Category Archives: Holidays

It’s Pączki Day!!

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What is a Pączki you ask?

Pączki are pastries traditional to Polish cuisine. They are similar to doughnuts.

They can be filled with any type of filling.  These are filled with Apricot and Prune or Plum Butter filling.  So grateful that my sister dropped these off for my mom and I on her way home from work today.

Why a dedicated day?

This day marks the start of the final week of the pre-Lenten celebrations.While the practice of Pączki Day is traditionally observed the day before Ash Wednesday in the United States, in Poland, pączki sales are the highest on Tlusty Czwartek, or “Fat Thursday.” (The Thursday before Ash Wednesday).

http://www.polamjournal.com/Library/Holidays/paczki/paczki.html

 

Szczęśliwy Pączki Dziennie!!

(Happy Pączki Day)

Who Needs the Groundhog? #groundhogday

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Well today is Groundhog day. The official groundhog lives in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, and his name is Phil…Punxsutawney Phil that is. The story goes, if on this morning, he doesn’t see his shadow, we’ll have an early spring. If he does see his shadow, then we will have 6 more weeks of winter. So here’s the thing. The first day of spring is actually March 20, which is like 6 weeks away anyway, so this is not an exact science by any means.

The news reports are now in, and he did not see his shadow, I repeat, no shadow. So we are in for an early spring.

But of course this all takes place in Pennsylvania. I myself have my own little indicator. It’s not only Groundhog Day for us today, but we also celebrate my son’s birthday. My son Elijah is 15 today!! So let’s see if Elijah sees his shadow today or not (it won’t be difficult being that he’s like 6 feet tall).

Well folks, there you have it, no shadow from Phil AND Elijah. Looks like an early spring. My dear friend Carrie up in the Northwoods will be happy to hear this, she’s been dreaming of spring since January 1st 😉

Let them eat cake…

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Google says today is:

choccakeday

OK.  So to commemorate this day, I made Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Filled Cupcakes.  Yeah, they are cupcakes, but it’s still cake!!

IMG_0735

I did try something new with the cake.  This is just a box mix, but I saw a tip on how to make it more like a bakery cake.  Instead of water, use milk, instead of oil use butter, and add an extra egg.  It does make a difference.

So grab yourself a slice of cake and enjoy the day!!

I’ll be celebrating ALL day!!

Christmas Eve and #TBT

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Sharing  a post from last year’s Blogmas that I participated in.  This was from
Day 2: What Christmas Means to You

Day 2

 

Linking up for Blogmas 2014…25 Days of Christmas. Because I LOVE Christmastime…now if it would only snow!! 🙂

When I was growing up, we decorated, baked cookies, had Christmas parties with friends, and did the whole Santa and reindeer thing.  But the highlight for me was Midnight Mass.  We would spend Christmas Eve at my grandma’s with my mom’s brothers and sisters and all of our cousins, visiting and opening presents.  Then we would go home for awhile and try to rest before we went to Mass.  It was actually at midnight, which I’m not sure if many churches do that anymore.  I just remember the excitement, maybe it was just because I got to stay up late, but as I remember it now, there just seemed to be an aura of peace and joy that night.  I would be wearing a new dress, and most everyone at church would be dressed up too.  I loved walking into the church and seeing all the decorations, the huge brightly lit Christmas Trees, the wreaths draped with red bows, and the large nativity that was empty through the advent season up until this night.  People greeted each other with genuine smiles and well wishes.  Then the choir would sing all those beautiful Christmas carols, and for this one night they would add drums and a trumpet.  Even though it was the same Mass we sat through Sunday after Sunday, this night, it was different…special.  At the end of Mass, the choir’s finale was a resounding “Joy To the World,” that you could feel deep in your soul. At it’s very last note everyone couldn’t help but applaud, which was unheard of back then in a Catholic church…but this night was different…special.  We would go out into the still night air, and it would be freezing outside, but you felt warm on the inside, and those occasions when snow would be falling, just made it complete.  I knew then that Christmas wasn’t about the fancy decorations, or the presents, or the celebrating with friends and family.  It was about the birth of Jesus, and having faith in God no matter what the New Year would bring.

It’s been a long time since I’ve attended Midnight Mass, but as I got older I learned to try to hold on to that special feeling all throughout the year.  But it’s  always easier at this time, as the year is winding down, and we anticipate the New Year and what it will bring. Even in the midst of the hustle and bustle, it’s a time of year that I feel like I can just breathe for a moment.  Because even while in the midst of whatever life is throwing at us, it seems that during Christmastime everything is good and everyone is happy…it’s different…special.

Merry Christmas Eve!!