Trim-A-Tree Winner

I just adored reading about everyone's Christmas traditions. Isn't it amazing how years come and go, but some things never ever change?

In our family we often bake Norwegian Christmas cookies at some point during December. They are quite a bit of work, but so very delicious! We also always go to an early service on Christmas Eve so that we can head home for a gourmet meal (often beef tenderloin and sour cream mashed potatoes) and then we open all our gifts on Christmas Eve. The gifts Santa brings are of course saved for Christmas morning though! Some of my very favorite Christmas memories are those from Honduras. They go above and beyond when celebrating Christ's birth there! All the festivities began in early December when we had a school Christmas concert. Every class sang a traditional song, some in Spanish, some in English, then every single student got a gift from Santa! Christmas decor was up everywhere, including huge things at the grocery store where they even always got the American candy in (a real treat when you are living in a third world country!). On Christmas Eve my mother and I always went to the salon while my father played squash. We had our hair and nails done in preparation for the HUGE evening that was to come. In the late afternoon I would go to our Honduran neighbors' to see Santa and he gave out a few early gifts to all who had been good. We then headed to church and finally around 10pm we headed next door again for an evening of food, music and fireworks! The evening did not really begin until about 10pm and it went in to the early hours of the morning (breakfast was served!). We all got to set of small crackers and play with sparklers while the fathers lit the bombs (literally bombs, they left one foot wide holes in the street one year!). These parties were such fun and will never ever be forgotten. Even though we were miles from home we got to celebrate the true joy of the evening with some of our very best friends!

So, now on to announcing the winner!!! I input all comments to Random.org and Comment 106, CRICKET, was selected.
CRICKET said...
What a generous and fun giveaway!One of our traditions is at Christmas Day dinner we all have Christmas Crackers/Poppers as part of the table setting which we open and everyone wears the silly hats!
Congrats CRICKET and thank you to all who entered!!!