Welcome to Gaia! ::

I'm right there with you, Alexandretta, except that my holiday is Chanukah. I LOVE having people over for holidays, any holidays at all, but Chanukah is my favorite... because it lasts for eight nights, and so I get eight chances to feed people! I have a smallish apartment, so I can really only have about four to five guests at a time. This year I'm doing a slightly different menu every night, except of course that any leftovers will be brought over into the next night as a little surprise/bonus.

It's traditional to eat fried foods during Chanukah because of the miracle of the oil. This year, each night's menu will be a reflection of the many areas of the world in which Jews have lived and celebrated Chanukah.

1. North America
2. Central/South America
3. China
4. Mediterranean Europe
5. Northern/Western Europe
6. Middle Eastern (Sabbath night)
7. African (other than the Middle Eastern areas)
8. "Greatest Hits" (My two personal favorites from all over the world)

Each night only really requires one fried food, but I may fry more than one item each night. I'll serve it alongside a fresh vegetable and fruit platter, and some desserts from the applicable areas, and some fun party drinks like my favorite, Cranberry Sparkle (cranberry juice mixed with seltzer or Sprite). Each night we're planning to have two to five guests, except for the 8th night, when we're invited out to someone else's party and will therefore be bringing two dishes to suit our hosts' tastes instead. Those dishes will just be the ones I like best, out of the ones I've already made.

I hope it will be, killafrog. I pretty much adore all the holidays, as I said before, but any holiday that lets me cook a different menu for eight nights is really a winner.

Now, I keep hearing about these Twelve Days of Christmas, and I've done the research to know that it begins on December 25 and ends on January 5, followed by Epiphany on the 6th of January. I want to know who celebrates all twelve days, and how you celebrate them. And if no one celebrates the twelve days -- why on earth not???

I bet that "The Twenty-Five Days Of Advent" song is a pain in the tochas to learn! rofl

Speaking of singing, you need to go check this out:

http://www.singsnap.com

All you need is a microphone. You can make an account, pick out a song from their song list, sing it, and wait for the compliments to roll in. And they do! There are folks there who might as well be professional singers, and there are folks who can barely carry a tune in a locked briefcase. But no matter what, people are very supportive of one another on SingSnap. Sing your heart out, and people will be proud and pleased and delighted that you did. I've never seen a single "You suck!" on there. It's great. Oh, and there's lots of Christmas music that a person can sing to, so that's fun at this time of year.

Also, you don't need an account if you just want to listen to other people's recordings.

still waiting to see what the 25 days of advent song is about rofl just thinking how long the song is, is like eek

now the holiday is past how was it? what was the best gift you had gotten this year?

will anyone enjoy newyears or just let it pass by?