Christmas Traditions and New Resolutions

After the hustle and bustle of Christmas, I had to sit back and reflect...I first of all realized how dear my family is to me.  I treasure each day, moment and time we get to spend together.  The laughter, food, harassing each other...all such fun times and great memories made.  I also had to reflect on how THANKFUL I am.  After all, God has blessed me so far above and beyond what I deserve...I am overwelmed at how He has blessed me.  I also thought about traditions. 

There are some things you do in your family and you have no idea why - and then others that you know why.  And this is where two of my favorite food traditions come in.  The first one is a tradition I have known my entire life on my dad's side - a dish we have every Christmas Eve and only then: Tourtiere.  This is a special tradition to me because it is very rare to find anyone else that actually knows what this is.  Tourtiere is a meat pie.  My ancestors who came to Minnesota from Quebec have been making this for years, and my grandma learned how to make it when she married my grandpa - even though she herself is not French. 

So here is where the confession comes in: I have not always loved this tradition.  For years and years I have thought Eew! This is SO GROSS!!  How can anyone eat this? I will NEVER eat this!  Well that vow went out the window along with my vow in 8th grade that I would never wear nail polish or carry a purse.  Apparently when I vow I won't do something, the opposite happens. :-)  So, as it were, in the last three years, I have fallen in love with Tourtiere.  Maybe it's because Jesus has done so much work in my heart I am more adventurous than I ever have been and my palate has expanded, but whatever the reason, I now love and adore this Christmas Eve family tradition.  I shared this with the Buffalo Narrows team when I was in Canada for a missions trip last summer.  I'm sure you can imagine my excitement when they knew what I was talking about!  Almost anyone state-side would have been clueless. 

Tradition number two is the "chocolate cookie dessert", or as we grandkids call it, the "chocolate Christmas log".  :-)  It is absolute awesomeness, and heaven on a plate.  Again - the only time we eat it is Christmas Eve.  It is basically Oreo cookies on steroids.  My grandma buys these large, chocolate wafers and then makes home made whipped cream and slathers it all over the cookies.  To make it look pretty, she adds little merichino cherries on top to look like flowers.  The dessert is then cut at a diagonal, and you devour every last drop.  (Possibly even licking the plate - shhhhhhh, don't tell!)  The only unfortunate thing about this tradition is that now with my diary allergy, I can no longer partake...unless I attempt to make it with coconut milk whipped topping....which I just may have to try... :-)  (Dessert pictured below).  What are some family traditions you have that you love and enjoy?

We are now into a brand new year - and I have a very good feeling about 2012.  I am excited to see what all God is going to do this year.  So, as usual, I came up with a few resolutions...or rather, goals.  Hopefully I can stick to them - with the help of the Lord!!  I won't post them all, but a few more fluffy ones are: paint my nails more often (once again, that vow in 8th grade definitely didn't last!), try cooking new things in the kitchen, run one race a month, get outside more, and journal more.  I am slowly learning balance, which has been very valuable to me...so hopefully I can keep that going!!  May your 2012 be blessed beyond measure! 

In Christ,

Meg