Saturday, December 23, 2017

On the First Day of Christmas ...

Well, it's not the first day of Christmas yet, and not the first day of Jo's Online Advent Calendar, but it still seems appropriate because my two most recent cross stitch finishes are partridge-in-a-pear-themed, to go with my growing collection:
Prairie Schooler
Just Nan
We don't celebrate Boxing Day in the States, although I am familiar with it because my father-in-law is English. Nonetheless, we have developed traditions for the day -- my brother is a Benedictine priest, and while he is required to stay at the Abbey Christmas Eve and Day, he is given a short vacation after. So every year, my mom and brother come on the 26th to stay with us a few days.  Since Christmas Day usually has an English vibe (turkey or goose if we can afford it, Christmas pudding, crackers), the day after I crank up the Puerto Rican Christmas music and prepare a pernil (roast pork shoulder). If I'm especially ambitious, I'll also make tostones (twice-fried plantains), queso frito (pan-fried white cheese), or coquito (like eggnog, but coconuty). It's nice to keep the celebrations going for more than a day.

Merry Christmas, and I hope everyone has a wonderful Boxing Day!
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8 comments:

  1. Astrids dragonDecember 23, 2017 at 1:52 PM

    Sweet stitching!
    Happy Christmas and I hope you have a wonderful Boxing Day with your family.

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  2. Jo who can't think of a clever nicknameDecember 23, 2017 at 2:13 PM

    Thanks for taking part in the Advent Calendar Blog Hop this year. Love the Just Nan - that will be my Christmas piece for next year.
    Your celebrations sound like lots of fun - very international!

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  3. FlashinScissorsDecember 23, 2017 at 6:21 PM

    Lovely stitching! Love the felt pear especially!
    Very interesting to read how you and your family spend Christmas!
    Interesting to see the link to your brothers Abbey too!
    Wishing you a great time at Christmas and on Boxing Day!
    Barbara x

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  4. beadgirlDecember 24, 2017 at 9:39 PM

    Thanks, guys, I hope you all have lovely and peaceful Christmases, too.

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  5. rosey175December 25, 2017 at 9:01 PM

    Hello from Jo's advent hop~ So many partridge and pears haha! That's a great collection. :D Your Boxing Day sounds really delicious.

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  6. KatieDecember 26, 2017 at 3:14 PM

    Stopping by on the blog hop. What fantastic pieces you have done. Thanks for sharing your traditions too.

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  7. BrigitteDecember 30, 2017 at 9:05 AM

    A lovely piece that you show here for the blog hop post.

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  8. beadgirlJanuary 3, 2018 at 8:11 PM

    Thanks. My Boxing Day plans didn't actually happen -- I got sick Christmas Eve. It was all I could do to drag myself to the train station to get my mom and brother.

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