Hot Chocolate, Garden Plans, Christmas, Granny, & Pulling People Out of the Ditch

Join Matt and me as we walk around our winter garden here in the mountains of Appalachia and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate as we talk about Christmas, Granny, and more!
Find Almanac Calendar here: blindpigandthe...
Daily Christmas Stories here: • Christmas Stories from...
Oyster Stew video: • The Tradition of Oyste...
The Homecoming Christmas Book readings: • The Homecoming - A Chr...
MI Gardner video: • I Got SCHOOLED By An 8...
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#CelebratingAppalachia #makingagarden #MyLifeInAppalachia

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Thank you for watching, liking, subscribing and using our links! We appreciate everyone who stops by to help us Celebrate Appalachia!!
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[@MaisesMom-ix6yi]

My husband is one of ten and Christmas Eve is their big family gathering. Tonight, when I took the family picture, did the first one by saying "On three, say Merry Christmas". For the second phone, I said "On three, say Marjory's pregnant." And that is how we announced that my daughter is pregnant with her first child. Everyone was completely thrilled as they are aware she's struggled with fertility issues for years. We are over the moon with joy! We'd appreciate prayers for a healthy pregnancy, delivery and grandson!!

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Love that so much 😀

[@hereigns7221]

What a cute idea. Congrats! So exciting🥰

[@livvyweimar7362]

Our thoughts are with Marjory and her continued health!

[@GottaBeThere2736]

Oh, yes! Prayers and positive energy your way for your daughter and whole family. You're in for lotsa fun ahead! 😊

[@BR-nl8eb]

Sending prayers your way! ❤

[@evagibson3232]

Just watched a video of your precious mother and Paul singing Silent Night oh it was beautiful ❤so glad she’s doing well. Please give her a big hug please ❤❤

[@jackieellenbarnes1268]

All 6 of Us Siblings Celebrated together Christmas Eve with our Mama. Hasn’t happened in YEARS. Mama is almost 89, so I’m glad this happened for her.

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

That is wonderful 😀

[@SMck-j5s]

My daughter untaped all her presents and taped them all back for many years and I never knew, until she told me way after she was grown.I went back and looked at all the pictures of them opening her presents and the over reaction of her expressions is so obvious and I sure felt stupid for never catching on. Merry Christmas to each and everyone. ❤

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

😊

[@donnaemerson2859]

I gave all of my friends and children one of your cookbooks. They were so excited to see all the neat recipes. Thank you for all of your videos and sharing your life with others. Merry Christmas

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Wonderful thank you!

[@HolmansHomestead]

First off Merry Christmas. I'm 53 now and as long as I can remember Christmas eve we always had different lunch meats and cheeses and candies and cookies. Grandma and grandpa would always come to our house Christmas eve and we would exchange 🎁. Now 😢since grandparents are gone we go over to moms on Christmas eve and eat and exchange gifts. Tipper I have never seen time flying by the way it is now. Y'all are in our prayers. God bless

[@loisgehman949]

My mom and dad have always worked around the in-laws, so that we could enjoy being with each side of the family without the pressure of trying to be at 2 gatherings in one day. This year we will gather on January 6 (which is Epiphany)… tomorrow being Christmas… mom, one of my sisters and I will make tamales… which we learned to make when we lived in South Texas.

[@lisam3002]

I miss pur big christmas of 20 people since mom and dad passed and my oldest sister everyone's gone their own way. My daughter and I celebrate together tonight we went to candle light service and had snacks afterwards.. The minister preached on from the Manger to the cross. Jesus the reason for season. GOD bless your family Merry Christmas

[@kimj.becker5527]

In the past we’d go to my parents house, my 3 sisters were usually be there with their families and have snacks and then open gifts. Now since it’s just me and my hubby we open our gifts to each other. Tomorrow our oldest son will be here with us. We will have lasagna and garlic toast.

[@bluebird218bn]

Merry Christmas (even though I’m a day late)! We gather at my mother-in-law’s on Christmas Eve. We don’t eat a meal, we just have snacks. My two sisters-in-law take a veggie tray, fruit tray, shrimp, sausage dip, cheese and crackers, and desserts. I take ham and cheese sliders, veggie fingers, wieners in sauce, and this year I made sweet and spicy mixed nuts. We open our gifts after we eat. All the kids run around playing with their toys and singing. It’s a house full of joy!

[@robinhoffman822]

For overwintering, unmated squash bugs find shelter in the fall under dead leaves, rocks, wood, and other garden debris. Once spring approaches, they fly from their protective habitat to nearby cucurbits where they feed, mate, and lay eggs.

[@robbielynnhowlethehomestea8761]

Glad to hear Granny is doing good! I use to open my gifts when I was a little girl as well😂. Love to all! ❤

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Thank you Robbie Lynn 😊

[@barbarayork3675]

Being first generation of emigrants from Germany, I put the tree up on Xmas eve. Then after dark sets in we exchange gifts. Then onto warm potato salad with sausages. And of course cookies. Tree stays up until January 6th. Not to forget setting up the advent wreath four weeks before Xmas and lighting one candle each week until xmas.

[@keelaeldridge8487]

Today we had all the kids and their family over, our middle son is in the Air Force and lives in Colorado but they were not able to come this year and our youngest son Alex and his girlfriend have the flu and wasn’t able to come but we had the rest and 3 of our grandchildren. Some wanted tacos but then we had ham and all the fixings, I made candy and cookies for desserts! Tired but enjoyed it very much! Tomorrow we go to my Dad’s house and help to fix another dinner eat at 4 pm and then Dad read the Christmas story! How I love to hear him read it! Merry Christmas!

[@osmadchlo]

I'm so glad Granny is feeling better! She sure sang so pretty this morning. Merry Christmas to all of you...

[@KathysTube]

We used to have big family gathering on Christmas Eve, but there aren't as many of us left... My son and I went to my brother's family last night and had pizza delivery...lol Christmas day has mostly been immediate family (and Santa) open gifts... Merry Christmas🎄⛄🎄❤🎄

[@susanbrown6919]

Merry Christmas Tipper and Matt, my family also did oyster stew on Christmas Eve as well. Both Mama and Daddy’s side carried on this tradition as long as my Mama was alive. Sadly we no longer do this but it sure brought back memories hearing y’all talk about it. Oh and I was raised around Rolesville NC which is about 20 minutes from Raleigh so I have no idea where this tradition came from but I do know it had been past down from many generations in our family.

[@cherihabegger9856]

Christmas Eve is always different for us. We celebrate our Christmas with our kids and grandkids on New Years Day, that way no one has to rush around on Christmas. Today we got to spend the afternoon with our oldest grandson and his wife and 2 little ones. I cooked dinner for everyone and they brought a gingerbread train to build. It was fun! Merry Christmas to all of you!

[@kimberlykelly7280]

My Mom and Aunt would cook big pots of crab cioppino (seafood stew with crab, prawns, clams and white fish in a rich tomato based broth) We would eat at our own houses then visit and eat more at the other house. Fond memories. I’d try Matt’s oyster stew for sure!

[@maryjemisonMaryjay1936]

Love Seafood 🦞 Gumbo

[@maryjemisonMaryjay1936]

Oyster 🦪 Stew 🍲 is so Delicious 😋

[@TexasGalOnTheHill]

HAHA--I can tell you are chomping at the bit to start that garden! We use to have a crazy woodpecker that would peck on the gutter right outside my window. Crazy nut, I don't know what he thought about that! Glad after three days in the morning early she or he quit. When we moved to where my parent's last home was it was a fun time growing up on a lake as your front yard. This neighborhood was where all the astronaut's lived. So I grew up with the Lovell's kids and Pete Conrad's kids and a bunch more. They started a tradition of walking down to this bridge that went over a canal that came into the neighborhood. All the neighborhood would like luminaries around their property and all the families would gather at this bridge and sing Christmas Carols. It was so beautiful. People would bring their guitars and they would pass out the words to the songs and the air was filled with joyful praising our Lord. They still do the tradition and next time I am down there I think I will have to make the visit to the bridge. Afterward we would go back home where Mom had cooked Seafood Gumbo and had boiled shrimp and of course a ham for my sister since she did not eat seafood. Thanks for bringing up a sweet memory I could share with you. Christmas dad I would fix breakfast and Mom and Dad would come watch my daughter open gifts. Then we would go back to their house for Christmas dinner around 2. Oh to go back for just a day! My sister was the present sneak. I wanted to watch my parents expressions when I opened them. haha. Praying for wonderful results on Granny's test. Well you all have a very Blessed and Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Thank you! Love that so much 😊

[@emmanewton1672]

That is crazy about you eating oyster stew on Christmas Eve, because that's what we did. My people are from Southeastern Oklahoma and every Christmas Eve my dad would make oyster stew. I didn't care for the oysters but I sure did like the broth. I love how we have semalatries in things we do being from different regions. Like I said before, my mom and dad came from South Eastern Oklahoma and I grew up in Central Kansas.

[@joanndeland7969]

Merry Christmas from Michigan

[@Kimberley_Black_White_TV]

I love to be around people that love to joke around and laugh. Laughter is music to my ears. You are lucky to have Matt. And he, YOU, Tipper! xo 🍇🏡🍅🌻🐔🪵🔥☕

[@brendao6576]

Me and my four siblings always snooped around and found our presents weeks before Christmas. I poked holes in the wrapped ones addressed to me to see what I was gettig. I didn’t have patience to wait back then. Christmas was so fun then.

[@annequiring5652]

We like to go to the Christmas Eve service. This year the church isn’t having an evening service and had it in the morning. Some years our children and grandchildren are here but due to work schedules they can’t be here this year. It is a quiet evening for my husband and I and adult son. I made a pot of chili for supper. I too am dreaming of my garden for 2024. Soon I’ll start getting ideas on paper. Merry Christmas!

[@northcarolinagirl]

Merry Christmas Tipper and family. We are waking up early tomorrow morning and heading to Florida to see my grands down there. Many of my childhood Christmases were spent in the Moravian community of Old Salem, NC. I'd stay with my great aunt Nana and Uncle Bim. She still cooked on a wood burning stove and I think it made the food taste better. We would eat so many passed down delicious recipes. I loved spending such rich period style holidays with them where our family would gather at their home and enjoy the sights and scents of that 1700's community. She had the most beautiful live tree with real candles and homemade ornaments. And she had a gorgeous nativity called the Putz which is a German word meaning to decorate. It was an elaborate multilevel thing with moss and miniature sheep and shepherds along with Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in the manger. All built with stones and a stable right on a table in her front dining room. It was quite something to see and us kids just loved it. So my childhood Christmases were just wonderful.

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Sounds so wonderful 😊

[@justinehyre2975]

Time goes faster every year!! I was just telling my brother yesterday that Christmas was upon us and next thing you know I will be starting my indoor seeds for the garden!! Merry Christmas to all!!

[@kimb6893]

I’m so glad Granny is feeling better. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

[@johncreviston4972]

I really like Matt's vest, it's cool. And Tipper, love your jacket, very cool.

[@SpiritoftheOutdoors]

We usually have a Christmas eve party but this year we just sitting here watching youtube fighting the flu. We have bout got it whipped tho. Merry Christmas

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Hope you all feel better!

[@dothatch5147]

I have one child and I live in their yard in Arizona I have 3 grandchildren. One is living in Virginia now. We have our big meal on Thanksgiving. We grill steaks on Christmas Day and go to the movie on Christmas afternoon. I am the only grandparent left so we eat a snack and open gifts on Christmas Eve. My son-in-laws mother and I were very close and I miss her she was 20 years older than me

[@Jean-ko4xv]

This is Christmas day, I haven't been up yet, haven't been to my outdoors for a few weeks, maybe I'll ask Mary to take me out to my chair garden and see whats alive. Its 2 pm and 59 degree. Enjoyed our visit today. Hope Mary can send my cards in the morning.God Bless and all went well today. Heard Granny and Paul sing today. ❤&🙏🙏'ers. Jean

[@trevawilson5086]

Merry Christmas to all of you 🎄. I am drinking a cup of hot chocolate while watching. I really enjoyed Granny's and Paul's singing ❤

[@cooksonriver]

Our Christmas tradition for my side of the family after we had left home, me and the sisters and families would come to our home church’s Christmas program and afterward we would go back to our parent’s home for Christmas festivities. And since it was later in the evening the only thing available to eat was pizza fro Pizza Hut! Usually have pizza and finger foods for our Christmas festivities now at my sister’s house. We hosted at our home for several years because we had the baby of the family to entertain. 😆 We fit in an evening with my in laws and older kids. Somewhere in between we eat a Christmas meal.

[@jeninethompson9540]

Tipper this is great thinking on lovely things like the spring.garden.i have a Funny woodpecker story About A few months after my husband passed away my daughter and I were in the house she's getting ready for school and we heard this noise like something banging on the furnace chimney so we called my neighbor he came out he said it's a wood pecker so from then on every time my daughter heard it she would go out the door and yell bird and it will fly away😅 looking forward to new inspiration in the.spring

[@lorettataylor9902]

We went to pigeon forge Christmas Eve to see the lights. Have a Merry Christmas 😊

[@tracysmith9546]

Love this video, my favorite is the "homecoming"

[@BlessingsfromNorthIdaho]

I know what you mean about thinking you’re done with the garden and not worry about it alllllll winter. Dog gone it thoughts keep creeping in about the garden and I’m trying to ignore it!😂. Merry Christmas, TeresaSue.

[@silviacruz8305]

Christmas Eve is when our family gets together and celebrates! My dad is from Mexico, and our son in law is from Guatamala, so that's what we do with music, dancing, food and drinks like ponche! We open gifts at midnight! Merry Christmas!

[@LittlebitofDixie]

As to squash bugs, I heard some homesteaders say, the hubbard squash are the big attractants for the squash bugs, so their intentions were to plant the hubbards far from most of their squash...so that the bugs would attract to the distant planted hubbards and stay away from the others not planted with them. Might be worth a try.

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Good tip!

[@pattivanderhart2221]

Merry Christmas! My step-grandma made oyster stew on Christmas eve but we usually spent that evening with my othwr grandma's and she would usually have ham and all kinds of snacks and desserts. I don't mind the broth from the stew but can't get myself to eat the oysters. Now my sisters and I rotate hosting and usually have something different each year. We just had birria tacos this year and it was delicious. We have had cheeseburger chowder and chili with sub sandwiches and also just snacks and finger foods. Don't laugh but my husbands favorite green beans are from Long John Silvers. Lol. So I googled the recipe and now I add onion, a little garlic and just a tad of liquid smoke along with bacon or bacon grease. Very tasty. We love green beans but we are probably so deprived of how they are supposed to be cooked properly. Lol Have a blessed new year! 👶👶

[@sarowell]

Reviewing MIgardener's episode on blueberrys, he is talking about blueberry leaf color during the growing season, not Fall color. His problem was soil ph, which he confirmed/ diagnosed with a soil ph test. I would strongly recommend having a soil test done for your garden by your local extension office. You send them the samples and they email you the results. They are very cheap and much more reliable than home-style test. With test results in hand you can make an intelligent decision what, if anything, you may need to do to improve your soil, including liming. Blueberries like low ph so certainly don't lime anywhere near them. Merry Christmas!

[@elijahgrindstaff9561]

It’s a good thing me and Matt wasn’t around each other when we were kids. I use to do a lot of the same mischievous things the he need. I love his stories because it brings back a lot of the memories of the things I did.😂

[@PepperplacewithShawna]

Thanks for sharing.

[@lsparker7]

Before my parents and my paw paw passed away we did Christmas Eve supper and each of us opened a present. Christmas Day we would open the rest of the presents and the stockings. Since they passed away I spend Christmas alone.

[@jlolante5266]

Love your channels. Just received your cookbook and will enjoy it when things slow down. I am loving that you guys do oyster stew. Can't wait to try his recipe. I lived in New Orleans 20 years, so I usually make seafood gumbo, potato salad and jalapeno hush puppies. Then for the New Year, red gravy and meatballs. Love your girls. Sweetest everrr! I mailed Katie a few things for the baby hoping to cheer her up. She was beating herself up way too much. Tipper, you and Matt are as blessed as it gets. Can't wait for those baby boys! God Bless and Merry Christmas! I told Katie she and y'all would be hit with joy when they arrive! Jill Escalante Houston, TX

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Thank you so much Jill!!

[@sandrabritt7640]

Merry Christmas Tipper and Matt....Christmas Eve is always finishing any food prep then Church for candlelight service then back to our house for some sort of light supper with my daughter and Son in law and our two grandbabies...this year we did a charcuterie board and we all loved it so we have decided that will be a new tradition...I love oyster stew and we always find a way to have steamed oysters some time during the Christmas season....Ma and Pa from the Laura Ingalls Wilder books always made oyster stew on Christmas Eve. 🌲

[@sutdave1]

Merry Christmas to all of you!

[@karenmikasko7148]

Merry Christmas to you all...I better get to sleep. Morning comes quick.

[@hollerlakehomestead3181]

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

[@helengardner2714]

Merry Christmas to you all.🥰,

[@ianjeffries1045]

Merry Christmas!!! From Edmonton, Alberta Canada.

[@TheDarcyhorn]

The best turnip patch we ever had when I was a kid was on the side of the hill like I see i your video. While my dad was at work I pulled them for him, put them in a burlap bag, tied them off and rolled them off the hill. He wasn't fond of me rolling off the hill. Merry Christmas to you and the family.........Made your pralines and bon bon's today.

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Love that! Thank you 😊

[@dianaspy6733]

Merry Christmas! ❤. Love your garden videos! Love that you put the links in! Your the best Tipper! 🎉

[@christinej2358]

Merry Christmas! ✝️❤️🙏🏻🎄

[@grimdesaye6534]

God Bless you guys and your Family. Merry Christmas 🎄 to you all.

[@MelissaMounts]

We open presents and go out to dinner and watch Christmas Story.

[@jettabartholomew1118]

MERRY CHRISTMAS ⛄🎁🎄💚💚💚

[@debbiemorgan6701]

Merry Christmas! We use to open gifts at midnight. When I married I stopped that. I never liked that tradition. I have always loved going to a Christmas Eve service. My husband doesn't enjoy that. My children have their own traditions. We have decided that for next year we are doing service and we are buying for the homeless, and needy. Maybe nursing homes and such. We will draw names and each receive one gift. My daughter says that I won't be able to resist buying more for my Granddaughters. They will be 21 and 28 next year. I don't know I think that I can resist. Time will tell. The older I get the more I just want to focus on the meaning of Christmas. Merry Christmas everyone!!

[@kathylane5934]

I keep writing. My grandaughters green stalk still has tomatoes and peppers in North Carolinia

[@kimnichols1458]

Hope Y'all have a very Merry Christmas!!😊❤🙏🏻

[@HopeLaFleur1975]

Merry Christmas to you and your family. 🙏✨💫🎄🙏🌹🌹 Your mom sang so beautifully today. ❤❤❤

[@chrisconklin8085]

Merry Christmas to you all from Northern Appalachia! We have my stepdaughter and grandkids over for dinner and gifts on Christmas Eve. We go to my mother's on Christmas Day. Not many of us left, just my wife and I, our grandson, my youngest brother and my mom (she is 88). We always have city chicken for Christmas dinner. It is something my grandma (my dad's mom) made every year and so we keep the tradition going. It is marinated pork on a skewer, breaded, lightly pan fried, and then slow roasted in the oven with lots of garlic and onions. It resembles a drumstick when done but there is no chicken in it. Best I can tell it is a Slovak dish my grandma learned to make when she was a cook in Binghamton, NY back in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. It is delicious.

[@mckait]

Accidents like that should not happen, I'm so sorry. Merry Christmas to you and yours

[@melaniecraddock8934]

Thank you for sharing, enjoyed this video just as I always enjoy everything you post! My family's Christmas eve meal is always my mom's homemade potato soup. We top our bowls with grated cheddar cheese, and on the side we have mom's homemade sweet pickles and cornbread with apple butter! Merry Christmas!

[@ashleyruma9591]

This year we took our “Gammy” -husband’s 91 year old momma - to lunch and Christmas Eve service. She had spent last 8 years caring for her husband with Alzheimer’s. He passed in March and all she asked for Christmas was church and a cemetery visit. We sure made her happy. Then, on Christmas Day we stayed with my sister who is alone and whose daughter is not treating her well. I was telling everyone how you all signed my cookbook and they are excited for me to share the recipes… i think they mean taste what I try to make. Blessings to all! Merry Christmas. 🎄

[@MoosefromCanada]

Merry😂Xmas and take care y’all 🎄❄️💕🇨🇦

[@marthawalton8370]

Christmas gift!❤

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

You got me 😊

[@brendaschenck859]

Really glad to hear that Granny is excited about Christmas ❤ she & Paul sang go beautifully in the Silent Night video you put up this morning ❤ Wishing you & all the family have a very Merry Christmas 🎄 ❤

[@scots-irish]

For Christmas Eve, I had an abundance of Scotch Whiskey 😂 just getting prepared for the next day

[@kellyjones5282]

Congrats to you and your new handsome Macaroni fur baby! He won’t see snow for his first Christmas but maybe just frost. Hope you all have a happy holiday.

[@joelhaas8273]

Merry Christmas!

[@karenchakey]

Merry Christmas, may God bless you and your family

[@debbeasher-k4764]

Merry Christmas!❤

[@frankscarborough1428]

Merry Christmas God bless.

[@vickirose87]

My dad always made oyster stew on Christmas Eve. I liked it when I was little but not as I got older. Those days are over now. I go to church on Christmas Eve and sing in the choir. My son plays the organ in another church. We will be together on Christmas Day. Merry Christmas to all of you!

[@michaelpardue2400]

Merry Christmas 🎅 From Cookeville. TN

[@davidhensley76]

Please tell Granny I said, "Christmas gift!"

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

I will David 😀

[@MustangSally2.0]

Merry Christmas! I will be alone on Christmas, my family is out of state and I am unable to travel. But I did send my grandchildren their gifts and will skype them in the morning.

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

I'm sorry you won't be with them. Merry Christmas!

[@mariansmith7694]

Merry Christmas Y'all. My woodpeckers don't hang out here in winter. I may be a bit higher up in mountains.

[@Angie-p6m]

Merry Christmas to you and all your family!!❤❤

[@bobsternvogel5550]

Hope Granny is feeling well enough to bring her green beans over to Pressley Manor today. Merry Christmas to her, you, Matt, and the others who will share the holiday meal.

[@swoodhaus]

Thanks for the video today on Christmas Eve. My family is German, and we always had duck or goose, mashed potatoes, red cabbage and mushroom gravy for Christmas Eve at my parents. Oh and always a butter cream type cake. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

[@jsmith317]

If you have any stables nearby, our family used horse manure on our big garden. Strawberries especially like it.

[@Psalmonetwentyone]

Merry Christmas! 🎄🎶 My husband and I exchange Christmas stockings on Christmas Eve and then go to my Mom's house for Christmas. We don't usually make it until Christmas Eve because we both love to give gifts, but this year we made it! We'll have ham and scalloped potatoes and such tomorrow, but nothing special tonight. Again, Merry Christmas to the whole family!

[@70schick36]

Ham and scalloped potatoes! YUM! Haven’t had that in years!

[@robinhaupt9119]

I'm grateful to have you share Celebrating Appalachia with us, thank you Tipper. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

[@ramonahierholzer3163]

I love you sharing Christmas with us! ❤️😊 When I was growing up my brother and I were allowed to open 1 present on Christmas Eve. It was always new pajamas. We loved them. 🥰 Merry Christmas to your sweet family.🎄And, hang in there Matt, BOY POWER IS ON THE WAY! 💪😅❤️

[@sarah-jn9bp]

Merry Christmas to you all! We had a big day yesterday with our children and grandchildren on Christmas Day. ❤

[@kimberlyholt2241]

Here in Bulls Gap TN, we get our almanac calendar at our drug store

[@barbarahouser2193]

you could grow potatoes in tires stacked 10 High..start with bottom put soil in add your tater eyes...plant every which way all in the soil put your next tire on add soil plant eyesall throughout soil, add next tire on top...soil ,eyes, add tires and so on til ya get ten high...we did twenty tires each ten high feeds a family of six! all thru the winter! they taste great...no tire flavor at all and we didnt die ! heres my christmas story from 1950s! we were three kids, mom, and gramma. Mom had to work, but she got the holidays off. Gramma lived with us and took good care while momma worked! We lived in Oregon and it had been a snowy winter! usually we got a sock full of christmas candy, oranges and nuts, crayons. color book and a small toy like a slinky or a yoyo! That year we had a small money problem, and mom said santa might not be able to make it! We sat in the living room looking at the beautiful tree that we had decorated, and a snowy scene of little houses and trees all covered with white and silver glitter! they shimmered in the small kerosene lamp that we kept for christmas. there was a 5ft by 5 ft. grate in the middle of the huge living dining room combination. It had a beautiful metal grate over the hole that went over the large sawdust burner in our basement.. The grate was made with swirls and flowery edges making up the square. sometimes we got little marks from the hot grate that looked like roses, so we had to be extra careful when we came to stand over it to get warm. We sang a few songs silent night abd jingle bells and mom had made hot chocolet from scratch, with mini marshmellos. It tasted so christmassy sweet! Suddenly there was a knock on the front door and we all looked at each other with a surprised and questioning smile on our faces. Mom and gramma said will you kids get that door, and we ran and slid across the pine floor in our winter socks! Mom always kept the floor waxed and shiny.!! Well, we yanked that door open as a big gust of feathery snow came flying in our faces! My sister spied a huge lawn and leaf bag with a big red bow tied around the neck , just sitting there and no one around. it was snowing softly and we couldnt see any foot prints or deer paws! We three kids drug that heavy bag into the house and put it over by the tree! there was a p Mretty red tag, and on it was written ...To the Bell children , Love from Santa! Ho ho ho merry Christmas! Mom say ...Go ahead, open it! So We took turns taking off the bow and tag, then we peeked inside and screamed and giggled! Gramma carefully pulled out 9 stuffed animals,almost as big as us kids! She said take turns pick three of your favorites! So we did! I ended up with a beautiful stuffed horse, a huge ping elephant and a dog that looked like the nestle cocoa dog on tv. I quickly named him Farfal!! It was one of the best Christmases that I remember and when I think of that Christmas and my family a tear always comes to my eye!

[@barbarahouser2193]

sorry sbout the spelling mistake it was a pink elephant a red tag!I.ll tell you the ending...when I was thirty my mom told us that the gift of stuffed animals came from my moms boss and family, who lived down the street!

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Beautiful memories! Thank you for sharing them 😊

[@janetmoss-s4o]

Merry Christmas to you and your family ❤

[@catherinegardner7876]

Merry Christmas to you all. 🎄♥️

[@hollerlakehomestead3181]

We had one today too!!! They have been busy. LOL

[@anitarunion6210]

Merry Christmas

[@bryantdlynn7]

Have a very Merry Christmas to you all!❤

[@matthewmaclellan_]

My mother's side of our family was Acadian, (Cape Breton is home), and we would always have meat pie on Christmas morning, with some pickles on the side. Nice to hear from you all, and the garden plans will be exciting to hear!

[@bethmichaud3209]

Enjoyed our outdoor video visit ! The Daily reading Christmas📚are a Treat ! Now my family Christmas has been concluded, time for me to settle cozy for a pleasure of the final chapter with John-boy📗📖

[@Preciousaccordingto977]

Merry Christmas from your neighbors in Kentucky! Praying for the whole family!

[@jsmith317]

You should do some folk painting on the garden steps.