Blog Cookie Exchange

Susie's a clevah girl and came up with this nifty blogging cookie exchange idea of sorts... Sharing online yer Christmas recipes, special holiday traditions, apparel and gifts. I'm late in the day to be doing this, but I'm doin' it!
RECIPES: This recipe, amongst a gazillion others (Chocolate Cherry Bars, Peanut Butter Blossoms, Candy Cane Cookies, Carmels, Turtles, Ginger Molasses cookies, Russian Teacakes, Mint-topped Brownies, Pumpkin Choc Chip Muffins, Ginger Lemon Muffins, Cranberry Bread, Frosted Gingerbread, Sugar Cookies, etc. etc. etc), has been a part of my Christmas baking/cooking repertoire for years - except the last few, going out of town each year. Anywhooo, my mum's family LOVES this "Philadelphia Fudge" recipe. NOTES: Continued on the back of the recipe card is written, "slice when set." Another thing, we always keep this stuff in the freezer - soooo yummy - it will melt in your mouth! Also, I sift the powdered sugar before adding it to either the cream cheese (c.c. should be at room temperature!) or melted chocolate because it makes good for mixing smoother fudge. As for "chopped nuts," use your own fave ~ I prefer either pecans or walnuts, myself.

Special TRADITIONS: Although customary for most, the Christmas Stocking has always been one of my favorite traditions... "Santa" personally stuffs mine (Santa is code for my honey-man, of course) and not until Christmas morning do I get to see with what lil' goodies it's been filled - one music CD is always requisite and milk chocolate. I. LOVE. STUFFING. STOCKINGS. Christmas Stockings. LOVE IT! And this year!?!? This will be my first time to stuff the Christmas Stocking of a child ~ my honey-man's sweet angel boy-O! I consider this opportunity an honor, most seriously. Not unlike last Easter -playing the Easter Bunny for the first time- I'm terrified that I'll disappoint. For this Christmas as Santa, however, unlike my first try at the Easter Bunny role, I solemnly swear that I will NOT overdo the chocolate/candy this time = this is my promise. P.S. My mummy made this Chrimpus stocking for me sometime before 1985, when we lived in SLC.




APPAREL: Okay, I don't really own any Christmas- themed apparel... I have a few snowflake- themed turtlenecks (5 of 'em) that I wear throughout the holiday season, but Christmas specific? No. Instead, I have pins, decorative Christmassy clothing pins. Each coat I may wear during the winter holiday season has a Chrimpus pin ~ and here's a sampling of them. I do not know where I got this lil' personal tradition; no one in my family does this but me. I just decided to do it, and as I acquired more and more pins (each and every one has been a gift from someone), it's become possible to "decorate" every winter coat I own. This decision to wear Christmas pins is kinda like the independent decision I made on my own at age 7 to cover my mouth when I yawn - no one explicitly ever told me or by habitual example taught me to cover my mouth when I yawn; I just decided to do it. I remember watching my mother -a very pretty woman- yawning ever so casually at the kitchen table one morning. That moment in my memory is crystalline - the way the mind works is a total mystery to me. Anyhow, it was then and there in that moment of time that I decided I would always, whenever possible, cover my mouth with my hand when I yawn cuz yawning with your mouth wide open? face all stretched and contorted? = it's totally unattractive. But I digress...

GIFTS: Nope, no can do-do ~ Sorry, but I cannot reveal my secrets!
Christmas is coming people! DUH-ER!