Saturday, December 26, 2015

Christmas Traditions

This our third Christmas in the motorhome. Our fiber-optic tree travels with us year round in the storage basement below our living space. The decorations give our home a cozy feeling. A little Christmas decor inside and a lot of lights outside go a long way in a small space.


 

Off to San Diego we go to spend Christmas in my family home. Mom asked my brother to plant the multiple poinsettia plants she received just a couple years ago as a group. Along with ripe tangerines on the tree and blue sky, this is what a San Diego Christmas is like.


Some Christmas elves helped the seesters pick a beautiful Christmas tree. Yes Tammy, the fourth one we were holding for you.


Mom and her girls. This is not a clear photograph, but you can clearly see how much the "O" babes love each other.


This is the Christmas Tradition mentioned in the post heading. Growing up our families would make a hard candy, similar to Jolly Ranchers. The corn syrup/sugar mixture is brought to temperature, color and flavoring are added, then poured onto iced and oiled pans.


The designated "flippers" spread the the blistering hot liquid into flat pancakes. Easier said than done.


Once it can be handled by hand, it is cut into strips. We only have a few moments to work at this stage.


The strips are snipped into small "pillows" and tossed in powdered sugar so they don't stick together


Each flavor is done separately with cinnamon as the last flavor so the house smells wonderful. 
This is the final product.


Thank you Chris and Denise for keeping the tradition alive. This being the second time that Kelsey & Alicia participated hopefully will ensure it will carry on.



This is a close up picture of Chris' vine Christmas tree.


Denise and Gary brought along Grayson and Ethan from the East Coast to San Diego. The boys went for a bike / skateboard ride to Fiesta Island Christmas Eve morning.



As always, Dad was there to share in the stinky cheese and Cuba libres.


Grandma and three of her grand-daughters


And she had her nails done by Alicia


The gift exchange is always the hit of the evening. Right after Oyster Stew and Chili. Tim thinks we are so odd not to have a traditional fancy meal, but we prefer it this way.
Look at this: it's fancy. Good job Stephanie!



On Christmas morning we go to the beach and look for dolphins. Usually we see them, but not this year. The tides were huge because of the full moon. It was chilly for San Diego, but after all, it is winter.


Ethan, Denise, Gary and Grayson



A few days before the Ocean Beach Pier was closed for safety reasons because the waves were hitting the pier.



San Diego was a lovely city to grow up in.


Merry Christmas Mario


Denise, Mom and I stopped by to say hi to Dad. His eternal view is spectacular!



Kaela shared this picture from her Christmas in Melbourne, Australia


No matter where in the world you spent Christmas, it was a full moon to be remembered.