What have you done today to get into the spirit of the holidays?

[applegrove]

I fed Hughey and Twilight leftover pork roast for din din tonight. They are very thankful. Lots of 180 degree licking of chops going on in the applegrove house tonight. There will not be anything special for the cats christmas night as we humans are having rack of lamb and we humans will fight over the leftovers of that. Me I'm having a salad with raw cashews tonight.

[zeusdogmom]

1. Watered poinsettias.

7 greenhouse racks of them. Big pots, little pots - all full of the ubiquitous Christmas flower. Then filled in empty spots in the displays and tables.

Best news - my last day in the greenhouse and store until March!!!

FYI - there are NO poinsettias in my home.

[applegrove]

2. That is what i forgot to get my dad. There is still time though. Sometimes

They have them at the local grocery store. I like the white ones with glitter on them.

[zeusdogmom]

60. Glitter is fun

If the store doesn't have one glittered and ready to go, ask the staff to do it for you. Many times the glittering is done on site. Or buy a can of spray glitter and do it yourself. Really easy. Just use a light touch - less is definitely more in this case.

[Siwsan]

3. Remembered I have to go out tomorrow to buy some mead for the Solstice

And I saw that Aldi's has some sort of Wassail for the holidays. Might pick up some of that, too.

[applegrove]

5. I feel like we have gone back in time.

[Siwsan]

11. Yea, I'm a bit more into the 'traditional' holidays

[Sanity Claws]

23. I will check that out

Never thought of mead.

[Historic NY]

4. Drank

[applegrove]

6. Have one for me.

[Tanuki]

7. Attended a splendid performance of Handel's Messiah

at the Nashville Symphony yesterday.

[applegrove]

9. Lovely.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. Not a damn thing.

I'm ignoring it, hoping it will go away.

[applegrove]

10. Then it probably will.

[Frustratedlady]

12. Addressed/mailed Christmas cards...

I was going to spend the day baking cookies and making nut clusters, but just couldn't get up the energy to measure out the ingredients. I DO want to make my mother's ice box cookies...plain, but a must for my family to remember past Christmases. I had also planned to make her Swedish rye bread, but don't know if I'll get around to it.

Not a lot of enthusiasm. Not receiving hardly any cards. I think I'm up to 10 or 11, where I normally get 50 or so. That is depressing. Temps in the 40-50s...I need snow. I'll rise to the occasion, but it will take a major turn-around.

[applegrove]

13. I hear you. Saw a recipe for egg nog muffins but brother is celiac so

That stopped me from baking.

[Frustratedlady]

16. Yep. Several years ago, I got carried away and baked a bunch.

I made up boxes of cookies/candy for each of the families. Of all times, they all decided to go on a diet. I forget what diet was in style, that year, but they were all trying it.

Since then, I've been very selective of what I bake.

[applegrove]

17. It was only 5 years ago that my dad used to bake pound cake made with

A pound of butter. I never told my dad but I don't think the family and friends he used to give it to actually liked it. I liked it because I grew up with it. It was really greasy though. Old family recipe back when you had to make really bad for you food instead of just buying it like we do today.

[NightWatcher]

14. I wore this shirt all day.

[applegrove]

15. LOL!

[NightWatcher]

27. I've got Nat Lampoons Christmas shirts and others to finish the week.

[WhiteTara]

18. Cleaned the house and finished laundry

and now we are ready to have holiday guests.

[applegrove]

20. That's the way to do chores. Get it over early and fast. I seem to have forgotten that.

I'll have to wait to clean my livingroom till i have given all the gifts.

[doc03]

19. Didn't murder anyone nt

[applegrove]

21. Belly breath. It is only two weeks. It will all be over soon.

[AJT]

22. Bought the rib roast we'll be having for Christmas dinner

as well as the wine we'll be bringing to my husband's family Christmas eve party. I also bought locally made vodka(Death's Door)that I'll give as a hostess gift.

[applegrove]

24. I have done half my shopping for christmas dinner. I will have to join

the mob shopping this weekend. Food has to be fresh.

[mia]

25. Went through old photos and scanned the ones of family Christmas gatherings from long ago.

I posted them on a family facebook page. Now the grandchildren and neices and nephews can see what their parents were up to in days gone by.

[applegrove]

26. What a sweet photo.

[tblue37]

28. I said, "Bah! Humbug!" nt

[applegrove]

31. Quoting Christmas literature.... good on ya!

[democratisphere]

29. Put another dollar in the Salvation Army Kettle at Walmart.

Try to do it each and every time I pass one.

[applegrove]

33. Charity is the basis of the holiday. Though I wish they would update

who they accept in their religious organization. I volunteered to ring their bell one Christmas despite it. I knew of another volunteer. He was their most successful bell ringer and donation getter. He was also lgtb.

[Generic Brad]

30. Nothing

Our daughter can't make it home for the holidays so we treated ourselves to a tropical vacation. My wife and I went to Maui last week and enjoyed some sun. We'll just spend the three day weekend watching TV and catching up on our sleep.

[applegrove]

34. What great memories you'll have to warm you all winter.

[Freethinker65]

32. Made a dental appointment for my son

[applegrove]

35. To proactively fight all the cavities your Christmas baking will give him.

[klook]

36. Delivered meals to poor old folks with local charitable org

That was great. "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." (Gandhi)

Also mailed Xmas cards & gifts.

[applegrove]

37. That's the spirit.

[Kali]

38. rummaged around for a box of cards I knew was somewhere in the house.

found 'em too! might even get them done for the mail tomorrow. (probably not)

[applegrove]

39. I'm not sending any out this year. I got gifts from my dad and got cards to his

great friends out.

[Kali]

40. I have to send a couple of funny calanders to old friends but

since I have no life, the mailings and gifts are not too numerous.

[applegrove]

41. When you get to be our age life has been lived and memories of our great

friends and family keep us laughing and wiggly both our ears. Plus there is the internet.

[guillaumeb]

42. We play holiday music. eom

[applegrove]

43. Here you go:

[Freddie]

44. Went to pick up a few things at Giant

Ended up with a few minor decoration things (can’t resist) already on half price and the last 2 presents I needed to get, toys for my grandcats and fur nephews.

[applegrove]

47. Yes I need to get those for the cats in my world.

[Squinch]

45. Had a long conversation with two five year olds in which we solved the dilemma of my

not having a chimney.

Windows, it seems, won't work.

But I have a vent in the wall in my kitchen. Turns out that is sufficient.

It was very serious business.

.

[applegrove]

48. To see Christmas, or anything really, through their eyes is wonderful.

[IrishEyes]

46. I bought my last present.

I'm putting together a gift basket for my stressed out friend.

[applegrove]

49. That reminds me. I have to order a gift basket. Hope it is not too late.

[csziggy]

50. Made a trial batch of gluten free oatmeal cookies

They turned out pretty good, too.

From a Martha Stewart recipe: https://www.marthastewart.com/945295/gluten-free-oatmeal-cookies

I have some nephews who have serious food allergies so if I can bake for them during the holidays it makes me happy. For Thanksgiving I made meringue cookies which turned out OK. But I've been craving oatmeal cookies so wanted to try to make those.

[applegrove]

53. Yummy. My brother eats gluten free and I found some cupcakes

in the store made with cornmeal. They are both chocolate and vanilla with icing and they tasted great, especially if you grew up eating mom's cornbread like we did. I would so bake those oatmeal cookies except i'm on a diet and my brother is diabetic.

[Glorfindel]

51. I spent the day listening to Christmas music on the radio and packing to go to New York

for my annual visit with my favorite cousin and her family. It's the highlight of my year!

[applegrove]

54. I love cousins. Every family should have some.

[Sophia4]

52. I sent a final, after-Christmas, homemade present to my granddaughter.

A scarf I knit but didn't finish in enough time to get to her for Christmas.

I sent her a present for Christmas in time for it to arrive at her house.

I love, love, love my grandkids.

[applegrove]

55. Knitting is so perfect for our winter climates. I once made a butterfly scarf that was perfect for

the chilly, wet, cold of a Nova Scotia winter. My sister made a blanket for my dad last year. With the thickness of the wool you can buy these days it does not take long. Wish I had kids or grandkids. Enjoy.

[trixie2]

56. Absolutely nothing!

I can't stand the holidays. Sure, playing with the kids is great but I could do without everything else.

[applegrove]

57. Kids make Christmas. I'm just so sorry they grow up so fast.

[EricMaundry]

58. Not a fucking thing

Tomorrow looks to be more of the same.

[applegrove]

59. I'm going to call off the carol-ers who were going by your house tomorrow.

You are busy.