On a lighter note "It's Christmas" why am I so exhausted?

I gave my little cousins golden tickets that I hid in their books.
They could choose what they wanted to do with me over the holidays. One chose a yum cha lunch and the other chose a pony ride.
so thats what Im doing these school holidays. I have two dates!

I made five golden tickets but I havent sent or given out the other three yet. Boxing day and yesterday I was way too tired to even go anywhere. But thats ok theres still time left, christmas doesnt end till 5th January. There are 12 days of Christmas right?
 
Lanolin said:
oh wow Id like to come over to your place.
I had my own first bike when I was in my 20s after I had earned enough money to buy one. I still ride it!

But I always made sure I had my helmet on, and never road it on the busy road, just the footpath or back streets.

Before that I would ride my sisters since she was firstborn and always seemed to get the goodies before anyone else. I cant recall if my brothers ever had bikes. We did have tricycles. They were pretty safe, no tipping.

I dont think my grandparents could have ever have afforded christmas gifts for everyone considering how many grandchildren they had. But then we didnt expect any from them, since they didnt celebrate christmas.
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My wife is the holiday queen. I suspect she has already started working on next year. My job is to get her present. As for the 5 kids, 2 daughters-in-law, 5 grandkids, 4 siblings, her mother, nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, and appendages, that's her mission. Every other year, we go to Memphis, TN. All I have left is a sister in California, but the wife has a serious gaggle of family (70 or so) and most live in Memphis. Last yeas, we rented a small house, as there were 23 people that needed a place to stay.

This year, the wife got a new living room and a tablet. I, as usual, got socks, underwear, and cologne. I got 7 pairs of socks, but only 3 paid of underwear (I guess I have to re-use them). I am blessed to really not need anything, aside from a happy wife, so I am ok with what I do get.

The day after New Years, it all comes down and back in it's storage box.
 
Lanolin said:
I gave my little cousins golden tickets that I hid in their books.
They could choose what they wanted to do with me over the holidays. One chose a yum cha lunch and the other chose a pony ride.
so thats what Im doing these school holidays. I have two dates!

I made five golden tickets but I havent sent or given out the other three yet. Boxing day and yesterday I was way too tired to even go anywhere. But thats ok theres still time left, christmas doesnt end till 5th January. There are 12 days of Christmas right?
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Hey Lanolin;

I have a question. Are the golden tickets that you gave your cousin the yum cha lunch and for your other cousin the pony ride?

When I was 5 Santa delivered my first bicycle. I learned to ride at the same age and remember that day. My Dad wanted to take the whole family out but Mom wanted to stay home in the front of the house and watch me ride my bike. I thought that was pretty cool of her.

God bless you and your family.
 
bobinfaith said:
Hey Lanolin;

I have a question. Are the golden tickets that you gave your cousin the yum cha lunch and for your other cousin the pony ride?

When I was 5 Santa delivered my first bicycle. I learned to ride at the same age and remember that day. My Dad wanted to take the whole family out but Mom wanted to stay home in the front of the house and watch me ride my bike. I thought that was pretty cool of her.

God bless you and your family.
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Yes, we kind of spent the day watching them ride around the driveway. Kind of fun.

bike2.JPGBike1.JPG
 
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bobinfaith said:
Hey Lanolin;

I have a question. Are the golden tickets that you gave your cousin the yum cha lunch and for your other cousin the pony ride?

When I was 5 Santa delivered my first bicycle. I learned to ride at the same age and remember that day. My Dad wanted to take the whole family out but Mom wanted to stay home in the front of the house and watch me ride my bike. I thought that was pretty cool of her.

God bless you and your family.
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I made up a golden ticket with some options on it and they could choose they wanted. They have to redeem them before the school holidays ends.
 
mum (and dad) gave me some money and a girl at school gave me a toblerone. Its white chocolate though I cant really eat it, so its going to be a big paperweight. Or I might use it as some sort of prize. I dont know how people eat toblerones, do they need to smash it first with a hammer?! I also received a friendship calender. (always useful!) . the secret santa gift I picked turned out to be a christmas mug (I use. it to store pens and felts) and some christmas biscuits I shared at school.

I am going to use the money to treat my friend to a movie or save it for a trip to the bird island. I didnt ask for anything this Christmas I know if you dont ask you dont receive, I couldnt think of anything in terms of a gift that I wanted. I just wanted to enjoy the day and have peace on earrth.

I think a lot of parents give older children money because they dont have time to make or shop for gifts, by the time you are working you are too busy and can buy what you need anyway. Its really for children who of course dont have much. I remember going to see santa one time at the mall and having aboslutely no idea what to say when he asks what would you like for christmas. I think I was about 3 years old. I just had whatever my older sister had, till she said I couldnt play with her toys and had to have my own. lol
 
Lanolin said:
mum (and dad) gave me some money and a girl at school gave me a toblerone. Its white chocolate though I cant really eat it, so its going to be a big paperweight. Or I might use it as some sort of prize. I dont know how people eat toblerones, do they need to smash it first with a hammer?! I also received a friendship calender. (always useful!) . the secret santa gift I picked turned out to be a christmas mug (I use. it to store pens and felts) and some christmas biscuits I shared at school.

I am going to use the money to treat my friend to a movie or save it for a trip to the bird island. I didnt ask for anything this Christmas I know if you dont ask you dont receive, I couldnt think of anything in terms of a gift that I wanted. I just wanted to enjoy the day and have peace on earrth.

I think a lot of parents give older children money because they dont have time to make or shop for gifts, by the time you are working you are too busy and can buy what you need anyway. Its really for children who of course dont have much. I remember going to see santa one time at the mall and having aboslutely no idea what to say when he asks what would you like for christmas. I think I was about 3 years old. I just had whatever my older sister had, till she said I couldnt play with her toys and had to have my own. lol
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Hey Lanolin;

When I first met Hazel I learned she loves chocolate Toblerone and still does today but doesn't eat as much as years past. We always preferred dark chocolate to white, or any dark chocolate in general. If you use the white chocolate tablerone as a paperweight it might be better to give it to someone else or it will become old chocolate.

Because many years ago when I was single I tried to impress a young lady by giving her a large chocolate but when she opened it said it was old chocolate. I never heard of this but when she showed me, well, let's say that was the end of it. Lessoned learned. So when I buy my wife candy its always fresh (in my eyes.)

Calendars are great. My sister always sends us a San Diego calendar. Mugs are nice. I have a collection on top of my bookcase.

Today as we have gotten older we enjoy watching our nephew and nieces open their presents. In January we're going to go away for a few days alone as our "getaway present."

God bless you and your family.
 
bobinfaith said:
Hey Lanolin;

When I first met Hazel I learned she loves chocolate Toblerone and still does today but doesn't eat as much as years past. We always preferred dark chocolate to white, or any dark chocolate in general. If you use the white chocolate tablerone as a paperweight it might be better to give it to someone else or it will become old chocolate.

Because many years ago when I was single I tried to impress a young lady by giving her a large chocolate but when she opened it said it was old chocolate. I never heard of this but when she showed me, well, let's say that was the end of it. Lessoned learned. So when I buy my wife candy its always fresh (in my eyes.)

Calendars are great. My sister always sends us a San Diego calendar. Mugs are nice. I have a collection on top of my bookcase.

Today as we have gotten older we enjoy watching our nephew and nieces open their presents. In January we're going to go away for a few days alone as our "getaway present."

God bless you and your family.
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We have a tradition that everyone at the house has a sock. The night before Christmas, "Santa" fills the socks with chocolate, little odds and ends (usually socks, underwear, or something like that), and a Christmas ornament. Kind of sets the tone for Christmas day.

socks.JPG
 
oh we never did that at out place we just use our washing line outside to hang socks and other laundry on when its sunny. lol

I once decorated the decks with solar coloured lights for christmas and then left it up all year round. I didnt do any decorations at home this year. I did have some christmas lillies coming into bloom though.

But the children did decorate the library for me and I hung up socks on this washing line i had near the reading teepee that I hung book bags on. I took them down and pegged up the socks and hid chocolates and christmas crackers inside. If they helped me or asked they would get a treat. A few asked 'why are there socks hanging up in the library?' They were my socks and my parents socks they had donated.
I said because its christmas. they were puzzled, but a few of them clicked. ohhh

we also had a little cardboard christmas tree. But I had a little wooden nativity set already which was there all year round.
I will have to redecorate the library when I get back to school cos I left the decorations up. They say seasons greetings and merry christmas. But seasons greetings could be any season when you think about it. Its summer here.

we call the pohutakawa tree a christmas tree, it grows near the coast and beaches round Auckland, and blooms with red flowers round Christmas. So we dont need indoor christmas trees really. But if you going to have them, you ought to have two.

One is the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and the other is the tree of life. Lots of people go for the first one cos its so tempting with all the tinsel and baubles and gifts underneath it but I would actually go for the second one.
 
Lanolin said:
oh we never did that at out place we just use our washing line outside to hang socks and other laundry on when its sunny. lol

I once decorated the decks with solar coloured lights for christmas and then left it up all year round. I didnt do any decorations at home this year. I did have some christmas lillies coming into bloom though.

But the children did decorate the library for me and I hung up socks on this washing line i had near the reading teepee that I hung book bags on. I took them down and pegged up the socks and hid chocolates and christmas crackers inside. If they helped me or asked they would get a treat. A few asked 'why are there socks hanging up in the library?' They were my socks and my parents socks they had donated.
I said because its christmas. they were puzzled, but a few of them clicked. ohhh

we also had a little cardboard christmas tree. But I had a little wooden nativity set already which was there all year round.
I will have to redecorate the library when I get back to school cos I left the decorations up. They say seasons greetings and merry christmas. But seasons greetings could be any season when you think about it. Its summer here.

we call the pohutakawa tree a christmas tree, it grows near the coast and beaches round Auckland, and blooms with red flowers round Christmas. So we dont need indoor christmas trees really. But if you going to have them, you ought to have two.

One is the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and the other is the tree of life. Lots of people go for the first one cos its so tempting with all the tinsel and baubles and gifts underneath it but I would actually go for the second one.
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The wife boxed up Christmas this past weekend. All is back to normal and we are preparing for New Year's Eve. Nothing fancy and not looking forward to out dog freaking out when the neighbors start the fireworks.

Looks like 2019 is about ready to be placed on a shelf.
 
Its already new years day here. We had fireworks round our neighbourhood and also saw them on the tv coming off the sky tower.

Happy New Year!

as for toblerone..I checked the expiry/best before date...must be eaten before June. I reckon if you havent opened it, chocolates and candy can pretty much keep forever, much like fruit cake.
 
Lanolin said:
Its already new years day here. We had fireworks round our neighbourhood and also saw them on the tv coming off the sky tower.

Happy New Year!

as for toblerone..I checked the expiry/best before date...must be eaten before June. I reckon if you havent opened it, chocolates and candy can pretty much keep forever, much like fruit cake.
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Looks like milk chocolate lasts around 1 year. Dark chocolate, it kept in cool temp, can go for around 5 years. Eating old chocolate; however, it not going to kill you; it will probably not taste all that chocolaty.
 
And then there is classic Christmas Fruit Cake - which will last forever. My neighbor has one that he received as a gift in 1968 that he uses as a tire block to keep his old Cadillac from rolling away down the driveway. ;)
 
Thinking to myself I can imagine that fruit cake you speak of in a petrified state, being discovered by archeologists 5,000,000 years from now.
As they scientifically contemplate what it could have been used for, they decide they were not intended for human consumption.
However, pieces could be carved into nice jewelry.
 
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Dear American Friends,

Stop grumping about Christmas Cake. This is a tradition that has gone on for over 100 years. So suck it up, and stop moaning about the festive cake!!! Stop thinking about it's alternative uses, find a good recipe, and eat it!!!!

Though I will admit, for the first time in my family, I didn't make Christmas Pudding, but made a chocolate dessert instead. (I figured if Christmas Pudding was that good we'd eat it more than once a year????)

Anyhow, wishing everyone, (including US grumpy cake haters) HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Many blessings (and if all we've got to moan about is cake, then life is pretty good)!!!

Best wishes and prayers to all

Annie ( Expert Christmas Cake maker) XXX
 
Annie said:
Dear American Friends,
Stop grumping about Christmas Cake. This is a tradition that has gone on for over 100 years. So suck it up, and stop moaning about the festive cake!!! Stop thinking about it's alternative uses, find a good recipe, and eat it!!!!

Though I will admit, for the first time in my family, I didn't make Christmas Pudding, but made a chocolate dessert instead. (I figured if Christmas Pudding was that good we'd eat it more than once a year????)

Anyhow, wishing everyone, (including US grumpy cake haters) HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Many blessings (and if all we've got to moan about is cake, then life is pretty good)!!!

Best wishes and prayers to all

Annie ( Expert Christmas Cake maker) XXX
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Hello Annie; I had to laugh at your post! 😄 "Stop grumping about cake" lol!

By the by, I love fruit cake and good ol' thick, moist chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.

Fun and laughs in Christ! B😎B!
 
What about those Christmas mince pies Annie? I am always kinda disappointed they arent actually meat mince pies.
They should call them tarts instead, to avoid confusion.
 
Lanolin said:
What about those Christmas mince pies Annie? I am always kinda disappointed they arent actually meat mince pies.
They should call them tarts instead, to avoid confusion.
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Apparently, many years ago (100 +), when mince pies were originally made, the filling was all the stuff that goes into modern mince pies, AND MINCED MEAT.

Yuk yuk and yuk!

I watched a historical food programme and you should have seen the presenters face when he was asked to eat it.

And that's why they are called mince pies.

Do you, like us Brits, also eat 'Toad in the Hole' in NZ? Because that one I really cannot explain lol xxx
 
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