This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $25.00 Amazon egift card. You must provide your email address for delivery.
Holiday Traditions
I love the holiday season, starting with Halloween right through the New Year festivities. The smiles on people’s faces, the decorations, homemade treats, and you can feel the energy and excitement. It’s magical and contagious.
One of my favorite family Christmas traditions, and it’s one that I miss the most now, is togetherness. Family meals, playing games, singing carols, reading ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, and waking up on Christmas morning to see what Santa had delivered. There are only two words that come to mind to describe those times: laughter and love.
One appetizer that always reminds me of Thanksgiving or Christmas is my grandmother’s blue cheese stuffed celery sticks. Nothing fancy, but holy smokes, are they delicious! All you need is a brick of cream cheese (softened), blue cheese (whatever brand makes you smile), then crumble the blue cheese and combine it with the cream cheese. If you need a touch of liquid, add a splash of milk until it’s a creamy mixture. You want it thick enough to spread it on the celery. Wash and cut the celery into the sizes you want (we do 1.5-inch pieces) and spread the goodness. Arrange on a plate, cover, and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. Yummy!!!!!!
My husband and I also look forward to New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day because it’s full of celebrations, parades, football, and puzzles. Of course, no holiday celebration would be complete without having our fur babies by our sides. Spoiled is an accurate description, but we wouldn’t have it any other way! (Wet noses, tail wags, and purrs)
This year was bittersweet for me, I lost my father, but I also had a dream come true by publishing my first book. If you find yourself looking for a new author and romantic suspense series to try, please consider Trent’s Redemption.
Find an adventure that makes you smile. I wish you and your family all the best during this holiday season.
Trent Jacobs had everything he wanted in life until the flash of a muzzle ripped his world apart. Now he only has guilt. Permanently removed from fieldwork due to questionable events, Trent retires from the FBI. He retreats to the small town of Mill Creek, Idaho, to become the town sheriff.
Margaret King knows what it’s like to be alone and isolated. Losing her parents as a child was impossible, but the death of her brother damn near killed her. When a strange van appears on her street and her apartment is broken into, she turns to Trent, the only man she knows she can trust.
After Maggie shows up terrified and haunted, Trent’s guilt explodes. She makes him want things he doesn’t deserve, including her. As their past collides with the present, Trent is forced to face his demons to protect her. Or risk losing her.
Bailey Thomas lives in the beautiful, but hot southwest with her husband and their adorable four-legged children. An only child, Bailey’s active imagination and adventurous nature always kept her busy. Now, she channels those creative powers into storytelling.
Her wonderful husband encouraged her to chase her dream of becoming an author and continues to be her greatest champion. Being able to write these stories has been a thrilling experience that is truly special to her.
When she’s not behind a computer working on her next deadline, she’s reading her favorite authors, playing with her fur-babies, and spending time with her husband. They love to watch movies, sports and play all types of games.
Buy the book at Amazon.
I miss signing Christmas Carols. We have fallen from it
Me too! My grandfather had the best voice. Mine was always better in the shower! LOL. Thanks for checking out my post.
I miss the noisy, crowded Christmas with paper shreds everywhere around the kids and barely any room on the sofas and chairs for the adults. But there’s joy to be found in quieter times, too.
Oh, yes, those are good memories. In our house, I was always given trash patrol. I’d run around and try to collect the trash before my attention went to the next thing. Thank you for sharing this memory!
It’s been many years since the entire family got together for Christmas, but we have lots of video chats. I know it’s not the same, and virtual hugs can’t begin to mimic the real ones, but seeing the smiling faces of my children and the laughter of my granddaughter bring joy to my heart.
Oh, Marie, you are so right! I hope you get to give them all hugs soon! Thanks for checking out my post.
fun memories
Thanks for visiting my blog, Bn. Have a great day!
I do a lot of puzzles (jigsaw, sudoku, logic, etc.) during the winter, but I hadn’t thought about making them a New Year’s Day tradition specifically. Maybe I should try that this year!
That’s a great way to pass the cold days! If you try it on New Year’s Day, I hope it brings smiles to all. Thanks for visiting my blog and Happy New Year!
I love your grandmother’s recipe. I will try it this next year maybe for Superbowl Sunday. I love to watch holiday romance movies the month before Christmas. I watch a classic every year”it’s A Wonderful Life”, my absolute favorite. Togetherness has been hard these past two holidays with the pandemic. I hope 2022 will change all of that.
I love that movie too! I hope our next holiday is filled with togetherness, love, and hugs! Happy New Year, Mary, and I wish you all the best for a happy and healthy 2022.
Thank you everyone for taking a moment out of your day to send me a comment! I enjoyed reading each one and wish you all a happy and healthy new year!
The winner of the $25.00 Amazon egift card is Astilbe!! I will reach out to the staff at LASR for your email address.
Oh, how wonderful!
I just emailed you, Bailey. Thank you.