The holidays are all around us, and we thought it might be fun to share with our readers some of Pelletier Properties "Favorite Things" for the Holidays!
Traditions, songs, dishes (and even a few recipes!), and more - from our homes, to yours!
Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, and a huge THANK YOU to everyone who is part of our always growing Pelletier Properties family!
Here are a "few of our favorite things" ....
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE AND LEAST FAVORITE HOLIDAY SONG?
Kelley Lynn: least favorite is "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Its annoying , repetitive, and I have no idea what figgy pudding is but it sounds gross.
My favorite holiday song is Whitney Houston's version of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" Its gorgeous.
Annie Reiser: My favorite is "Little Drummer Boy" or "Ave Maria". Least favorite is the Hawaiian song / Malikalika or whatever it is . I hate it.
(after doing a bit of digging, I found that the title of that song is "Mele Kalikimaka" (Merry Christmas), and the original is by Bing Crosby. And apparently our team members have very strong opinions about this song, as you'll see when you keep reading!)
Dan Reiser: Most favorite holiday song is "Mele Kalikimaka". I dont like holiday songs, until after Thanksgiving. I can only take one holiday at a time.
Nicholas Pelletier: Favorite holiday song is "12 Days of Christmas", by Straight No Chasers. Least favorite is "Dominick the Donkey."
Christine Niemi: "O Holy Night" is my favorite, and "Jingle Bells" is my least favorite.
Matt Howard: Least favorite is "Santa Baby", and my favorites are"Walking in a Winter Wonderland" and "Where are You, Christmas?"
Josh Mello: Favorite song is "Mele Kalikimaka", and least favorite is Paul McCartney's "Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas time."
Ken Ferris: My favorite would be the theme from "Christmas Vacation" song (Im guessing thats another vote for "Mele Kalikimaka" again.)
Least favorite is "Dominic the Donkey." Just makes zero sense.
Liam Fluharty: Favorite is Michael Buble's "Winter Wonderland", and least favorite is "Mistletoe" by Justin Bieber.
Bethany Singleton: Favorite song is "I'll Be Home for Christmas", and least favorite is "Dominic the Donkey." (Jeez, Dominic isnt gettin much love!)
Ashley Rose Mello: Favorite is "Must Be Santa" and least favorite is "Santa Baby."
Fiona Sugrue: My favorite Christmas song is "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" by the Backstreet Boys, and least fav is "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."
Anthony DiZuzio: Most favorite is a tie between "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Hark the Herald." Least favorite is "Wonderful Christmas time." Most annoying song ever.
Teddie the Real Estate Dog: Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, because I have a crush on him. Least favorite song would be the Jingle Bells one with all the barking dogs. They sound fake to me. They should have hired me to do the barking and paid me in ice-cream.
SHARE A FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITION:
Kelley: Every Christmas morning, my mom makes fried dough with cinnamon and sugar, hot cocoa with whipped cream, and everyone gets scratch tickets at their seat. We scratch our tickets, eat breakfast, and open stockings. We do this every year since childhood and we still do some version of it. Its my favorite.
Annie: Decorating the house as early as possible (i.e. before Thanksgiing). Thats what my mom always did, and now we always do.
Dan: Eating lobster newburg at grandma's house.
Nick: Each year my uncle and cousins write a version of "The Night Before Christmas" with fun facts of the accomplishments from the previous year of each of my cousins and family members. The story is read at our annual Christmas Eve party and it is also a ton of fun! (and usually pretty funny)
Christine: I have to go with our Christmas morning tradition, as my daughter said, with the fried dough. Even though we are not always all together on Christmas morning, I still do this with whomever we are with. It just doesnt seem the same if I dont.
Matt: Christmas Eve at my mom's house. Just an enjoyable evening with family. Reading "The Night Before Christmas" to my nephew, and opening one gift.
Josh: hosting Christmas Eve.
Ken: Watching "Christmas Vacation" on Christmas Eve every year. Big "Cousin Eddie" fan.
Liam: Reading "the Night Before Christmas" in front of our Christmas tree on Christmas Eve.
Bethany: My mom and I are both tradition queens, and Im now excited to start more traditions with husbands and kids as our family grows.
Ashley: My favorite is having a slow, relaxed Christmas Day. We open stockings, have a nice breakfast, and then do gifts. We also pick a special place to view holiday lights the week of Christmas. We really enjoy the Winterlights at Bradley Estates in Canton.
Fiona: My favorite tradition is every Christmas Eve we always meet up with my cousins at an Irish Pub. For the years that we spend Christmas in Ireland, we meet up with our family at a pub called "The Greyhound Bar." It is one of our favorites, because thats where my parents used to go growing up!
Anthony: Favorite tradition is putting on "Home Alone" Christmas morning while we open presents, and having pancakes after everyone has opened their presents.
Teddie the Real Estate Dog: Playing in the snow, and getting extra treats on Christmas!
SHARE A FAVORITE HOLIDAY DISH and/or RECIPE:
Kelley: I make Peppermint Bark every year and hand it out in little holiday baggies. Its yummy and super easy to do: 2 bags white choc. morsels, 2 bags semi sweet chocolate morsels, box of candy canes, crushed, 2 tsp pepp. extract. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Drop tsp of extract into each bowl of chocolate. Melt emi sweet chocolate in microwave bowl. Pour onto both cookie sheets, spread with spatula. Let sit room temp for about 10 min. Melt white chocolate in seperate bowl, pour over the semi-sweet chocolate, then sprinkle crushed candy canes over top of both sheets of chocolate. Set aside one hour, or refrigerate. Lift bark using parchment paper to guide, break into pieces. Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Annie: Hanky Pankies. These are pork, sausage, and velveeta cheese all mixed together on little toasted breads. Sounds disgusting but it is delish. Now I make a vegetarian version that uses beyond meat and velveeta.
Dan: Espresso Martini. 2 ounces Van Gogh double espresso vodka, 1 oz. Kahlua, half ounce Carolan's Irish Cream. Shake it up and serve on the rocks or in a martini glass. For a warm version, make a hot chocolate, combine with the martini and stir. Whipped cream optional.
Nick: Christmas Crack: saltine crackers (about 48 pieces), unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, chocolate chips, pecans, heath bar/crushed. Preheat oven to 400. Line cookie sheet with saltine crackers in single layer. Place sugar and butter in saucepan and bring to boil under medium heat. Set timer and let boil for 3 min. Do not stir. Once timer is done, immediately pour toffee sauce over the saltines and spread all over to cover the crackers completely. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 min. Immediately, remove from oven. Sprinkle chocolate chips all over the crackers. Let sit for 5 minutes. Spread melted chocolate all over. Sprinkle chopped pecans and heath bar all over. Cool completely, then break into pieces.
Christine: Italian cookies: 3 cups flour, 3 tsp baking powder, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup oil, 1 cap flavoring (orange or anise ). Mix together and roll into almond shapes at 350 for 8 to 9 minutes. Frost with powdered sugar and flavoring, and then with sprinkles.
Matt: I dont really bake or cook for the holidays, but I do eat! My mom makes a delicious breakfast on Christmas morning and a banans foster to die for! I love breakfast!
Josh: I literally cant make anything. My favorite thing to eat is whatever recipe is used to make the Chicken Parmesan that I get catered on Christmas Eve.
Ken: Spiked eggnog, and Honey Baked Ham on Christmas Day!
Liam: My favorite holiday food is homemade cannolis.
Bethany: We make Christmas cookies every year and iits impossible to pick just one! But It would be a tie between our Rasberry Thumbprints or the Cherry White Chocolate Biscotti that we have on Christmas morning.
Ashley: I always make this Blueberry french Toast the day before Christmas, so it is ready to throw in the oven first thing in the morning. My son is on a therapeutic diet so we will also be adding a delicious gluten free quiche to our breakfast.
Fiona: Potato Croquettes. This is basically like a fried potato ball and they are amazing!
Anthony: If I had to choose, it would be the dessert: pizzelles and ricotta cookies with espresso.
Teddie the Real Estate Dog: SNOWBALLS!!! Here's the recipe: Go out in the snow and play. Make a snowball with your hands. Eat it. (but not if its yellow. I learned this the hard way. Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good night! )
