Monday, December 19, 2005


Are your children or grandchildren wondering how Santa is going to get into the house if you don't have a chimney? Here is something special you can make for them to ease their worry and put a smile on their face. Take an old key (skeleton keys are perfect but any key will work) and tie a pretty ribbon to it. Attach the following poem and tell the child to place it outside near the front door on Christmas Eve for Santa to find.Most likely Santa will leave it near the empty cookie plate after he is thru making his rounds so the child can leave it out next year!
The Key Poem:
Santa, this old key is a magical kind
And we're leaving it out for you to find.
Cause just for you, tonight, it will open any door,
So you won't have to slide down the chimneys anymore.

Here is a recipe for reindeer dust so the children can sprinkle it in the front yard on Christmas Eve so the reindeer will smell the oats and see the sparkle of the glitter and guide Santa to their home. Recipe: 1/2 cup oats and 1/4 cup glitter (can use smaller amounts if desired) mix together and put in baggy with this poem:
Santa, may the magic glitter catch the moonlight
And Guide you safely through the night.
May the smell of the oats delight your reindeer
And have them fly you here, bringing good cheer.

I have spent the day cleaning and baking. There are 2 loaves of sourdough bread, loaf of banana bread, and a batch of brownies. I receive a WWII cookbook from my daughter Maggie for Christmas and have enjoyed it so much! It has recipes that they used with their ration books and things they grew. I am using the recipe for keeping a stock pot. You start a pot of stock or broth cooking on the back of the stove and add whatever you have to it each day. You keep it cooking all the time. I have had mine going for 3 days and have added veg's or meats or broth to it each day and everyday it tastes even better than the day before. I have a wood heater in the dining room so the soup sits simmering on the back of it. Today I added barley, lentils, limas, green peas, beef cubes, diced green onions and celery. I have had soup for lunch each day and it smells so good I am having another bowl for supper tonight. I am really learning a lot from this cookbook on how hard my grandparents and parents had it back then. Going to try the chocolate cake recipe tomorrow.

6 comments:

Laurie said...

Yes, that brings back memories,we used to do the key for Santa when the kids were little. And believe it or not we still make reindeer food every Christmas Eve,even though my kids are 18,16 and soon to be 14(Christmas Day)~!

Shell said...

I love the key and reindeer dust ideas - makes me want to enjoy christmas as a child again. And that recipe book sounds wonderful. I want a bowl of that soup!

eyes_only4him said...

oh i love those poems..and the renideer dust is so cute..

my kids wondered for the longest time how santa was going to get it..now they make us leave the door unlocked..but now I can leave a key;)

Miss Robyn said...

that soup sounds just like the one my grandma use to make for her 7 sons. Yumm. I remember a huge pot simmering away on her wood stove.
can taste it now !! have a bowl for me Peggy - that's if there is any left

halloweenlover said...

Those are such cute ideas! I just assumed as a child that Santa could do anything!

Hope your whole family is home for Christmas, especially those in the military!

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Finn said...

Peggy, thanks for sharing the recipe for Santa keys(*VBG*..you knew I'd see that didn't you..*G*?) and the reindeer dust..*S*

The cookbook sounds wonderful, can you snap a picture of the cover for us??? I was born and raised during WW2...I'd love to know how they "coped". I have one recipe from my Mom that was given out during WPA days of the late 1930's. It uses the commodities they were given as WPA workers. My dad helped plant pine forests across northern WI at that time..*VBS*