Thank you santa for my four beautiful, unique gifts. Each one custom crafted and perfectly imperfect. How did you know exactly what I wanted? I will cherish them each and every day! Thank you for the Christmas mess that comes along with them. 

Christmas is in full swing. Last weekend we headed down to Luins Farms in Calverton to get our tree. What a fun experience. We have never been there before for tree shopping. My nephew told me all about it and we loved it. Along side from the delicious hot chocolate and super soft hot pretzels you get to take a fairly long tractor ride down to a selection of beautiful trees. We had so much fun walking and searching to find that perfect tree. We somehow always seem to agree on that one special tree. We usually get something bigger, but this year we went with a smaller and fuller tree. Dad always does a wonderful job chopping it down. My favorite part was getting back on the tractor and watching our tree travel on the big wagon with all of the other trees. It’s always so exciting to bring the tree home and begin decorating. The energy is so high and then I start to lose my helpers, one by one they go off and find something else to do and a box of ornaments sits by the tree. Sometimes it takes a couple of days to get that last ornament on the tree. When all is said and done there’s nothing more lovely! 

Tonight is officially the last night of Hanukkah, even though the holiday lasts for 8 days it never seems like enough time. I’m going to miss lighting the menorah with the family. Every night I say that I’d like to just sit and watch the candles flicker but that never happens as life is so hectic and filled with so much busy work. Growing up catholic I never had the pleasure and joy of lightning a menorah. It is truly a wonderful and beautiful event to experience. In learning and growing more in the Jewish faith I’ve realized that this is an event that Jesus had once celebrated and that brings comfort to my heart as I celebrate Hanukkah as a catholic mom with my Jewish husband and children. Next on our list are the Christmas lights! For the past 13 years, one of favorite holiday books, has been titled Light the lights. It describes exactly how our family experiences both holidays. I can’t wait to read it tonight.

We made you out of clay, and when you’re dry and ready we hope that you will spin.

This is our first year making our own dreidels out of clay. The kids are older and can actually do this kind of stuff on their own. I actually sat back and watched this while eating some pumpkin pie. This was dad’s idea, anything that has to do with using your hands to create something is his cup of tea. He’s so good at that.

We used polymer clay. The clay was as hard as a brick when we opened it. I read that baby oil would soften it up, so they went ahead and baby oiled the clay, and continued to knead it until it softened up. It took a few minutes but soon enough they were able to start sculpting their individual dreidels. We popped them in the oven at 275 degrees for about 45 minutes, maybe more and out came these adorable dreidels. Tomorrow we will see whose dreidel does the best job spinning. I bet it will be dad’s.