[rman]

The Christmas shopping is done, the packages are wrapped and now our household has a little time to relax before the big Christmas dinner. At our house, dinner is pretty much a rerun of Thanksgiving. Our son won't eat ham, so it's turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, candied sweet potatoes, baked beans, macaroni salad, cherry coke salad, relish plate, carrot cake, pecan pie and homemade dinner rolls.

It's a shame that we spend so much time worrying about shopping and presents and not enough time celebrating what Christmas is all about. Now I finally have time to reflect on the events of the past year, count my many blessings and spend some time with family and friends. One of the bad things about reaching my age is that some of my friends and family aren't around any more. I lost 4 loved ones this year and Christmas won't be quite the same. It will still be a joyous time though, because I have to think that they will be here in spirit and I have all the happy memories of Christmases past.

I think of you folks on this forum as my friends. I've received a lot of support when things weren't going so good this year, a lot of laughs from our virtual coffee shop, some good tips from those who know a lot more than I do and a feeling of belonging somewhere. I hope you all can spend the holidays with friends and loved ones and that God blesses you as he has me and mine.
Merry Christmas everyone!

 

[JB]

Merry Christmas to you as well

 

[Baldy]

Merry Christmas to All ...

 

[Aszor]

Cherry Coke Salad? Never heard of this before, please clue me in, sounds interesting! Merry Christmas to you too!

 

[jaredshs]

rman

Merry CHRISTmas to your house from my house. May God bless you and yours.

 

[rman]

quote:Originally posted by Aszor

Cherry Coke Salad? Never heard of this before, please clue me in, sounds interesting! Merry Christmas to you too!

Well, I ain't the cook, but I have an idea of what goes in it. It's cherry jello, a full can of Coke, chopped pecans or english walnuts and crushed pineapple. I don't know if it sounds good or not, but trust me, it's delicious. If you want, I'll post the recipe tonight.
Tom

 

[Aszor]

Sounds really good, I would love to see the recipe if ya dont mind. Thanks

 

[Keith Smith]

My wife and I start Christmas shopping around the first of October. Were usually done by the end of November, and have the month of December to relax, and pick up an gift here and there for people we forgot [V] before the big day.
Internally (Me, wife, kids) Christmas isn't stressful, but when we start traveling to our parents, and other relatives, it's gets messy. It seems someone is always stirring the pot, gossiping about this or that, and people always gets their feeling hurt. Alcohol is <s>usually</s> always involved.

 

[rman]

quote:Originally posted by Keith Smith

Internally (Me, wife, kids) Christmas isn't stressful, but when we start traveling to our parents, and other relatives, it's gets messy. It seems someone is always stirring the pot, gossiping about this or that, and people always gets their feeling hurt. Alcohol is <s>usually</s> always involved.

That's too bad...Christmas is a time to be happy. Maybe you need to memorize a gazillion jokes and keep them laughing so hard they forget to be hurtful.
Tom

 

[2400]

quote:Originally posted by rman

quote:Originally posted by Keith Smith

Internally (Me, wife, kids) Christmas isn't stressful, but when we start traveling to our parents, and other relatives, it's gets messy. It seems someone is always stirring the pot, gossiping about this or that, and people always gets their feeling hurt. Alcohol is <s>usually</s> always involved.

That's too bad...Christmas is a time to be happy. Maybe you need to memorize a gazillion jokes and keep them laughing so hard they forget to be hurtful.
Tom

You're right rman Christmas IS a time to be happy. Some people have the need to be petty, mean, vicious and just hateful. My wife and I have some of those people on both sides of our family. After of years of being nice and trying to ignore the bad stuff and enjoy the little bits of good, we finally stopped. We spend time with the ones we enjoy and send the petty people a card and leave it at that.

Now it's a holiday we look forward to and enjoy instead of just "wanting it to be over quick" and have no one getting hurt.

 

[rman]

quote:Originally posted by 2400

My wife and I have some of those people on both sides of our family. After of years of being nice and trying to ignore the bad stuff and enjoy the little bits of good, we finally stopped. We spend time with the ones we enjoy and send the petty people a card and leave it at that. Now it's a holiday we look forward to and enjoy instead of just "wanting it to be over quick" and have no one getting hurt.

+1 - we have some of them also, and do the same as you.

 

[Calvin Wiles]

quote:Originally posted by rman

quote:Originally posted by 2400

My wife and I have some of those people on both sides of our family. After of years of being nice and trying to ignore the bad stuff and enjoy the little bits of good, we finally stopped. We spend time with the ones we enjoy and send the petty people a card and leave it at that. Now it's a holiday we look forward to and enjoy instead of just "wanting it to be over quick" and have no one getting hurt.

+1 - we have some of them also, and do the same as you.

I guess most of us have the same problem. I do the same as you guys. It's hard to make it joyful with bickering going on.

 

[rman]

quote:Originally posted by Aszor

Sounds really good, I would love to see the recipe if ya dont mind. Thanks

I PM'd you with the recipe.

 

[2400]

quote:Originally posted by rman

quote:Originally posted by Aszor

Sounds really good, I would love to see the recipe if ya dont mind. Thanks

I PM'd you with the recipe.

Can I have it too please?

 

[rman]

If you promise not to call me Martha Stewart, I'll just post it here in a minute.
Tom

 

[2400]

quote:Originally posted by rman

If you promise not to call me Martha Stewart, I'll just post it here in a minute.
Tom

How about Betty Crocker?

 

[rman]

Cherry Coke Salad

Dissolve one 3 oz. box of cherry gelatin in 1 cup of boiling water.
Remove from the burner.
Add 1 cup of Coca-Cola instead of cold water and stir. (It's going to foam...keep an eye on it.)
Chill until partially set.

Add 1 small can of crushed pineapple, drained.
Add 1 can of dark sweet cherries, drained.
Substituions: 1 pkg of frozen dark cherries, thawed and drained or 1 lb of pitted dark cherries.
Add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or english walnuts.
Options: Add 1/2 chopped celery to the nuts or in place of them.
Chill until firm.

(I like it best without the celery, but it's good both ways.)

 

[rman]

quote:Originally posted by 2400

quote:Originally posted by rman

If you promise not to call me Martha Stewart, I'll just post it here in a minute.
Tom

How about Betty Crocker?

I was going to send you a PM, but I couldn't remember how to spell Phhhhfffffffttttt! (That's supposed to be a bronx cheer.)[]

 

[2400]

quote:Originally posted by rman

quote:Originally posted by 2400

quote:Originally posted by rman

If you promise not to call me Martha Stewart, I'll just post it here in a minute.
Tom

How about Betty Crocker?

I was going to send you a PM, but I couldn't remember how to spell Phhhhfffffffttttt! (That's supposed to be a bronx cheer.)[]

LMAO

 

[Aszor]

Thanks rman, Im gonna give it a try! Does sound good!