Christmas Season 2025/2026 -The Third Day of Christmas: Chrissy

 Saturday, December 27, 2025

Noel had her annual holiday party tonight. Dale wasn't feeling well so he couldn't go. 

Noel's friend Kathy joined us this year along with our friends Caroline and Stephen.

Kathy brought cranberry Cosmopolitans which I helped her out with. They were very good. We stayed away from talking politics this year but we did note that we're feeling much better now than we were a year ago. 

We opened up Christmas crackers, played some games, and...

...put on our paper crowns. And we actually sang along to Chrissy the Christmas Mouse. 

Holiday Season 2025 - Cocktail Hour

Thursday, December 4, 2025

Had an Old Fashioned tonight for cocktail hour while Dale had some wine. 

Listened to Ultra-Lounge Christmas Cocktails Volume 1. That's always a milestone in the early part of the holiday season. 

Thanksgiving Weekend 2021 - The Return Home

Sunday, November 28, 2021

Sadly, we had to leave. Both Mom and I really enjoyed the time we spent with everyone. 

Pete got us to the airport with plenty of time to spare. We ordered a little lunch while we waited for our flight. I got a Bloody Mary and some quesadillas while Mom got a beer and some French fries. 

I read a bunch of Christmas magazines on the plane including Martha Stewart Living. Dale picked us up at the airport and it was so good to see him.

Cocktails at home and spent time catching up with Dale. 

Listened to Christmas music.

Dinner and dessert. 

Christmastide 2020: The 8th Day of Christmas - New Year's Day: Cocktail Hour, Christmas Music, and Dinner

Friday, January 1, 2021

Martini for cocktail hour. Dale stuck with red wine.

We listened to Christmas music while having cocktails. Dale said to me, "You know, I haven't heard that one song this year." I responded, "Which song." He said, "I don't know the name of it but it's the one that starts out 'Merry, merry, Christmas'." I knew which one he meant to I looked it up on my phone, found and played it. It's: 

Yes, Ring Those Christmas Bells, by Fred Warring and His Pennsylvanians. We listened and sang along and it was fun. 

However, while searching for it on my phone a version of the same song by Peggy Lee came up. This one was new to me so we listened and sang along. Again, more fun!

Simple dinner of a Kowalski's frozen pizza. 

A Little Decorating, Cocktails, and Music

Sunday, November 22, 2020

So the snowmen went up today...

...and the feather tree got some ornaments. All before Thanksgiving. 

Cocktail hour and music. I haven't had a Bloody Mary in a while.

Okay, so, I wouldn't want to do it this way every year, but starting early has been rather fun. 

Holiday Season 2019 - Dinner with Dale

Saturday, December 22, 2019

Quiet night in. Dale and I have backed off the booze (as in none) for the last couple of weeks. We've decided to allow ourselves to imbibe over the holidays but we're not gonna go nuts. We stopped by South Lyndale Liquors this afternoon since we were out of hooch. 

I had a couple martinis and Dale had wine. 

We listened to the Randy Van Horne Singers and Ultra-Lounge Christmas Cocktails Vol. 1 during cocktail hour.

For dinner we made a salmon quiche and we watched Christmas in Connecticut. 

Holiday Season 2015 - Holiday Happy Hour

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Listened to volumes 1-4 of Ultra Lounge Christmas Cocktails.

Christmas Eve 2014 - Dinner

 

Dinner turned out great. My second martini wasn't bad either.

Christmas Season 2013 - Brandy Alexander

I haven't had a Brandy Alexander in years. Drank this one as a nightcap while finishing up Christmas In Connecticut.

Christmas Day 2013 - Imbibing

Top left - Morning shot of pumpkin pie flavored liquour. 
Top right - Lunchtime martini. For lunch we made Hawaiian pizza.
Bottom left - Sample of the wine Dale used for the beef bourguignon. Amazing.
Bottom right - After dinner Bailey's Irish Cream

Holiday Season 2013 - Cocktails with Warren

Saturday December 14, 2013

Our friend and neighbor Warren checked in with us in the late afternoon to see what we were up to for the evening. I told him that Dale was making chicken cacciatore and that he was welcome to join us for cocktails and dinner. He got here at the tail end of my putting the lights on the tree.  Listened to Christmas Cocktails Parts 3 and 4 from the Ultra Lounge series. 

Holiday Season 2013 - Christmas Cocktails

Really need a mid-week martini. Listening to Patti LaBelle's album This Christmas from 1990. It's sounding somewhat dated in a fun late 80s/early 90s kind of way. I didn't buy the rerelease (from 2004) until a couple of years ago but just the sound of it is bringing back lots of memories of the time. I've seen this woman in concert a few times and the sound from her soul can go straight to your own. What a beautiful human being she is. This is all lots of fun and I'm realizing the house is starting to look quite Christmas-y.

Holiday Season 2013 - Christmas Cocktails

While making dinner last night Dale and I listened to Christmas Cocktails Parts 1 and 2. Both discs are part of the Ultra Lounge series. We've been listening to these two discs for a number of years and they're usually the first albums of Christmas music we listen just after Thanksgiving. Part 1 is notable for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Mambo by Billy May, Christmas Kisses by Ray Anthony, and an old Toys for Tots radio spot  found at the end of the disc featuring a bunch of back-up vocalist elves (sounding exactly like Alvin and the Chipmunks) singing along with Peggy Lee and Nat 'King' Cole. Dale and I always get a big kick out of that one. Part 2 is notable for Dean Martin's Baby It's Cold Outside, Bob Atcher's Christmas Island, and Les Baxter's Santa Claus' Party. Part 1 dates to 1996 and Part 2 to 1997.