Merry Christmas: A Real Ted Talks Again
Hello, Friends!
A few days ago was my birthday, 4 days before Christmas. To be honest, I woke up a little on the weepy side, something that seems to be common for me around this time of year. I love the festivities, family, food and celebrating the coming of Jesus as a baby boy. Remembering my own sweet baby boys, I feel a mom-of-boys kinship with Mary.
But for me the holiday season also often has an underlying layer of sadness.
Am I the only one?
Maybe it’s the memories of people who are no longer with us or another year of prayers that still haven’t been answered to my liking, or a feeling of reality never measuring up to the hype.
This is embarrassing for me to put on paper because I know how very blessed I am, but if I’m feeling it, I may as well own it. And if you feel a tiny bit sad, too, let’s join hands and hearts and walk one another out of the Christmas funk. I will slather myself with the oil of JOY, one of my favs, and begin to focus on gratitude and counting my blessings.
Karen and I are so fortunate to have both of our parents with us, aren’t we? I treasure the videos I have of my grandmas and aunts who have passed on, so I’m trying to take more videos of my mom and dad and of Mary, Brad’s mom. I’m sharing a couple of those videos with you today. (Our dad offered some life lessons: A Real Ted Talks)
Here is my dad, Ted, with a bit of a Christmas message and reading the Christmas story. He will soon have 88 Christmas mornings under his belt. The little noises you hear in the background are my mom dusting!
Sidebar: I earned an F in video editing, but I love the laughter at the beginning and have no idea how to edit out the comment at the end. Ignore it, please!
Dad’s Christmas Message to you, dear reader………
And now the Christmas story……
From Mom’s Recipe Box
My mom is a great cook, as I’m sure many of you can attest. For 39 years, she prepared a huge dinner almost every Sunday, and there was always room and enough food for unexpected guests around the table. We laughed, discussed politics, shared stories and generally, built a strong relationship around that antique table with multiple homemade leaves, stretched out to seat a bunch of people.
My plan was to share several of her Christmas cookie recipes with you as a download, but mom can’t remember where they are since she quit making them a few years ago, and I didn’t have time to look for them this week. I’ll add finding them to my project list for 2018.
So, no cookie recipe, but here is a FABULOUS, DECADENT salad/dessert that I bet money you will LOVE. My mother-in-law makes it too, so if we are lucky we might get to enjoy it a couple of times each year.
Alice’s Grape Salad
2 pounds grapes, (a mix of red and green is pretty, can even add more and still have enough dressing)
Mix together: 8 oz cream cheese, 8 oz. sour cream, 1/2 c. sugar, 1 t. Milk Add grapes.
Topping: 3/4 c. brown sugar, 1 c. chopped pecans, 2 T. melted butter Mix together and spread on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool and crumble and put on salad right before serving.
Dear reader, I am so thankful that you take the time to visit A Vintage Farmwife. I enjoy sharing with you and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and the best New Year ever.
And just in case you are wondering, I had a very happy birthday, filled with time spent with special people and counting my blessings!
You’re an awesome blessing, Susan. I agree with the emotions that surround Christmas…we gotta enjoy the moment simply because we won’t have that moment again.
Today my Dad would have been 87 and my little boy would be 32 … both taken too soon by cancer. One day we will reunite, but until then we must stay the course and wait.
Glad you have video of your dad reading!
Merry Christmas my friend.
🎵
Cori, thank you for your sweet words. I appreciate your testimony of living joyfully in the face of grief. I can imagine how much you miss your boy and the comfort you take in knowing you will see him again one day! xoxo
I remember Lucille Coble making a similar Grape Salad and bringing it to your house one Easter. I just made her version in the last couple weeks. Hers didn’t have the topping, but had the pecan pieces mixed in.
Maybe that was the first time we had it! It’s so yummy!
Loved this post and you of course too! All those emotions run deep with me too about Christmas! Helping my mom prepare yesterday for 28 blood relatives around her table for today, I kept thinking as I set the table there were 4 not present and I missed them. Their place at the table has been reset with additional family members, but their presence is still in my heart. The expectations are always high, but the real reason of this day came in a lowly manager in order that we truly arrive to a place of higher ground. That helps me to keep this Day in tinsel and pretty wrapping in perspective. So enjoyed your dad. What a gift!!!
Thank you so much for reading and commenting and encouraging me! I think many people share our feelings. I hope your Christmas is centered on the true meaning and anything else is just a bonus gift! xoxo
I totally understand the melancholy feelings…still struggle with an empty nest after many years. Maybe it’s a mom thing 😊 What a blessing for you to have your parents, enjoy every moment with them. Thanks for your posts and for sharing your heart. So happy I found you this year, on IG…a blessing for me! God Bless and Merry Christmas! ❤️
Maybe it is a mom thing! I am so glad we became friends this year. I count it as a gift from above! Merry Christmas, Kathy!
Susan, thank you so much for this. I have saved your mom and dad’s picture and Teddy’s reading. We you know, your dad is my cousin and I thought he was the man for me when I was 11 yr old! I hope he would wait for me to grow up but, alas, he found your beautiful mother and I was happy for him – it not until the very special Susan Elaine was born did I forgive him! YOU were so perfect and your parents let me hold you and play with you! And, God answered my prayer and sent another godly man my way when I was old enough to be married. We were blessed with four children and our youngest is a Christian psychologist. She has written a blog for her counseling center which you might enjoy, because Dec 25 is certainly filled with bittersweet memories. Check out rootscounselingcenter.com and go to the bottom right hand corner with lines (menu) and click on blogs. Kim addresses grief and joy at Christmas.
I love to hear this story! Merry Christmas to you and your family. I will definitely check Kim’s blog!
Thanks, Susan. Merry Christmas to you, Alice and Ted, and all your wonderful family. So much to be thankful for today inspite of the empty places around our tables.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, June! I will pass on your greetings. So very thankful!