The gifts that I have wrapped will be the only ones under the tree until Christmas morning. My mom and dad put all of the "kids" presents out after we go to bed on Christmas Eve, even though we are 23, 21, 18 and 16. But, I like it that way. It keeps the anticipation for Christmas morning that much more alive! I'm also a HUGE traditionalist, so I expect that tradition to keep at least until we start adding spouses and grandchildren to the picture! :)
Before my mom and I went shopping, we made a stop at the elementary school where she teaches. She had a lot of chapter books she wanted to lend me to use in my classroom. Then, we went to Sam's to pick up our Christmas picture cards and my graduation announcements. We ate some lunch real quick and then ventured out into the crazy world of last-minute Christmas shoppers (including us)! We went to Burlington, Bealls, Sally's Beauty Supply, Target, Kohl's and Walmart. My mom HATES shopping, and she HATES crowds. So, she likes to be in and out, but I think I help calm her when I shop with her!
We got home and had plans to address envelopes for Christmas cards and graduation announcements and watch a Christmas movie. Well, the movie is still going on-but I'm just so not a movie person (I know, many people look at me funny when I say that)so I came to write my "post" for tonight! Haha.
Considering the title of my post is "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas," I thought I'd share some pictures of me and my roommate Dayna's very own first Christmas tree! We got it at Lowe's for $20 right after we got back from Thanksgiving break and really enjoyed decorating it and spending money on tons of ornaments! Ha! It's a 5-6 ft. tree, but perfect enough for an apartment! It smells SO good! It was sad to leave it when we both went to our parents' houses for Christmas break.
Dayna and I also baked some Christmas sugar cookies the night I was COMPLETELY FINISHED with college! It was a huge mess, but a delicious success! :) I also made zucchini bread to give to my professors for Christmas and as a thank-you for their contribution to my college education!
Tomorrow the Kaliher girls are going to do some more baking. Zucchini bread, fudge, and sugar cookies are what my mom always makes every year. I think I'm going to try and find a new recipe for something different. I love peppermint, so I'm thinking peppermint bark? I'll find something new and good to eat! The Christmas baking tradition is one of my favorites. When I was a little girl, it was one of my most favorite things to do with my mom! Back then we made butterball cookies, peanut butter cookies, thumbprint cookies...all in addition to the traditional zucchini bread, fudge and cut-out sugar cookies. Now that we're older and busier, we don't do as much baking. But, it will always be one of my favorite Christmas memories!
This is the 4th Christmas spent without my maternal grandparents (the grandparents I was SO close to). Christmas will never be the same without them and their traditions. Growing up, we always spent our Christmas afternoon with them and all of our aunts, uncles, and many cousins! We exchanged gifts and ate so much dessert! Late at night, we'd go for a walk in their neighborhood and look at Christmas lights. It's so sad not having them here anymore to celebrate this special time of year. Since their deaths in 2006, Christmas has not been the same. I look forward to having a family of my own and taking them to "Grandma and Grandpa's" for Christmas so that those traditions can be re-created and restored in my life! I miss them dearly!
This is one of the last pictures taken in 2005, around Christmas time. My grandparents and their 13 grandchildren (3 of which aren't pictured, and one who wasn't added to the family until 2008). We Love and Miss You, Mamie and Boppie!
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