. If a political figure had not been chosen who would you name Man or Woman of the Year for 2016?

I would have to say our police officers who have had to carry on under some very difficult pressures and some very bad press, plus the very real possibility of being murdered themselves -- and those firefighters who have been fighting the many horrendous wildfires we've seen this year.  And all of those professionals who've had to deal with the riots and protests and other childishness of those disappointed by election results.

5. The Pantone Color of the Year for 2017 has been announced and it's a vibrant green, aptly named-greenery. Your thoughts? Is this a color currently in your home or wardrobe? Will you add something in this shade for the new year? Click here to see the color. 

I love this color.   I don't have this color in my home (yet) but I do wear this color, and in fact have a shirt this color. Green is one of my favorite colors to wear.  It never used to be, but has become a favorite in recent years.

6. Today I've had too much__________________.

Coffee, I guess.  Yesterday I had too many Christmas cookies -- Chocolate Mint Crisps, to be specific.  They are wonderful!

photo from Taste of Home

7. Share a favorite lyric from a favorite Christmas carol.

I like both of those that Joyce mentioned: '...Then rang the bells more loud and deep, God is not dead nor doth He sleep...'

'...A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn...'

Our world is so weary and it so badly needs that thrill of hope today.  May we who truly have hope be faithful about showing it in our daily lives!

And this one: "Who is He in yonder stall at whose feet the shepherds fall?  'Tis the Lord, O wondrous story, 'tis the Lord, the King of Glory.  At His feet we humbly fall; crown Him, crown Him Lord of all."

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

 Today's forecast was for partly sunny weather.  Patches of blue sky up there, but at this point it's mostly cloudy and snowing lightly.  I detest winter driving!

Thanks to Joyce for these thought-provoking questions.  I'm thrilled to be participating in the Hodgepodge again this week!

Five favorite festive cookies!

vintage illustration from my collection

I pondered over what to share today, but decided to link to some of our very favorite cookie recipes.  By now, many people are starting their Christmas baking, and I don't know about you, but I am always looking for a new Christmas cookie recipe to try.  I love to hear about other people's favorites!  So I will share a few of ours with you.

I had shared the link to Chocolate Mint Crisps a few days ago, so we'll call that a bonus recipe.

Photo from Taste of Home

My granddaughter made a batch of these on Saturday.  Instead of Andes mints on top, we sprinkled about 6 of the Toll House Chocolate Mint morsels.  I had gotten bags of these for under 30¢ apiece after Christmas last year, so I had plenty to spare and could skip the expense of the mints.  It worked out great.

Chocolate Spritz cookies, which, surprisingly enough, are not pressed cookies, are another favorite in our family.  I don't have a photo of them, but they are small round chocolate cookies dipped in multicolored sprinkles.  They were a big favorite from my childhood, but my husband adores them.  They're one of his specialties now.  You can read about them here:Chocolate Spritz and the story behind them.  If you do, be sure and look at the comments.  There you will find that another blogger, Terri from Christmas Tree Lane, left a comment saying that her mother had been telling her about these very cookies.  Terri was delighted to find the recipe!

Now, in one of those serendipitous happenings that are such fun, I just was looking through my Gooseberry Patch Cozy Country Christmas book.

I've acquired a number of Gooseberry cookbooks for free by having recipes published in them, but sometimes I forget which recipes are in a particular book.  Well, my Chocolate Spritz recipe in in this one.  And, get this -- Terri, the very same Terri who left a comment on the blog recipe -- also has a recipe published in the same book!  Neat, I thought.

Another of our favorites is Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprints.
 These are so pretty, a shortbread with raspberry filling and an almond drizzle.  They look so nice with other cookies on a cookie tray.

And then there are Eggnog Logs.

Photo from Taste of Home

These are a huge favorite with so many people that I wouldn't dare not make them.  I do change it up a bit from the recipe.  I leave out the rum extract in both cookie and frosting because I don't like boozy flavors.  I shape the logs by hand rather than rolling into a long rope and cutting.  It just works better for me.  The frosting calls for 2 tblsp. of cream, but I usually substitute eggnog if I have some on hand.  And I usually grate some nutmeg on top.

And I can't forget Whipped Shortbread Cookies.  These are a long-time favorite in our family.  I usually dip them in red or green sugar, but they are also very pretty with a candied cherry half on top.  Christmas sprinkles are nice, too.

Photo from Taste of Home

Just one more for now: Double Drizzle Pecan Cookies.

Photo from Taste of Home

I had made these for years as Praline Cookies, nice brown-sugary cookies with chopped pecans and a praline frosting on top.  Then they showed up as a prize-winning cookie in Country Woman, with the added refinement of a chocolate drizzle on top.  I made a batch of these on Saturday as well.  They taste as good as they look!

Hope you will try one or more of these recipes!  Enjoy!

I am linking up today with Sandi's No Place Like Home at Rose Chintz Cottage.  Be sure you go on over and take a look at the delightful links others have posted!  Also linking with the Gooseberry Patch Christmas Cookies and Candy Recipe Roundup!

Countdown to Christmas Link Party at Dixie and Dottie!

Yes, the countdown to Christmas is on!  If you're like me, it is counting down way too quickly!  I really am not ready with my gifts, and am finding that the season is passing without my taking the time I want to, to savor and enjoy this blessed time.

Next year I hope things will be different ... I've already found some great ideas for family gifts.  Meanwhile, I haven't had much time to peruse blogs for Christmas inspiration and fun this year.  I had heard about the  Countdown to Christmas link party at Dixie and Dottie, but today is the first time I've had a moment to look at any of the links.  I probably shouldn't be taking time now, but I wanted to share this link with all of you:  Countdown to Christmas.  They have over 200 fun and inspiring links so far, so head on over and get in on the fun!