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So I hit Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Giant Eagle today - gathering a comprehensive list of holiday prep food. I was nervous - always a little freaked by crowds, but... today.... tried to go with the flow, so to speak. I ended up feeling "browsy" and stocked up on some fun stuff to snack on, cook with, etc.
In my bags were sweet little clementines, breads, meats, sugars and chocolates for baking... I have very distinct memories of when my parents lived in Europe - Christmas there meant the clementines from Spain, the sugared gingerbread cookies from Germany and other tasty treats (hmmm... remembering the jet lag now too ;-) - my Mom's Villeroy Boch Holly dishes (which I now have and have washed off - ready to serve on) - the Christmas Markts (popular in Luxembourg too - where they lived for a time) with the bright lights strung between hot food stands, oompah bands playing - just fun. We often had guests so would take the train to Paris for the week between Christmas and New Year's - or to Rothenberg, Germany, a charming little walled in village that just screams "Christmas!" :-). On New Year's one year, my Dad and I stood in my parents' rooftop garden in Luxembourg City and watched people set fireworks and sparklers off on all the hilltops around the city at midnight while he smoked a cigar. I do miss him.
BTW - tonight was Christmas dance party in our house as I baked. Neighbors stopped in with gifts - we sent cookies and fudge door to door - everyone seemed to have their Christmas lights on - it was... well...festive. Even cleaning and prepping for my Mom's visit was fun - everyone excited.
We did "ring around the rosie" to the '80's "Feed the World" (can you name all the soloists? we can ;-), which I always thought was a short song until I had to wait until the chorus, circling and circling, to fall down. Weezer does a great "O Holy Night", btw - from a Christmas album from a few years ago??? It was always my Dad's favorite song of the season; I think he would like this newer version.
Stay safe, everyone.
2 comments:
Looks VERY festive at your house! Careful, now, you are making the rest of us look like slackers. I took my younger two to Whole Foods yesterday. They love to go from sample to sample and we, too, came away with Clementines...love them! Have a Merry Christmas and enjoy your Mom's visit.
nice :)
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