Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Religious Services

My mom grew up as a Catholic in Breslau.  She has always told me that as a young girl she recalls walking to midnite Mass at the Mathias and Vincenz parishes.  She remembers the cold and the crunchy snow as they went to their services.  It was a special memory. 

Here is a picture of the Matthias Kirche where my mom would have gone to her midnite mass.

My grandmother would have worshipped here as a girl.  She was also baptized here.  This is the old wooden church in Koschentin/Koszecin.




As for our Memory of religious services, we usually have a Christmas service on the Sunday prior to Christmas.  Unless Christmas falls on Sunday, we don't have a service on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.  The services usually consist of speakers on a spiritual Christmas topic and the church choir and the children singing as well.  My favorite part would be the children singing as the grandkids would all (but the littlest) be in the front and singing.  I always strain my neck to see all 3 of them and I can just feel myself beaming as I watch thinking, "Those are my grandkids!"  And, yes, I am as proud as I can be. 

When I grew up as a girl we went to church here.  This was a rented builing that our church used for many years.  It was the Knights of Pythias building in Fairmont, Minnesota.  Later the church bought a house in which they met for quite a while.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Christmas Shopping

Well I am happy to say I am done with the Christmas shopping... I am usually an early bird, because I don't like shopping at night in the cold, wind, snow and the dark.  So I usually have it mostly done quickly because I work and time is always short.  That is all about Christmas shopping.  So on to another subject.

Today was the annual Christmas staff party.  The  last 3 years, we have had lunch together at the Lion House.  We then stay to play White Elephant gift exchange.  We started doing that as a way not to feel obligated to give all our co-workers gifts.  So we all agreed and it has been such a blast every year.  This is what I got this year!  We always try to get something else, as did I this year.  Someone always steals my gift that I probably stole from someone else. 

I got a cake pan shaped like a bear, I think.  At first I got a pinata shaped like a small girl with a bikini on.  It was hilarious and I wish I had had my camera, but I didn't because I brought the wrong bag.  Then I got a cute sign about messy offices.  My office has been the messiest ever in my career this past month.  I have been frantically working on writing college curriculum on German genealogy and things are so wild and crazy I can not keep up with the messiness.  Which is not me, but has been since getting this assignment full of deadlines...and stress. 
Here is a shot of another part of the white elephant I got that was stolen from me.

Christmas colored M&m's and the sign which I lost.  Oh well, better luck next year!

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Grab Bag

You can tell the times of the season are here, just from this!

And especially THIS!

The neighbor drives a snowplow for the city.  Do neighbors get favors????

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Grab Bag

On the way home from shopping I missed two great foto ops. So I went back to get the one and the other "left". The "other" was 4 of Santa's deer in my daughter's front yard. They ran in front of my car, so I was glad I was going slowly! I saw them all in my daughter Jamie's yard, and I had my camera, but they left before I was ready to "shoot" a picture or them. But the other foto op was a highly decorated street not too far away. So I went back.  Here it is!

The photo does it no justice...

Is this the Griswold's Christmas street? I always wondered where they lived!

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Fruitcake Friend or Foe

Today's topic is FRUITCAKE.  Anyone who knows me, knows I don't like any kind of fruitcake. I don't like the German "Stollen" version of it either.  So that is fact.  I think it's awful.  So it has never become a Christmas tradition nor will it.  But I love everything else, so this is my Christmas "Flaw". 

On a nicer note, I love most of the Christmas goodies such as marzipan, which is a German favorite.  I suspect that my extra pounds are a result of that admittance.  That and a lack of good excercise.  Lately that is a hard thing to accomplish.  But perhaps I had better get back to it, or it will be too late!  So I will try to do that right after I finish this post.  Enjoy the days before Christmas!

This is what I love! 

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Charitable/Volunteer Work

These nice baskets of cuties represent sharing with others.  I work every day and leave early in the morning to get there and arrive home later now that I am on the Train every day.  It is making commuting much longer.  So my spare time is rare.  I can't do too much other work, but I like to donate to the Scouts who collect food and clothing, etc. to the needy, as well as other similar groups.  These baskets of fruit will be my little symbol of giving and sharing for this post.  The Christmas season is a time for giving and sharing.  I think that is what this time of year represents.  Merry Christmas again!

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Other Traditions

The Church breakfast has been an ongoing tradition for the last few years.  Instead of an evening dinner, it's breakfast and it was yummy this year.

Lots of people came, some in their jammies.  Me, well I had to go to work after so I had my dress on.  I hate dresses. 

And  a few Santas are here as well.

There was lots of breakfast casaroles and French toast, fruit and juice or milk.  I like traditions.
And here is another tradition below:

The German Chorus Harmonie's annual Christmas concert.  This year, Omi, Brecklyn and I went.  My dad didn't go this time.  So it was just us girls.  There was a bit of snow outside, not too much to make it hard to drive, just enough to give it a little Christmas Spirit.

Friends from the Library getting ready for the evening.

Brecklyn and me waiting to see the program.

Omi is ready too.  It was a really nice program and they did a good job.  I enjoy keeping up the traditions.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Christmas Gifts

As an adult, the funnest part of Christmas is picking things out for the grandkids.  On Facebook last week I saw myself in one of the posts someone made.  It said:

Saw it!

Wanted it!

Told Grandma

GOT IT!

Yes, undoubtedly when the grandkids give me their wish list, they get quite of few of those wishes.  I am a spoiler grandma, I admit it.  I love to see their happiness, their smiles and feel the hugs.  And I guess this year is no different.

As a child I remember not getting that many gifts but I usually got something that I had asked for.  I do remember a doll that stood about 3 ft. tall.  I don't remember if she had a specific name, like a Barbie, Chatty Cathy or whatever it was, but I kind of remember wanting whatever kind of doll she was.  I also know that I have pictures of "us" together in our old Minnesota home.  When you did something with her arm she was supposed to walk with you.  I don't know that she walked all that well, but she did take some steps. 

As I got older, I remember wishing for -- guess what?  A typewriter!  For you younger readers, that is probably pretty funny indeed.  Now with computers being the thing, and much easier to type on, by the way!  I remember that it was a blue typewriter and I remember using typewriters for many years.  It wasn't till sometime in the 80's that I got my first computer.  The most expensive computer that I ever bought and definitely the least able to do very much.  But in both cases, my happiness reigned supreme.  Now as I use my computer and try to figure out the apps on my new laptop, I admit sometimes these get the best of me!  But I continue to learn.  Lifelong learning here!   I do remember that as a teen in high school taking many typing classes.  I don't use the index finger method.  I use all 10 of them and without much effort.  I watch people on the computer keyboard now-a-days using the index finger method.  I wonder if they even teach those things anymore...
Well, enjoy giving and receiving this year.  It is also a time to think about the Gift that Christ gave to us.  That is the ultimate gift! 
 Merry Christmas to you all!

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Grab Bag

The subject today was "Grab Bag".  Or anything I want.  So today will be a blast from the past for me, with some old family photos.  This one is teenage Jamie.

This is me and our dog Fonzie. She didn't like kids at all.  I guess that was because "she" was our first kid! And she would have prefered things stayed status quo.

Here are 2 happy kids.

Someone didn't get what he wanted???

Christmas Day was spent at Grandma and Grandpa Nishimoto's in S. Jordan.  They liked a flocked tree back in the day!

This was the day of the "real" tree.  But hey, where are all the decorations???

Sitting and waiting for Santa or sitting in the corner????

Santa in California.

At Omi's.

My Christmas school elf on a shelf~actually risers, but close!  Back row, red hat by the tall guy.

Check out Santa's eyebrows
! 

And that's it for today.  Times have changed, we have changed but the memories are fun to recall!

Merry Christmas!

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Outdoor Decorations

I got this cute thing through an email.  Here is the link!

Merry Christmas type in your complete address in the globe See your house in a Snow Globe... CLICK ON THE SITE BELOW, PUT IN YOUR ADDRESS AND WATCH IT! TOO COOL! http://www.draftfcb.com/holiday2011/ -

It shows your home probably from Google Earth pictures, I think.  It's fun!

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Santa Claus

This is my oldest grandchild's first Santa visit.  And look he was smiling.  He must have been about 10 months old at the time.  And now he will soon be 12 years old.  The years have flown by and 3 siblings have been added to this family.  I can't believe it, because I still remember my childhood and all the times I saw Santa.  Yesterday I found 2 pictures of me with Sankt Nicolaus while still living in Germany.  Today I wanted to post it and looked and couldn't find them anymore.  I will undoubtedly  find them again when I am not looking for them. 

Ah, here it is!  If memory serves correctly, this was my grandmother.


I will also post last year's link here because I liked what I wrote and doubt that I could improve it too much.  So click here, also: Santa Post 2011 .  Santa lives!

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Outdoor Decorations

I am complying a bit with the theme today, at least for a minute to say that as I grew up we had no outdoor lights or decorations.  I don't think my dad wanted to put them up.  Can't say that I blame him, it's alot of work.  And it can be pricey.  But I loved to look at them and wished I had them in my yard.  Now as an adult we have a string of lights outside and that is about all.  I still like to look at the decorations others put out each year.  And I think everyone who does is so wonderful for doing that. So that is all I have to write about the theme.

So for my own "theme" of the day it is quite quickly the FamilySearch Devotional and Christmas luncheons.  Each year we have a lunch at work at Christmas time.  Each department goes to the 26th floor on a particular day along with their missionaries and a nice lunch is served to us, along with a Church authority who gives a message.  This year it was Elder Packer that spoke to us and it was about our Family History "Family", working together and enjoying our companionship.  It was nice.  Then we ate.  On today's menu was ham, shrimp, green salad, rice pudding, cheese and crackers, rolls, broccoli salad, and cookies, and cake.

Here is the plate I picked up.  We could have 2nds too.  I had another bit of salad because it was very good!

A little shot of the buffet table.

Waiting to eat!

 

 

So that was today.  Tomorrow will be a quiet day.  Once in a while I need that, too!

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Christmas Cards

OK,  I apologize!  This is not going to be about Christmas Card today but I posted that because that is the only way the Geneablogger search engine finds it!  So for the "Sub-title"  I am posting:

The Office Christmas Party #1

So tonight Marion, our part-time counter helper at the Library had a German dinner for the staff and missionaries.  And because Marion is a great cook, she had a BIG crowd.  She cooked a fantastic meal  Here are our hosts Marion and Guenter.

Here are a few of the wonderful things on tonight's menu!

Here is the gravy in a Bunzlau pottery dish.  I have some of this Polish pottery also.  Love it!  Then a brocolli dish, another dish of kind of a creamed pea dish and cucumber salad.  Cheeses, salami, sourdough bread and another type.

So in the middle, red cabbage and on the other side is Sauerkraut.

German Goulasch and on the right 130 Roladen!  Now that's alot of Roladen.  I am glad I only have to make about 15 for Christmas.  That's plenty!  Marion was so nice we could even take home some left-overs!

Here are some of us eating while others are still in line, hoping there is food there when they get to it.  And there was plenty for all and then some!

And here is the other side of the table!  Notice I am smiling.  That was before I realized I had just gained 15 lbs!

Here is the elite group that sat in the formal dining room.  Notice they have no food yet!

Marion makes a 9X13 Black forest cake.  Really nummy, behind that some streusel Kuchen.  She made two kinds, one with blueberries, too.  She made about 6 different desserts. 

More dessert.  Did I say I gained 15 lbs?  or was it 16, 17...or what?

Those numbers just keep on going higher and higher... oh my.
Well, it's getting late, I'm tired and soon need to sleep.  So that unpictured items, were mashed potatoes, spaetzle, the breads and cheeses.  So it was fun, great food and now it's time to diet!