Christmas 2025 is officially in the books!
I was diagnosed with MS shortly after Christmas 2021 so this is my fourth Christmas with a MS, even though we didn’t know what was going on that first year. The second year I came to the realization that I couldn’t do it all, but I still tried. I ended up sleeping in bed for weeks afterwards. Last year was, awful. I don’t know how else to describe it. I had Covid, everyone in the house was fighting, and it just didn’t feel like Christmas at all. This year, I took a bit out of all of those experiences and decided to front load the first week of holidays and allow myself to rest during the second week. I made a conscious effort to sit out of the things that tire me out the fastest and give myself grace because I made that decision. I may not have gone to all of the very loud and frankly completely overstimulating evening band concerts lol (HBear got me Loop earplugs which I’m excited to try!) but I made it to the less chaotic Toys for Tots performance in the morning. I didn’t get to do gingerbread houses, but I did get to help Ninja with the wrapping this year, something I have felt very guilty about over the last few years. Yes, I bow and tag all the gifts, but Ninja wraps everything including the stockings. This year, I sat out of gingerbread houses (socializing is SO fatiguing), but was able to take wrapping the stockings off of his plate so he that could enjoy an activity to the fullest extent. I love that for us!
This year, no one was sick so my Sis’ s family was able to join us, Ninja‘s older brother came to celebrate Christmas with us for the first time in years, and my Dad was home to celebrate with us too. This year we packed a ton of Christmas cheer into the first week of our holidays, skating, cookie decorating, gingerbread houses, brunch, light tours, game night, and 3 Christmas mornings in 24 hours lol.
It was a busy Christmas, but also more relaxed. Or maybe I was just more relaxed lol. It was the first Christmas Eve in years where we were both in bed by midnight! The Kids woke us up at 8 AM and we took our time opening presents before our annual Christmas breakfast. An hour later we were at Ninja‘s parents house to open presents with them and to enjoy a fabulous dinner! My Sis‘s family and my Dad met us there and then had a sleepover so we could continue the Christmas cheer the next day! After a delicious breakfast, we had the Castle family Christmas at my Dad‘s! I am so happy we get to spend the holidays with so many family members, but it really makes me miss my Bro, my SIL, and my niece and nephew back in Winnipeg just that much more.
I hope everybody had a wonderful Christmas! Happy holidays to you all, see you next year 😘.
New Year’s Eve is tomorrow and we have yet to make any plans lol. We’ll probably order takeout, eat some appies, watch some hockey, and ring in the New Year here at home. If you haven’t made any plans yet, and need some last-minute ideas, here are a few, fantastic appetizers, drinks, and festive treats! Or perhaps you just want to sit in with a book this New Year’s Eve? Well, I have the perfect one for you! Check out my New Year’s treats for 2026!
I am not a big fan of eggnog. Or at least on its own I’m not a big fan but stir in some spiced rum and grate some fresh nutmeg on top and I’m instantly in the Christmas spirit. However, when Christmas is over so is my craving for spiced rum and eggnog lol. Unfortunately, I still have a litre of eggnog in the fridge and as I will always be the daughter of a milkman lol so I had to use it up. These Eggnog White Russians were the perfect after Christmas eggnog drinks! The fresh nutmeg still made it feel like it’s the cosy holidays, but the vodka made me want to ring in the new year!
If you want an easy, sure to please everyone appetizer, these Maple BBQ Hasselback Kielbasa Bites will be perfect. The best part of this appetizer, besides the taste, of course, is that you can prep it ahead of time. So when you have guests over on New Year’s Eve, you can just pop these guys into the air fryer and in a few minutes, you will have delicious saucy snacks that everyone will love.
Of course I can’t think of New Year’s without thinking of Ovation chocolates. Does anybody remember those chocolate covered sticks filled with mint? Or After Eight? As a milkman, my Dad received a lot of gifts during the holidays. We had a whole buffet table stacked with boxes of Belgian chocolate shells, Laura Secord, Turtles, Ovation and After Eights. Memories! Lol I always remember the mint Ovation sticks and pretending that they were fancy cigarettes on NYE. These Mint Chocolate Cookie Cups are an updated version of my childhood memory that is an easy sweet bite, perfect for a party tray!
Whenever there are appetizers out at a party, I go directly for anything with cheese in it. I love these Ham and Cheese Puff Pastry Pinwheels that check off all my appetizer boxes, they can be made ahead of time, they take 15 minutes, they taste freaking delicious, they are easy to eat and they look cute.
For anyone that wants to cheers the new year, but don’t partake in alcohol this Chocolate Peppermint Mocktail is for you! Sometimes alcohol affects my MS and I don’t want to take the risk, but I also want to have a nice drink outside of my regular water and coffee. I’m not a pop drinker, I don’t really enjoy juice and the only way that I like milk is when it’s mixed as a brown cow lol. So Ninja made this delicious mocktail for us which consists of a spiced chocolate sauce and a faux Kahlúa with a dash of peppermint. It was even better than the cocktail!
Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore Holidaze, holiday themed. It’s New Year’s Eve 1982 and Oona is living her best life, in love, with a future full of choices just about to turn 19. As the clock strikes 12, she finds herself in a completely different place and the year is 2015. Oona has just turned 51 years old and her assistant helps her come to the realization that every New Year’s Eve at the stroke of midnight Oona is transported to a different year in her life. Sometimes she’s older sometimes she’s younger, but her entire adult life is completely out of order. Her body may be 51 but her brain is still 18. In her second jump, she is 27 in 1991 but her actual age is 20. Which may be why she falls so hard into the club scene. Youth, money and anger leads to a year of hiding and excess. The concept is very cool and they explained it in a way that doesn’t make your brain hurt. Oona loves music and I loved all of the musical references as she learned what happened in the world and in music from the early 80’s to 2017. I thought this was a really cool book with good twists. If you don’t think too hard, it all makes complete sense. I liked all the characters and felt satisfied with the conclusion.
Eggnog White Russian
2
servings5
minutesIngredients
4 oz vodka, separated
2 oz coffee liqueur, separated
6 oz eggnog, separated
Garnish: ground nutmeg
Directions
Add 2 oz vodka and 1 oz coffee liqueur to 2 glasses filled with ice.
Top each glass with 3oz eggnog and stir gently.
Garnish with a sprinkle of ground nutmeg.
Maple BBQ Hasselback Kielbasa Bites
4
servings10
minutes8-10
minutesIngredients
2 rings kielbasa
1 cup barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup maple syrup
parsley, chopped for garnish
Directions
Place the kielbasa between two chopsticks and skewers to prevent cutting through the kielbasa completely. Slice into 1-inch bite-sized pieces stopping at the chopsticks. Place into a large bowl.
In a small bowl, add the barbecue sauce, Dijon mustard, and maple syrup. Stir to combine. 

Pour ½ cup of the sauce mixture over the kielbasa and toss to coat. Reserve the remaining sauce for after cooking.

Arrange the kielbasa bites in a single layer of your air fryer. You may have to work in batches.
Air fry at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, or until browned, shaking/stirring halfway through cooking.

Remove the bites from the air fryer and place them onto a large platter or baking sheet. Pour or brush about ¼ cup of the reserved maple barbeque sauce over top, tossing to coat.
 Garnish with parsley and serve warm with the remaining maple barbecue sauce.

Mint Chocolate Cookie Cups
24
servings35
minutes11
minutesIngredients
1 1/3 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 Ingredient
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
- Mint Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2-3 drops green food dye
Garnish: 12 chocolate mints, cut in half
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 24-count mini muffin pan with non oil and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar for 1-2 minutes. Then, mix in the egg and vanilla one at a time until well combined.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Distribute about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cookie dough between all 24 cavities of the mini muffin pan.
Bake at 350°F for 11-13 minutes or until the tops of the cookie cups are set.
Remove from the oven and use the back of a measuring teaspoon to gently press in the centre of each cookie cup. Allow to cool in the pan for five minutes, then remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar and heavy cream and mix until well combined. Add in peppermint extract and food coloring and mix until fully combined. Taste and add more extract if desired.
Pipe the frosting into the cooled cookie cups and top each one with half of a chocolate mint.
Ham & Cheese Puff Pastry Pinwheels
18
servings10
minutes15
minutesIngredients
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
â…› teaspoon pepper
½ package frozen puff pastry (one sheet), thawed
6 slices deli ham
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon green onion, sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the egg and water together. Set aside.

In a medium bowl add the butter, mustard, Worcestershire, honey, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined. Set aside.

Unroll the puff pastry and place it on a lightly floured surface. Evenly roll the puff pastry into a square approximately 12" x 12".

Spread the butter mixture onto the puff pastry, but leave a 1/2 inch on the sides. Top the puff pastry with the ham and then the cheese. Then carefully roll the puff pastry up into a jelly roll. Use a serrated knife to cut the roll into 16-18 pinwheels, each about 3/4" thick. Transfer the pinwheels onto the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart.

Coat the pinwheels with the egg wash using a pastry brush.
 Bake the pinwheels for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Top with parsley and sliced green onions.
Chocolate Peppermint Mocktail
4
servings10
minutes5
minutesIngredients
4 cups spiced chocolate syrup
4 oz Khalua substitute
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
ice
- Kahlua Substitute
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon instant coffee
- Spiced Chocolate Syrup
3 cups milk
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
salt, to taste
Directions
- Kahlua Substitute
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the water, instant coffee, and brown sugar, stirring until sugar and powder has dissolved completely, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the sweetened condensed milk until smooth and creamy. Let it cool.

- Spiced Chocolate Syrup
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add together all ingredients, whisking to combine. Bring to a boil, about 1-2 minutes. Once fully combined and smooth, remove from heat and let cool.

- Mocktail
Add ice, 1 oz Kahlua substitute, 1 cup spiced chocolate syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract together in a cocktail shaker, shaking vigorously until combined and foamy.

Fill your cocktail glass halfway with crushed ice. Add the mixture until glasses are filled. Top with whipped cream. Repeat for all servings.
I am SO happy that I was able to participate in most of the Christmas activities this year, I REALLY missed them last year when I was home sick in bed. We printed off our permit and went to the top of the mountain to cut down our tree. There wasn’t;t much snow up there this year to our disappointment. In fact we have had no snow this year and had another green Christmas which seems like it might be the new normal. The Kids did gingerbread houses with Grandma and Grandpa and Ninja got to visit with his parents and his Bro! We started Christmas Eve with brunch at BNA Brewing with The Maier Clan. After we opened our Christmas Eve box that Maynard brought us, we decorated the tree and set up the train. When it got dark we went downtown to see the lights, to The White Spot for dinner and then on a Christmas light tour, We ended the night with games, SNL and sparklers. Christmas started at 8am and the Kids raced down to see what Santa left fr them, HBear got luggage and said, “suitcases? where am I going?” LOL SBean got a record shelf for her new… record player! They also got the new instruments they asked for. We ALL got spoiled with the most thoughtful gifts. We then went to my IL’s for Christmas #2. We were joined by HBear’s BF, my Dad, and my Sis’s family. It was a super nice night and the food was like always, delicious! The Kids ended the long day with a sleepover and movies. The next day we went down to Dad’s for breakfast and our THIRD Christmas!
I feel so lucky. I feel like this truly happy Christmas season is going to lead into a calmer, kinder and more joyful New Year. Wishing you all a very happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year’s Eve!
18 thoughts on “Christmas Recap & NYE Treats”
I am glad you were able to figure out how to enjoy the festivities and still get your rest this year! We really spread out our fun activities over the month of December which I am glad since everyone got the flu the week of Christmas. Thankfully everyone is over it now and the youngest were not hit too bad. These recipes look amazing and my boys sure would like those kielbasa bites. New Year’s Day plans are still up in the air, but we are taking it easy!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Balance is key for sure! I’m glad everyone was healthy enough to celebrate the holidays with you. The Kids loved the kielbasa bites! Thanks for stopping by, Happy New Year 🙂
I like the premise/concept of Oona Out of Order, although it sounds like it’d be confusing! I’ll be adding it to my TBR. :] Thanks for linking up with me at My Month Is Booked!
It was a bit confusing but if you didn’t think too hard, it was a cute and interesting read 🙂 Happy New Year!
Sorry to hear about your MS. Life can be so hard sometimes. Hubby has a version of Motor neurone disease so is disabled and has been for decades – it ain’t easy but on we go. Happy new year to you and yours. The older i get, the harder i find it in loud or overstressful situations so no big crowds etc for me :=) Take care
sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/
Thank you. Happy New Year to you as well 🙂
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Not every Christmas can be the best ever, and I’m sorry last year’s was so not fun for you. But so glad you found ways to manage your expectations and health and all the things and truly enjoy this year’s holiday season! Those recipes all look so good – I love kielbasa so I do want to try that one especially. Visiting from Bookworms Monthly – I think Oona Out of Order sounds like a really neat premise for a story. Glad you enjoyed it. Happy New Year and Happy Reading!
Thank you so much! The kielbasa was super tasty 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and happy reading to you this new year!
Kristin, Happy New Year! Enjoyed reading about your Christmas recap. And of course I loved your recipes you shared. Featuring your post tomorrow at The Crazy Little Lovebirds link party.
What a great way to start the New Year! Thank you so much, I appreciate it. See you next time 🙂
I’m sorry you have to navigate life with a chronic illness, I’m in my 10th year now and it’s so hard to organize rest with fun. It sounds like you had some lovely time with your family. Oona out of Order sounds very interesting. I actually remember New Years Eve 1982 as if it was yesterday so I’d probably relate to a lot of her experiences.
Thank you so much, it sounds like you can relate. Holidays are incredibly tough when you have a chronic illness. Oona was a very interesting book, my little Sis was born in 1982 and I liked that it started in a year I had a tie to. Happy New Year to you!
What a fun holiday you had! Plus, ALL of your treats look amazing! Thanks so much for linking up with Sundays on Silveardo! Your post will be featured tomorrow morning!
Niky
Thank you so much! I always enjoy the Sundays on Silverado Link Party! See you next week 🙂
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I have a bunch of chronic illnesses and fibromyalgia so I hear you on being down for days when over doing things I’m so happy to hear you paced yourself and were able to have a more relaxing Christmas season. And those NYE treats they sound fantastic! Yum!
Thanks so much for sharing with Sweet Tea & Friends this month dear friend. I’m so happy you’re here.
Thank you so much. Chronic illness is certainly no fun, especially around holidays. I hope you had a merry Christmas and all the best in the new year to you! 😊