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Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After

Rediscovering Life after Retirement

Categories: Life Style

10 on the 10th 12.2021: Qs & As About the Winter Holiday

10 on the 10th 12.2021: Qs & As About the Winter Holidays

Sweet friends, time for another holiday-flavored edition of 10 on the 10th.  Today I am sharing Qs & As about the winter holidays.  Had an earlier post this morning about my favorite holiday so getting my 10 on the 10th 12.2021 post out a little late.  While I was out of town last week, I hardly touched my laptop and my phone only a little more.  Can’t say I really missed it much.  But when the dust settles after the holidays and the new baby’s birth, I think I would miss it more.  Just hard to think about blogging when there are other worries looming.

But here we are!!  Let’s put some answers to these questions.  Shall we?

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10 on the 10th 12.2021

 

Between now and January 10th or maybe January 1st, I need to decide if I am going to continue with 10 on the 10th.  Thought it might be fun to have a couple of gals co-host with me.  We could divide up the months and each come up with some of the themes.  Anyone interested?

For today’s post we are answering questions all around the winter holidays.  At our house, we celebrate Christmas.  Lauren and Francisco also celebrate 3 Kings Day.  And Brennyn and Mustafa await Santa’s visit even though Mustafa is Muslim.  Hope that these questions lent themselves to being applied to a variety of winter holidays.

Decorating, Traditions and Family Recipes
  • In what ways do you decorate for the winter holiday season?  Do you use traditional colors or have your own color scheme?  Is there a theme to your decorating? This year is different from previous Christmases.  In years past, I would have decked the halls…all the halls by now.  But we have been out of town visiting our moms this first week of December.  And will be in Ft. Worth helping with new baby for the second half of the month, right up ’til New Years.  So, the decorating is pretty scarce ’round here this year.  Not even a tree.  When we do put up our tree, it’s in the living room where the colors in there are largely red, gold and brown.  So I started out using predominantly those colors on the tree, too.  But have branched out and any color goes these days.  As far as a theme when I do decorate, I would say my theme is generally*S*N*O*W*!!  In any form…men, flakes, balls, angels.  Two years ago, I also set up a hot cocoa bar so pulled those decorations out this year because I can keep them up well into February, right?

10 on the 10th 12.2021: Qs & As About the Winter Holidays

  • Share a family holiday tradition or recipe.  Is there something new you plan to try this year? For years, my daughters and I would bake the same cookies at Christmas.  Most important were Brennyn’s favorites, ‘caramel heavenlies’ and Lauren’s favorites, ‘lemon almond cookies’ that we shape like balls then dip in holiday colored sugar before baking. Hope to bake some of both for each of my girls sometime over the holidays.

10 on the 10th 12.2021: Qs & As About the Winter Holidays

Favorite Holiday Books, Movies, Song or Shows
  • Do you have a favorite Christmas book, movie, song or TV show?  Why is it special to you?  Is there a popular holiday book, program or movie you have never seen? One of my all-time favorite movies is “When Harry Met Sally” with Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.  Just so happens it is kind of a winter holiday movie, too.  And “It’s a Wonderful Life” with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed is hard to beat.  My favorite Christmas-flavored books are written by 2 Patricias –  True Gift by Patricia MacLachlan and The Christmas Tapestry by Patricia Polacco.  Both are children’s books.  Of course they are.  Back ‘in the day,’ I read The Christmas Tapestry on my televised reading show and for years to my babies (students) at Christmas. And as far as a holiday movie I’ve never seen…there’s “White Christmas” with…Bing Cosby…had to look it up.

Keeper Calm
  • How do you handle the stress of the holidays?  Do you have some go-to for restoring calm to your life when things get crazy? I don’t handle stress well 365 days a year so Christmas is no different. Exercise is always a good way to handle stress, I hear!!  (And actually know first hand but refuse to do it because I rather enjoy wallowing in my stress sometimes)  Going to the movies is a great way to restore calm – when the movie is good.  Or soaking in the hot tub, reading works well, too.  Glass of wine?
Sparkle and Shine
  • What will you wear over the holidays?  Do you dress up for New Year’s Eve?  You know what?  I would love to dress up for New Year’s Eve this year.  Will I?  Probably not.  Because chances are we will be sitting right here at home.  But I would like to wear my sparkly sequined top and faux leather skirt (if I can get it on).  And feel fancy and pretty.  The rest of the time, I will no doubt be in some form of my ‘uniform’:  turtleneck or tee, cardi or vest and jeans.

10 on the 10th 12.2021: Qs & As About the Winter Holidays

  • How do you feel about snow?  What are the chances you will see a white Christmas?  Do you enjoy any snow day activities?  What will the weather be like where you live in this last month of the year? I would love to take a poll to see how you guys think I feel about snow.  People who know me well know I have a definite opinion about that particular form of precipitation.  Chances are slim we will see a white Christmas.  But we usually have at least one dusting in El Paso every winter.  I really enjoy tubing in the snow, walking in the snow, taking photos of the snow, making snowmen and snow angels.  And I am pretty certain I would completely enjoy a sleigh ride in the snow.  But so far the weather in El Paso, Kentucky and Ohio has been unseasonably warm.

10 on the 10th 12.2021: Qs & As About the Winter Holidays

‘Tis Better to Give
  • Do you have a gift-giving budget?  For how many people do you buy gifts?  Do you buy for the postman, your hair dresser, nail tech, children’s teachers?  When do you open gifts?  Who is the hardest person you buy for? I really need to have a gift-giving budget but don’t.  I always want to get one of everything for my babies.  One pair of pjs, one dress, one casual outfit, toys (multiple) and books (multiple).  I buy for around a dozen folks, family members.  I don’t have a hair dresser, nail tech or teacher to buy for and our postman is dreadful.  He gets coal.  We open one gift on the evening of the 24th and the rest of the presents on Christmas morning.  Santa presents are not wrapped as the jolly ole soul doesn’t have time for that nonsense.  Finally, PC is the hardest person to buy for.  Except this year.  He mentioned a couple of things he liked and I was able to get them.  Yay!!
  • If you could give a kind of impossible gift to someone, what would it be?  Perhaps something beyond your price range?  Or something you can’t buy.  Something intangible. I know I wrote these questions, but I wish I had allowed that we might want to give dozens of impossible, intangible gifts.  Not just one.  There are so many things I would want to do for so many people I care about and even people I don’t know.  You know?  But today, as I write this, my wish for a gift would be for a healthy baby for Brennyn and Mustafa.  (And a cure for all types of cancer.  And an end to hunger.  No one should go hungry.  And healthy lungs for someone I know who has been fighting Covid in ICU for 3 months.)

10 on the 10th 12.2021: Qs & As About the Winter Holidays

Farewell 2021, Wishes for 2022
  • As we bid farewell to 2021, what was your biggest success this year?  Will you be making goals or resolutions or plans for 2022?  If so, what will some of them be?  My biggest success in 2021 was finally (FINALLY) coming to terms with retirement.  I have many folks to thank for that but among them my blogging friend Leanne from Cresting the Hill.  And the girls in my book club who have given me a new sense of purpose.  Really need to write about that.  This coming year.  If I continue to blog.  Or maybe, even if I don’t, I will journal about this revelation.  Some more. Hmm, plans for the new year.  Maybe one big goal needs to be that I become more flexible.  I need to be nicer.  Less rigid.  More optimistic.  All easy to type…now to make some attitude adjustments.  Goals – write more, create more, read more, love better.
  • Describe 2021 in 3 words.  Name 3 things you wish for in 2022.  Better than 2020 (just thought of that…pretty good, huh?).  Three things I wish for in 2022…a healthy baby Declan, contentment for my family, an end to the global worry over Covid.

10 on the 10th 12.2021: Qs & As About the Winter Holidays

And with that, 10 on the 10th for 2021 has come to a close.  I’ve had fun hosting this series.  Hope the posts have been enjoyable to read.

YOUR TURN

 

Come play along with me!!  Pick a couple of the questions to answer in a comment or link up your 10 on the 10th post below.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


 Hope your holiday plans are coming together perfectly.  Off to finish my Christmas shopping tomorrow.  And maybe take in a movie…to de-stress afterward!!

Thank you for stopping in for a visit.  Enjoy your weekend.

Hugs and kisses,

  • leslie
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    About Leslie Roberts Clingan

    I am an aspiring blogger and children's author, wife, mother, daughter, sister, - in-law, responsible pet owner and recently retired elementary school librarian. I hope to figure out the next chapter of my life as I transition from crazy, busy work world onto totally idle retirement and now to something in-between.

    Comments

    1. Marsha Banks

      December 10, 2021 at 9:19 pm

      Oh, I have so much to say! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not give up blogging…read my post to see why! I will gladly help with 10 on the 10th! And, we need to talk about coming to terms about retirement! Seriously, we need to talk! I have been praying for you, Baby Declan, and your family since your post yesterday. Prayers for all good things, sweet friend!

      http://marshainthemiddle.com

      Reply
    2. Joanne

      December 11, 2021 at 4:43 am

      My husband gave us a few good gift ideas this year too; that rarely happens and he is so hard to buy for! I hope your daughter has an easy delivery and a very happy & healthy new little baby.

      Reply
    3. Erin @ Cracker Crumb Life

      December 11, 2021 at 6:48 am

      Your home looks so festive, cozy, and cheery!!!

      I am missing snow this year. It is so warm here in Michigan (for December) and it is really bumming me out. 🙁

      I hope to do a post with these answers next week – not quite the 10th but I love it and want to participate. LOL. 🙂

      Reply
    4. Gale

      December 11, 2021 at 5:52 pm

      Oh, Leslie, I feel you about life taking precedence over blogging. Or maybe not even that, exactly, but life somehow interfering with blogging. I’ve been needing to get my November Favorites post up all of this month! You do it all so much better than me! Enjoyed your post, and I’m praying for little Declan to make his entrance into this world healthy and happy! Also praying for your mom. I would say we should get together when you’re in Ft. Worth, but we will be in Florida. Maybe another time!

      Reply
    5. Dara

      December 13, 2021 at 6:59 am

      I hope your wishes come true!

      Reply
    6. Kirstin

      December 13, 2021 at 8:32 am

      Finally got mine posted. Yay!!! Sheesh, I almost forgot. I loved your answers. Praying for healthy delivery of baby Declan too!

      Reply
    7. Jennifer Smith

      December 13, 2021 at 11:18 am

      Happy Monday, friend. I enjoyed your post! The postman gets coal – ha! That made me laugh out loud!! Your tree photo is so pretty…I know you will enjoy having that back up next year. And I really find it hard to believe that you “need to be nicer!!” Always a delight to stop by! Hope all is going well – especially as you wait for Mr. Declan!!

      Reply
    8. jess jannenga

      December 17, 2021 at 9:05 am

      I enjoyed reading this Leslie, I certainly laughed out loud at your postman getting coal! Mine should too! I give to my PT, my friend and hair stylist an to our dog groomer, as far as service people, then there is alot of family.
      I love your wishes for the New Year as well. I like to see snow a few times a year, Christmas time really. But we dont get much if any here in NC either. Love your cookie/ hot cocoa bar area and they sound yummy! I have gingerbread biscotti to make, but I might wait until we return from Philly. Love the sparkles with the leather skirt too. Wishing you a Blessed Christmas season!
      jess xx
      http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com

      Reply
    9. Iris

      December 22, 2021 at 7:52 am

      I am SO far behind in reading and replying, but here goes. No color theme for me. I love the traditional multi colored Christmas decorations. I do love your hot cocoa bar. Sounds like a great idea – though it’s always coffee at my house (no little kids around). Also love your sparkly top. If I were going out I’d try and wear something with sparkles also. And then there’s snow! It’s lovely to look at, but I’ll just pass. The older I get, the colder I get so any amount of snow just freezes me. I don’t mind living without it one bit.

      Merry Christmas to you and yours.
      Iris

      Reply

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    In what felt like the blink of an eye, I have gone from full-time wife to my sweet husband, hands-on mom to my two beautiful daughters and elementary school librarian to a retired, empty nester with lots of time on my hands. Join me on my journey to rediscover who I am. Glad you are here...
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