Gifts and Traditions

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. I did! I got to enjoy a lot of family time on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. I also ate entirely too many sweets! But hey, I've done good all year, so why not. Im glad to say, I have only gained 3 lbs from it. Im sure I'll have it back off by New Years Day. 

Every year, I get a feeling that Christmas cheer is going away. I want to hang on to traditions but it keeps getting harder to do so. The kids grow up, the wrapping paper is no longer flying through the room with excitement. Its gift cards and money. A smile, a thank you and everyone goes home. 

However, in my living room on Christmas morning, my 25 year old is back to a 9 year old as she tears into her gifts from Santa. She got alot! Me and Nick no longer buy gifts for each other because we have already have everything we need or want. We just get a joy out of haveing our daughter at the house, baking, cooking and dinner with family. 

However, our daughter will purchase a couple gifts for us. We let her enjoy the spirit of giving. I want to show off a few things she got me for Christmas.

This very soft blanket I can snuggle with as I watch TV while curled up in my recliner.

 

This cool ring!

 

A Mud Pie brand Coffee Scoop 

 

And last but not least, this small cake stand from Pioneer Woman. 

I've already put some cookies in it to show it off.

 

I love it all. And Nick likes his socks and shirts. Ha.

Now Christmas is over. My decorations are taken down the next day and its back to work. 

For years I always do an annual New Years Dinner but I may skip it this year. It gets harder to get family together. Most of them will not even answer my invite therefore leaving me to guess if they are coming and resulting in lots of leftovers and a lot of empty place settings. It gets under my skin! It stresses me out and I say evey year that Im not doing it again, but I still do. I love doing New Years dinner mainly for my Mom and Dad. 

Will I do it again? Well see. Its only four days away and collards are hard to find around here. I normally cook up 8lbs! Along with 10 lbs of meat, 10 lbs of potatos, black eye peas and cobblers. I could cut that in half and save a lot of money if some of them would just say they are not comming instead of leaving me wondering. I would hate not to have enough. 

Im still leaning toward having just a quiet day off with my husband.