Thursday 23 December 2021

December 23, 2021

 The night of the Winter Solstice our immediate family gathered together to do some serious cookie decorating. We've enjoyed doing this (not on this date necessarily) for a few years now and it seems we are achieving new heights in our skills. 



Some of them are sarcastic and naughty, others are seriously pretty. Still others are flawed due to a misjudgment of how much frosting was coming out. 

Husband was quite tickled with his accomplishments on Patrick Star (from Spongebob Squarepants).



Meanwhile, the decorations are done in the house, the gifts are wrapped (well, the ones I'm responsible for, anyway - can't speak for husband and son), and I've done what is, I hope, the last of the food and drink buying. Even though it's only a little gathering of us instead of the big one, I still want to make it special. 


When the kids were young, husband always read "The Night Before Christmas" to them on Christmas Eve. Now it is displayed behind a piece that depicts Santa taking it easy in the aftermath. My mother gave each one of us (myself and siblings) one of these Santa figures (all the same), so this has seen many Christmases. Poor old guy has his gramophone horn broken off, but he is much loved and makes me think of my father who almost always had a cat perched on him when he sat down. 


Here is our tree, picture taken this morning, so not quite in its glory at night with lights twinkling and such. 


Please note the present placement. Yes, there is a large gap below the tree. Why, may you ask?



That is why. When we first placed a few presents under the tree, he actually got in there, nosed and shoved around and made himself an empty spot where he could lie. Rather than fight it, we've just made sure he has a spot now. 


Here is the better behaved other cat.


Calm, cool, collected, comatose.


Meanwhile, I don't think there has been a single fire in the woodstove that hasn't been directly supervised. (These next pictures are taken on separate occasions, same shirt, ha ha).




Today I shall pre-make a couple of things: green bean casserole, baked sweet potatoes. I hope you are all content in your Christmas preparations, or lack thereof, however you choose to wrap up this year. We have snow on the ground, with more to come. 

40 comments:

  1. Great cookies, beautiful trees, wonderful cat photos! I have to pick up some "Lite Eggnog" today and then I'm all done shopping too.

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  2. I echo that those are beautiful cookies. The cats are adorable and the tree is lovely. I am all done now too apart from the cooking of course.

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    1. Good for you! Are you cooking for Christmas day?

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    2. I am cooking Christmas day but there will only be the two of us so it's easy. We will still have all the trimmings but on a small scale and I have a small turkey crown.

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  3. Lovely photos. Love the observer!!
    You've got some great traditions too. The cookies are wonderful.

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  4. Daughter keeps pestering me to make cookies to decorate but I’m done. Your cookies are lovely looking

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  5. Lovely photos and colours in your house Jenn. The wall colour is very bold and works brilliantly. I love the cat supervising laying the fire. I can identify with that! And the little cat in the spot under the tree in his spot. Great! xxxxx

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    1. We've always had that colour of red, in our previous house as well. Husband's uncle and aunt liked it so much, years ago when they came to visit us, that they ended up painting their living room the same colour.

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  6. I LOVE your red walls! It's beautiful. And the cat/tree cracked me up. For eight years, Lizzie rarely went near or behind the tree -- I had it anchored with cat litter containers. This year I didn't. I panic every time she runs behind it. So far, so good!

    Our tradition when the kids were still with us on whatever day ended up being Christmas Eve was to decorate cookies. When they were young, they'd take some to their mom on Christmas Day and we'd give some to the neighbors. They are the one thing I haven't made this year, but if we ever get to celebrate with the "Covid Kids" (thanks to the toddler and daycare, it's running through the family) I will do them then and hopefully we can still decorate.

    I love every photo. YOur cookeis remind me of ours, the tree is a stunner, the cats are four star! Meanwhile, I'm nearly signing off on preparations. After I put 2 3/4 c. flour (or bad powdered sugar with no flavor) into my peanut butter fudge, I decided it's time to stop baking and start chilling out!

    Merriest to you!

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    1. We're not too afraid of colour here, but it suits the living room. I wouldn't have it in other rooms. Oh boy, too bad about the fudge! It's a shame to mess up real fudge. I've only ever made the cheater kind with chocolate chips, and I think sweetened condensed milk - can't remember precisely what else.

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  7. Great photos, Jenn! Your cats are a scream :)

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  8. Well done on the cookie decorating. They all look delicious! Have a wonderful time on Christmas Day.

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    1. Thanks, I hope you have a very merry Christmas as well!

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  9. It all looks beautiful and some of those cookies are really gorgeous. Love the cat photos. And the one of your husband laughing. That's really what this holiday is about, isn't it--laughter, time together, gathering in. All the best from our house to yours.

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    1. He was shocked and started laughing when he added the eyebrows to Patrick and realized how much of a difference it made. (son had pulled up an image on his phone for him to use).

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  10. What a lovey post! It made me smile.

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    1. Oh, hello Joanne! I just left a comment on your blog welcoming you back home! I'm glad you liked this.

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  11. Your cookie decorating tradition sounds like lots of fun. Sponge Bob is a real hoot. Well done on the creative decorating. Your tree and packages underneath look beautiful. Looks like you are ready for the big day. Loved the cat photos too. Murphy is a very inquisitive kitty.

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    1. Thank you, Susan. Yes, it is fun and we are lucky to have our two kids close enough that we can get together to do that.

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  12. Somebody's messin' with us, Jenn! I just read your comment on my blog regarding the fact that the comment you previously made didn't appear. I commented here earlier today and it never showed up either!

    Gosh, I wish my family would enter into the cookie decorating like yours does. My husband would think that was the worst fate in the world . . . to have to try to decorate Christmas cookies. Eating them, on the other hand, is high on his list of enjoyable things to do.

    Love the little "cave" your one kitty has made under the tree. So cute!

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    1. I've noticed it happens when I try to comment from my phone, but it never happens when I'm using a computer. Husband doesn't really do a whole lot in the other decorating for Christmas departments, that's all me, but we can usually talk him into the cookie thing (and yes, he manages to eat a few in the process).

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  13. Oh the cookies look wonderful. I have no talent in that direction whatsoever so I'm always impressed with the work of others.

    My Saku used to do something similar - he could almost always be found under the tree. I even had bells in strategic places to let me know when he moved around. But since I've gone to a table top tree he leaves it entirely alone. Now he's the comatose cat on the couch!

    Merry Christmas! Enjoy your family time.

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    1. It's Murphy's first Christmas, so we weren't even sure how he would react to a tree. He's an indoor / outdoor cat so we were hoping he wouldn't climb it. At first he took down a couple of ornaments and managed to pull out the whole bottom ribbon, but since then he just sleeps under it.

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  14. Love all the decorated cookies and your beautiful tree. Unlike your snowy region, our area will be basking in 66 degrees and sunshine for Christmas Day (after a high of 39 yesterday). Hoping no kiddies around here get a sled as a present. Nothing but mild temps for the foreseeable future.

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    1. Hi Mary. I'm not sure where you come from, but it's obviously some place warmer (I'd have to look at a conversion chart, as I'm not sure what 39 is in Celsius). Have a good Christmas!

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    2. Mid-Atlantic US. 66f is about 18c and 39f is roughly 3c. The low that morning was -5c. Roller coaster temps. :)

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  15. Your cats are beautiful. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Hugs, Edna B.

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  16. Your home is Christmas ready, the cookies are delightful (even Patrick!) and the cats are sweet. I love the book reading tradition and the fact that it is displayed as a piece of art makes it even more special.
    Merry Christmas to you and yours!

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  17. Happy Christmas to you and your family and the cats and hoping for a better new year for everyone. xx

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  18. I LOVE those cookies! I especially love the gingerbread man with the polka dot pants. Don't cats make great snoopervisors? I work under constant supervision here. I hope you have a wonderful holiday and a safe, healthy and happy 2022.

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  19. Oh the cats lol....your husband's cookie is wonderful lol...and so are all of the others, they look delicious! Your Santas are adorable too! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas Jenn!!! 🎄🎄♥♥

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  20. Marvelous photos all!
    Happy christmas to you !

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  21. Wow, everything looks so beautiful and festive at your place! Merry Christmas to you and your family! 🎄

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  22. Love those fun cookies, especially Patrick Star.

    Merry Christmas to you and yours!

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  23. There is nothing more fun than decorating Christmas cookies. Yours look grand. Hope you had a Merry Christmas.

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  24. We're doing catchup - love the cookies (what a great tradition), and Tigger here knows how important it is to supervise firelighting. (Very good looking cat btw). Have a great new year.

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