Things I Love About Christmas

After yesterday's negative post, I thought it best I counteract with a post full of positives. Besides the obvious (celebrating our Savior), here are some things I love about the Christmas season:

1. Singing "Angels We Have Heard on High" at church. It has the most fun alto part ever (well, it's right up there with "Let Us All Press On" but it's pretty good!)
2. Christmas pajamas from Wal Mart! I hope you are all buying yourself a pair because they are only $10 and they are so cute. I've bought a different pair the last three years. This year I got these darling pink ones. They are cotton and comfy and I wear them well into spring, usually. The picture up above is from two Christmases ago when we got coordinating pajamas for my mom, sisters and me. So fun!
3. Christmas candles! I used to sell Salt City Candles and I love digging my candles out. My favorite holiday scents are Christmas Trimmings (which is great to burn if you have a fake tree -- it's tree-like but not TOO much) and Victorian Christmas (which is sweet and spicy and just yummy) but my most favorite thing to do is burn a Candy Cane candle while burning an Evergreen candle. It's the BEST combination.
4. Fun ads in the paper every week! I love seeing what's on sale.
5. BAKING! I love looking for the best recipes for fudge or snowball cookies every year. (And if you have the perfect fudge recipe, please share! I'm really still looking!) This is also the time of year for Caramel Chex Mix. I'll add the recipe at the end of this list. I think that might be what I make for the girls at work this year. It's so good and very festive with holiday M&Ms.
6. Christmas movies!!! I have three favorites: Elf, The Year Without a Santa Claus and then my number one most favorite is White Christmas. That is the movie I watch while wrapping my presents. I can't wrap a gift without it on in the background.
7. Time off from work! We get the 24th through the 1st off -- paid! Wahoo!

What do YOU love about the Christmas season?

Caramel Chex Mix

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Karo syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 cups rice chex cereal
4 cups corn chex cereal
1 cup peanuts or mixed nuts
1 cup M&Ms (holiday - add as many as you want, really)

Mix cereal and nuts in a large bowl, set aside. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with Pam. In medium saucepan, combine butter, karo syrup and brown sugar. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Allow to boil for 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda, then stir. Pour over cereal mixture & mix together then pour onto cookie sheet. Cook for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and stir to break apart clumps. When cool, add M&Ms.