Christmas: One Batch at a Time

At the end of November during Family Home Evening I asked my children, "Which of our Christmas holiday traditions are most important to you?" It was interesting. All THEY really cared about was decorating the house for Christmas, making treats together, and going to the Mesa Temple to see the Christmas lights.

So. Those are the things I decided to focus on this year with an EMPHASIS on Christ's birth and the reason we actually celebrate this holiday. I didn't mail out Christmas cards..sorry but please send me yours..(I am sorry so one sided!) I do love getting them! I didn't over do it on presents. There are literally 5 presents under our tree total. FIVE. Two of those presents are....you guessed it, Christmas Eve PJ's. I am not running around like a chicken with my head cut off. The nights that we are together we have enjoyed our favorite Christmas movies and a big bowl of popcorn made fresh on the stove.

Our Family Favorite Christmas Movies:

• Elf
• White Christmas...swoon I just love the dancing and costumes in that movie! 
• A Christmas Story
• Polar Express
• The Grinch (Jim Carrey version)

I also have a set of Living Scripture movies and we watched the Luke 2 version one evening. We also set out our Nativity set that night and talked about each person in the nativity and their roles in that precious night our Savior was born.

A few traditions that are important to me are: (besides the ones listed)

• Each year I get my children an ornament for the tree 
• We read Luke 2 Christmas Eve
• Every year I put my children's picture in a little frame ornament, so when they take all of their ornaments I will have a picture of what they looked like each Christmas. Those and the ornaments they have made over the years are my favorite!
• I love to bake...but it seems so overwhelming! 
• I love to give presents

Christmas baking one batch at a time. 

When I was growing up I can remember the day and night my Mom would make her famous poppycock popcorn. My Dad was like a kid in a candy store, he loves stuff like that. It was this huge ordeal and so for some reason in my mind Christmas baking had to be one all consuming day. Until, a few years ago I noticed my Mom had changed things up a bit. She also works full time now. Every Sunday in December she makes some new confection, last week she make English Tofee..yum. She then makes a few bags up and delivers some to her neighbors, she crosses a few neighbors names off of her list and then the next week makes something else and delivers that treat to a few more. All the while our family gets to enjoy all of OUR favorite holiday confections. You see, daughters still watch and copy everything their Mother's do, a Mother's job is never over. I decided to follow suit this year adn today I started with one of my favorite treats I like to call Crack. In truth it has another name that is nicer but this stuff really is Crack. Here is the recipe. 

That Dad*Gum Mix

A quick and easy chex mix

Makes 8 cups

Ingredients:

• 1/2 box Corn Chex cereal 14 oz. box
• 1/2 box Golden Grahams cereal 12 oz. box
• 1 cup coconut
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup

Instructions:

1. In a LARGE clean paper grocery sack add cereals, coconut, almonds, and cashews. Hold top and give three good shakes to mix up. Set Aside.

2. In a saucepan, melt butter then add sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, and boil for three minutes.

3. Pour boiling mixture over cereal mixture in the bag. Hold the top of the bag shut and give a series of really good shakes 5 or 6. 

4. Turn out onto wax paper, allow to cool before eating. 

Crack I tell you. You may need to double the recipe. Before you can bag it up for your neighbors you will realize you have single handedly eaten half of the first batch. Enjoy! 

XOXO-The First Batch of Deliciousness...The Sunny D