Traditions- Old and New and First Annual Cookie and Craft Day at Tamra's

Today Tamra first talks about the unique, one of a kind, Cookie and Craft Day she hosted at her home in Hooper, Utah. Although I couldn’t attend this year’s soiree, trust me, I will never miss another! However, I am one of the lucky ones who got to visit her warm, cozy, action packed home. It’s like visiting an amusement park without the rides! You are greeted by three of the sweetest and funniest dogs on the planet when you enter. After the smelling, tail wagging, and wet kisses ( if you bend down),  you then are surrounded by that ‘Come and sit a spell’, country welcome. Her home can be featured in an issue of Farmhouse Living Magazine, Country Home, or anything Martha Stewart! The highlight of course is the magical crafting world down the stairs. Her haven, where she teaches us, creates, and entertains in a classroom she perfectly set up. You are surrounded by her gorgeous creations, and projects, as well as that country charm. Crafters like us truly feel like we have died and gone to heaven when are there!!!! And of course, there’s the little warehouse in the back. Talk about living with joy!!!!!

           Here is Tamra talking so eloquently about this past weekend.

The First Annual Holiday Craft Day at Country Craft Creations Christmas is a time of giving and creating. It is such a fun time when we can bring our crafting friends together for both celebrating and creating lovely cards to send out during the holiday season. Or making a banner to brighten the mantel of our fireplace or wall in our craft room.

Sharing holiday cheer with those we love and care for is so important, but it is also about the people we may be meeting for the first time or those who have been brought together due to our love of crafting. I wanted to have our 1st annual Holiday Crafting Day right here in the little classroom of CCC. My main focus was to hopefully bring our local crafters together, the ones that lived right here in Utah or within driving distance. Little did I know that friends near and FAR would be joining us. Some even spent the night right here in our guest room, named the Wilbur room. Not only did we experience crafting but love and laughter for not just one day but 2-3 days.

As we grow up, it’s important to step back and bring that same Christmas magic that we felt as a kid back into our lives. A friend day is the perfect day to rekindle the Christmas magic. Here we were, grownups sitting on the couch with Santa, exchanging gifts, eating and laughing late into the night. It was a grownup sleep over. This Christmas season spend time not only with your families, but the friends who bring joy and love into your life. For us, it was a room full of crafters who meet thru the Country Craft Creations retreats. You see, our retreats are not just retreats to learn new ways to craft and new ideas, it’s a retreat of making lifelong friendships. Friendships that you will fly to other states to just to spend time with each other. Oh, I must say, Wilbur did a fabulous job entertaining us and being his silly old self.

The Meaning of Christmas has many meanings for me. It means the sharing of ourselves with others. It means giving to others. It means creating new traditions with new and old friends, like a crafting sleepover with moms and grandmas! It means celebrating new traditions with new friendships that we have formed over the years. It means promoting and participating in the magic of Christmas that is not just for children. It is a time of love and creativity. I can’t wait for our 2nd Annual Holiday 2020! Take time with your friends during the holiday season.

So, I thought for today’s Daily, we will write about any tradition you hold dear. Cookie days, new pajamas on Christmas Eve, family shopping days, or Christmas Eve Mass. New traditions you have started with your family, or traditions past to you from your in-laws.

My mom left me with many traditions thank God, many food related. The Italian Feast of The Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve, was, and is my favorite I terms of the foods. Fish like you have never seen. About 5 courses when all was said and done. Thin linguini al dente with crab sauce, (and trust me- there is way more flavor in crabs than lobster), a fish salad called Frutti di Mare (fruits of the sea),  fried jumbo shrimp, lobster fra diavolo, sautéed broccoli rabe, potato croquets, and whatever looked good at the open market that morning. I will say cleaning all that seafood is quite a chore- especially the squid (calamari,) octopus, and scungilli. OMG it’s so worth the full day of work it takes and its sooo delicious!!!! Cleaning these types of fish is something you need to see and learn firsthand. I am so grateful I always loved being at home with my parents and grandparents. I learned so much about Italian cooking.

I think my favorite memory and tradition was on Christmas Day. When my aunt’s family would arrive, and the chaos and fun would begin. Between the pasta and roast course on Christmas Day, we would all sit on the steps and sing as loud as we possibly could- The Twelve Days of Christmas. When we would get to the 5 Golden Rings, all hell would break out. I think they heard us in the next town! We would laugh so hard we could hardly get the next stanza out. I swear my mom was the loudest!

How different this holiday is today with so many missing. The Eve was always spent with at my Nanny’s house when I grew up un Brooklyn, my mother’s mother. I so loved being with my cousins’. So now, I try to continue on some of these traditions so Carley can pass them onto her family one day. I have to admit, we never sang the Twelve Days of Christmas anymore after my mom passed- it just wouldn’t be the same.

I hope as you think and write about traditions both today and of the past, warm memories surround you of your childhood, and perhaps those too who have passed. I hope you also smile and augh thinking about the traditions waiting to be renewed this holiday.

Love Me!