和往年一样，进入12月份小朋友们开始了圣诞节倒计时，每天打开一个小窗口，伴着甜甜的巧克力兴奋地告诉我们还有几天就是圣诞节了！昨天小朋友们打开了他们日历上12月24日的小窗口，兴奋地告诉我们那个盼望已久的一天就是今天。。。

2017 Christmas counting down...

Few years back on a business trip to Germany, I saw some beautiful Christmas calendars and brought them back. Kids love them so much. Then the new tradition started. They have to have the Christmas calendar in December... Now they don't just enjoy the smooth, milky chocolate; they tell us how many days left until the big day. They opened 24th day, took out the chocolate, and told us that the big day would be tomorrow! They were so excited...

我家的传统是圣诞除夕夜吃团圆饭，今年也不例外，晚餐很简单，在著名的local店买了一只刚刚熏好的火腿，配些配菜，温馨的晚餐开始了。。。

Christmas is a family holiday. Our traditional dinner is on Christmas Eve. Keep simple and sweet is a goal in our family.

色拉配家做的ranch酱汁, Veggi Salad with homemade ranch dressing, nothing fancy...

我家必须的冷盘 Our family must have ----- Cold dish: hard Salami, Blu cheese, cranberry, grapes, etc....

冷盘是我们一天的零食，随时添加，喝酒的和不喝酒的都喜欢。。。It is our all day snack. It doesn't matter how much I make. It is always gone by the end of the day with or without drink...

土豆泥: 最为简单的万能配餐。吃不完的话第二天早餐改煎土豆饼，一定都消灭光

Mash potatoes: I love to make this because the left over will become fried potatoes in the next morning...

培根包四季豆：我家最爱之一，包好喷上油，扔入烤箱就好，再简单不过了。。。

One of our favorate side dish: bacon wrapped green bean. Simple and delicious. 

Another pictures...

晚餐面包：面是通常的奶油面包方，从新造个型，人见人爱。。。

Our dinner rolls: Same recipe every time. Different shape...

除了新造型外还要有古典的晚餐面包型，有人指定要的，一成不变的性格不可挡。。。

Make some in traditional shape in the back of the picture... Someone in our family wanted the same shape of rolls, never change!

火腿从城里妈妈爸爸店里买的，不是超市买的，味道不同就是不同！

Honey baked ham from our famous local store, not national chain store....

圣诞节怎么会没有甜点，最后的一道是甜点。给小朋友们做了樱桃派，今年有人想吃古老的Mincemeat pie. 今年时间有限，没有机会自己做派馅，买了罐头装的馅，明年自己再做。。。Last course, the desert. How can we miss the desert! Mincemeat pie... Someone in our family demanded this pie every year. I had to make cherry pie for the kids since they don't quiet take the mincemeat pie yet. One of these days...

2017年前的这一天，平静的夜晚，伴随着许多人的祈祷，他诞生了，时光流逝，几千年飞去，许多人从未忘记和平的代价，还在不懈的努力，望天下人共勉互助，共享和平，Merry Christmas!