♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦
Topic #32
How do you spend the Holidays?
I’ll be home for Christmas…
Welcome back for another installment of Open Book Blog Hop, and welcome new readers.
The Holidays are sort of a big deal in my household. You would probably not guess that from my Political K Facebook page, or any of my others. The reason? I keep these things on the low, because it is a family tradition that I don’t need to beat my friends over the head with. Like my mother, I am a private person. If you are one of the few who gets close enough to me, and trust me, that isn’t easy, you’ll learn a lot more about the things I cherish and celebrate. This series barely even scratches the surface, but it is more than I usually share with anyone.
Over the month of December, I complete my shopping for my small list of gift recipients. My family is currently quite small and many members have drifted away in distance, though they remain in heart and mind. Gift exchange is primarily among my immediate family and my closest friends.
A week or more into the month, I begin the baking. I choose a couple of cookies, make Rice Krispie Treats and a few other goodies. This year, I made Toll House Chocolate Chips and Reese’s Chocolate cookies with Peanut Butter Chips, as well as Gingerbread men. The latter and the Toll House are the norm, with the Reese’s being the new selection for the year. Sometimes I will bake another pumpkin or apple pie. I still have apples, and may still do that after Christmas. 
Just before the baking starts, the apartment decorating takes place. I have a small tree that I fill up with shiny ornaments from a $1 store near my home. You wouldn’t believe how awesome these ornaments are! I am truly blessed with a great $1 store.
Then, I begin to think about the installments of Shagbottom Theater that will be coming along for the holidays. Sadie is ever a good sport! You’ll be able to see that video on Christmas Day, so stop back for it (click on Shagbottom Theater in the Menu or google it).
Christmas Day is family time. We open gifts, have a lovely meal and spend some time together. I cannot wait for my mom’s Christmas cookies. She is an amazing baker!
Scroll on down to see how some of the other authors will spend the Holidays. On your way, check out Rebecca Lovell an up and coming author you’ll want to get to know…
Rebecca LovellRebecca Lovell started out writing fan fiction when she was in middle school, and all of it had original characters and romantic entanglements. Over the years she has gotten much better at writing and moved on to her own work but the romance has always stayed the same.
Rebecca enjoys reading all kinds of books (her favorite writers include JK Rowling, Suzanne Collins, Carolyn McSparren and Lynn Graeme), and loves swimming and interesting beer (current favorite is Revolver Brewing’s Blood and Honey). She lives in Texas with her cats and is uncertain about the weather.
We used to live in a house that classed as a tiny home (Alaskans call them cabins) and we decorated our tiny tree with tiny ornaments. My mom’s ornaments languished in a box in the shed for 18 years. Now they displayed on a full sized tree in our living room which is just slightly smaller than our entire cabin was, but mixed among the full-sized antique ornaments are some of the tiny ones because we fell in love with them. Although I am glad to be able to entertain now, I get kind of nostalgic for that past time.
Merry Christmas, Kelli
I love these ornaments. I will definitely keep them.
It sounds like your mom taught you the baking you currently do. Enjoy your family and thank you for sharing.
She taught me quite a bit. I have no idea how she did it all!