Mugging It Up for Christmas

This morning I got out my "Christmas mug."  I bought it many years ago and every year, I get it out on the Monday of Thanksgiving week and enjoy my daily morning coffee from it right through Christmas. It's my way of saying, "Let the games begin."   It's my "Black Friday" so to speak.


After a few cups of coffee from my mug while enjoying the look of the first snow outside the window, the official whirlwind began.  Today I made fudge and divinity for Thanksgiving (my assigned task each year are the "sweets" ... my favorite food group).   I made a new cookie recipe I found in an old issue of a Rachel Ray magazine. The cookies looked the way they did in her magazine, but I can't say the same for the cook!  I'm hoping people will like the taste of the Pecan Caramel Surprises and not notice the lines and wrinkles I have that Rachel doesn't!

Cookie baking was followed by a trip to Walmart to stock up on the ingredients needed for the next few days.  Pies have to be baked for Thanksgiving .. and more cookies for the cookie exchange with my girls that will take place December 4.  And all the while, my Christmas mug will be at hand, reminding me of how much I love this time of year.

I ended the day by addressing and stamping my Christmas cards.  Yup!  They're ready to go.  I'm cookin' so to speak ... LOL!

Tomorrow I'll wrap the gifts I've bought (a few are already done) and, no doubt, come up with at least 10 more things I need to buy/do before December 25.

Friday morning - the official opening of the holiday season for the rest of the country - will find me out shopping looking for goodies.  I love Black Friday - my own and the more traditional one .. you know, the one that requires you to get up at 3:00 a.m., and stand shivering in 10 degree weather outside of Target, in line with 200 other people (mostly women) who also gave up a night's rest to save $5.00 on a toy that their child will play with for 5 minutes and then cast aside for the cardboard box it came in. The experience really energizes me and gets me set for the holiday.  There is a certain camaraderie as you juggle packages in your arms while standing in the check-out line that stretches all the way around the store and even loops back a couple of times. It's one of my favorite days of the year.



Hope your day was a good one and that you're looking forward to the "countdown" as much as I am.  Oops!  That reminds me .. have to go down and find my "Countdown Santa" to put out ... one more frantic reminder of how the days are flying by.  Isn't life fun!