Holiday Thoughts in Pictures (Continued)

So, although my kitchen is bursting with cookies (DH has been on a cookie baking mission), I think I want to look at some holiday food because - well - it's the holiday and food always plays a significant role in most celebrations between people. Here we go - let's see what I can find for pictures...

To start - don't forget that your pets are part of the family. If you
don't give them treats of their own, they'll grab some of yours. Also, some
seasonal plants, such as poinsettia, can be dangerous for your pets. Be
careful with your decorations and things you have within their reach. 

Just as we have a turkey for Thanksgiving, we always have a spiral cut
ham for Christmas. I'll be picking mine up on the 24th. Yummy! 

We usually don't sit down for a main meal the way we do for Thanksgiving. But
on Christmas Eve, we do sit with cheese, crackers and a beverage of choice
(often eggnog or hot cocoa) while we relax and look forward to a day off
from work. 

Of course there must be cookies - lots of them in huge variety. We're
not this good with the icing, though. Aren't these pretty? 

And just because these are so cute that I had to share - just take a look at these
wonderful sandwich cookie, icing and candy corn turkeys. Who would want
to eat one? They look too cute to eat! 

Finally, there must be a beverage. For Christmas Eve it's usually eggnog, later
in the season we switch to champagne. But whether it is hot tea or
fine wine, the best thing is sharing it with friends. 

So there you have it - some of the foods of the holiday. I still fondly remember my godmother's roast goose with red cabbage and dumplings, my aunt's marrilenknedle - baked apricot dumplings with a warm dip - so good! But when I think of all of these foods, it's the faces of those across the table from me that I remember with the patina of time, love, and distance. It's those memories that make the holidays a time of tears and joy - bittersweet - reflected in the foods of the holiday.

Happy Tuesday to all!