Carlos Christmas Traditions

Had intended to write this post during the early part of the holidays, but got too carried away with being off work and at home with the boys that priorities were clear and this blog post was not one of them.  Playing the fish game, loading a wooden train twenty times every ten minutes and eating and drinking are far more important. ;)
So before we say goodbye to 2014 and the Christmas season I just wanted to share with you some of the family traditions we are creating for ourselves and continuing on from our parents.  Traditions are so important to me, I think they add to the excitement of an occasion and become an intricate part of the memories we are weaving for our boys.
So what are our family traditions???????

Dinner in the City

It starts I guess with dinner in the city.  Since myself and Dec could afford to, we have gone to town for lunch in the run up to Christmas.  It's a day about spending time together, not shopping or the Christmas hype.  Our first Christmas as a married couple we found The Woodford and its been our stable ever since.  A really great pub/restaurant that's very family and breastfeeding friendly.  As new parents the year Jack was born we were a little weary, about going for something to eat without an eruption and me feeling like I was on show feeding, but it was such a relaxed and comfortable experience.  The staff are so helpful and efficient, and that hasn't changed even with two restless boys the experience is always relaxed and the food is always very good!!!
The Woodford has become a Carlos Christmas Tradition for sure and I hope it continues to be for years to come.

Baking with Mama Carlos

I love to cook, baking being my specialty, well what I like most and the run up to Christmas is always filled with days when there is nothing better to do but to bake something nice.  This year we did lots of different things, but think my boys like gingerbread the best.  I'm hoping one day they'll be great bakers and impress some nice girls!  But hey hours spent with Mama baking is more than enough for me now.

The Muldowney Christmas Lights

This is something that anyone from the East Cork/ Cork area should definitely add to their list of things to do over the Christmas period and its for such an amazing cause; the Oncology Unit of the Mercy Hospital.  I am always amazed at the creativity and effort that goes into this twenty minute light and music show in the Muldowney's own home.  Jack's face says it all!  Check out their FB page here for more.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning

Christmas Eve is calm in our house, I like to be all organised at this stage, with the ham and spiced beef on the hob early.  Lunch is a late one in 'Uncle James'', that being the Titanic Bar and Grill.  Always a pleasure and super child friendly and then its a short walk across the road to meet my family in the Commodore Hotel, who run a children's disco in the afternoon.  A great way to tire out over excited kids before the big man himself arrives.
Then its home for ham sandwiches, new PJ's and a new Christmas DVD.  A carrot, mince pie and pint of the black stuff are laid out for the special guest and then while mama peels carrots and sips wine, Santa comes and goes without me even realising.


Christmas morning is chaos in most houses I'm sure, but along with Santa we have a visit to Granny Cotter's house for presents and craic before we even have breakfast.  Dec joined us for the first time this year and couldn't get over how we even knew who gave who what with all the commotion.

The Carlos Camino

Every year for the past three years the Carlos' (the aunts, uncles, cousins) head out on what has been christened the Carlos Camino.  A long country walk, with banter, slagging and a quick pace, finishing in non other then the Roaring Donkey for pints and sandwiches for the grown ups and lemonade and taytos for the smallies.  A tradition that I absolutely love and hope continues for many years to come,  I hope my boys will be joining their dad at the bar for a pint when they're old enough and that uncle Broc and Tony are still slagging!!!
Photos robbed from Jaki!

Finally New Year's Eve

I've always hated the hussle and bussle of NYE.  I hate the indecision of where to go and the queueing to get in there.  I always felt in my late teens and twenties that the hype made you think it should be the best night of the year but in reality the freezing two hour wait for a taxi squashed all the good things the night had produced.  But since we had the boys I actually love NYE, we stay at home, the door is open to family and friends to call if they want.  I always have good cheeses, crackers and tasty treats ready to go and of course a bottle of good stuff! This year I have a lovely bottle of Moet, Christmas pressie from himself!  We relax and we enjoy, no hype just good food and good company and I love it that way.
We started a new tradition last year thanks to a friend DMB who suggested we try something she does each year.  We write down wishes, goals and dreams we have for the year and put them in a pot and then next year read them and see how we've fared!
So the pot is ready to go and the pad ready to record all the wonderful things I'm looking forward to trying/doing/achieving in the year coming.
2015 is going to be a year full of adventure and exciting projects and I cant wait.


'We are the music makers, we are the dreamers of dreams', our destiny is in our hands, lets make this year a great one!!!!
Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy New Year.
Cheers! Slainte!
Love
T
xxx