December 15 – The Holiday Happenings!
Often times December to mid-January birthdays and anniversaries get over shadowed by the Christmas/Hanukkah/New Year holidays. So we’re going to shine a spotlight on those family members and ancestors this time around. Select one or more December to mid-January birthdays and/or anniversaries on your family tree. Write a short tribute to or memory of those birthday guys and gals and write a toast to the anniversary couples.
As I go through my tree I see quite a few people with birthdays and even some anniversaries during the December - January time frame. One of my kids falls into that, with a December birthday. I also have a friend whose birthday is ON Christmas Day. A new baby might be a neat Christmas surprise for a family, but I've gotta think it's a lousy day to have a birthday, growing up. Never at school to bring treats and have a party, always overshadowed by the holiday itself. Only one special gift day every year, rather than two, even if you might get extra gifts on that day.
For my son we do go out of the way to make an extra celebration for his birthday, and don't let it get blended into the holidays. He's always had a separate birthday party with guests and cake and people visiting.
So, to my middle child, a toast! You are special! We remember your birthday, and refuse to let it get lost in the shuffle. May you always have friends and family who share your special day with you. Your patience is rewarded with a double-whammy of good times at the end of the year.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 14th, Fruitcake - Friend or Foe?
December 14 – Fruitcake – Friend or Foe?
Did you like fruitcake? Did your family receive fruitcakes? Have you ever re-gifted fruitcake? Have you ever devised creative uses for fruitcake?
I've never seen what all of the hoopla is about fruitcakes. Either pro or con. I've seen some of them, and even had a little bit at times. I don't recall being either thrilled with them or disgusted by them. I believe I mentioned in an earlier Advent post that I'm not real big on baked desserts, and I guess fruitcake fits into that. Different people have different recipes, and I can see where some might be better or worse than others.
I've never gifted a fruitcake to anyone, nor been given one as a gift, although I'm pretty sure my family got one on at least one occasion. I'm not sure if it was a "gift" or just given to us. I would never re-gift one if I got one.
I think I'm too young for this particular craze, as I don't remember it being a thing later in my life, and mostly older people talk and joke about them.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman
Did you like fruitcake? Did your family receive fruitcakes? Have you ever re-gifted fruitcake? Have you ever devised creative uses for fruitcake?
I've never seen what all of the hoopla is about fruitcakes. Either pro or con. I've seen some of them, and even had a little bit at times. I don't recall being either thrilled with them or disgusted by them. I believe I mentioned in an earlier Advent post that I'm not real big on baked desserts, and I guess fruitcake fits into that. Different people have different recipes, and I can see where some might be better or worse than others.
I've never gifted a fruitcake to anyone, nor been given one as a gift, although I'm pretty sure my family got one on at least one occasion. I'm not sure if it was a "gift" or just given to us. I would never re-gift one if I got one.
I think I'm too young for this particular craze, as I don't remember it being a thing later in my life, and mostly older people talk and joke about them.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 13th, Holiday Travel
December 13 – Holiday Travel
Did you or your ancestors travel anywhere for Christmas? How did you travel and who traveled with you? Do you remember any special trips?
Living in Minnesota, it's always chancy traveling during the winter months. Snow and ice can be treacherous for driving, and the cold is dangerous if your car breaks down. As I was growing up, flying was an unaffordable luxury for my family, so most years we stayed home. I do remember on a few occasions going to my grandparents' house in Yankton, South Dakota. That was about a four hour drive.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman
Did you or your ancestors travel anywhere for Christmas? How did you travel and who traveled with you? Do you remember any special trips?
Living in Minnesota, it's always chancy traveling during the winter months. Snow and ice can be treacherous for driving, and the cold is dangerous if your car breaks down. As I was growing up, flying was an unaffordable luxury for my family, so most years we stayed home. I do remember on a few occasions going to my grandparents' house in Yankton, South Dakota. That was about a four hour drive.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman
Monday, December 12, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 12, Charitable Work
December 12 – Charitable/Volunteer Work
Did your family ever volunteer with a charity such as a soup kitchen, homeless or battered women’s shelter during the holidays? Or perhaps were your ancestors involved with church groups that assisted others during the holiday?
I don't recall my family doing anything like charitable or volunteer work. They would help out at church for the annual party, but nothing like soup kitchens or even ringing bells for the Salvation Army. Some years we were poor enough we might have been on the receiving end of the charity, had we been the sort to ask.
The last few years, I've spent a day working with my wife helping Catholic Charities hand out gifts for families in need in this area in their Share the Spirit event. It's most of a day of loading shopping carts with pre-selected, wrapped gifts for each family that has applied and comes to pick them up, pushing the carts out to their cars and helping them load the packages in. We get lots of thanks and smiles from families who otherwise might have little to nothing in the way of presents. The last couple of years, I was unemployed and just gave my time; this year I've actually had to take a day of vacation to participate, but I consider it to be well worthwhile.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman
Did your family ever volunteer with a charity such as a soup kitchen, homeless or battered women’s shelter during the holidays? Or perhaps were your ancestors involved with church groups that assisted others during the holiday?
I don't recall my family doing anything like charitable or volunteer work. They would help out at church for the annual party, but nothing like soup kitchens or even ringing bells for the Salvation Army. Some years we were poor enough we might have been on the receiving end of the charity, had we been the sort to ask.
The last few years, I've spent a day working with my wife helping Catholic Charities hand out gifts for families in need in this area in their Share the Spirit event. It's most of a day of loading shopping carts with pre-selected, wrapped gifts for each family that has applied and comes to pick them up, pushing the carts out to their cars and helping them load the packages in. We get lots of thanks and smiles from families who otherwise might have little to nothing in the way of presents. The last couple of years, I was unemployed and just gave my time; this year I've actually had to take a day of vacation to participate, but I consider it to be well worthwhile.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 11, Other Traditions
December 11 – Other Traditions
Did your family or friends also celebrate other traditions during the holidays such as Hanukkah or Kwanzaa? Did your immigrant ancestors have holiday traditions from their native country which they retained or perhaps abandoned?
I grew up in a fundamentalist Christian household, so there were no other traditions. In fact, every year, we read the nativity story from the Bible before we opened gifts. We also went to a church service many years. I'm interested in the Hanukkah tradition out of curiosity, but have no interest in Kwanzaa whatsoever.
As for my ancestors, they left me no information about their traditions and feelings about the Christmas holiday. I have to reply on literature of their times to try to get some idea of how they might have celebrated.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman
Did your family or friends also celebrate other traditions during the holidays such as Hanukkah or Kwanzaa? Did your immigrant ancestors have holiday traditions from their native country which they retained or perhaps abandoned?
I grew up in a fundamentalist Christian household, so there were no other traditions. In fact, every year, we read the nativity story from the Bible before we opened gifts. We also went to a church service many years. I'm interested in the Hanukkah tradition out of curiosity, but have no interest in Kwanzaa whatsoever.
As for my ancestors, they left me no information about their traditions and feelings about the Christmas holiday. I have to reply on literature of their times to try to get some idea of how they might have celebrated.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 10, Christmas Gifts
December 10 – Christmas Gifts
What were your favorite gifts, both to receive and to give? Are there specific gift-giving traditions among your family or ancestors?
I don't recall having a favorite gift in either direction. My philosophy on gifts is that it should be something the person wants, not necessarily something they need. This means a vacuum cleaner is probably not a gift, but a snowblower might be. A razor is probably not a gift, but a scanner or tablet computer might be. An exception to this rule might be for wedding gifts, where the gift is probably best if it's both a want and a need.
My in-laws have a tradition where a random gift will show up with someone's name on it from "The Elf". It might be a gag gift, and in fact often is, but it's usually something that is also useful or decorative. The trick is, then, to try to guess who The Elf is. Not everyone gets a gift from The Elf, usually only one or two per year are found.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman
What were your favorite gifts, both to receive and to give? Are there specific gift-giving traditions among your family or ancestors?
I don't recall having a favorite gift in either direction. My philosophy on gifts is that it should be something the person wants, not necessarily something they need. This means a vacuum cleaner is probably not a gift, but a snowblower might be. A razor is probably not a gift, but a scanner or tablet computer might be. An exception to this rule might be for wedding gifts, where the gift is probably best if it's both a want and a need.
My in-laws have a tradition where a random gift will show up with someone's name on it from "The Elf". It might be a gag gift, and in fact often is, but it's usually something that is also useful or decorative. The trick is, then, to try to guess who The Elf is. Not everyone gets a gift from The Elf, usually only one or two per year are found.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 8, Christmas Cookies
December 8 – Christmas Cookies
Did your family or ancestors make Christmas Cookies? How did you help? Did you have a favorite cookie?
Everyone seems to love their Christmas cookies. Except me. Call me a fuddy-duddy, but I really generally only like chocolate chip cookies, and then only on occasion. The annual flood of Christmas cookies just doesn't appeal greatly to me. I might have one or two over the season, but more than that would be very unusual.
I remember making them when I was young. We did the cutting out and baking, my mother had a set of Chirstmas cookie cutters. That much was fun, as a kid. Decorating and frosting them was also good.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman
Did your family or ancestors make Christmas Cookies? How did you help? Did you have a favorite cookie?
Everyone seems to love their Christmas cookies. Except me. Call me a fuddy-duddy, but I really generally only like chocolate chip cookies, and then only on occasion. The annual flood of Christmas cookies just doesn't appeal greatly to me. I might have one or two over the season, but more than that would be very unusual.
I remember making them when I was young. We did the cutting out and baking, my mother had a set of Chirstmas cookie cutters. That much was fun, as a kid. Decorating and frosting them was also good.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Advent Calendar - December 7, Holiday Parties
December 7 – Holiday Parties
Did your family throw a holiday party each year? Do you remember attending any holiday parties?
My family was never big on throwing parties. We might attend a church party at Christmas time, but that was usually it. I do remember a couple of occasions when we attended other Christmas parties, but that was not the norm as I recall.
Even now, I'm not one to attend a lot of parties for any reason. I'd rather have a small family gathering or a group of friends for an informal visit than a formal party. I'm definitely an introvert that way.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman
Did your family throw a holiday party each year? Do you remember attending any holiday parties?
My family was never big on throwing parties. We might attend a church party at Christmas time, but that was usually it. I do remember a couple of occasions when we attended other Christmas parties, but that was not the norm as I recall.
Even now, I'm not one to attend a lot of parties for any reason. I'd rather have a small family gathering or a group of friends for an informal visit than a formal party. I'm definitely an introvert that way.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)