Another month here and gone, and now we are in December! These dark nights stretch out so long, so early, and we are drawing in, enjoying heartier meals and lots of family time inside for the moment. We put up our tree and love the comfort and joy that it gives us. I am linking up with Anne In Residence for her Currently December post today – let me know what you are currently up to!
Baking: Bread. I am also going to be baking my uncle’s coconut tarts, and my grandma’s Empire biscuits. My friends and I are in the process of planning a Great Digital “Bake Off”. We are picking a date, then in our own homes with our families, making sugar cookies and a Yule Log, and meeting online after each bake to show off our creations. I think it will be fun!
Decorating: The tree and putting up Christmas inside – and outside making Christmas for the neighborhood wildlife. We plan on making bird feeder ornaments and hanging surprises for the birds on our apple tree, cranberry garlands, setting out hazelnuts and peanuts for the squirrels.
Gifting: I have bought quite a few items from my gift idea guides already! This little fox, these wooden puzzles, this bread making accessory kit – and I am thinking of adding a chess board as well, since we have become addicted to chess again after watching The Queen’s Gambit.. (Find my idea lists here –The Stay-at-home Edition Gift Guide, Handmade Holiday Gift Ideas for Kids) We are also making a few things as well, cranberry infused gin, cranberry apple jam, and a few other goodies and surprises!
Hoping: The other month our prompt was wishing, and honestly, it’s the same wish… I am sure what everyone else is hoping as well.
Sending: Lot of letters and cards this year, including a letter to Santa, in lieu of visiting Santa. I think I am going to have kiddo send out cards as well, to all his little friends and cousins.
And that is it from me! Stay safe and well everyone.
Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.. 
With the weather getting colder and the days getting shorter, it’s so nice to be able to focus on the holidays and fun and joy of them! Your digital bake off sounds so fun!
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I am really looking forward to it! And yes, this year is so different, and while we are celebrating differently, it is definitely more personal than usual, with just the three of us. 🙂
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What a great list and I need to look up the Queens Gambit. I have heard great things about it. Enjoy the season!
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The Queen’s Gambit is so good!! It is pretty intense for me, so I can’t binge it but I love it!
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Your Bake-Off is such a great idea! And I’d love to hear how you keep th squirrels away from your feeders. We try the traditional pinecone/PB/birdseed treats for the birds, but the squirrels always haul them away! (Our squirrels are QUITE chubby these days…) Such fun gifting going on there. Funny–we, too, go in chess spurts! I love when wer’e on one… Happy merry-making to you + yours!
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Thank you! I am really excited about it! I have a feeling our results will be more like Nailed It! Lol.
Ugh – squirrels eat our bird food too. We actually made the pinecone bird feeders yesterday! Or should I say, I did? Wyatt was not a fan of getting peanut butter on his hands. I hung them on smaller branches in hopes that it helped keep the squirrels away.
And I really need to get a chess board. It has been way too long!
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The sound of the coconut tarts makes me drool…lol.
I have no way to bake here, just a microwave oven and a coffee pot, but lately the dining room has brought us tasty treats.
I put up my miniature tree; in my previous residence, I had three tiny trees grouped around the room, and I like looking at those photos.
My wreath on the door is from my previous home, too.
Enjoy!
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Lol! They are pretty darn good! My favorite treat of the season. I am glad you are able to get tasty treats from the dining room! 🙂 We had a miniature tree for years! Our last dog who passed on when Wyatt was born, ate part of a fake Christmas tree when we got her (like a week after) which resulted in emergency surgery! So needless to say we didn’t put a tree up for years after that. 🙂
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A digital bakeoff – genius! Love hearing the creative ways people are still enjoying the holiday season this year. And I have been having Hendrik send cards to friends and family lately too. It’s just nice to have something special in their mailboxes, and it’s also great practice for writing/drawing/practical life skills of stuffing envelopes and sticking stamps 🙂 Hope your family enjoys the season and stays healthy too!
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I am really excited about it! I am sure it will wind up more like Nailed It. LOL. And yes, definitely an activity that is fun, brings happiness, and is great for other skills as well! Stay safe Anne, enjoy!
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Love your Great Digital Bake Off idea! Loads of fun. Glad all is well and you are decking your halls with joy!
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Thanks Jeannie! I am excited about it! I hope that you are feeling better now!
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Your bake off sounds really fun! And I must hear more about this cranberry infused gin… It sounds delicious!!!
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Oo I am looking forward to both of those things! Lol. I am waiting on my container to make the cranberry infused gin in – fingers crossed it works! I found a few recipes online for it, and I have a few people in mind who would love it!
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Mmm, coconut tarts sound delicious! And I love how you are decorating for Christmas outside as well as inside. I hope you have a very happy and safe Christmas!
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Thank you Bella! And coconut tarts – I love them and I only get them once a year – on purpose! They are too good and I like to keep them special. 🙂 Lol.
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How sweet that you are sending out more letters in the mail. I know that will mean so much to the receivers. I am appreciating the mail anyone sends me for sure.
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I hope so! And I am too. I actually saved all of our “fun” mail and read a bunch of it after Thanksgiving dinner. I felt so very Little House on the Prairie!
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A Digital Bake Off sounds like such fun. I can’t wait to hear about it. I love the idea of your son sending cards to friends and cousins – it’s a weird holiday season, so I’m sure it would be fun and greatly appreciated. I don’t know if I saw your gift guides – need to check them out if not. Love a good gift guide.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
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I am super excited about it. My husband and I started planning it last night! He is going to make drawings of everyone’s creations too, lol.
It really is a weird season this year, anything to try to make it brighter.
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I sent so many Christmas cards this year. I’ve never sent that many before. I’m trying to make people’s lives a little brighter. I hope you have a great December!
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I am sure they will too! It’s my weekend project this weekend, along with (ugh) December lesson planning.
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The virtual baking sounds like so much fun and the letter to Santa instead of a visit is perfect for the year of covid.
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I am really excited about our bake off. My husband and I were looking at recipes and making plans last night for our Yule Log. And yes, this year we go old school!
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The digital bake-off is SUCH a great idea! I hope you’ll share that elsewhere! I bet more people than you think (read: yours truly) would love to participate in an event like that! Also, I think it would be a fun way to bring everyone together…apart. Love this!
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Yes! That was my thinking, at least we could do something holiday together, even though we can’t physically be together. 🙂 You should definitely do it! We are going to make Yule Logs, which none of us have ever done, so it will be interesting. 🙂
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The bread-making accessory kit is super cool; didn’t know such a thing existed. I have to make up my stocking stuffers list for my husband so I have something in there Christmas morning, LOL.
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I know right! We need to get moving on stocking stuffers too, I don’t even have any for Wyatt yet!
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Your digital bake-off sounds like fun. I ordered some sourdough starter from King Arthur flour to try to give my yeast a boost. Asking Santa for a bread machine, too. I remember you mentioning your uncle’s coconut tarts in an earlier post. Give me all the coconut!!
Love the idea of putting bird feeders out. Might do this but hang them at the park. Then everyone can enjoy the birds.
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I hope it will be! We are going to make Yule Logs, something none of us have ever attempted. I am looking forward to seeing the results. Lol. I remember you saying that – did it come in yet? Did it help? I am so intrigued by your sourdough!
Aw I love that idea! One of our parks has some citizen maintained bird feeders and I love to visit that area. 🙂
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The digital bake off sounds like so much fun – enjoy! I’ve never baked bread and I really want to sometime soon.
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Thanks Anthea! We are getting pretty excited about it, and making our plans! 🙂 Bread is fun to make – it is almost meditative!
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I’m not a baker, but I love the idea of the Great Digital Bake Off! I need to think of a way to translate that into my hobbies! Looking forward to reading a recap about it if you post it here!
And durr, I completely forgot about sending the letter to Santa! This is the first year my daughter has been semi-interested in doing it, but what she asked Santa for was completely different from what she told any of us parents and grandparents she wanted. Hope Santa can use some magic…and Walmart gift cards…to fulfill those wishes!
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