Kicked off the first day of winter with a classic frosty Christmas tale, The Snowman. David Bowie introduces the Oscar-nominated tale of a little boy who makes a snowman on Christmas Eve, then befriends him, showing him all around his house. In turn, the snowman takes his human friend to his home in the North Pole, where all his snowpeople pals and Father Christmas are there to greet them.
Needless to say on the Saturday before Christmas, the Acme was packed for most of the afternoon. I had a hard time keeping up with the carts by myself in the morning. The head bagger spent most of her time inside or at a register. A college boy came in to help with the carts and outside trash and recycling later in the morning. It was too nice to be inside anyway. While it was sill chilly, in the upper 30's, it was also windless and mostly sunny, with a good clean snap in the air.
The Acme had its big employee luncheon today. That's why I wanted to get the cookies done by Saturday - so I could bring some to the luncheon. They were already setting up when I came in at 9. By the time of my break at noon, the back lounge area was packed. There was succulent roast beef, meatballs in sauce, macaroni and cheese, baked ziti, green bean casserole, plates of sandwiches on croissants and small rolls, a tray of soft pretzel bites, buffalo chicken dip, and macaroni, potato, and egg salads. Cherry cheesecake (which vanished quickly), a giant pound cake, brownie bites, and tiny yellow and red velvet cupcakes joined my cookies on the dessert table. I had a roast beef sandwich and a croissant sandwich, baked ziti, green bean casserole, and macaroni salad for lunch, with several brownie bites, two mini-cupcakes, and my own cherry coconut bars for dessert.
Mixed feelings on my schedule next week. I did make sure to ask for Christmas Day off after all the fuss over Thanksgiving, and I'm also off on Friday (my last personal day) and Saturday. I work very early almost the entire week, including through Christmas Eve. (The head bagger who usually works early went on vacation this week.) On one hand, this means I'll be able to finish the last things I need to do, the bread and candy, and I should have plenty of time to get ready for Dad and Jodie's Christmas Eve party...but it also means I'll be tired while doing it.
Had a lot of shopping to do this week. Needed orange juice and cranberries for cranberry bread, marshmallow fluff for the fudge, and condensed milk for the truffles. I'm finally down to the last of the farm market vegetables from last month; bought carrots and frozen peas and green beans with almonds, along with pears for lunch this week. Found a slightly dented can of beef vegetable soup on the clearance rack.Grabbed shredded cheese, sauce, crust, and pepperoni to make pizza for Christmas dinner, since that worked out really well last year. Restocked white, brown, and powdered sugar, skim milk, peanut butter (good sale, and I had an online coupon), shampoo, cake mix, and an onion.
Put on Buzzr while I put everything away and watched an episode and a half of Classic Concentration, then changed and did a little bit of writing. As the group dashes to the entrance to the castle, Nipsey points out someone swimming the moat. He and Richard goes to rescue them. As it turns out, that "someone" is a sturdy, sensible woman who can swim just fine and doesn't need the rescuing, thank you.
Broke for dinner at quarter of 7. Had a really quick meal of yogurt, a peanut butter and jam wrap, and oranges before starting in on the cranberry bread. I always make the McHughs next door a loaf of cranberry bread for Christmas, to thank them for their help during the year and to be neighborly.
Did Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol while working on the bread. I go into more detail on this classic version of the famous Dickens story at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews.
Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol
Finished the night with A Disney Channel Christmas. My family dubbed this rare holiday showcase in December 1988, and I've watched it almost every Christmas since. In this blending of the older specials Jiminy Cricket's Christmas and A Disney Christmas Gift, Jiminy introduces shorts and segments from movies that are either related to Christmas, or at least involve winter or gift-giving. Favorite shorts include the Goofy classic "The Art of Skiing," the hilarious "Donald's Snow Fight," the festive "Pluto's Christmas Tree," and one of my favorite black-and-white Disney cartoons, "Mickey's Good Deed." Among the segments from films are the "You Can Fly" number from Peter Pan, the mice making Cinderella a ball gown, Bambi and Thumper's attempt to skate, and Snow White and the dwarfs having fun to the tune of "The Silly Song."
Incidentally the McHughs' cranberry bread is now wrapped and bagged and ready for giving. That leaves the candy for Dad and Jodie's Christmas Eve party and the pumpkin bread for Christmas Day brunch.
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