Monday, December 12, 2011

Holdiay Favorites

Good Morning!  I hope you had a great weekend.  As we count down the days until Christmas, I thought I would share with you some of my holiday favorites. 

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The holidays are not complete without seeing the Nutcracker.  One of my best friends and her family make it a tradition to go every year.  I thought it would be special to start the same tradition with my daughter.  We started seeing the Nutcracker when she was 5, she's now 15!  I hope we continue this tradition as she becomes an adult and has a daughter of her own one day(in the distant future).

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Growing up, my mom made Russian tea cakes during the holidays.  They are my favorite Christmas cookie. 

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My daughter asked if I would take her and a couple friends ice skating next week.  She's really looking forward to it.  It should be a lot of fun watching them fall skate around the rink!  I have very fond memories of ice skating as a child.  One winter day it rained hard, followed by freezing temps, turning our backyard into an ice skating rink.  My mom and my aunt quickly ran out to Play It Again Sports to purchase a bunch of ice skates for me and my cousins. We enjoyed ice skating that night in our backyard.  Hands down, one of my best childhood memories.  Most of us had never skated before so we spent a lot of time laughing and helping each other up off the ground! : )
 
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My kids no longer believe in Santa Claus, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to have pictures taken with Santa Dee!

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What's your favorite holiday movie?  My list includes Home Alone and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  My husband and I watched Miracle on 34th Street this weekend.  Can you believe I had never seen it before?!  Crazy, right! 

As much as I enjoy listening to music on my Itouch, listening to the radio never gets old for me.  One of the best things about the holiday season is the radio Christmas music.  Last Christmas by Wham, is one my favorites, followed by...

At Christmas Time, by Luther Vandross.


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Lastly, Target's after Christmas clearance sales can't be beat.  The best thing about Target is that they have everyday  merchandise (with a holiday label) mixed in with their seasonal clearance.  Last year I purchased white dinner napkins, a bunch of apple cinnamon plug ins, paper towels and treats at a great price.  It's also a good time to start shopping for holiday decorations and stocking stuffers for next year. 

So tell me, what are you looking forward to this holiday season?  What are some of your family holiday traditions?

PS.  I'm sharing an inexpensive gift idea for teachers over at Life Is Hard, Laugh Anyway.  Hope to see you there!


I am linking this post to:
The Mustard Ceiling

37 comments:

  1. Brandi you are a girl after my heart!! I love those same things, I am telling you my kids and I have already watched Home Alone about 6 times this season and we own Christmas Vacation too! A few years ago Radio City Christmas Show used to come to our city and it was the most fabulous show ever, We seen it 3 years in a row, but it doesn't come here anymore :(
    And Target after Christmas clearance, I can't even tell you! Ok I will stop talking now, but you just seem like an old friend! Merry Christmas!!!!

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  2. Good Morning Brandi,
    Stopped by to offer you...

    Best Wishes and Warmest Regards,
    Loretta

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  3. oh my, i am going to have to get to target after xmas! i went for some chanukah stuff-and they had a lot-but i didn't want to pay full price!

    i think the nutcracker tradition is fabulous. i've seen it once as an adult and once as a child who probably didn't appreciate it. although the rat king did leave a lasting impression, actually.

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  4. I love The Nutcracker Ballet sweet Brandy, how lucky for you all to go see it! How are you, I've missed you lately. The children must be all ready for C'mas, my grands can't wait! I'd love it to be over too, even though I too enjoy, but I work a lot, lol! Lots of hugs and have a great week.
    Meery Christmas. FABBY

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  5. I love Home Alone, can never get enough of it.

    http://singaturestyle.blogspot.com/

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  6. Brandi, these are great! We have to catch The Preacher's Wife, at least once or twice each year! We love the radio Christmas music and the satellite music on TV...but Michael Buble' is on our CD Player and ipods 24/7! He has the best CD this season!

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  7. Brandi! You just took me back to my childhood with the cookies!!! My paternal grandmother used to make tins of those for each grandchild (8) and hand them to us with our gifts. She's 86 years old now and we are all grown but I can still taste them... I love your holiday favorites.

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  8. What great holiday favs! We love watching Holiday movies together, mostly comedies that has us cracking up. This year we made a gingerbread house for the 1st time it was fun and building it has been messy but lots of fun :)

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  9. I loved your post at Life is Hard! Your story about the backyard skating rink is awesome. I can see why it stands out as a favorite. We had a patio which we iced down, but it's more fun when it happens unexpectedly like yours!

    I always buy the holiday label regulars from Target the day after. One of my favorite things to do!

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  10. I love "Little Women".."Prancer".."A Christmas Story" (you'll shoot your eye out!) and many others. I can't believe you had not seen Miracle on 34th Street! Christmas is so full of tradition..so wonderful. :D

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  11. I loved Home Alone, I was just thinking about watching it over the holidays

    BTW: Thanks for taking the time to guest post today! I am so happy to have had you stop by with such a great gift idea ;)

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  12. My favorite thing about Christmas is when it's over. I know, that's sad. The good thing is that Fred does all the decorating and shopping. I just show up and take pictures. But the kids don't know that I dread it. "I'm the Great Pretender".
    m.

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  13. I am so glad you came by and commented at my blog a couple of days ago. You have fun blog which I have enjoyed reading, but another reason is because I found the recipe that I had been searching for! The Russian Tea Cakes! Thanks SO much. I recently had one of them at a party, but I had no idea what it was. I described it to my hubby yesterday, but he didn't know what it was called either. And then I found it here! I will be making these very soon.
    Have a lovely day.
    Hugs, cindy

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  14. It was great hearing about your Christmas traditions. That is really nice that you go the Nutcracker with your daughter. That is something special she will always remember. We have gone to the Rockettes Christmas show for the past few years and love it. I also love Luther's At Christmas Time, definitely a beautiful version and one of my favorties too:)

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  15. Hi Brandi, I love this post. You've made me all nostalgic and stuff lol. That memory of you guys skating in the backyard is so sweet.I love Luther too and Aaron Neville can bring me to tears. By the time I get to after Christmas sales there's nothing left. I always wait to long... duh. I'm going over to read your guest post.

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  16. Hi Brandi,

    Thank you for linking up to a Holiday Tradition this week. I love reading holiday traditions. It is wonderful that you and your daughter share the tradition of The Nutcracker every year, those are memories you will never forget with your daughter.

    Your daughter and her friends will have so much fun ice skating, I spent most of my weekends as a child ice skating with my friends. It is such a wonderful way to spend the day. Have fun, and Happy Holidays to you and your family.

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  17. Co-sign Luther Vandross song At Christmas and I'd never heard of Russian Tea cakes but they certainly look tasty.

    Can you believe I've never watched Home Alone?

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  18. I've seen Miracle on 34th Street; but, I've never seen the Nutcracker. I love that you make this a tradition with your daughter. I've never had a Russian Tea Cake either. I need to look that recipe up. They look delicious! Merry Christmas, my friend. I hope it's the best one ever for you.

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  19. We are kindred spirits. This Christmas I give you my heart....:)

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  20. Those are wonderful traditions! Russian tea cookies sound delish....To bad you can't sneak those into the Nutcracker....maybe? Have a wonderful Holiday!

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  21. Brandi, my favorite holiday movie is Home Alone...and no you're not crazy I've never seen Miracle on 34th Street neither... Have a great holiday!

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  22. This is the first time in many years I have missed the nutcracker. Sad. I love Santa, I took my dog Sissy for a visit. Richard from My Old Historic House.

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  23. What a great tradition! Thanks for sharing your favorite things. I'm with you on the russian tea cakes. Love them!

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  24. I am DYING!!! I love that you listed "Last Christmas" as one of your favorites... I so rock out to it in my minivan :)

    And Home Alone, yeah we learned the hard way this year... completely forgot all the lines in there that are easily repeated by 4 yr. olds :) I'm ready to have a little sit w/ that Kevin AND my son!!!

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  25. Girl. I think I was destined to find your blog today over at 320 Sycamore. LOVE TARGET AFTER CHRISTMAS SALES!!! Wooohoo for 90% off!!! Stop by my little blog some time. Would love to have you!
    Love your simple and clean blog, very nice!
    ~Amanda
    www.redbarncandlecompany.com

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  26. I love that you have taken your daughter to see The Nutcracker since she was 5! We started last year when my daughter was 5. We also get an ornament from the shop during intermission. She remembered that last year I picked Clara holding her nutcracker because it reminded me of her. Well, this year she picked by herself and got a sugar plum fairy. And I will be there with you at Target bright and early on December 26th! ;)

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  27. Hi Brandi, You must live rather close, I'm in Georgia too (Cumming)! Thank you for the comments you left me of my favorite things! Merry Christmas!

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  28. WOW - so many similar things! We love ice skating AND seeing the nutcracker! Have a very merry Christmas!

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  29. Love the Nutcracker and have been taking my daughters for a few years now too! And ice skating is always fun! Lastly, Target is the BEST and their clearance is like crack. ;) Merry Christmas!

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  30. Oh, we went to the Nutcracker last weekend...so beautiful! I haven't ice skated forever, but we need to take our kids~what a fun memory. Have a wonderful Christmas, Brandi!

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  31. Those are BY FAR my favorite Christmas cookies, too. Now my mouth is watering. lol

    And I am SO with you about the 90% off Target sales - no kidding, some of my favorite Christmas items have come from those racks!

    Visiting from 320 Sycamore - Merry Christmas!

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  32. I love Last Christmas too, and I just got into a war of the words with my friend on Facebook about it. She posted that it was her least favorite song! I had to tell her that she was just flat out wrong, ha! :-)

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  33. Love this time of year! I've never seen Miracle on 34th Street either. Every year I say I'm going to watch it and I don't. Maybe I should watch it right now. I always look forward to gifting handmades this time of year!

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  34. Oh, I have so much to say here, so I better just go with the list.
    1. Saw the Nutcracker one time at the PNW Ballet. It was fabulous, and I still get a dreamy feeling when I think about the Dance of the Snowflakes. What a wonderful tradition to have with your daughter.
    2. I can eat my body weight in Russian tea cookies.
    Love. Them.
    3. I have not seen Miracle on 34th Street. Do I need to rent it?
    4. My Target is over an hour away and I'm never really up to venturing out the day after Christmas, but this year things are going to be much quieter for us over Christmas, so I may finally get to enjoy the chaos of the day after sales.
    p.s. Was in love with George Michael back in the day. Obviously, and for various and assorted reasons, things did not work out for us.
    Got to love the 80's!

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  35. I love Home Alone too and have been wanting to watch it this year, it's been years and I just think it would be so much fun to see it again!

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  36. You kitchen is looking amazing! Must feel good to get somethings finished up! The curtains are perfect and the rug fits so much better!

    Tiffany

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  37. Christmas is my favorite holiday. I LOVE A Christmas Carol. I watch ALL of them from the old black and white version,the modern Lifetime version and even the cartoon version. I really can't get enough of it. I also LOVE Christmas music and usually listen to it on an online radio station. I like the old classics though. I don't like Christmas shopping or shopping in general so I miss after Christmas sales and you'll never catch me near a mall on Black Friday ;)

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