Christmas 2010

Christmas seems like weeks ago but I still need to write a blog post about this year’s holiday – if for no other reason than knowing that I will want to go back and read about it next year.

On Christmas Eve we had our usual gathering of family and friends at our home. I served my traditional buffet which includes some Swedish treats along with a baked ham, mac ‘n cheese, and finger sandwiches. There were lots of cookies, too.

Dale read Twas the Night Before Christmas, as he always does.

And we had 3 out of 4 kids in attendance. That’s not bad but we really miss Brant, Heather and Ambrynn at Christmas time.

On Christmas morning the kids all came back to open gifts. We ate shrimp and swapped presents and played with new toys.

And on Christmas afternoon Dale, Hannah and I headed to his brother Randy’s log cabin in the woods for Christmas dinner. It’s only about 1/2 mile behind our house but it feels like light years away from our little suburban town.

We took the dogs for a walk down Randy’s snowy road. I commented more than once that I felt like we were the Waltons but I meant it in a very good way.

When we came back to the house Randy’s wife Mary was setting out snacks for us. She made these frozen bowls for the shrimp and cocktail sauce – she’s a clever one, my sister-in-law.

It wasn’t long before we all sat down to a delicious dinner of grilled striped bass and venison, wild rice, squash casserole, and an absolutely wonderful green bean casserole from Martha Stewart Living. Before dinner Mary made me read the lyrics to the song I posted here last week and we mostly all got through it without crying.

Over dessert (I made chocolate cream pie) my father-in-law shared stories that made us all laugh and cry. It was such an enjoyable evening! The setting, the food, the family, the sharing and laughing and enjoying – it was just as I hoped it would be.

I highly recommend Christmas with family, in a log cabin, if you can manage it.

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This Post Has 23 Comments

  2. I love it, Carol! The whole day sounds l wonderful and your
    pictures are lovely. I would say Christmas in your house and the
    log cabin was “a very good thing” as Martha would say. Happy New
    Year to you and your family.

  4. You tree looks like the tree my mother had every year. That style will always be my favorite. Your Christmas sounds picture perfect and I thank you for sharing the joy with us.

  10. We celebrated a couple of Christmases in the ’70s at my grandparents’ log cabin in the Big Woods of Wisconsin – very cozy, warm, and rustic. Except for the outhouse… that was not very warm.
    ; )

  12. Wonderful! Your walk looks like it came from a storybook. I’m so glad the holiday was all you had planned!

  15. Love the ice bowl idea! So glad that your Christmas was so storybook wonderful. And what fun celebrating part of it in a log cabin! You are so lucky.

  16. Love the ice bowls!! I need to remember this for the next time I am hostess for card club! Also printed the recipe for Neopolitan cookies. Thanks for a great recipe!

    🙂

  20. It looks like you had a fabulous time! The log cabin looks so inviting. And how fun to have Hannah home! Hope your new year is wonderful as well.

  21. I was expecting to read that they had sent a horse-drawn sleigh down to bring you through the snowy woods.
    You Holiday celebrations are always so festive!
    Happy New Year!

  22. Thanks for sharing the story of your holiday. I’ll have to remember the shrimp and srtiped bass for dinner next year. We usually do beef, but your meal sounds yummy. And lighter.

  23. What a wonderful way to celebrate! And I think it’s so neat that Dale’s family member live so close to each other.

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