1700 Posts By Christmas 2011

[CandyKane]

For the first time ever, I know exactly what to buy my hubby for Christmas! Yay! Now I'll be able to save up a little each week and have it paid for by Christmas!

[CandyKane]

Dd got the first official Christmas toy catalog. It's from FisherPrice and it kept her busy for quite a while yesterday!

[CandyKane]

Thanks to a cold front, we have had a major dip in the temps. Suppossed to warm back up over the weekend, but for now I'm enjoying the beautiful Fall weather. Only 101 days left until Chirstmas!

[mistletoe misfit]

70 Days till American Thanksgiving and your Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! I try to watch it every year. It's my second favourite Christmas parade to watch on TV. The first being the Toronto Santa Claus parade.

[Jolly O'Leary]

70 Days till American Thanksgiving and your Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! I try to watch it every year. It's my second favourite Christmas parade to watch on TV. The first being the Toronto Santa Claus parade.

Swedish Thanksgiving, is October 9. Unfortunately, there are no Swedish "thanksgiving specials" so we watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving followed by a Charlie Brown Christmas. We have our holidays a bit mixed up: swedish thanksgiving (this year on Oct 9), halloween (oct 31), All saints day (nov. 1), all souls day (nov. 2) swedish halloween (this year on nov. 4), Swedish all saints day (this year on nov 5), swedish all souls day (this year nov. 6), American thanksgiving (this year on Nov. 24), then it´s almost Christmas! We have a disagreement of course on when it IS actually "christmas", but that is a tale for another time.

[mistletoe misfit]

70 Days till American Thanksgiving and your Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! I try to watch it every year. It's my second favourite Christmas parade to watch on TV. The first being the Toronto Santa Claus parade.

Swedish Thanksgiving, is October 9. Unfortunately, there are no Swedish "thanksgiving specials" so we watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving followed by a Charlie Brown Christmas. We have our holidays a bit mixed up: swedish thanksgiving (this year on Oct 9), halloween (oct 31), All saints day (nov. 1), all souls day (nov. 2) swedish halloween (this year on nov. 4), Swedish all saints day (this year on nov 5), swedish all souls day (this year nov. 6), American thanksgiving (this year on Nov. 24), then it´s almost Christmas! We have a disagreement of course on when it IS actually "christmas", but that is a tale for another time.

There is only one day between Swedish and our Canadian Thanksgivings. Ours falls on October 10th this year! So only another 24 and 25 days to go!! Usually they bring egg nog out for a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving here, then it disappears until about a month before Christmas.

[Jolly O'Leary]

There is only one day between Swedish and our Canadian Thanksgivings. Ours falls on October 10th this year! So only another 24 and 25 days to go!! Usually they bring egg nog out for a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving here, then it disappears until about a month before Christmas.

Before I left the US, we started having "halloween" eggnog in the stores. In the south we did not drink it for Thanksgiving, but I think they do in New England. IN Sweden, we drink it for Christmas and I make it for Easter but it is not all that common. On the other hand, there is no commercial eggnog, it is all from scratch, so you can have it anytime. It is called an "egg toddy" in Swedish. I picked up a grocery store recipe card with a recipe on it, but I am not sure if it is "early" for this year or leftover from last. There is no date on it. I miss the Eggnog shakes from Arbys.

I got an ITunes card today! Now I can upgrade some of my Christmas apps. There is a great one for a virtual Thanksgiving dinner and another for a virtual Christmas dinner. I can´t wait to try it!

[CandyKane]

We have Halloween eggnog here in the stores in early October. The only difference in it and the Christmas eggnog is the orange and black carton. As soon as Halloween is over the Christmas version is put on the shelves.

[CandyKane]

For those in the US.....http://veggietales.com/CFA/ If you know someone who would like a veggietales dvd for Christmas this link will let you buy one for only $3.99. This cost is for the shipping only. You will have to create an account and suscribe to their emails. But I already have an account and email subscription and it let me use the code. I bought a girl power dvd. It'll make a great stocking stuffer.

[Noel+]

This is one of those days.........weeks..........that feels very far from Christmas. So many changes at work...........my desk being moved..........now I'm doing 3 people's jobs to keep my own. Just tired and need a breath of Christmas air!

[CandyKane]

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Ev'rywhere you go;
Take a look in the five and ten glistening once again
With candy canes and silver lanes aglow.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Toys in ev'ry store
But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be
On your own front door.

A pair of hopalong boots and a pistol that shoots
Is the wish of Barney and Ben;
Dolls that will talk and will go for a walk
Is the hope of Janice and Jen;
And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Ev'rywhere you go;
There's a tree in the Grand Hotel, one in the park as well,
The sturdy kind that doesn't mind the snow.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas;
Soon the bells will start,
And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing
Right within your heart.

Got this stuck in my head this morning.

[CandyKane]

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" is a classic Christmas song written in 1951 by Meredith Willson. The song was originally titled "It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas". The song has been recorded by many artists, but was a hit by Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters with Mitchell Ayres & His Orchestra on September 10, 1951, and released on RCA Victor as 47-4314 (45 rpm) and 20-4314 (78 rpm). Bing Crosby recorded a version on October 1, 1951, which was also widely played.

A popular but unproven belief in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, holds that Willson wrote the song while staying in Yarmouth's Grand Hotel.[1] The song makes reference to a "tree in the Grand Hotel, one in the park as well..."; the park being Frost Park, directly across the road from the Grand Hotel which still operates in Yarmouth. However Grand Hotel was a popular name used by many hotels in numerous towns and cities.

"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" was later incorporated into the pre-Broadway version of the score of Willson's 1963 musical Here's Love and can be heard on that show's original cast recording, where it is sung in counterpoint to a new melody and lyric, "Pinecones and Holly Berries."

Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the song for their 1961 album Christmas with The Chipmunks.

In 1986, Johnny Mathis recorded "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" for his album Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis; this version gained popularity after its inclusion in the 1992 film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Gradually, Mathis' recording began to receive wide radio airplay, and for the past several years this version has been a Top 10 Christmas hit. In 2009 the song was covered by Connie Talbot.

"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" is featured in the DVD version of Very Merry Christmas Songs which is part of the Disney Sing Along Songs franchise.

In 2008 the song was used for television Christmas adverts for the UK supermarket Asda.

[CandyKane]

We've made it to double digits! Only 99 days left until Christmas!

[Jolly O'Leary]

There is only one day between Swedish and our Canadian Thanksgivings. Ours falls on October 10th this year! So only another 24 and 25 days to go!! Usually they bring egg nog out for a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving here, then it disappears until about a month before Christmas.

What do you cook for Canadian thanksgiving? Is it as big in Canada as in the US? Here in Sweden "thanksgiving" is mostly just a church day. If you are not someone who goes to church, it is just a word on the calendar. I asked Anders today what Swedes traditionally have for thanksgiving. He said there is no specific "meal" like in the US. After three years, it finally occurred to me that Skördefest (sort of pronounced SHER-da-FEST) means harvest festival and these are the recipes I should be looking at. We make a bigger deal out of than most, using the thanksgiving china I brought from the US so it gets more than one use a year. :-)

We actually have turkeys in the store nearly year round now. I did the math and a 4 kg turkey would cost around $32 US dollars. Not sure I am ready to spend that much now. But we can get a couple of high quality breast filets. The turkey did have alot of meat on it, not scrawny like when I first got here. We shall see. Now that we have the freezer up and running I could get one and put it up for Christmas. :-)

AND, we found real cornmeal, so I could even make cornbread dressing. hmm mmmm good. Christmas here we come.

[CandyKane]

Cloudy, chilly, and now it's thundering outside. Perfect day to stay in and watch a Christmas movie.

[Noel+]

Hot, sunny, with no wind -- a perfect day to watch Christmas movies!

[CandyKane]

Lol Noel! You know I'm not gonna argue with you. Any day is the perfect day to watch a Christmas movie.

[mistletoe misfit]

There is only one day between Swedish and our Canadian Thanksgivings. Ours falls on October 10th this year! So only another 24 and 25 days to go!! Usually they bring egg nog out for a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving here, then it disappears until about a month before Christmas.

What do you cook for Canadian thanksgiving? Is it as big in Canada as in the US? Here in Sweden "thanksgiving" is mostly just a church day. If you are not someone who goes to church, it is just a word on the calendar. I asked Anders today what Swedes traditionally have for thanksgiving. He said there is no specific "meal" like in the US. After three years, it finally occurred to me that Skördefest (sort of pronounced SHER-da-FEST) means harvest festival and these are the recipes I should be looking at. We make a bigger deal out of than most, using the thanksgiving china I brought from the US so it gets more than one use a year. :-)




We actually have turkeys in the store nearly year round now. I did the math and a 4 kg turkey would cost around $32 US dollars. Not sure I am ready to spend that much now. But we can get a couple of high quality breast filets. The turkey did have alot of meat on it, not scrawny like when I first got here. We shall see. Now that we have the freezer up and running I could get one and put it up for Christmas. :-)

AND, we found real cornmeal, so I could even make cornbread dressing. hmm mmmm good. Christmas here we come.

It's a pretty big deal and official holiday here, although not as large scale as the American Thanksgiving. Most people celebrate and the majority of stores are closed. We have turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, squash,sweet potatoes,mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie with whipped cream for dessert. We have pretty much the same thing for Christmas dinner, other than the pumpkin pie, we usually have squares and different types of pies. Thanksgiving is also my Hubby's favourite holiday! I should be able to pick up a turkey for about $2 a pound within in the next week or so.
Cornbread stuffing sounds delicious! We don't really have much cornbread here. I have had corn bread muffins a couple of times when I have been to the States, and loved it!!

[Jolly O'Leary]

able to pick up a turkey for about $2 a pound within in the next week or so.Cornbread stuffing sounds delicious! We don't really have much cornbread here. I have had corn bread muffins a couple of times when I have been to the States, and loved it!!

I did the math and it works out to about $8 USD per pound. That is very expensive. We shall see if we have jobs. I would rather pay for good quality turkey breast filets than a whole turkey. On the other hand, I would like leftover meat for casseroles and turkey salad which I have not had in 3 years. I just love Christmas cooking!

I have an interview tomorrow for a part time job at the university. Hubby's interview for the job in Northern Sweden is Sept. 27. I actually would not mind the job I interview for on Monday, if we do move it will give me something to do and still have time to pack the apartment. Think good Christmas thoughts!

[mistletoe misfit]

$8 per pound!! That is crazy! We wouldn't be having turkey either if it was that price. Is turkey just not something they normally have for Christmas and other holidays in Sweden? Curious as to why the high cost.

Good Luck tomorrow!!! Positive thoughts and prayers for you and your Hubby's interviews!