Traditionally Speaking

This year I tried to get out of keeping some of the holiday traditions that I've created and kept during my 21 years of marriage and raising children.  Some of these annual good-tiding ideas are ones that I piggy-backed on from my youth, some are observed from other families and friends and some came from the nether-regions of my own brain.

And honestly, I think I'm the only one who really gives a darn about any of them.

I entertained the thought of breaking my own traditional habits this year and winging it, so to speak.  I mentioned to my girls that I thought we might forego the wrapping of the presents and just leave the open gifts out around the tree for Christmas morning.  No go.  They wanted nothing to do with this lazy option.  Of course not.  And why would they?  They are tucked in their beds dreaming of sweet you-know-whats dancing in their heads.  Doesn't impact them one bit. Other than the fact that it breaks a long standing tradition of the element of surprise and giddy unwrapping.

So, I stuck to the traditions.

We had Nutcracker night.
We ate potato casserole for Christmas morning breakfast.
We watched A Christmas Story.
And so forth.

We never ventured far from the normality of tradition.

Except for adding a couple of things.

We opened presents AFTER church on Sunday at almost 1:00 in the afternoon.  I myself, was pleased with that option and think it should be a new rule.  Doing this takes the frenzy out of the process and creates a mood of savoring the moment.

And then there was the day AFTER Christmas, when I hatched another obligational tradition.  The Day After Scones.

Yes, as if there wasn't enough sugar coursing through our veins, we reached higher levels of toxicity by having fresh warm scones for breakfast.  And they were good.

Cacao and Milk Chocolate Scones

3 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1 cup milk chocolate morsels, or chopped up candy bar
1/2 cup cacao nibs or chopped toasted pecans
1 large egg
1 cup whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla

1.  Preheat oven to 425ª.  Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender or tool until crumbly.  Stir in chocolate morsels and nibs or nuts.

2.  Whisk together egg, 1 cup whipping cream and vanilla.  Add to flour mixture, stirring with a fork just until dry ingredients are moistened and mixture forms a shaggy dough.
Using a 1/3 measuring cup, scoop dough into mounds onto parchment paper-lined backing sheets.  *Brush scones with additional cream and sprinkle with sugar if desired.

3.  Bake at 425 for 13-18 minutes or until golden.  Serve warm.

I think I'll be keeping that tradition for sure.