Boxing Day

What's It Wednesday #54

We've all seen it on the calendar with the little guy in boxing gloves and trunks, but what is it really?

For me, it's a chance to share some of the many boxes that I love to collect, but I thought I'd find out and share the real meaning as well. 
 

Boxing Day has been a national holiday in England, Wales, Ireland and Canada since 1871. But there are two schools of thought as to the origin.
 

It might have been started by the Church of England, when Anglican parishes displayed a box into which churchgoers put their monetary donations.
 

 

On the day after Christmas, the boxes were broken open and their contents distributed among the poor.

 

It was also customary for tradesmen to collect “Christmas boxes” of money or presents on the first weekday after Christmas as thank you for good service throughout the year. This is an outgrowth to an older English tradition:

 

Since they would have to wait on their masters on Christmas Day, the servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day off to visit with family. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts and bonuses, and sometimes leftover food.

 

Since it is a banking holiday for everyone, the gentry took this day for the pleasure of hunting, riding or various sporting events.
 

Now, Boxing Day is much like black Friday here in the U.S. It is the U. K.'s biggest shopping day, earning the greatest amount of revenue for the year.

 

Boxing Day has evolved from a charitable day to an extension of Christmas. It's a fabulous day to enjoy those great presents, polish off the leftovers and lounge around in bright sweaters watching sporting events. Why haven't we Americans adopted it yet? Sounds like something we can get behind, right?

 

Hope you enjoyed the boxes.

Happy Boxing Day!

Hugs,

Patti

 

Thank you all for participating in our

“What's It Wednesday” Linky Party!

 

Here are this week's features:

A Stroll Thru Life

 

Charm Bracelet Diva {at Home}

 

Savannah Granny

Sullivan and Murphy

Jbigg's Little Pieces

Restoration Redoux

 

Don't forget to grab a feature button:

 

 

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We are partying with these fine folks:
Savvy Southern Style
No Minimalist Here
The Brambleberry Cottage
Coloradolady
The Shabby Creek Cottage
The ArtsyGirl Connection
French Country Cottage
At the Picket Fence
A Glimpse Inside
The Charm of Home
Common Ground
From My Front Porch to Yours
Faded Charm
Craftberry Bush
My Romantic Home

Come show off your whatchamacallits, what is its, what it once was, and "hey, look what I just did" posts. In other words, what you created, organized, designed or re-designed, found, purchased, transformed, inherited, re-purposed, renovated, are selling, or giving-away.

 

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Tis the Season

What's It Wednesday #53

Tis the Season to celebrate life's journeys with friends. A desert table was the perfect place to display some of our favorite deserts. 

I treated myself to this delightful desert tray. I decided it would be my Christmas gift to me. 

Key Lime Pie, Chocolate Ganache Cake and Apple Crumble Pie fit perfectly on the Three Tiered cake plate. In addition to looking great that actually tasted great.

It was also football Sunday so a sportsman/sportswoman Christmas tree was in order.

The Miami Dolphins nutcracker was a great touch to the sports decor, much to my husband's chagrin (He does not like the Dolphins). 

The Christmas bears guard and protect birdcage. I absolutely adore birdcages and of all the ones in my collection this one is my absolute favorite.

In the birdcage is a beautiful Santa dressed in teal, flanked by two beautiful Christmas trees.

I love collecting snowmen and women in fur coats for my mother. I surprise her with two or three each Christmas.

The living room is ready for quiet evenings watching Christmas specials on the telly and the much anticipated arrival of St. Nick. 

The holidays also means honoring my great-grandmother Helen with a Menorah. 

What are some of your favorite holiday decorating items? 

xoxoxox

Paula

Thank you all for participating in our "What's It Wednesday" Linky Party! 

Bella's Rose Cottage

Pennie's Vintage Home

Rosemary & Thyme

Uniquely Ella

Walnut and Vine

The French Hen's Nest

Family Favorite

What's It Wednesday #52

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You know that it's the holidays by the smell of vanilla and spice in the air. Christmas cakes, cookies, and pies are the order of the day. So whether it's treats for a cookie exchange, office party, or a family feast, we are all pulling out our recipe books and rolling pins.



via

In our home a favorite for many years has been Mystery Pecan Pie. I was a young bride and new mother when I found this recipe at Aunt Baby's house in a Pillsbury Bake-Off cookbook. She gave me the book and I tried many of the recipes, but the one that became a staple and family tradition is this yummy pie.

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I have deep southern roots so anything with a pecan in it gets my attention. This pie takes the traditional pecan pie and kicks it up a notch with a layer of cheese cake baked right in. It's also pretty amazing to watch as the layers rearrange themselves as they rise. I always use the Mrs. Smith's deep dish crust as the base. The cheese cake filling covers the bottom, pecans (lots!), and the Karo syrup filling is poured on the top. But as you see, the syrup layer ends up on the bottom, the cream cheese is in the middle, and the pecans rise to the top. It is delicious alone or with a dollop of whipped cream or scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream on top. Heavenly!

 

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Any good southern meal is topped off with dessert, and this is one that I always get requests for. Even my friend Maria who doesn't eat nuts loves this pie. It drives her son crazy because she picks out the pecans!! (But don't worry, I just have double on my piece, hee, hee!!)

Hoping your holidays are happy, healthy, and oh so sweet!

Big Hugs,
Patti

Thank you all for participating in our "What's It Wednesday" Linky Party! 

 

Here are this week’s features:

155 Dream Lane

Revisionary Life

Shabby Story

The Dedicated House

Rose Petals and Rust

White Lace Cottage

My Vintage Life

Don’t forget to grab a feature button:

 

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We are partying with these fine folks:
From My Front Porch to Yours
Faith, Grace, and Crafts
Savvy Southern Style
{Primp}
The Brambleberry Cottage
No Minimalist Here
Coloradolady
The ArtsyGirl Connection
The Vintage Farmhouse
The Thrifty Groove
French Country Cottage
The Charm of Home
Common Ground
At the Picket Fence
My Romantic Home
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
The Tablescaper
Funky Junk Interiors
A Diamond in the Stuff

Come show off your whatchamacallits, what is its, what it once was, and "hey, look what I just did" posts. In other words, what you created, organized, designed or re-designed, found, purchased, transformed, inherited, repurposed, renovated, are selling, or giving-away.

Please be sure to do the following for us:

1. Provide a link back to your post (not your main blog url).
2. Feel free to copy and paste our party button on your sidebar. This way other fabulous folks can join in the fun as well.
3. Mix and mingle by visiting the other party people and show them some love (leave a sweet comment).
4. Don't forget to leave us a comment. We love hearing from you! 

Silver Wonderland

What's It Wednesday #51

This year I decided to add silver and white to my Christmas decor. Since I live in the tropics, I wanted a reminder of a snowy winter day. So we are having a Silver Wonderland.

I am just loving this season's silver christmas accessories. This tall nutcracker was the perfect addition to my ever growing nutcracker collection. 

 The silver bells, bows, and balls add great texture to this center piece. 

The silver pinecone Christmas tree sits in the middle of the two center pieces. 

Place settings are great ways to add texture to the table as well as gives the perfect opportunity to mix and match china. From the placemat up I started with a silver charger. Then I placed a cobalt blue charger on top of the silver charger. On top of the blue charger is my mother's white wedding china, trimmed in platinum. The salad dish on the very top of the place setting is a new find from the Home Goods store. It was the perfect addition to the place setting. 

The holidays are the perfect time for me to bring out four generations of china, glass, crystal and silverware. My great-grandmother Helen's bread dish is an annual addition to the dining table. Around the textured rim it reads, "GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD". 

Lovely friends from Georgia were gracious enough to send us a rather large box of pecans. Pecans are a major part of our family Christmas tradition. As a little girl, my grandmother would shell pecans, put them in a cup, and top them with Alaga syrup. I can't wait to share that with my son. I placed pecans all around the house in a variety of apothecary jars. This Christmas I will be baking one of my favorite pies that Patti makes. It is called Mystery Pecan Pie. Just imagine pecan pie meets cheese cake. 

This antique carousel cruet is all polished up and ready to receive the necessary condiments for our Christmas meals.

Now that my great-grandmother Helen's dining room table is all set for the holidays, I am looking forward to holiday breakfasts, weekend brunches, and family dinners. 

Please, share with us what you did differently in your holiday decorating this year. 

xoxoxo

Paula

Thank you for participating in our
 "What's It Wednesday" Linky Party!

Don’t forget to grab a feature button:

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HERE ARE THIS WEEK'S FABULOUS FEATURES.

Ella at Uniquely Ella created the most beautiful Christmas Crown. Her work is always absolutely gorgeous.

 Jeannie Marie & Company shares some of my favourite Key West sculptures.

Look what the stork dropped off at Puddle Jumper Creations. Absolutely gorgeous!

Beth of My Salvaged Treasures shares her fabulous finds

This turquoise chandy redo from Restoration Redoux is just fabulous.

Paul and Cathy are truly the dynamic creative duo at One Creative Couple