Day 14: Cranberry Christmas

Day 14 of Advent

Cranberry Christmas

In the whirlwind of the Christmas season, a touch of whimsy is just what we need, and this book delivers! Though Mom thought it a bit silly, she read it with joy because we adored it. Now, as adults, we have visited New England's beautiful cranberry bogs ourselves, bringing memories flooding back of Mr. Whiskers and this delightful tale.

-Connor

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Scripture Reading for the Day

John 1:14

14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Activity for Today

String Popcorn & Cranberries, Homemade Cranberry Bread

In the spirit of all things cranberry, deck your halls with strung popcorn and cranberries! Just take a needle and string, grab your best looking berries and freshly popped corn, and string them along till your heart is content!

You can even take part in our family tradition of making cranberry bread! While you can't normally find cranberries straight from the bog, this recipe made with the freshest cranberries you can find and topped with a sweet, zesty orange glaze is sure to put you in the cranberry stringing, holiday spirit!

Check out this Delicious Cranberry Bread!

Ripe peaches and papaya embraced by abundant florals, skating gracefully into a cranberry Christmas.

Let's spill the tea about Orchard Peach...

Eloquent Description

To atone for the sin of not actually having tea leaves, this ambrosial tisane does its penance in spades. Brought quite literally down to earth with the hibiscus flower and dried rose hips; the peaches, papaya, and pineapple combine to make something a normal, fruit-inspired drink with all its saccharin “taste and fury, signifying little” cannot: deep, nuanced flavor that is simple, healthful, and delicious hydration.

Ingredients

Rosehips
Hibiscus
Apples
Peaches
Pineapple
Papaya
Rose Petals
Organic Flavor
Spearmint

Steeping Suggestions

For hot tea, steep one tea bag in 8 to 10oz of 212 water for 7 minutes. For iced, use half the water(same temp), steep for the same time, and add ice after you pull the tea bag out.

Someone Else's Thoughts

“This peach tea is one of the best teas I have ever tasted! I have never ordered tea online, but after trying a friend’s tea made from this blend, I knew I wanted to order some of my own. My husband made it chilled with a little sweetener. It has a light and refreshing taste that is perfect during this hot summer. I highly, highly recommend!”
– Kelxy

All about Cranberry Christmas

Fun Fact!
Growing up, our neighborhood was like a big family, complete with our very own 'mayor'! We loved having neighborhood breakfasts, fourth of July gatherings, and more. Of course, one of our favorite traditions was exchanging Christmas treats and goodies. Our family usually would make orange-cranberry bread for all the neighbors. It's one of the foods I look forward to most at Christmas!

- Caleb
Cranberry Christmas
CHRISTMAS was coming! Snow was on the cranberry bog, the smell of pine in the wind, and the fresh water pond frozen smooth.
Mr. Whiskers, looking out from his kitchen window, was deep in gloom.

Christmas was only three days away and his pond should have been filled with skaters—skaters in bright sweaters, laughing, with their scarves flying in the wind. And he should have been there teaching them all to twirl and do figure eights.

But old Cyrus Grape had changed all that. He had moved next door to Mr. Whiskers, into the stone house on the rise, and claimed that the pond was on his land. Cyrus didn't like children. Whenever he saw them on the pond, he would hop on his sled and slide bumpity-bump down the hill.

"Scat! Off my pond or I'll have the sheriff after you!" Cyrus would shout as he shook his cane and chased the skaters to the snowy banks.
“It's my pond, you old scoundrel! Mine!" Mr. Whiskers would boom back.
About the Author
Wende and Harry Devlin (both born in 1918 and married in 1941) are two artists with a sense of humor. Working for several magazines in the 1940's, Harry became the leading editorial cartoonist at Collier's while Wende wrote a comic strip called Fullhouse (also known as Raggmopp) with characters named for their own six children. On the serious side, Harry paints architecture and Wende portraits, but their winning combination in children's books and illustrations (and perhaps recipes?) is their best known artistic achievement, and most especially the Cranberryport series.