Tis the Season to be Jolly!
More importantly, tis the Season to give thanks and remember Christ!
We have tried to remember the meaning of the holidays as we've busily planned, prepared, cooked, and enjoyed the many activities, lights, and festivities centered around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Thanksgiving
Institute Dinner
Preparation was huge. We have three ovens but none of them are big enough to hold a large turkey. So,we cooked 6 turkey breasts & 1 small turkey. The preparation for the meal began three days before the big feast. We basically precooked everything and then reheated it in several crockpots. It worked out beautifully and no one went hungry. We served 45 young adults and worked our 'tails' off making everything look and taste just like an American Thanksgiving dinner. Included were homemade pies (8), homemade rolls (60), homemade stuffing, homemade gravy, homemade cranberry sauce, fresh snipped beans, corn, mashed potatoes (30 lbs of peeled potatoes), sweet potatoes (10 lbs), and many delicious pieces of moist turkey. Pete made a jello salad. Unfortunately, their 'jelly' as they call it takes much longer to set. So, we ate it for home evening dessert instead of Thanksgiving dinner.
Thanksgiving at Barnsley
A kind ward member invited all the senior missionaries and the mission president and his wife to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at his small home the following Saturday. There were 27 of us who attended. The meal was beautifully decorated and made to authenticate an American Thanksgiving. It was delicious and fun to celebrate with the senior missionaries we dearly love.
Christmas
Home Evening Decorating the Building
The kids had fun putting up trees and decorating the institute building. It was a bit confusing as everyone was putting stuff up everywhere and anywhere. Suprisingly it all turned out lovely. Refreshments and decorating were all mingled together.
Christmas at Burton Agnes Hall & Gardens
Marian, our dear friend and secretary at the institute, invited us to visit a stately home in Burton Agnes. She was so excited to take us to the town and lovely mansion that was decorated beautifully for Christmas. Afterwards, we ate fish and chips at a restaurant just outside of York.
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Christmas Alpacas Outside the Stately Home 
Two Christmas Donkeys
  Outside Mobile Pizza Oven |
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| Sitting by the fire in the Main Hall Listening to Christmas Music by Salvation Army |
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The Manger Scene was Made by Primary School ChildrenGrassington
We visited my favorite little town in NorthernYorkshire, Grassington. It's a small town and every year near Christmas they put on a Dickins Festival. It was lovely even if it rained and was very cold. We enjoyed watching the locals dance, sing, and dress in Dickens attair. There were also lots of varied booths with food and trinkets.
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| Scenery on our Drive Home |
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| Elder and Sister Carrier |
