Casa Sosegad

Appetizer
What is one of your Christmas traditions?

We always have a Nativity Creche display in out home for the Christmas season and the manger is empty until the start of Christmas Day (midnight Christmas Eve).

Soup
Who is the easiest person on your list to buy presents for?
Any of my kids. Theyy are at ages where the idea of gifts is more important than the gift itself… though they definitely prefer toys over clothes.

Salad
What is your favorite Christmas scent?
Christmas baking/cooking!

Main Course
If you could give a fellow blogger a Christmas gift, who would it be and what would you give them?

I would usually look to see if they had a wish list and get them something from there or otherwise send them a nice ornament.

Dessert
What’s something on your Christmas wish list this year that you need (not just want)?
I am one of those lucky people that has everything I need… a lovely home, healthy husband and children, food, clothing and no financial woes. So there’s nothing on my list that I need but then
I don’t have a wish list either. I never make one and have never had one.

brushes courtesy of seishido.biz

1. We always went to midnight mass.
2. After midnight mass, we wished each other and friends and then came home to eat some treats and drink some wine before turning in.
3. We always displayed a nativity scene. As we grew older, the setting grew to be more hand- made by us using foamboard, paints, cellophane, hay, “grass” and anything else we thought of.
4. We had a lighted star displayed outside our house. The star was hand-made by my dad from bamboo and decorated by us every year using cellophane and other types of paper.
5. Making Christmas treats was a family affair with all of us pitching in, sometimes even dad.
6. Baby Jesus did not go into the crib display until after mass. My dad put Him in just before we left but we never could figure out when until we were much older!
7. People who were in mourning (a period of one year after a loved one dies) do not make Christmas sweets. So, we’d distribute sweets to them.
8. We’d distribute sweets to our non Christian friends, too.
9. We always had a Christmas tree and as we grew up it got filled with home made ornaments.
10. Wishing neighbors and friends is an integral part. Every stops by and you in turn visit friends to taste their Christmas sweets and treats, drink some wine and wish them “Merry Christmas”.
11. Christmas lunch was always elaborate with the traditional sorpotel, pulao, and salad. Maybe even a chicken xacuti, fish mayonnaise, fried shrimp and other dishes.
12. Christmas Carolers came door to door with a guitar, a badly dressed Santa and cheap candy. You tipped them for singing for you and got some candy.
13. The decorations stayed up and festivities continued until January 6 (the feast of the Magi).

Needless to say the days have been busy and tiring! I have gotten a lot done but there are quite a few things still left. The kulkuls, coconut cake, rum balls and cookies are done. I made the sorpotel yesterday and made a butter chicken dish for my husband’s office potluck as well. The sorpotel has to be heated up a few times before eating to mellow and bsorb the spices. That’s why I made it early. Today will probably be the bebinca and tomorrow the nuereos. Angelo will bw home late today… he has a holiday happy hour to go to. I get to do more housework, laundry, cleaning and cooking…. glamorous lifestyle, huh?

In other news, took the car in Monday to the dealer. After two hours of sitting there the mechanic comes up to me frustrated and asks me if the car was in an accident. I said no but some time back the radio had been giving a crackling sound that went away on its own. I guess that made a light bulb go off in his head… He headed back happy and smiling… Turned out one of the kids had managed to shove a copper penny into the CD player that made its way to the back of the radio and it was causing a short… this made the lights stay on and was the cause of the crackling too… All their fancy tools could not detect this but I had to pay 100$ to get a penny out of the radio. I guess we’re lucky the radio was ok inspite of the abuse!

I’ve changed the Nativity Creche display a little. So here are some pictures of our Nativity display.

The whole picture

Close up of the Holy Family

The Right side - The Angels announce the Birth

The Magi making their way to meet Our Saviour

As Shepherds watched their flocks by night -the left side

A closer full view - more or less

Another close up

1 AND it came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled.

2 This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria.

3 And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David,

5 To be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.

6 And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night watches over their flock.

9 And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear.

10 And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people:

11 For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying:

14 Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.

15 And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath shewed to us.

16 And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.

17 And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child.

18 And all that heard, wondered; and at those things that were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

We got quite a few things done this weekend. Did some shopping for Christmas lunch and got most of my ingredients for the Christmas cakes and treats. On Friday, we did the usual Costco run and when we got there, we realised there’s something wrong with the van… the parking lights and brake lights won’t go off even when the car is turned off and keys taken out. We got back from Costco and then took the Alexander and Aaron for their flu shots at the local hospital. After that, we disconnected the car battery so it would not run down.

Saturday, I called the place we bought the van from since it has an extended warranty. They could only slot us in for Monday morning at 11 am which is a bummer because that’s the time for Alexander to go to school but with some fancy footwork, I should be able to manage, I think. After that it was grocery shopping and then while Angelo was at his guitar classes, I got the things ready for the kulkuls and started on that. Angelo came back to help me while the children watched Chicken Little.

Sunday, we went to mass which was super crowded! I think people who don’t come during the year, slip out of the woodwork the last two Sunday’s of Christmas or something! Anyway, we got back and after lunch, headed out to get a few family portraits done at the local volunteer fire department that was offering them. Got back and then started on the cocnut cake. We also did a trial run of the Sannas. Everything turned out pretty good… so we have a few more things done for Christmas now!

After that got the family room cleaned and vaccumed… these children can really make it look like a disaster zone! I got two plastic bags filled with paper, candy wrappings and other junk!

Today’s another busy day! Need to get the Rum for the Rumballs. Get the car seen to and then get some more sweets done…