Hey Colleen
I can say one other thing will be markedly different this year. We live in a much more afluent neighborhood, and the number of people who cannot afford food around here is NIL (judging from the proce of the houses and the cars etc)
At our old neighborhood, we generally opened the house CHristmas day and all holidays to anyone who wanted or needed something to eat. We had people who would not have otherwise had a fancy meal or would have had to spend the day alone drop in for food and games.
This year, it will probably just be us. Although there are more families here and I am sure kids in the neighborhood will be stopping by to see our kids
I spoke with my kids about when they get older about volunteering at a shelter of something during holdays to help out those who have so little. They are open to that, but are a little young yet. They did help with the food drives though and I am proud of them for that much.
My parish participates in a thing where we buy clothes and other Christmas gifts for needy kids of various ages who have parents in prison. I always pick middle school aged kids because they can be notoriously difficult to shop for and I used to teach that age group so I was able to keep tabs on what was 'cool' or not with clothes. Anyway- we always had the kids' names to put on the package. The next school year- I had the kid I bought for the previous year in my class and noticed he was wearing the clothes I bought. He was a troubled kid with a good heart who really made an awesome turn around by the time he got to high school. I taught him for three years.
I also enjoy the Divine Liturgy for Nativity late on Christmas Eve and early Christmas morning. I love singing the Kontakion, Troparion, and the Canon for Nativity. I also love singing 'God is With Us'.
There have been so many good programs the churches where I lived used to put on. I really have enjoyed attending in years past. Our Christmas Eve candlelight service was one of my favorites too.
One of my favorite moments was my daughter's first Christmas. I remember we were sitting up late one night - well, I was, and she had fallen asleep nursing. I just held her and watched the fire in the fireplace, the lights on the tree, and reflected on how much God had blessed me.
Our cat used to lie under the Christmas tree for hours, staring up. I admit to a certain curiosity myself ... I had to crawl under the tree and look at it from the cat's point of view. The lights woven through the branches were beautiful ... I should have taken a picture from down there!
I think I'm going to look for a recipe for peanut butter balls (thanks for the idea!). I've been sick for so many weeks that we haven't done much Christmas this year ... my tree is up but still not completely decorated. We haven't gotten to go anywhere or do anything special as a family. And my daughter was eating a peanut butter cookie a classmate had baked for her when I picked her up the other day that smelled soooooo good ... haven't had peanut butter cookies in years. So that sounds like a plan. I think I'm going to try to find the cookie press too, and try a new method of decorating sugar cookies I've been wanting to experiment with. I hope the next couple of weeks she's out of school will be enjoyable.
Only a little over 48 Hours until Midnight Mass. That. for me, becomes the highlight of the Season.
Oh very nice. I like the candle light service on Christmas Eve. That's my highlight... I also like the community carol sing. Very nice time and great to see so many from the community come out and celebrate the birth of Jesus.... great to see.
I wanted to go,but came down with a cold..I AM MISERABLE!..
Got the ham in the smoker,though..a cold is NOT going to keep me from that!