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Discussion Board -> Off Topic -> Happy Holidays...name game
Happy Holidays...name game
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Swimming, we jump in the pool or ocean and swim to avoid cooking in the 35-45 degree heat :)
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Ah Chanukah…
Well… it begins about 3 weeks before when we start sending out e-mails trying to figure out when everyone can get together. Since it usually falls on, or passes close to 2 diff weekends, we gotta choose one.
Then… we get to my parents house early in the day. Various cooking happens throughout the day amid tempers and laughter and general extreme silliness (hey, you didn't think my family would be sane did you?).
Suddenly @ around 2 pm every year, there's a great rush of "oh, we didn't finish wrapping gifts" whereupon people rotate in and out of my parent's bedroom in the great wrapping frenzy. Rotation happens so you get kicked out when your gifts are being wrapped, etc. Usually people end up wrapping other people's gifts and there are calls of "JENNIE! Who's that tall thing going to?" echoing through the house.
Dinner is lovingly served (Brisket w/vegetables and a few other dishes), and the great Latke frying begins... I did not have NEARLY enough latkes this year, and will be forced to make more shortly. Anyway… plates of latkes appear as ready and platters head back into the kitchen about 30 secs later to wait for the next batch to appear. Served with your choice of sour cream or homemade applesauce.
After much more silliness and fun, and maybe a shouting match or two with our extremely cranky grandfather, it's time for INTERMISSION! Time to go open presents! Everyone gets a pile stacked in front of them, and we proceed to open round robin going from youngest to oldest one @ a time until all the gifts are opened. Much ooooohing and aaaaahing occurs... occassionally w/extreme sarcasm. And the delivery of the all important Chanukah Gelt (Chocolate coins), without which it just would not be Chanukah.
Somewhere in here, usually around this time, is the lighting of the Menorah. Candles are lit one by one by the children youngest to oldest, and occassionally you know... a kid gets to light more than one. We all stand around and sing the 1st three lines of the Menorah blessing… cuz we don't remember the rest of the words and onto dessert.
Ah… dessert… my mother is physically incapable of making less than 3 desserts, and then there's rugelach and macaroons on top of that, so um… YUM.
Shortly after this, some people will begin cleaning and helping, and then it's a toss-up which way life will go… either people will sit around sharing and talking and generally having a really nice time, or certain of the eldest and youngest people will turn really cranky and need to be driven home. Then we all get into our cars stuffed to the brim of food and try to find space for our loot, and travel on off into the night.
Oh… and during intermission, there's sometimes a walk to try and get rid of ya know… maybe 50 of the 2000 calories we just consumed. lol
Well… it begins about 3 weeks before when we start sending out e-mails trying to figure out when everyone can get together. Since it usually falls on, or passes close to 2 diff weekends, we gotta choose one.
Then… we get to my parents house early in the day. Various cooking happens throughout the day amid tempers and laughter and general extreme silliness (hey, you didn't think my family would be sane did you?).
Suddenly @ around 2 pm every year, there's a great rush of "oh, we didn't finish wrapping gifts" whereupon people rotate in and out of my parent's bedroom in the great wrapping frenzy. Rotation happens so you get kicked out when your gifts are being wrapped, etc. Usually people end up wrapping other people's gifts and there are calls of "JENNIE! Who's that tall thing going to?" echoing through the house.
Dinner is lovingly served (Brisket w/vegetables and a few other dishes), and the great Latke frying begins... I did not have NEARLY enough latkes this year, and will be forced to make more shortly. Anyway… plates of latkes appear as ready and platters head back into the kitchen about 30 secs later to wait for the next batch to appear. Served with your choice of sour cream or homemade applesauce.
After much more silliness and fun, and maybe a shouting match or two with our extremely cranky grandfather, it's time for INTERMISSION! Time to go open presents! Everyone gets a pile stacked in front of them, and we proceed to open round robin going from youngest to oldest one @ a time until all the gifts are opened. Much ooooohing and aaaaahing occurs... occassionally w/extreme sarcasm. And the delivery of the all important Chanukah Gelt (Chocolate coins), without which it just would not be Chanukah.
Somewhere in here, usually around this time, is the lighting of the Menorah. Candles are lit one by one by the children youngest to oldest, and occassionally you know... a kid gets to light more than one. We all stand around and sing the 1st three lines of the Menorah blessing… cuz we don't remember the rest of the words and onto dessert.
Ah… dessert… my mother is physically incapable of making less than 3 desserts, and then there's rugelach and macaroons on top of that, so um… YUM.
Shortly after this, some people will begin cleaning and helping, and then it's a toss-up which way life will go… either people will sit around sharing and talking and generally having a really nice time, or certain of the eldest and youngest people will turn really cranky and need to be driven home. Then we all get into our cars stuffed to the brim of food and try to find space for our loot, and travel on off into the night.
Oh… and during intermission, there's sometimes a walk to try and get rid of ya know… maybe 50 of the 2000 calories we just consumed. lol
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One man sees things and says "why?" - but I dream things that never were and I say "why not?"
OMG Cat, you just made me SO hungry...my dad's side of the family is jewish, so when I am in the Bay Area during a holiday, I get invited over to my auntie's house...and she is a cross between hippee chick and Marth Stewart...and her cooking SO rocks...her brisket is to die for...and like you said, making 3 desserts ONLY is a stretch...usually its...7-10...accompanied by yummy wine then followed up with deliciously strong coffee.
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Ok, as many of you know, I was raised in Hawaii. There we say "Mele Kalikimaka" (Mell-AY Ka-lee-kee-mah-ka) And we do much as we do here in Fresno (mainly a tradition started from growing up in Hawaii)...we have our Ohana (family and friends who may as well be family) over, we potluck it, pig out, play games, listen to tunes and try to karaoke to Christmas tunes, the keiki's (kids) would entertain us with jokes, dances, and whatever they have learned in school (sometimes even re-create a schoolplay)...so basically it is a day spent with loved ones...laughing and singing and basically celebrating being together.
Now tell us about your traditions...be it Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Yule...or something else (and what it is called)
And whatever you call it...Have a very happy holiday season filled with the greatest gifts (family and friends, good food and a warm home)!!!!!