The weeks leading up to Christmas were full of anticipation, magic and wonder when I was a child.
Evenings were spent making our Christmas list, practicing for a school play and making candies to give away to our friends.
It was such a uniquely special season, and I find myself wishing now that I could have bottled some of that childlike excitement, leading up to the big day.
We lived in town when I was a little girl, and I remember eagerly watching the electric company put up the red and green decorations on the light poles a few days after Thanksgiving.  The lighted wreaths and bells were lovely to look at when night fell on the streets of our small town.
We also had a Christmas parade in the middle of the day, on a weekday no less.  I remember my teacher helping us bundle up so we could go out and stand by the side of the road at the front of our school and watched the parade go by.
A favorite hot drink to enjoy during this time of year is one that my Aunt Debby always had on hand for us.  It is called Russian Spiced Tea and it only requires a few ingredients.
- 1 Cup of Instant Unsweetened Tea Granules
- 1 Cup Tang
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon each of Cinnamon & Cloves.
Mix dry ingredients together and store in a glass jar.
When you are ready to drink, mix 2 Tablespoons of Tea mixture with 1 cup of water and enjoy.
That’s the news from the homestead.
