My Mind's Eye

Remember your Angels are Watching

Friday, December 22, 2017

Christmas Traditions Blog Hop

Today I'm happy to pawticipating in Mayor Arty's Christmas Traditions Blog Hop.

Grab a cup Joe or Tea or Christmas Cheer and lets get started


The very first tradition that happens is right after Thanksgiving Mom addresses all our Christmas Cards. Because she likes to buy the stamps and get things mailed before it gets to crowded at the Post Office.





I am always in charge of finding the purrfect bow for each package


I take my job seriously but TOGM is always foolin' around!!



Once the cards are address and the presents are wrapped the peeps do some outside decorations
We always put a single candle in all the windows facing the street
and silver balls on the Forest Pansy tree
Mom added the train via Pizap

We used to put the silver balls on the Red Maple but OMCs the last few
years it has been full of glorious red leaves so we turn on the
front lantern, add a bow, put out our Winnie flag and call it purrfect

 This happy little Santa always sits somewhere on the front porch.
Mom got him may years ago at Physics Christmas Gift Exchange


Christmas Tree
This year the peeps decided it was time to have a more senior User Friendly tree
aka smaller, lighter, and for sure not 8.5' tall.

Here is our tree


It is loaded with traditions...we'll show you up close and purrsonal

The tree skirt was crocheted by Dad's Mom a looooooong time ago
1.It was actually an afghan but mom loves it as a tree skirt
2. The barn for the Nativity scene was handmade by my wonderful brother in law aka dad to
Mia and Frisco
3.  The Nativity pieces are made of ceramic and were made by my Dad's Aunt Eula in 1970...
Everyone of these are absolutely precious to us.
This is the first year we've ever had to Nativity scene under the tree
we love it there...and it is all because the tree is smaller and doesn't take up so much room
Oh if you saw the presents now you'd see all of them are turned upside down
BECAUSE somebuddy has been trying to eat the bows!!

This decorations have always been on our trees since
December of 1970. which was mom and dad's first Christmas as husband and wife.
  It was given to mom at her bridal shower.  It is handmade and it is a bride/
Shell is like an egg and is covered in beads

This little swaddled baby was a decoration on a gift at a baby shower that was given for
mom, in August of 1971.  Ironically it is all edged in pink...back then folks didn't know the sex of the baby until it arrived.  It always reminds mom of my precious human sissy.


One of the delicious dishes on Christmas Eve that we love here at Madi Manor (well I like to smell the bacon cooking in them) is fresh collards.  Mom bought 6.5 lbs from our Farmer's Market on Monday, 12/18/17
she washed them and cut all the big stalks off.  She forgot photos of that...
she was on a mission to get it done.  Anyway while she does the washing she puts a huge 
pot of water on to boil she season's the collards with turkey bacon, salt, pepper, oil and Mrs. Dash
table blend.  By the time the water starts to boil, she has finished washing and into the pot they go.
Collards were nearly falling out of the pot...but then the cooked down to what you see.
She and Dad had a taste and they are very very good.

This Christmas morning will be our very first year in probably 22 years that we have not had Monkey Bread for Christmas breakfast.  Everybuddy in the family has cut back or completely eliminated their sugar consumption, Monkey Bread is very very very sweet.  This year mom is making 
a bacon and cheese quiche, there will be a bowl of fresh fruit and some muffins
She always sets the table like this though..she Pizap a quiche on top of the monkey bread.
MOL




Thank you for joining us as we shared a few of our traditions... it is a hop so be sure to visit all the other blogs shown below.

29 comments:

  1. I love all your Christmas decor and traditions! The gift my human got her boyfriend had to be assembled, and I had to supervise that! Now, that was a lot of work (the supervising, that is - I have no idea about the assembly since it's human work, not cat work).

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  2. A bacon and cheese quiche sounds yummy!

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  3. I love the ornaments in and under your tree, especially the nativity. And the fact it was made by family makes them even more precious.

    I still have to take my tree down from the loft, but there is time still...

    Mara from Norway

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  4. So much going on there to supervise - make sure you get some good naps in too, Madi.

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  5. Looks like you have tons of great traditions. Madi, good for you to be in charge of the trash compactor. We feel terrible since we forgot to do this today. But your post is just terrific. Have a great day.

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  6. Hari OM
    Madi, this is a wonderfurs post telling about all the lovely decorations and the deliciousness and the funs... and yes, that nativity is extra-extra special!!! Hugs and whiskeries, YAM-aunty xxx

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  7. I LOVED this post! All the pictures and the traditions. It is so much fun to learn about your family Madi because we kinda like you and them a whole lot. The pictures made me smile this morning... so pretty. Hugs and scritches!

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  8. What grreat traditions! And OMD, your nativity pieces look almost exactly like the ones Grandma made back in the early 70s too. I think Grandma and Aunt Eula must've gone to the same ceramics class!

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  9. Like the movie Downsizing I think everyone we have visited has downsized their Christmas tree as we have. We love the single light in each window A light shines in the darkness saying welcome. "There is not enough darkness in all the world to put out the light of even one small candle"- Robert Alden. This year particularly seems to have had its darkness.
    Merry Christmas
    Sweet William The Scot

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  10. first things first! you were EATING the bows???? OMC OMC.... nuff said on that. love all your traditions especially the nativity. your new tree is perfect. now about those collards with bacon. OH YUM but our tradition is collards on New Years day.. but that went by the way side when mother died. i love them but not cooking them. send me some cooked collards please

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  11. Wow! What a lot of great traditions! Ghostwriter made dozens of Christmas ornaments from egg shells many years ago. We'll be sure to put pictures of them on our post when we write it. Those collards look very yummy! Maybe we'll make some for New Year's Day. Happy Christmas!

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  12. We love your post and all of the beautiful photos sweet Madi!

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  13. We can see how helpful you are, Madi! We like picking out bows too...haha! Your outside trees and your inside tree are most lovely!!
    ♥♥
    Wyatt and Tegan

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  14. You guys are very helpful! Thanks for sharing your traditions. Meowy Christmas!

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  15. What wonderful traditions, Madi!! I can't believe there will be no monkey bread...although we totally understand and one of Mama's goals next year is to cut out refined sugar(and sugar products).
    Big Hugs!
    Jakey, Arty & Rosy

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  16. Your tree is just beautiful with so many wonderful memory ornies and we love your plaid table cloth! We enjoyed hearing about your holiday traditions, Madi!

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  17. your traditions are pawtastic! I used to be exactly like you about the cards, (back when I had money! lol!!) I used to send them the week immediately following Thanksgiving! Wishing you the best Christmas ever! xoxo catchatwithcarenandcody

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  18. How beautiful your home is! Thank you for sharing all this with us. We felt as if we were there. And really, we didn't laugh (hard) at the trash compactor comment.

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  19. Such a pretty holiday Table. We LOVE quiche.

    Abby Lab

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  20. You have a lot of wonderful traditions, thank you for sharing. XO

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  21. What beautiful pictures - thank you so much for sharing !

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  22. Love your tree and the nativity scene under it. Mine is sitting on the lamp table near the tree. I put jingle chimes on the bottom branches for our kitty, Jasmine. She like to ring them. The dogs are good around the tree too.
    Thank you for sharing your Christmas decorations and traditions with us. ☃️🎄❄️

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  23. So many beautiful traditions. We love all the history behind the tree and the skirt and the nativity. We just finished our traditions post and it is all about ornaments - we see you have some special ones too:)

    And now you can start a new tradition - presents with the bows on the bottom:)

    Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber

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  24. I don't know what your Mom would do without you, Madi! Good thing you work hard and manage to be adorable in the process. Merry Christmas to you both!
    ps - we hope you're hanging in there Madi :)

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  25. Gosh you help out a whole lot with your Mom's card project! We love all of your decorations and traditions - it's wonderful to have a lot of SPECIAL things around you on the holiday isn't it!

    Love and Hugs, Teddy and Mom too

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  26. You sure have a lot of great traditions. We're not too sure about those green things though. They look like veggies and we aren't too keen on veggies.

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  27. WoW! Madi! You guys sure have great Christmas Decorations and traditions! Me and Mommy only have a few, but then this is my first Christmas!
    We LOVE it ALL!
    Purrs
    Marv

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  28. What great Christmas traditions. Thank you for sharing those photos - nose licks and love from Moth xx

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Cecilia and Angel Madi
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