Christmas Traditions 2023

Yesterday was a most-anticipated day…our annual trip to St. Charles, MO, for Christmas Traditions! We were worried about the weather (it was supposed to rain the entire day, but we got lucky, and it was mostly dry while we were there), and the traffic (an accident had I-70 at a standstill for a bit on our way there), but we made it in time (and even found a decent parking space!) for the Santa Parade:

After that, we headed down Main Street to look for all of our favorite characters, and we did a pretty good job of it!

As I did last year, I had to take a picture with the Mistletoe Misses…I love their costumes, and they seemed to like my outfit, too!

I also had to get a picture with the Lord of Misrule himself…I don’t know who thought it was a good idea to give him a sword!

But the main attraction is always a visit with Jack Frost. We love listening to his banter and seeing what kind of antics he’s added to his routine from year to year, and of course Bunny always has to take a picture with him. I was surprised to discover that he had been waiting for us this year, though. Usually, we attend the festival earlier in the season, which I guess he knows, and he had been carrying around a special gift for us since (I assume) opening day, which he was excited to present to us, complete with some of his original artwork on the bag. Jack may have a cold exterior, but he truly has a heart of gold! I was exceptionally touched (ok, I started crying right there on Main Street), because I had never considered that our presence there is valued. It was quite a moment, and made this our best trip to Christmas Traditions yet, and I know we won’t forget it.

Even on a damp, gloomy day, historic St. Charles is a beautiful place! And since it was so gloomy, we could really see the Christmas lights, which was very nice!

Our last order of business was getting our yearly photo at the gazebo. We had to wait for a madrigal performance on the steps to wrap up, but we got it in the end. So many years we’ve done this now!

Next year is the 50th anniversary of Christmas Traditions, and we’re already looking forward to being a part of that celebration!

Sartorial Saturday–Joy to the World

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…the time when I add a new Christmas apron to my dirndl closet!

I’ve really come to look forward to Rare Dirndl’s new Christmas apron every year. This year was extra special, though, because they tried something different. Instead of offering just one print, they let you choose between a “kitschy” or “classic” print, and then sent you a mystery apron to fit the theme. For the members of their Facebook group, they also offered a live event where they previewed the available fabrics, and allowed group members to request specific prints before the sale was made public. I went into the sale knowing I wanted something primarily green, and I was thrilled to find this gorgeous print with phrases from familiar Christmas carols printed on it!

I added a green ribbon to my “Die Heimat” dirndl to go with the color of the apron…I really love the way it pops against the grey!

I chose red accessories, including a necklace and bracelet from Rare Dirndl, plus a fun pair of Christmas ornament earrings I found at Target:

It’s a lot of fun to wear a dirndl to the local Christkindlmarkt!

I’ll be wearing the apron again for Christmas, but in a completely different way…stay tuned!

Chickadee Thursday

Chickadee has a fun time at the Missouri History Museum learning about Christmas nostalgia…I was not so thrilled that part of what they considered nostalgia was a neon photo wall that represented the malls of the 80s!

She also had fun being Santa Lucia yesterday!

Not to mention Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden last night!

Wordless Wednesday

The Top Five–Iconic Christmas Songs

Inspired by this year’s music-themed “Christmas School,” today I’m looking at what I consider to be the top five (yes, I know…actually six. I had a Rat Pack tie at the end!), most iconic Christmas songs. When I say iconic, I mean the song and singer together…the type of piece where, when you hear it, you think to yourself “no one else needed to record this song ever, because it’s perfect as it is, and there is no topping it!”

Bing Crosby–“White Christmas”–No one does Christmas music like Bing, and maybe it’s just because White Christmas is my favorite Christmas movie, but I think this is the song he does best. I’m immediately transported to a different place and time at those opening notes!
Nat King Cole–“The Christmas Song”–Second only to Bing, Nat also excels at Christmas, and while I especially love his Toys for Tots song, we all know that Nat absolutely owns “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” (I do also like the rendition they created of him and Natalie Cole singing it together.)
Andy Williams–“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”–Another iconic voice at Christmastime, Andy has several songs that he does really well, including “Happy Holidays” and “It’s the Holiday Season,” but “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” is my favorite, and so recognizable.
Ella Fitzgerald–“Sleigh Ride”–I don’t know if it’s because it’s been used so well in movies (Elf comes to mind), but “Sleigh Ride” is totally Ella Fitzgerald’s song! This is another example of a song I recognize immediately from just the first few notes, because her version was so distinctive.
Frank Sinatra–“Christmas Memories”–This is probably the least-known song on the list, and it really captures that sense of nostalgia at Christmastime both in words and music, and Frank sings it with so much emotion, you get the sense he’s really feeling it when he sings “Funny, but comes December, and I remember every Christmas I’ve known.”
Dean Martin–“I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm”–Between this and “Baby it’s Cold Outside,” Dean is the king of winter songs, but this one is a little less controversial, so I chose it over the other, even though I like both equally well.

What Christmas songs are iconic to you?

Partners

Last year, I completed our “12 Days of Christmas” ornament set from Hallmark, which left me wondering what we’d add to the tree this year. After all, that series gave me 12 straight years of not even having to think about what our annual addition to our holiday decor would be, because I knew it was whatever came next in the song. As soon as I saw this “Partners” statue ornament, though, I knew that this year wouldn’t be a problem, because it’s the perfect way to commemorate the Disney 100 year (and Turkey’s, Bunny’s, and my trip to Disneyland this spring!).

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday–A Look Back at Festive Feasts and Holiday Baking

The holiday season is officially over, so let’s take a look back at all of the festive feasts and holiday baking we enjoyed, starting with Thanksgiving. I think the turkey turned out especially well this time around!