Like the decorations in the local shopping mall.
The ads creeping onto the television.
And family activities.
On 10 November, WM, DD, the Grandboys and I, went to my new church for fun and fellowship – to make a gingerbread house.
WM did the initial construction and icing.
DD soon joined in the fun of creating. Unfortunately, both WM and I were too busy watching the Grandboys to take a photo of her!
Older Grandson wanted to help (well, really he wanted to eat the lollies but settled for helping a little bit).
But, truth be told, Older Grandson was more excited about playing football with the big boys.
And I was thrilled with these boys behaviour towards OG. (Yes, I've deliberately cropped his head because I don’t have permission to put his face on the internet – but you can see the tenderness in this gesture).
Younger Grandson just wandered about, taking it all in.
The house needed some finishing at home.
And here is the finished house, all wrapped in plastic waiting for it’s chance to take pride of place at our Christmas festivities.
A few days later, DD and I got together at home to make the Christmas puddings. Despite the fact that we Australians could be sweltering in a summer heat wave, it is traditional in my family to have the full English hot meal, including the fruit-laden pudding (with custard, cream and/or ice-cream) for dessert.
A special part of the pudding-making is tossing in the threepenny pieces (which have been saved in the family from pre-1966 when Australian currency changed to dollars and cents). Threepences are made from silver and won’t contaminate the pudding. We once had three dozen threepences, we are down to twenty-one now – I wonder where the rest have gone? (or is that “too much information”?)
Younger Grandson just wondered what we were going on about! He was only five months old the last time we made puddings!
Here is Older Grandson having his turn at throwing in a threepence and burying it in the pudding mixture.
And here he is, helping mummy and Grandmum put the pudding mixture in the bowls.
Finally OG was allowed to eat some of the uncooked mixture.
To finish this post, in this time of madness, the so-called “silly season”, Younger Grandson has only one message for us all:
Really, really cute! And the gingerbread houses are wonderful too. Such fun and memories. This time of year brings it out in all of us.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had a wonderful fun time with DD and your grandsons!
ReplyDeleteI love this post! What a great time-the gingerbread house looks fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI have read about bread puddings.....very neat to get to 'see' this one in the making!
I laughed in so many places as I read this post. The little taste-testers, the disappearing silver threepences, and the 'Smile' t shirt! What a lovely blog post!!! Your gingerbread house looks much smarter than most I've seen after those Christmas events :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat fun holiday preparations. Both your GS are incredably cute. It's so fun to see the the young ones take in all the holiday magic.
ReplyDeleteSo cute!! Love all the pictures. I can't believe how soon it is (the holidays!)!
ReplyDeletewow yours turned out really well! My first last year was ugly and barely held together - but it was loved all the same and that's the main thing!
ReplyDeletewhat fun traditions to share with the grandsons. When my kids were little we used to make gingerbread men to decorate.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful gingerbread house. I love this time of year!
ReplyDeleteI used to make mine at a local church but this year, I bought a kit from Coles and the kids want to help decorate it (rather than just eat it). Next weekend we'll make ours.
I really like your family's tradition with the threepence!
ReplyDeleteI'm currently taking a 'stick my fingers in my ears and yell 'la la la'' approach to Christmas which is a). not particularly mature and b). doesn't slow down time!