Since Thanksgiving was so late this year and we were in Jamaica, the weeks leading up to Christmas flew by. We managed to put up our Christmas tree and some decorations around mid-December, and added all the holiday cards from our friends and family to the fireplace mantle as the weeks passed. By the time my parents arrived the weekend before Christmas, we were fully in the holiday spirit and even had a few Christmas Pandora stations programmed on our phones. We'd occasionally rock out to them while cooking or hanging around the house.
Our Christmas Tree
The day my family arrived, the temperature in Raleigh was about 70 degrees. It certainly did not feel like Christmas at all with us in shorts and a t-shirt. But it didn't take long for the weather to normalize again. By normal, I mean daytime highs in the 50s and lows overnight in the 30s. It certainly is nothing to complain about. We spent the week enjoying the weather with long walks in and around the parks, building our appetites for hearty holiday meals.
Speaking of meals, on Christmas Eve we enjoyed bacalhau - a Portuguese tradition - and opted for a non-traditional Christmas Day meal of roasted chicken and vegetables. Since we have a farm share, we tried to continue eating according to the season through the holiday week, using the meat and vegetables we received.
The Miller Family on Christmas Eve 2013
The Clementes + Colin on Christmas Eve 2013
One tradition from Colin's family that we attempted this year was to make his Aunt June's cookies. We tried making them a few years ago when we lived in NYC after Aunt June gave us a cookie press and her recipe. Unfortunately, the cookies did not meet our expectations at all the first time around. This year, Colin opted to try again and though they didn't look that great, they actually tasted pretty good. It wasn't until after we made the cookies that we received a letter from Aunt June that we might have to add a little extra liquid! I guess that means we will have to try again next year. They say third time's a charm, right?
Colin's attempt at Aunt June's famous cookies
Another highlight of Christmas was checking out a house in the neighborhood that had a very large light display choreographed to holiday music. We managed to record and upload a portion of the 15-20 minute show. Later in the week we found a few other light displays, but we all agreed that the first one we saw on Christmas Eve was the best.
Without our lead vocalist and main band member, my brother, we didn't play as much Rock Band as we usually do and instead played some dominoes. I generally felt less up to the task of hosting and sightseeing, but we went out a few times to go shopping, get our hair done, and walk around downtown Raleigh. I was really looking forward to checking out Vidari chocolate factory, but they weren't making any the weekend after Christmas, so the self-guided factory tour was a major bust! It is when we host friends and family that I remember how much more difficult it is to show people a good time in Raleigh than it ever was in NYC. Too bad we didn't have our 4 bedroom house there!
I can't believe how quickly the week passed and that we are now already a few days into 2014. I knew that the big holidays in November and December would pass quickly, but it feels surreal that our daughter is due in less than 6 weeks! Stay tuned for an update and photos in the next post.
What was the highlight of your holiday?
Do you prefer to travel or host?
No comments:
Post a Comment