For the 13th year, we're celebrating our exclusive holiday at Simply Socks Yarn Company starting this Monday! From Dec. 13 through Dec. 24 you have a chance on this blog to win a special knitterly gift each day. Could be yarn, could be knitterly goodies, and it will definitely be awesome. There's a wide variety of things to be won, from special skeins, entire Advent sets..... even some gift certificates. We're making it a celebration to remember, as usual!
How can you join in? Simply visit the SSYC Blog every day from Dec. 13 through the 24th and answer the question in the comments section before the following day's question is revealed (the comments will be closed on the previous post once the next day is up). You'll automatically be entered to win the gift shown for that day. If you participate each day, you'll have a dozen chances to win (one chance each day). And yes, you can win more than one day! It has happened before.
You don't have to participate in any particular holiday to win anything- you just have to want some awesome free yarn or goodies. Over the years because of this event, I've incorporated new traditions, recipes and projects into my life that I wouldn't have learned of otherwise. And I've read some heart warming stories and gotten to know a lot of you better than I did before (it was especially nice in 2020 when we were still distancing b/c of COVID). I'll post the randomly chosen winners in January, and you'll also get an e-mail if you've won a prize.
Thanks for sharing this with your fiber friends and joining us for another year of fun! This really is a great time of year for me, and from the e-mails I get, you all enjoy it a lot too. It really is worth it to read through the comments if you want pattern or holiday inspiration. I like reading the comments while I'm enjoying my lunch break.
Every year I look forward to unwrapping the Christmas ornaments one -by-one. Here's the cable car Chris gave me after our trip to SF. There's the decoupage egg angel Cori made. Now, the angels bought on foreign travels, etc. Almost all have a special place or person associated with them. Takes forever to decorate, but I wouldn't want it any other way.
Posted by: Linda | December 13, 2022 at 09:36 AM
Going with my momma to pick out names from the Angel Tree and shopping together for the children. What a fun tradition for us and so grateful for the memories we are making. So grateful that my momma is still with me at 87 years young 💓 ❤ 💕
Posted by: Angi Jones | December 13, 2022 at 09:42 AM
Christmas starts at our house the day after Thanksgiving by bringing the Christmas decorations up from the basement and putting up the tree.
Posted by: KTaylor | December 13, 2022 at 10:04 AM
It always starts with Christmas decorating the day after Thanksgiving!
Posted by: Marianne Griffith | December 13, 2022 at 10:08 AM
Christmas season starts the weekend after Thanksgiving with decorating and putting up the tree while playing Christmas music. Even more fun now that our kids are old enough to participate.
Posted by: Kelli | December 13, 2022 at 10:12 AM
Dec 1st, the first day on the advent calender. We have a homemade one that we out gifts into each year.
Posted by: Susan Dobrowney | December 13, 2022 at 10:17 AM
I love to start baking AND listening to Christmas music. That seems to be the kick off for me. Then knitting every night with the tree beaming off my face with a glass of something! Enjoy!
Posted by: Paddy | December 13, 2022 at 11:12 AM
The Christmas season officially begins when we set out the knitted gnomes (we’re up to 31 this year, I just counted) and decorate the tree; my favorite ornaments are the family hand-me-downs, some of which are more than 60 years old.
Posted by: Anne | December 13, 2022 at 11:23 AM
Getting out the treasured ornaments and remembering years ago as we decorate the tree and start to watch the Christmas movies
Posted by: Pat Knowles | December 13, 2022 at 11:29 AM
Watching "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
Posted by: Laurel Koba | December 13, 2022 at 11:44 AM
It’s the cookie baking that really gets me in a holiday mood! I usually make date pinwheels, chocolate crinkles, Hungarian islers, apricot chews, and a couple more that vary from year to year. 😋
Posted by: Barbara A. | December 13, 2022 at 12:03 PM
It's going black Friday shopping with my son. We don't really buy anything but getting up early going for coffee and people watching is fun for us
Posted by: Christina Reber | December 13, 2022 at 12:16 PM
Santa comes on my birthday! yes, Christmas Eve is my birthday so Christmas has to be BIG at my house!
Posted by: Laura McMahan | December 13, 2022 at 01:54 PM
The first thing is getting out the family Christmas cookie recipes, checking to see if we still have enough colored sugars from last year, and laying in the supplies - tons of butter, mostly! Scrubbing up all the cookie sheets, making sure there's enough foil for the glace lace cookies, finding the cookie press and making sure all the required forms are in the box, digging out the cookie cutters. All the while listening to Christmas music, and thinking of and remembering those we learned from, and baked with, over the decades.
Posted by: Lynn Spann Bowditch | December 13, 2022 at 02:28 PM
Christmas begins by putting up the tree…end of November. And of course all the baking.
Posted by: Filomena Hack | December 13, 2022 at 03:24 PM
I have a collection of advent calendars so I try to set them up right after Thanksgiving. Then I start cookie baking. Love the holidays!
Posted by: Charlotte Dockstader | December 13, 2022 at 03:39 PM
My mother's birthday is December 12th so Christmas starts on the 13th in our house. So it's time for me to decorate.
Posted by: Elizabeth | December 13, 2022 at 03:45 PM
Christmas begins when my willow tree nativity goes up.
Seeing a live nativity at an area church also prepares my family
For the upcoming festivities. Tacky light tours also round out the
Beginning of holiday season.
Posted by: Debbie Locke | December 13, 2022 at 06:01 PM
The Xmas season for me starts with putting up the Christmas tree and outdoor lights
Posted by: Tracy Kachel | December 13, 2022 at 07:17 PM
The day after Thanksgiving the tree goes up and ALL the decorations! I love it so much and when the tree is up with all the ornaments and lights I am so filled with joy❤️🎄!
Posted by: Elizabeth | December 13, 2022 at 08:25 PM
Decorating my fireplace mantle is the start of the season for me. Also, putting wreaths on the doors the same day.!!
Posted by: Anita Coymen | December 13, 2022 at 08:35 PM
Seeing all the Christmas shows on television.
Posted by: Teena Carter | December 13, 2022 at 08:37 PM
Christmas starts here right after Thanksgiving. My favorite thing so far has been taking my two oldest granddaughters shopping for their parents and other sibling. This will be our new tradition.
Posted by: Anita | December 15, 2022 at 12:26 PM
I have a couple of knitting resolutions or goals for 2023. I would like to knit a shawl. I've wanted to knit one for a long time. I also want to master knitting socks on magic loop and not have the dreaded ladders I seem to have every time I try using the magic loop method.
Posted by: Janis Fox | December 15, 2022 at 04:35 PM
My resolution is to learn to hand knit socks. I would like to take a class where I can get help in class and learn how to become comfortable with the magic loop. I have knit a couple of hats with double pointed needles and even finished a pair of fingerless gloves using double pointed needles but have always wanted to have knitted a pair of socks.
Posted by: Jan Burkhart | December 15, 2022 at 09:03 PM
I also love decorating our family tree. We have been collecting Hallmark Ornaments for about 30 years. Of course there are more ornaments than one tree can hold but, I can’t resist how cute and sweet they are. While decorating our tree we listen to Christmas carols and sing along. Sometimes we string popcorn and decorate cookies for one of our many trees.
Posted by: Melody Pelton | December 16, 2022 at 01:14 AM
I love watching all the old Christmas movies and decorating our tree. I hope to learn to knit socks this year.
Posted by: Theresa Sandefur | December 16, 2022 at 09:04 AM
Starting to listen to Christmas music the day after Halloween and going to Christmas craft shows. Also, when decorate the tree the memories from the old & handmade ornaments dating back 45 years.
Posted by: Donna Rider | December 17, 2022 at 05:38 AM
I drink Decaf Kcups- which ever flavor I can find.
Posted by: Sandy Scofield | December 17, 2022 at 09:36 AM
My favorite project this year has been my scrappy sock yarn afghan. It’s so lovely to add each block and remember each sock I’ve had on the needles this year. I can’t wait to win more sock 🧶
Socks rule!!!!!
Posted by: Donna Tyson | December 18, 2022 at 11:40 AM
I haven’t completed many projects this year. Covid struck in January followed by shoulder surgery in July, rehab until November. The. Christmas stocking and a cowel are all I managed. I have a pair of socks on the needles now hoping to work on after Christmas thru New Years Day.
Posted by: Karen Bolton | December 19, 2022 at 11:32 AM
I've fully completed 19 projects to date and hope to finish another 2-3 more by the end of the year, for a total of 21-22 projects. Most of my projects were small projects (mostly socks and house slippers) which tend to be easy and quick for me. My larger projects were 2 sweaters and a cocoon cardigan - many firsts in how it was constructed for me which took much more time. As I never really plan for projects (I tend to either make items as needed or projects tend to be how to use up stash yarrn), it's always interesting to see what projects I end up doing throughout the year. One day, when I finally run out of stash, it will be more interesting as I will now be able to buy yarn based on projects rather than making do and finding projects that suit whatever mishmash of uarn I have/have inherited.
Posted by: lk | December 19, 2022 at 03:08 PM
For the question today, 12/20, I live in Albuquerque. The weather prediction for today & the week ahead is temps in the 40s & 50s with plenty of sunshine. We have a Holiday House decorating contest going on in our community, so there are lots of beautiful decorations and lights to brighten up the nighttime all around the neighborhood.
Posted by: Jo | December 20, 2022 at 01:39 PM
I live in mostly sunny HI where today's wx is most likely to have highs in the high 70s but feels like we in the low 70s (which is freezing for us islanders). My view outside my window today is mostly cloudy, with hints of blue skies and I'm fortunate enough to live in an area where I do have a sliver of Oceanview. My actual view is really what am I supposed to do with this snow doll I'm making but ran out of white yarn for its head that I'm not even half done yet!😱🤦♀️🤦♀️ The conundrums of a knitter!😱🙄🤭 Maybe I'll set it aside and work on a pair of socks instead ...😉😁☺️❄️☃️🎁🎄🎅
Posted by: lk | December 20, 2022 at 02:49 PM
My favorite 1 skein pattern is a tabi sock pattern that I've mashed up to be a mostly toe-up pattern. It's my go to travel/doctor's office/waiting for long periods of time project that I always have on hand to keep me from going crazy wondering how long I'm going to be waiting around.😉☺️👍
Posted by: L. Kawakami | December 22, 2022 at 04:10 PM
I am addicted to Charlotte Stone’s Color Work Socks pattern book as well as her patterns on Ravelry! I haven’t knitted color work socks for years but fell in love with her patterns and am now hooked! Her socks are fun: ski gondolas over snowy trees, tulips, Christmas puddings, etc.
Posted by: Peggy Stirling | December 22, 2022 at 10:16 PM
My favorite holiday is really not a specific holiday but really the season which is really between Thanksgiving and the week or so following the New Year. It's a time when things start winding down for the year, when more people are getting excited to see more of their friends and family to celebrate being together. Often times, it's also a time of year I tend to travel to enjoy being in the cold and wearing all my sweaters (as I kive in a very warm climate)! ❄️☃️
My next favorite holiday is really ANY holiday! Who doesn't enjoy a day off or a long weekend afterall? It gives us a break from the daily grind and hopefully, a chance to gather with friends and family to have some R&R even if it's just for an extra day.😉😁🙌🥳
Thanks for letting us share with each other! 👍🙌❤️
Posted by: lk | December 23, 2022 at 09:19 PM