I decided gold and black were the perfect, elegant colors for a mani designed to ring in the New Year, using Holo Taco’s “Bottle Service” and “Black Holo Wish.”
Mani Monday
New Year’s
Mani Monday
I can’t think of a better mani to kick off the New Year than silver and gold! I alternated Sally Hansen Miracle Gel “Hi Ho Silver” topped with “Deep Sea Diamond” alternating with “Game of Chromes” topped with “Sunken Treasure.” It’s the perfect shiny/sparkly combination!
Tasty Tuesday–Holiday Feasts
Here’s a wrap-up of the special meals we’ve enjoyed this holiday season, beginning with Thanksgiving, and going through the end of Christmas (Epiphany)!
Thanksgiving:
The Christmas Tea (our one luncheon feast):
Christmas Eve (appetizers, dips, and desserts):
The English Christmas Feast:
New Year’s Day:
Epiphany (aka Ryan’s birthday)–a mini-Thanksgiving, with birthday cake for dessert:
The time of feasting is over, for a while at least. I am working on a plan for a Valentine’s Day tea, though!
A Feast to Celebrate the New Year
For some reason, our tradition is having a pork roast on New Year’s Day. I’m not sure how it started, but it stuck. This year, I made our favorite pork roast, along with roast carrots and potatoes. For dessert, we had an amazing Christmas trifle, which included layers of homemade white chocolate-peppermint mousse, extra-fudgy homemade brownies, and homemade chocolate pudding, all sprinkled with a little bit of crushed peppermint candies (whipped cream optional). It was a nice way to start off the New Year!
The Final Feast
Today was our final “feast” of the holiday season. Now, compared to Thanksgiving and Christmas, it was a pretty small feast, but it was delicious just the same. Pork roast flavored with garlic, sage, and allspice, (very nice holiday flavors, and it smelled amazing while it was cooking!), homemade mashed potatoes and (not homemade) pork gravy, green beans amandine, and glazed, spiced apples. Oh, and Christmas cracker candy for dessert (yum!).
I’m so over preparing fancy meals–I’m very much looking forward to getting back to our usual fare of casseroles, soups, and pizza nights!
Happy New Year!
Hymn of the Day–“O God, Our Help in Ages Past”
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home:Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.Before the hills in order stood
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone,
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Soon bears us all away;
We fly forgotten as a dream
Dies at the op’ning day.O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last
And our eternal home! Lutheran Service Book #733
My Favorite New Year’s Tradition
I don’t really like New Year’s Eve. It just reminds me that the holiday season is winding down, and I hate that. It’s the “most wonderful time of the year,” after all! But we have developed one tradition that I do actually like–we always watch Apollo 13 on New Year’s Eve.
That story always reminds me of how very small I am, compared to the vastness of the universe, and especially compared to God. And I think that’s a good way to end one year, and begin another–remembering just how big God is, and how much He loves us, even though we are so very small in comparison.
That’s one part of New Year’s that even I can get on board with!