Holiday Greetings, Friends!
Just a quick note to let you know Alphabet Soup will be on hiatus for the next several weeks. Thank you, regular readers, for visiting, sharing, commenting, and eating all my cookies noshing with us this past year, and welcome, all you perky and good-looking new subscribers! This online community has been such a wonderful source of comfort and joy for me each and every day — I appreciate and never take for granted your time, attention and support!
It’s often said that Christmas is for children; it is especially true this year, perhaps the most soul-searching, emotionally wrenching holiday season we’ve ever experienced in our lifetimes. Most of you who follow this blog are connected with kids in some way — not only as parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, but as teachers, librarians, counselors, writers, artists, illustrators, reviewers, booksellers or publicists. While we honor and celebrate the children we are fortunate to have in our lives this holiday, let’s not forget to nurture the innocent, trusting child within, who still believes in goodness, loves freely and openly, is alight with wonder, and never loses hope.
I wish you all that is merry and bright in this season of miracles, and many happy hours in your kitchen, at the table and around the hearth, cherishing loved ones who are present or forever in your heart’s memory. Hope Santa’s good to you — I’ll see you in the New Year!
♥ PEACE ♥ JOY ♥ LOVE ♥
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Copyright © 2012 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All cookies will be consumed.
Jama's Alphabet Soup 
I’m wishing you the very best this holiday season, too, Jama. Your blog is a delight all year long. Thank you for this beautiful array of holiday illustrations. See you next year!
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So glad we connected this year, Margie! Have a wonderful holiday :)!
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Such a lovely post, as always! Happy Holidays to you, and looking forward to your return! :–)
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Happy Holidays, Jill!
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My all-time favorite photos, Jama. Merry Christmas! Enjoy your break and we’ll see you next year.
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Enjoy your holiday, Kathleen. Eat lots of cookies :)!
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Enjoy your break. Merry merry and happy happy holidays! See you in 2013. This place is, hands down, one of the best things about the internet.
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Aw shucks. Flattery will get you everywhere :D! Thanks Jules. Merry merry to you, too.
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What a beautiful post. Thank you, Jama, for bringing joy to so many through your words and pictures. With love and gratitude, Lisa
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Thanks, Lisa. Can’t wait for the next cupcake book!!!! Have a beautiful holiday. 🙂
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Thank you, as always, for the loveliness. Happy Christmas, Kwaanza, New Year’s, and Hogmanay to you and Len and a variety of cute bears and the fantastic Mr. Fox. ♥♥♥
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Thank you, Miss T. All best wishes to you too!!
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Merry Christmas, Jama!
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Thanks so much, Catherine. Hope your holiday is wonderful and delicious!!
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I feel so toasty warm when I am here Jama, as though you’ve welcomed us body AND soul! Thank you for all the wonderful, tempting treats you have lovingly prepared for us throughout the year.
And on a selfish note, how much I ADORE all the Scandinavian flavored illustrations that you’ve shared above. I just can’t get enough of them! Sending you some virtual krumkakke and a cardamom braid to sustain you until we are together again in 2013.
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Mmmmm, thanks for the treats, Cathy. I did think of you when I saw these illustrations, and discovered some cool new Scandinavian flavored blogs. I’m having fun learning about some wonderful Swedish illustrators in particular. 🙂 Hey, if my Jewish grandmother doesn’t show up, maybe I can find a Swedish aunt?
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Have a lovely time, whatever you do, Jama. I love this quote by Rilke: “And now let us welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.” See you in 2013
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Lovely quote, Linda — yes, full of things that have never been. So much potential, so much to hope for and look forward to. Have a wonderful holiday in your new home!
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Uh, why is Lucia wearing a menorah on her head?
Q: What do you call Santa’s helpers?
A: Subordinate Clauses.
Happy holidays, Jama!
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LOL — I’m sure you’re Santa’s favorite grammarian :).
Have a great holiday, Barb!
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For this year, whatever the year may be, has ended, and we have already celebrated the holidays, there is nothing to do, but wait, and wait, for that new year to creep up on us. Though, as soon as we turn our back, it will have left us. These years are rather very clever and smart, bringing joy, yet sorrow, bringing friends, yet also enemies, and the best of them all, memories of the past. So let us wave farewell to the old year as it hobbles onto the slow moving Train of the Past as it leave the Station of Life and Present. Then we turn, and face the Train of Future coming in the distance. Let us wait together, my friend, for we start a new journey.
HAPPY NEW YEAR Ms. Rattigan! 🙂
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You are so wise beyond your years, Erik. So glad we became friends this year. Have a great holiday and all the best to you in the New Year! 🙂
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Thank you!
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Thank YOU, Jama, for your always absolutely delightful point of view. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas. Looking forward to what you have to say in 2013!
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Merry Merry to you and Steve! Been loving roaming around Gourmandistan this past year. You sure know how to feed your citizens :).
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Jama,
I thought I’d stop by to wish you a Happy New Year! I hope you have a relaxing hiatus from blogging. I’ve pretty much been MIA from blogging most of this year. I hope to get back to posting more frequently once I’m settled in at our new place.
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Happy New Year to you, Elaine. We’ve missed you online, but understand how busy you’ve been recently. Hope you’re settling in nicely in your new place — so great to be closer to your granddaughter :).
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What a beautiful collection of Christmas images! I hope you had a lovely holiday!~
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