Joy Full

What a joy full Christmas! Mark Twain sure knew what he was talking about when he wrote, "To get the full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with." I'm so grateful to have many to divide it with!

Here's my crew at Mom and Dad's house yesterday afternoon. Although it's a long-standing tradition to spend Christmas Eve there, last year we decided to change things up just a little bit. Instead of waiting until dinner to begin the festivities, we now meet for lunch. As a result, no one seems to be hurried, having to scurry along to other households after just an hour or so. We were able to "get the full value of joy" by dividing it with about 30 family members, spanning four generations. It is a complete zoo. I can't imagine spending Christmas any other way!

Of course, there's food . . . and plenty of it. Meatballs, guacamole and chips, shrimp cocktail, relish tray, bean salad, ham, turkey, spinach maria, sausage balls, layered salad, cucumber salad, apple and cranberry crumble, grape salad, cranberry jello salad, chicken salad, and homemade sourdough bread.

There was no shortage of sweets either: brownies, oatmeal cookies, crescent cookies, cookie dough fudge, Christmas Crunch (fun-fetti popcorn), banoffee pie, and pecan pie. I plan to share some of these recipes in future posts.

Then we opened gifts when the kids could no longer stand it. Mom and Dad got the Harry & David fruit-of-the-month club. We also gave Mom a small extra gift that I couldn't pass up: EARTH without ART is just 'EH'   :)

We gave silly straws with Rudolph-inspired Cokes to the little ones. (Yes, I love Pinterest!) All of the nieces got OPI's Top Ten nail polishes along with a "Happy Christmas to All" emery board, and the adults got UT puzzles. (Oh, how I wish for a comeback season next fall!)

Of course, the best present was simply the presence of family and friends. May all of you have the most joy full Christmas ever!

Christmas Crunch

Presents bought. Check. Presents wrapped. Not quite. Christmas baking. Not yet. It's Christmas Crunch time! Although I'm not quite ready for Christmas, that didn't stop us from accepting an invitation from the Burtnetts for their impromptu get-together last night.  We enjoyed cooking hotdogs and s'mores over their campfire, singing Christmas songs, and playing charades.

It gave Keely a chance to make a new munchie she found on the internet.  This is the preferred kind of Christmas Crunch . . . but warning, it's addictive!

She just started with 2 bags of popped popcorn and tossed in broken pretzel pieces and Christmas M&Ms.

Next, she poured melted white chocolate chips over it, and then spread the mixture into a single layer onto wax paper.

Once drizzled with melted vanilla almond bark, she quickly added a variety of sprinkles including little green Christmas trees and red candy canes. It was too cute and festive!

 
I'm certain Keely just started a new tradition as we'll be looking forward to this funfetti munchie every year. Wishing each of you survive your own Christmas Crunch and find enough time to truly calm down and enjoy the season. Peace! :)

Christmas Crunch

Ingredients:

• 2 microwave bags white popcorn 
• 1 1/2 cups broken pretzel pieces
• 1 (12 oz) bag red and green Christmas M&Ms
• 1/2 (12 oz) bag white chocolate chips
• 1/2 package vanilla almond bark (or approximately 8 oz)
• Red, green and white sprinkles

Directions:

Pop popcorn and remove any unpopped kernels. Toss in broken pretzel pieces and M&Ms. Place in large kitchen trash bag.

Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Pour over popcorn mixture, and gently rotate bag until mixture is thoroughly coated with chocolate. Pour mixture into a single layer onto wax paper.

Melt almond bark in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Drizzle evenly over popcorn mixture. (Tip: Place melted almond bark in a ziploc bag and cut a small hole in one of the tips to turn it into a disposable dispenser.) Add sprinkles before almond bark sets. Allow to cool and harden, then gently break into pieces and store in an airtight container.