Friday, December 24, 2010

Christmas eve

With the events of yesterday in the past, we are already fully into this Christmas Eve day.  Cooking, stuffing gift bags for guests, setting out plates and dishes for the buffet, and getting the fireplaces ready to light. 

So far, we have around 20 people coming tomorrow to enjoy a few hours of food and fellowship.  I am certainly looking forward to it.  The elderly parents-in-law will be here in the morning to open gifts, after which we will get the dining room table loaded with food to serve.  This is going to be a pretty casual thing. 

The menu is southern style with BBQ, ribs, chili, baked beans, red rice, coleslaw, potato salad, green bean casserole, cheeses, hot spiced cider, cookies, fudge, and coconut cake.  Everyone eats turkey or ham for Christmas so we decided some home cooked BBQ and ribs would be really good.  I smoked the BBQ over hickory chips on Wednesday and did the ribs in the cooker yesterday.  They smell awesome. 

So that's what we are doing today.  Getting things ready for tomorrow.  And then taking a nap later this afternoon.  A house full of people coming and that is what I like.  Filling up this house is hard but tomorrow we may be on our way to having it filled with a lot of good cheer and love. 

Many blessings to you and yours on this Christmas Eve.

16 comments:

  1. Sounds like a wonderful time! Merry Christmas to you.

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  2. Merry Christmas, Syd! I hope you have a very happy holiday. :)

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  3. I've just discovered (started reading) your blog, and loved the peanut brittle stories, glad you have created the candy to go along with your Christmas Day gathering, it's like it ties so many memories, and times together--now the brittle is being offered to a happy occasion that is being looked forward to...it's great!

    Merry Christmas! thanks for sharing.

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  4. Long time reader and first time poster. I am a 4 year Alanon-er and your writings have been a great help to me over the past year or so. I wish you and C a very Merry Christmas and wish I could be at your dinner tomorrow ! Thanks for all you do, and all the best.

    Larry

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  5. Peace, light, joy, and friendship. And yeah- love.
    Enjoy.

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  6. wow. awesome dinner !!!
    I would be the size of a barn if I could cook food as gorgeous as that.. :)
    1 rib is too many, 100 aren't enough :)

    Hehe sounds like u guys will have a great day. i plan on swerving the dinner altogether. Ill go into town, go to a seriously great AA meeting and take in the deserted city landscape. Its like I have the whole place to myself for a change :) I love the city on christmas day :) Incredibly !! peaceful..

    So people, meetings, awesome churches and taking in the silent city centre. a few phone calls to those out of town, some loafing around at home, and thats it really. No huge dinner and some exercise instead will work for me :)

    Have a LOVELY day Syd... and C of course :)

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  7. Marry Christmas! your menu sounds delicious. I made a traditional French/Canadian dish called Toutiere. it's basically pork, beef, potato, and onion in a pie shell. Meat pie. Very dense, seasoned with allspice and nutmeg.

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  8. Merry Christmas Syd, I hope you have a lovely day. I love the photo with the lights, it's gorgeous :-)
    ~Sarah~

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  9. What Southern hospitality, good cheer and good friends! You and C are the gift. Enjoy the giving. Merry Christmas, my friend.

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  10. Beautiful photo -- and it sounds delicious and truly hospitable. Have a peaceful and blessed day!

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  11. Merry Xmas, Syd. I have been in recovery since August, and discovered your blog a while back. Thanks for you beautiful and honest posts. When I read them, I get the same feeling I do at meetings; it's like coming home. Happy Holidays!
    Monica

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  12. Yumm and a pretty staircase too!

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  13. That sounds like a very entertaining Xmas.

    Being an alcohol survivor or someone Else's drinking, do you ever drink yourself? I was just wondering... And do people in Al Anon usually not drink? I'm a bit confused on this issue, I hope you don't mind me asking.

    I'm pullling the plug on my drinking by New Year, I decided.

    You can remind me that when I'm still drunk on January 10 %-/...

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  14. The menu sounded terrific. What a great idea to serve BBQ!

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