Dear Grand: Why did the angels visit people as lowly as the shepherds? When angels visit, why are people always afraid?

Happy Christmas Eve! 

I hope your shopping is done and all the packages are wrapped and you are ready for a warm, relaxing holiday with family and friends. 

Before I sign off for the holidays, let me share a fun, little game we have in our family.  We have a Christmas Eve tradtion where everyone in our extended family races to tell all the others "Christmas Eve Gift."  This is serious business in our house and involves calling, emailing and texting each other at all hours of the night and day.  Uncles have been know to wake their own children at 5 am to yell "Christmas Eve gift" in their tiny, sleeping ears.  The ideas is that the winner gets to open a gift on Christmas Eve.  No amount of sneaking is off limits.  Even great grandparents can be awakened with shouts.  So, if we all make it through today, I will let you know who won the contest.  Grand pointed out that in his lifetime, he has yet to see a real gift opened by the winner.  Maybe this year!

Dear Grand: How many miles did the wise men travel and were they kings?

Day 4 in our family "Questions and Answers" about the Christmas story.  Today Grand answers Hannah's question!

Hannah, age 9

Dear Grand, How many miles did the wise men travel and were they kings?

Dear Grand: Why did God come down to earth? Why did nobody help Mary and Joseph?

Dear Friends,

This week, I am so excited to share with you the answers to five questions about the Holiest of All Nights, the blessed Christmas Story. Each grandchild in our family asked their grandfather a question about the Nativity, and their sweet Grand was willing to take the time to answer not only for them, but for all of us as well.

My father, Dr. Terry Denton, has his doctorate from Southwestern Theological Seminary, but to the kids in our family, he is just Grand, the wrestler, the joke-teller, the golfer who lets his grand kids help drive the golf cart. We love him and are grateful God uses him to bless our lives in many ways.



Today Grand answers Alexandra's question.  So far, we have learned why Jesus Christ came to earth on that Christmas night long ago and we learned about the wise men travelling from afar to visit the Christ child, the foretold Jewish king.  Let's see what Alexandra asked.

Merry Christmas!
Robin

Alexandra, age 8

Dear Grand: Why and how did the wise men follow the star? And why are they called "wise men"?

Dear Friends,

Today is Day #2 in our "Dear Grand" series.   All week I am sharing with you the answers to five questions about the Holiest of All Nights, the blessed Christmas Story. Each grandchild in our family asked their grandfather a question about the Nativity, and their sweet Grand was willing to take the time to answer not only for them, but for all of us as well.

Check back each day this week for the next question...and answer...and we pray you will be blessed by this sweet exchange between the generations of our family. Merry Christmas!

Robin Walls

Molly, age 7

Grand, why and how did the wise men follow the star? And why are they called “wise men”?



In the ancient world, with few written documents and even fewer iPads, those in power who wanted to understand their world sought insight in other ways. One of the strong beliefs prevalent in biblical times was that information about the future could be discerned by a careful study of the movement of the stars. And so many men in that era devoted their lives to astronomy and the best among them came to be known as “wise men”.



The wise men in the Bible, also called Magi from which we get our word magician, were men of these sort. Some highly unusual astronomical events took place around the time of Christ that led them to believe the stars were announcing the birth of a Jewish king. Some of these wise men might well have been of Jewish descent and perhaps came from the Jewish remnants of the Babylonian captivity.


They came to Judah to pay their respects to this new king. And wise men and women have been doing the same thing ever since.

Love, Grand

DEAR GRAND: Why did Jesus have to come as a man?

Dear Friends,
This week, I am so excited to share with you the answers to five questions about the Holiest of All Nights, the blessed Christmas Story.  Each grandchild in our family asked their grandfather a question about the Nativity, and their sweet Grand was willing to take the time to answer not only for them, but for all of us as well.  My father, Dr. Terry Denton, has his doctorate from Southwestern Theological Seminary, but to the kids in our family, he is just Grand, the wrestler, the joke-teller, the golfer who lets his grandkids help drive the golf cart.  We love him and are grateful God uses him to bless our lives in many ways. 

Check back each day this week for the next question...and answer...and we pray you will be blessed by this sweet exchange between the generations of our family.  Merry Christmas!

Robin Walls

Sam, age 11

Dear Grand, why did Jesus have to come as a man?

The short answer is “He didn’t have to, he chose to.” And what an incredible act of selflessness and humility it was!!! But the question really is, why did the Son of God choose to take the history altering step of becoming the Son of Man?


1) To keep a promise. -- Throughout the Old Testament, prophets under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit had predicted the coming of God in the flesh. One of the names given to the Messiah was Immanuel, which means “God with us.” God never breaks a promise.

2) To reveal God more fully -- God reveals himself through nature, through the law, through the prophets and through the Bible. While completely truthful, these methods are partial and incomplete. The perfect answer to the age old question of what God is really like is answered by the sinless life lived by Jesus Christ. To know God better, study the life of Jesus.

3) To redeem mankind – Had there been any other way to pay for the sins of humanity and open up salvation for all who would believe, I have no doubt He would have taken it. God’s holiness demands a sacrifice and it was His incomparable love which prompted Jesus to choose the path of a painful and ignominious death on the cross. By Jesus Christ becoming the Son of Man, now we can become the sons and daughters of God.

Love, Grand

Marshmallow Snowmen and Marshmallow Reindeer

These pictures are not from a magazine shoot.  Real kids made these wonderful treats in our Christmas baking class today and it was so fun I thought I would share the recipes with you.  You can decorate the Marshmallow Snowmen and Reindeer yourself and give it to a child you love or better yet, invite them over and make them together.  They are super easy, super quick and look great.  Perfect for kids of all ages.

Marshmallow Reindeer

8 Large Marshmallows
8- 6” Lollipop Sticks
6 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate
16 Tiny Twist Pretzel Knots
16 Candy Eyes (or Royal Icing for eyes)
8 Red Hot Candies




Lay sets of two pretzel knots onto the wax paper lined cookie sheet, so that they are touching each other. Stick a large marshmallow onto a stick. Melt chocolate in microwave. Dip each marshmallow into the melted chocolate, tap off excess. Place the flat side of each dipped marshmallow onto a set of pretzel knots. Let set a minute or two. Apply candy eyes and red hot nose. Chill 10-15 minutes.  Makes 8 reindeer.

Marshmallow Snowmen

18 large marshmallows
8 ounces almond bark

1 ounce, melted chocolate
Orange frosting



Push three jumbo marshmallows onto each lollipop stick. The lollipop stick should not go all the way through the last marshmallow. Melt almond bark in microwave according to package directions. Dip marshmallows into almond bark. Tap off excess melted almond bark by tapping the marshmallow lollipop back into melted wafers horizontally, so the entire length of the lollipop taps the surface. Lay lollipops down on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Chill 10-15 minutes.




Once marshmallow lollipops have set up, melt chocolate in Zip-lock bag and stick a pin in corner to make a tiny hole. Draw details onto snowman characters with chocolate and orange frosting.

Peppermint Brownie Kisses

Peppermint Brownie Kisses

Nothing goes better with deep, dark chocolate than peppermint.  I love, dare I say adore, dark chocolate and peppermint.  I wait all year for Chick-fil-A's Peppermint Chocolate Chip shake.  My mouth is watering in a Pavlovian response at just the thought of such goodness.  And don't even mention Starbucks Peppermint Mocha...sinful!  Let's add Dove Peppermint Bark and I will need to run miles a day to keep up with all the calories.  Want a little homemade treat that combines the wonderful smooth chocolate and wintry peppermint flavors?

I've got just the thing!

Peppermint Brownie Kisses

Double Chocolate Brownie Recipe

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into large pieces
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup  all-purpose flour, sifted


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray cooking oil into cups of 2 mini muffin pans.  Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, and whisk in sugar. Whisk in eggs, 1 at a time, until combined. Whisk in cocoa and salt. Fold in flour until combined.


Scoop batter into muffin tins. Bake until set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, 20-25 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes. Lift brownie cups from pan with a knife and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely. Pipe peppermint frosting onto brownies in a swirl pattern. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint.

Peppermint Frosting
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. butter, softened
3 tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring


Beat all ingredients until smooth and of spreading consistency. 

Christmas Baking Class This Saturday!

CHRISTMAS COOKING CLASS

Saturday, December 18th

Cypress, Texas

It is time for our annual Christmas baking class...

My favorite time of the year!

Visions of Sugarplums     

December 18; 10:00 am-12:00 pm
(7-12 year olds)
$20.00


Do your children have visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads? They will after taking this sweet-filled class where holiday baking and candy-making take center stage. Last year’s class was SO MUCH FUN for the kids and I had a blast too!! Each child will make marshmallow pops from our homemade marshmallow recipe, create handmade candies and of course decorate sugar cookies to take home in a holiday tin. We will enjoy Christmas music and partake of yummy Christmas punch! Sign up today to hold your spot!


TO REGISTER SEND EMAIL TO:
robin@sussiebox.com

Peppermint Swirl Cookies

Peppermint Swirl Cookies

This is a recipe idea in last year's Southern Living Christmas magazine, but of course I changed the recipe!  I just happened to be partial to my grandmother's sugar cookie recipe, which I feel is pretty much perfection.  I made the cookies, wrapped them like large peppermint candies and gave them in cute packages to friends and family last year.  The peppermint icing tastes so good!

The only extra hint I would give is that the recipe calls for red food coloring paste, be sure to use it and not the liquid version or the dough will be too soft.  To get that rich red color, it may take a little more food coloring than stated.  You can play around until you get the right color.  Just be prepared to get caught "red-handed" afterwards.  (Sorry, I couldn't resist the bad pun.)

Peppermint Swirl Cookies
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy, gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time and vanilla, beating until blended, scraping bowl as needed.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended.

Divide dough into 2 equal portions and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Roll 1 portion of dough into a 12X8 inch rectangle on a piece of lightly floured plastic wrap.  Knead food coloring paste into remaining portion of dough while wearing rubber gloves (unless you like red hands ).  Roll tinted dough into a rectangle as directed in Step 3.  Invert untinted dough onto tinted dough; peel off top piece of plastic wrap.  Cut dough in half lengthwise, forming 2 (12 X4 inch) rectangles.  Roll up each rectangle, jelly roll fashion, starting at the long side and using bottom piece of plastic wrap as a guide.  Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for 4 hours or up to 1 month.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cut ends off each dough log and discard.  Cut dough into 1/4 inch thick pieces and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.  Bake at 350 for 6 to 7 minutes or until puffed and set.  Cool cookies for 5 minutes or until completely cool.  Place Peppermint Frosting in a zip-top plastic freezer bag.  Snip 1 corner of bag to make a small hole.  Pipe about 2 teaspoons frosting onto bottom half of cookie and top with another to form a sandwich.


Peppermint Frosting
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 (3 oz) package of cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.  Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended.  Increase speed to medium and gradually add milk and peppermint extract, beating until smooth.

Sugar Glazed Pecans and Savory Snack Mix

Today I have two delicious snack recipes for you. 

One is sweet; one savory.  Both are easy recipes that store wonderfully and make great gifts.  Enjoy!

My "Savory Snack Mix" is a version of the ever famous Chex Mix but instead of the traditional recipe, I use all my favorite things including Kellogg's Crispix Cereal!  I like this cereal because it is super crispy and each piece has a corn side and a rice side.  Then I add all my favorite ingredients.  If you want it spicy, add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper with the butter.  I like to add a little "sweet" to this savory recipe, so some of the nuts are praline or honey roasted.

Savory Snack Mix

6 cups Kellog's Crispix cereal

2 cups Cheez-Its

2 cups pretzels

1/2 cup Praline Pecans (I used First Choice brand)

1/2 cup peanuts

1/2 cup Honey Roasted cashews

6 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

In a large microwavable bowl, mix Kellogg's Crispix cereal, Chees-its, pretzels and nuts; set aside.  In a small Pyrex measuring cup, microwave butter and seasonings.  Stir butter mixture and then drizzle it over the cereal mixture.  Stir until evenly coated.  Microwave on High, uncovered for 6 minutes, stopping to stir every 2 minutes.  Spread on wax paper to cool.  Store in airtight container.

This is my friend Kris's recipe.  She makes these every Christmas and all her friends and family hope they will be on the receiving end of this delicious gift!

Sugar Glazed Pecans

2 lbs pecans (any nut will work)

2 egg whites

2 tablespoons cold water

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, salt and cinnamon.  Stir and set aside.  Crack egg whites into a large bowl.  Add water and beat until frothy.  Pour pecans into egg white mixture and stir until thoroughly coated.  Pour sugar mixture over the coated pecans and mix until coated. Pour nuts onto lined cookie sheet and bake at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour, stirring every minutes.  When cooled, store in airtight container.

Merry Christmas: Advent Calendar

Merry Christmas dear sweet friends, 

To those of you I know and to those I wish I knew, I am hoping that you enjoy a peaceful, joyful holiday season.  I pray that this Christmas will be full of laughter and celebration as well as quiet moments full of tender reflection on the Christ child.  On a starry night some 2,000 years ago, in a crowded town busy with their own worries and troubles, lay a baby in a manger.  This child went unnoticed by most.  But heaven and earth were singing out the arrival of the God-child, the savior who had become flesh.  Many were too busy to hear the faint cries of the baby born in a stable, but had they paused for a moment they might have heard the heavenly host of angels singing, "Glory to God in the Highest."  Those chosen shepherds, keeping their flocks by night, did hear and see the multitudes of heavenly hosts proclaiming this good news of great joy.

"Fear not" for in this bustling city of David there has been born a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And so, the time to celebrate this holiest of nights, witnessed but by a few, is upon us.  Let us cast out all distractions, let us be purposeful with our time, let us revel in the miracle that saved us.  Let us celebrate the Advent of Christ!

The Advent Calendar

Many families use some type of Advent Calendar to count off the day until Christmas.  Our family uses this red box with little compartments which holds treasures for the kids.  With three children, I can just fit three small pieces of candy or stickers in each one along with a tiny scroll.

Chocolate snowmen and handmade scrolls.

Each scroll, handmade from paper and toothpicks, has a Bible verse written on it which tells a part of the Christmas story.  Most of the verses for the first week in December are from the Old Testament which prophesy the coming Messiah.  Then we hear about the angel who spoke to Mary, Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth and the arrival of John the Baptist.  We learn about Jesus' birth and the host of angels who tell the shepherds the good news of great joy.  At the end, I add the verses about the Wise Men. 

I finish with Simeon, who was promised he would see the Messiah before he died, blessing Jesus.  Since so much of the story happens after the birth, I didn't save His birth for the 25th.  I know many people like to save it for the last box, where they place a small baby Jesus figure, but I wanted to have our family dwell on each part of the story and I love the story of Simeon.  Simeon's blessing actually comes before the Wise Men in the Biblical account but many children think of the Magi when they think of the Nativity so I ended with Simeon.

I created a link to all the verses in case you would like to use them in your Advent celebration.  You don't have to take the time to cut each verse and tape them to toothpicks, but I will say the kids love unrolling the "little scrolls" every year.  You can find it at Advent Verses .