Thursday, December 26, 2013

The After Christmas Let Down


Well it's over.  All the excitement and preparations done and over.
I don't know about you, but I always feel a bit sad the day after
Christmas.  I think I will take up the British tradition of Boxing Day
to cheer me up.  

We had such a fun day at home yesterday.  Our first Christmas in our
new house.  The tree was fabulous (thank you David for selecting such
a huge one) and we really enjoyed it's glow all Christmas eve and 
Christmas day.  I will say though that I am dreading having to take it
down.  But as I was saying, I am feeling a bit blue today.  I have so
enjoyed all the prep work and all of the Christmas movies I so
dearly love.  I watched Christmas in Connecticut, Home Alone (that
one is special to me because it has so many scenes of where I grew up),
White Christmas, The Man Who Came for Dinner,  The Bishop's Wife
( original with Cary Grant and Loretta Young) and other vintage flicks
along with the Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel.  The radio in
the kitchen was tuned to Christmas music 24/7.  I am a self professed
Christmas junkie.  Love everything about it.




So the presents are all unwrapped and everyone is basking in the gift
giving glow.  We had our first fire in the fireplace despite the fact that it
felt like spring outside.  I was going to burn some mesquite, but the chimney
sweep warned me against that because it burns to hot.  So until we get
a cord of oak delivered, I burned one of those artificial logs.  Does anyone
remember the old Mary Tyler Moore episode where Lou Grant took
home an artificial log to burn in the fire?  I am sure my sister Robin does!






We had our traditional cheese fondu again this year.  HEB does not sell any of the pre-made
packages, so I made my own.  Wow what a difference!  I can't believe I have never ever
made it before.  It's easy and it tastes so much better.  I will have to share the recipe
with you.  I served the fondu on the tea table in front of the fire.  It was cozy!




I spent all day Monday baking Christmas cookies and we hand delivered them to many
of our new neighbors.  Sometimes I think I should have gone to culinary school 
because I really like to feed people.  I am not Jewish, but I could easily be a Jewish
mother.  You will often hear the phrases ~ "Are you hungry?"  "Can I make you
a sandwich?"  "How about a big bowl of homemade soup?"   Especially soup.
I love to wrap everyone up in a quilt on a chilly day too.  I was born to nurture.
My hubby is a spoiled baby and you know Bentley is too.




I enjoyed baking the cookies, but I don't eat them.  I really am not that crazy
about sweets.  I am a savory lover.  My next door neighbor Katherine sent over
a plate of little meat pies and I ate the lion share of them.  I am fortunate because
both my Mom and David go for the cookies leaving more of the little meat pies
for me.  That's good because I really did not want to have to share.




Oh and we started a new Christmas Eve tradition in our house.  Our new
friend Bridget delivered so home made tamales to us.  Some of them were
spinach and feta, some cheese and some traditional.  They were fabulous!
David smoked some ribs and chicken and I made a pot of beans and we 
had a huge south Texas feast.  Thank you dear Bridget for the tamales
and for introducing us to an new Christmas Ever tradition!

So after all that fun I am feeling a bit sad that it's all over.  No worries
though.  I am not the type to stay sad for long.  I have plans!  I pulled
out my sewing machine and set it up in my studio.  The thought of sewing
puts a smile on my face.  And I am planning a garden for the spring and
knowing south Texas, spring will be here before long.  And besides
that, with the few hours left of this day I should google Boxing Day
and find out just what I should be doing today.  

Bentley and I both hope you had a wonderful Christmas with family
and friends and that you are not too sad today.  And if you are, well
then stop by tomorrow and we will do our best to cheer you up!

Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley

14 comments:

  1. Beautiful, warm and festive! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Susan, glad you enjoyed your first Christmas in your new home. Tamales are a tradition here in central and south TX. They are on most menus for Christmas Eve around here. It's been cold here. I'm surprised your had warmer temps.
    Enjoy your holidays. Everything looks so pretty in your living room.

    ReplyDelete
  3. After the excitement and anticipation of Christmas, there is definitely a let-down afterward. It sounds like y'all had a wonderful day in your new home, the first of many happy memories there.

    Hugs ~ Mary

    ReplyDelete
  4. I totally get what your feeling I didn't do much decorating this year but I had my music caught some old Christmas movies but now I have to wait for next year to come around. The fiancé and I did the family thing Christmas Eve at my cousins place good time was had by all and a quiet relaxing Christmas day.
    Denise

    ReplyDelete
  5. Susan ~ it sounds like Christmas in your new home was such fun with new traditions coming into play. Perfect for a new home. We had a lovely Christmas although I was unfortunately sick. Cough Cough. Boxing day has been a day of complete rest for me ~
    The fondue looks yummy. I would love the recipe ~
    (((Hugs)))

    ReplyDelete
  6. It looks and sounds like you had a lovely day,as we did too. We usually spend boxing day on a picnic with some friends,but they are in England at the moment,a long way from here in Aus. So we rested in the garden and potted about,even had a nap after lunch. I so enjoyed that. Love fondue,I haven't had that for years. mmm sounds nice. xx

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm with you. Hate for it to be over. We are however having a big New Year's eve party so I am busy ready for this.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Susan,
    I love your blog. Years ago my Mom used to get depressed after Christmas, she said it was so colorless. I told her to leave out the red candles and poinsettias and she also had some red cardinal figurines, so the pops of red throughout January helped with her post Christmas blues and kept her going until February and Valentine's Day. Alll the best for the New Year to you, Bentley and your family.
    Margie

    ReplyDelete
  9. A beautiful Christmas in your new home and new traditions. Welcome to Texas! Merry Merry and a Happy Happy Ho Ho Ho!

    ReplyDelete
  10. So glad your first Christmas in the new home was so wonderful!!! That fire place is beautiful, hadn't seen it before, and to dine in front of it is over the top!! I am also a Christmas 'junkie', watched every movie and listened to every song and hymn, loved every minute!!! And spent 9 days baking cookies and had a ball!! Love it!!! Enjoyed making all the deliveries too.......my fav movie is The Bishop's Wife, and threw myself down on the sofa to watch that one.......Loretta Young, what a beauty!!!

    Most of my decor will stay up until after Valentine's Day because up here in the frozen northeast, it can get pretty bleak out there and I need to have this color around me to avoid the after holiday blues. My nephew gifted me with a red poinsettia plant that is the size of Kansas, it has center stage in the front hallway and makes me smile every time I pass by!!!

    Happy New Year to you!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I, too, get the after Christmas blahs. I adore everything leading up to Christmas so I guess you could say I am a Christmas junkie too!! I always wait a few days to take everything down. Ij ust hate for everything to get back to normal :-) I hope you enjoy your new home. It is so pretty!!! I

    Our family also has a sweet little fella named Bentley - and a Clarabel. Our furry babies sure bring us a lot of joy!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Glad you had such a wonderful Christmas in your new home, Susan. My blahs won't hit until next week when I return home. XO Laura

    ReplyDelete
  13. I know how you feel, I wrote about the same thing! This is was one of the best Christmas seasons I've had, but then the hubby went back to work the day after and I was a bit blue too. Your home looks lovely, we both got to spend Christmas in a new home! I hope your bit of "blue" fades quickly. Time to get on with the new year, right? :) Here's hoping it brings you tons and tons of joy!
    ~April

    ReplyDelete

Oliver and I LOVE and read every comment.

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