Tis The Season: Starting Thoughts

Now that Thanksgiving has happened and is in the past, it is officially the Holiday Season. Many holidays happen this time of year, and with those holidays come traditions.

First up on my personal line up is Gotcha Days. December first is Pho’s Gotcha Day, and the third is Erza and Gobi’s. A Gotcha Day is a celebration of the day that someone was adopted, be that children or pets. It is meant to mark the day that we got ya. Erza was adopted December 3rd, 2019. The joke that year was that our cats were our Christmas gifts from our parents, because those three kittens each chose one of my siblings and me. This year’s Gotcha Days will be mostly like regular days, with a little extra spoiling of our feline companions.

This is also the first year in a while that I have the ability to buy Christmas presents for my loved ones. My list is not huge due to my current means not being very big either, but I am excited to share some love with those on it. Gift giving has been one of my love languages for as long as I can remember. Usually involving little things that I saw and made me think of a certain person. And because it is one of my ways that I show my affection, I really struggle with waiting to give the gift. I just want to give it as soon as possible so that I can make them smile. One of my purest joys in life is making someone smile.

Over the years my family and I have come up with ways to assist me in keeping the gifts a secret until the actual holiday. I am not allowed to hide the presents in my own bedroom because that is way too much temptation. If I see them everyday, I just can’t help myself. So this year my sister and my mother have offered to hide the gifts so that I can’t get to them until it is time to wrap them. I will be using both spots because it is not like I can ask them to hide their own gifts. I am going to try my absolute best to not spoil the surprise this year. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

My sister has also resorted to rewards for me. One year we did gifts for my parents as siblings. K. told me that if I could keep it a surprise until Christmas morning, then she would buy me a box of candy canes. Because I am not a fan of peppermint, candy canes are always of the fruity variety for me. My Mom usually will buy me one box in the flavor of my choosing, and those are mine for the season, and I don’t have to share!

Speaking of yummy treats, we also do lots of baking. Cookies are the staple around here, there are many varieties made though. Russian tea cakes are one of my favorites. I have to restrain myself from eating all of them and giving myself a stomach ache, and then leaving none for everyone else to enjoy. Other popular versions of cookie are the classic peanut butter blossoms, sugar cookies, and spritz.

One treat that it can’t be the holidays without it puppy chow. Also known as muddy buddies, my family will make up giant batches of the stuff and store it in empty gallon buckets. We have to make large amounts because it is so popular with everyone who stops by and the entire family. One little taste is not enough to satisfy a craving that has been building all year. (And yes we are well aware that we don’t have to wait to make it, but it is our tradition.)

I hope that as we go through this season you all have warm moments that turn into cozy memories to help stave off the chill from the weather outside.

Happy Holidays!

Love Kesinee