T’was the night before Christmas and the gifts is all made

I’m exhausted and weary, and in need of first aid.

The projects are done; tailored to each of their needs

Thank goodness no one suggest I embellish with beads!

The tamales are nestled all snug in their pots

There’s sweet, pork, and chicken and some are quite hot

I finally settle down with tall drink in my hand

I put up my feet and it all looks so grand.

The moon in the ski with the stars all a glow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Posted by sue at 5:50 PM PST

Updated: Wednesday, December 24, 2008 5:51 PM PST

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We spent all day saturday making tamales.  It was fun.   Christmas is about getting together with friends and family and that's what we did.  Friends and family came over and we made tamales.  Sweet, pork, chicken,  cheese, and for dinner chicken mole!  While the tamles were steaming, we ate chicken in mole sauce and rice, drank and talked. The cookies from the exchange a few days earlier came in handy for everyone to snack on.  Everyone left with their tummies full and a full tray of tamales to share at their home.

I think I'm ready.  The presents are all made and wrapped.  The tamales are delicious.  The next three days after work I'll be baking cookies.

 Friday night I soaked the chili's and corn husks.  

Saturday morning I cubed the pork butt and browned it with garlic and onion.  I cut off most of the fat, but did leave some for flavor.

We took the soften/soaked chili's, removed the seeds and tops and placed them in a blender with garlic, onion, salt, and pepper, and blended.  We added that to the pork and simmered about an hour.

For the green sauce, we took the husks off the tomatillos, boiled them until they split and put them in the blender with garlic, onion, and cilantro.  The masa was bought prepared from a tamale shop in East LA. 

You spread the masa onto the corn husk, thinly and evenly.   Add filling: for pork - add meat with sauce and an olive or two; for chicken - shreaded chicken and green sauce; for cheese - we used either queso or jack and a green chili.  Fold, turn up edge, and stack in steamer and steam for a couple of hours.  Until the masa is firm.  Don't forget to add water every so often. WE had three large pots on the stove, and one on the BBQ. 

Posted by sue at 9:36 PM PST

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I've had the last couple of days off... no sewing has been done, but I've been busy.  Yesterday, my sister and I went to a taping of the Bonnie Hunt show... that was fun.  We got a nice gift, a Meile vacuum... I'm not sure what it is with me and vacuums, as I also got one when I was in the audience for the Ellen Show! 

This weekend is tamale making weekend!  Both days.  Today, I went out and gathered the ingredients.  40 pounds of masa prepared, 10 pounds of masa dulce, chilis, corn husks, olives, pork, and chicken.  I'm ready.  This gringa is going to be making tamales with the familia! I'll be sure to take lots of photos.  

Then this afternoon, I took my niece and nephew to the zoo to see the reindeer before they head off to deliver the gifts with Santa and are too tired.. although today they looked fairly exhausted.  I think they must have had jumping class today... at least that's what I told the kids, they were tired from practicing their jumping... you know they have to jump up to fly! Although my nephew argued with me and told me that they don't jump, the wind takes them.  

Anyway, can you spot the monkeys in the photos?

Posted by sue at 10:32 PM PST

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I like to give surprises for Christmas gifts.  That's the fun part.  Not so much something the receiver needs, but something fun and unexpected.   This year I thought sock monkey kits for 2 of my nieces and a couple of my sewing friend.  Someone did a review at Pattern Review for a sock monkey they created and a light went off... http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=34333

so I ordered the book and a dozen or so socks. They arrived in today's mail.   After I received the socks, I noticed that the instructions for sock monkeys are included, so I didn't really need the book, but the book has lots and lots of other ideas for sock animals: elephants, donkeys, etc.   Here's my sock pile and book. 

I looked at the instructions and then made a list of the other supplies needed: embroidery floss, pearl cotton, stuffing, ribbon, pom poms, bells (optional), needles, and a gift bags for my "kits".  I headed to Joann's for the supplies. 

These kits I think will be a fun surprise for some of the ladies at work.  A few of us sew on Wednesdays during lunch, well, actually, I am teaching them sewing, and they are making bags and purses.  I think these sock monkeys will be fun to do after the first of the year... and definitly a surprise.

Posted by sue at 8:40 PM PST

Updated: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 10:21 AM PST

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