The holiday season is such a nostalgic, cozy time of year. While the skies darken early and snowflakes begin to fall, your home dances with light. Trees sparkle, candles flicker, fires crackle. Holiday magic fills the air as you scheme perfect presents for your loved ones. Families laugh together as they decorate Christmas cookies; no one minds the dusting of flour on the kitchen floor. Everyone is filled with kindness; strangers sharing smiles as they pick poinsettias, neighbors lending a hand to clear walkways of snow. It is the most wonderful time of the year.
And what conjures the feeling of "home for the holidays" more than the scent of freshly baked bread wafting from the kitchen? I can't think of a thing.
To enter the West Bend Hi-Rise Bread Maker giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post telling us your favorite holiday tradition. Earn a bonus entry for "liking" West Bend on Facebook. Earn another bonus entry for "liking" Hot Dinner Happy Home on Facebook. (Let us know about your Facebook "likes" when you leave a comment. And you certainly get that bonus entry if you're already a fan!) So, you get up to three chances to win: 1) leave a comment, 2) "like" West Bend on Facebook, and 3) "like" Hot Dinner Happy Home on Facebook.
The contest starts now and ends at midnight (Pacific Time) on Friday, December 9, 2011. The winner of the bread maker will be chosen at random and announced on Monday, December 12, 2011.
Happy holidays and GOOD LUCK!
Erin & the Lady of the House
P.S. If you have any questions about the contest or the West Bend Hi-Rise Bread Maker, feel free to email us at hotdinnerhappyhome@gmail.com.
This contest is now closed. Thanks for entering!
You must be 18 years old and a resident of the United States to enter this contest.
my favorite holiday tradition is singing carols on xmas morning with the whole fam!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite holiday tradition is the day of the 23rd - my dad and I bake cookies in the morning, then we all put up the tree and decorate it listening to Christmas music (also the unconventional punk rock kind!) and then join my mom in preparing the beet & herring Christmas salad, dicing for hours and talking about all kinds of things.
ReplyDelete(In Germany, trees go op on the 23rd or 24th of December, unlike in the U.S.)
Yay for giveaways! My favorite holiday tradition, besides spending quality time with family laughing and eating, is my Damn Good Christmas Party (aka DGXP) that my high school girl friends and I have been having for 12 years.
ReplyDeleteKnocking on my parents door after an 800-mile drive and seeing grandparents snatch up granddaughter is my favorite tradition.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
My favorite holiday tradition has to be decorating the tree for Christmas. My children are young and get such joy out of getting all the ornaments out and placing them on the tree.
ReplyDeleteThis is an awesome giveaway and I hope I am the lucky recipient.
I "like" West Bend on Facebook (as My Naturally Frugal Family).
ReplyDeleteI "like" you on Facebook (as My Naturally Frugal Family)
ReplyDeleteOur family tradition is waking up together on Christmas morning to open stockings and eat cinnamon rolls. I'm even more excited to have two girls to share it with this year. I liked both your site and west Ben on Facebook.
ReplyDeleteOh how I need this, my bread make just quit on me after 10 years of faithful service. Just bought a new camera, so I can't justify a new bread maker, this would make my Christmas PERFECT!!! One of our family traditions is Baba's (my grandmother) Christmas bread on Christmas Eve, my children (and hubby) will be crushed if I don't make it :) The leftovers make great stuffed french toast Christmas morning.
ReplyDeleteoh and I liked you on FB
ReplyDeleteand I liked Westbend on FB too!!!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tradition is breakfast with the family while opening stockings. The tree looks beautiful, we have a fire in the fireplace, and everyone is cozy and happy.
ReplyDeleteMy FAVORITE holiday tradition is actually not on Christmas, but on New Year's Day. Every year my Dad (who is an Italian American, 100% Sicilian and born and raised in New York City) continues the tradition my great grandparents created by making his (or theirs i guess!) ever famous Cioppino. Cioppino is an Italian fish soup that consists of cooking a TON of different types of fish in broth (lobster, scallops, shrimp, clams, etc...). Since I was old enough to remember, this has been our tradition to ring in the new year as we count our blessings and look forward to new ones.
ReplyDeleteGreat giveaway! My favorite Christmas tradition is breakfast with my family. My Mom always makes a delicious egg and sausage casserole and cinnamon buns. It's amazing every year!
ReplyDeleteWow! What a great giveaway! My favorite tradition as a kid was being allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve and trying to decide which one to pick! Now, it's a Christmas brunch with my boys. I also liked you, and West Bend on Facebook! : )
ReplyDeleteI've never had a bread maker, do you love having it? And I'm totally from Wisconsin, support local business! My favorite holiday tradition...making the cookies we only make on Christmas with my mom.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tradition is monkey bread on Christmas morning. It's the only day of the year that we have it.
ReplyDeleteWhat creates that feeling for us is having over a lot of friends for our annual party. This mimicks the huge family gatherings I used to have but without people I don't want to be around...
ReplyDeleteThe facebook links aren't working for me -- that happened on a few other blogs recently but not all of them. I wonder what is going one.
I was able to get the West Bend Facebook link to work so I liked them.
ReplyDeleteLet me try yours again.
There we go, that worked. Now I'm following via my real name (TammyJo Eckhart).
ReplyDeleteMust have been a connection problem at FB.
My favorite tradition is driving around looking at everyone's holiday lights with my family on Christmas eve.
ReplyDelete(And I like you on Facebook too)
Like you on FB
ReplyDelete...and I like West Bend on FB
ReplyDelete...and I LOVE picking out and decorating the Christmas tree!
ReplyDeleteLiked West Bend on Facebook
ReplyDeleteliked you on FB! :)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite holiday tradition is waking up early on Christmas morning and opening presents. Of course we have a big homemade breakfast first, though. Christmas morning is a wonderful time in our household.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving all of your holiday traditions, everyone! Keep them comin'!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas tradition is eating dessert for breakfast on Christmas morning. I always have leftover homemade caramel custard and french silk pie from our big family dinner the night before.
ReplyDeleteI've "liked" West Bend and I'm already a "liker" of HDHH.
One of our holiday traditions is Christmas breakfast. Each year we have monkey bread and mimosas. My daughters love to tell people that they got to have a mimosa. Of course I make theirs with OJ and Sprite.
ReplyDeleteAnother tradition we have is getting Hot chocolate and driving around looking for the best lights. This usually happens several times before Christmas.
Oh...and I liked you on FB!
ReplyDeleteAaaaand.... I liked West Bend on FB too!
ReplyDeleteI never really thought about owning a breadmaker but after seeing your post of directions...I need one! Who knew it was so easy!?
ReplyDeleteMy favorite holiday tradition is making cutout cookies with my family (fresh in my mind...the dough is in the fridge). We all have a job! 1) Dad rolls the dough 2) I cut out the cookies 3) Mom frosts. 4) Husband sprinkles (when he isn't sampling) and then we all eat them when they're done! Yum yum! Love your blog!!
Liked HDHH and West Bend!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite holiday tradition exemplifies my German heritage. Every year my mom busts out the accordian and plays Christmas tunes and German polkas while my family sings, jingles bells and tirelessly dances the polka around the Christmas tree. I would love to say my dad accompanies her with a yodel, but that would just be a lie. I hope to someday learn how to play this instrument as musically challenged as I am to keep the tradition alive!
ReplyDeleteI liked you everywhere and gave you props on the West Bend Facebook page. A little publicity never hurts... :)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas tradition is setting up the tree and turning on the Christmas music. It was especially fun this year now that my three year old wanted to help!
ReplyDeletep.s. I liked you and West Bend on Facebook. I love me some homemade bread!
My Favorite Christmas Tradition is watching my cats open their presents on Christmas morning. Nothing like the fresh smell of catnip under the Christmas tree to get them going! :)
ReplyDeleteEggnog is my favorite!
ReplyDeleteI like West Bend on FB
ReplyDeleteI like HDHH on Fb
ReplyDeletebaking santa cookies!
ReplyDeletekayleefaith1228@aol.com
Each year I go through the same neighborhoods as my parents took me on Christmas Eve to look at Christmas lights. Some of the houses are old and ran down these days however those neighborhoods are my favorite to view because they spark such fond memories of my childhood at Christmas with my loving family. ~ Thank you for letting me share this special time & yet again sparking such wonderful memories. *I have previously liked West Bend & just liked Hot Dinner Happy Home.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is Christmas Day when my children (4) and grandchildren (2.8) are all here and we prepare our special dinner together!
ReplyDeleteSusan Heflin on Facebook
My favorite holiday tradition is decorating the Christmas tree with special ornaments of loved one's that are no longer with us with my daughter.
ReplyDeletesssgreekgoddess@hotmail.com
I already like West Bend on Facebook
ReplyDeletesssgreekgoddess@hotmail.com
I like you on Facebook. Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
ReplyDeletesssgreekgoddess@hotmail.com
Our favorite Christmas tradition is going to my parents on Christmas Eve, going to midnight church service, then coming back and opening one present.
ReplyDelete26summer at excite dot com
My favorite holiday tradition is decorating the Christmas tree with family and friends. We're adding a new piece to the tradition this year by making homemade ornaments with our little one.
ReplyDeleteI've liked West Bend on Facebook.
ReplyDeleteI've just liked Hot Dinner Happy Home on Facebook too!
ReplyDeletefamily get togethers!
ReplyDeletei like west bend on facebook
ReplyDeletei like hot dinner happy on facebook
ReplyDeleteMy absolute favorite holiday tradition is that each year we get a new ornament each, one for each child, one for the whole family, and one for my hubby and me as a couple. Once the kids grow up and get married they each get their ornament from all the years. My mother did this for us and each year putting up the tree, I remember everything about my ornaments from when I was little.
ReplyDeleteI liked Westbend on fb.
ReplyDeleteontiveros_paloma at yahoo dot com
I liked you on fb.
ReplyDeleteontiveros_paloma at yahoo dot com
like west bend on FB Sheryl Lynn
ReplyDeletelike hot dinner happy home on FB
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas tradition is that when we spend Christmas Eve at my parents' house my mom organizes everyone around the piano to sing carols. This includes reluctant singers, those who can't carry a tune in a bucket and anyone who owns an instrument. If you own one she's already instructed you to bring it. If you don't she's completely prepared with a basket of "instruments" including jingle bells, castanets, rhythm sticks, maracas and more. Everyone starts out shy and fumbles through the words on the verses, especially the second and third ones of O Come All Ye Faithful. But by the fourth and fifth songs the Scrooges are smiling, the tone deaf have been drowned out and everyone is merry and bright. I'll probably make my own family do this someday too. Isn't that how it is with traditions?
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Holiday Tradition is buying myself gifts I want since I never get any, and cooking myself things I like!
ReplyDeleteI liked West Bend on Facebook!
ReplyDeleteI liked Hot Dinner Happy Home on Facebook!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite, recently new tradition is cooking baking weekend with my new fiance's family... this will be my 3rd year being a part of it this coming weekend and i hope to carry the tradition on now that i will be part of that family.
ReplyDeletemaureen manning
Hmmm ... it took a while to think of my favorite tradition, since Christmas is full of so many amazing things/memories. However, as I grow older and now live far away from my sister and even farther from my parents, brother and his new gorgeous family, I have found a great appreciation for something that has stayed consistent and keeps my heart connected to those I love at Christmas time. That being said my favorite tradition is a Christmas Eve candlelit service. I went my whole life and there is nothing like raising your candle in a church that glows even when the lights are out all while singing Silent Night! Whether I am at my childhood home in Buffalo, visiting family in Milwaukee, or here in Chicago I feel a warmth in my heart for all of those I love knowing that we share that special moment on Christmas Eve. And I still can't help but open one present when I come home! :o)
ReplyDeleteI also liked west bend and HDHH on facebook!
Katy Murphy
Our favorite tradition is Christmas Cookie night! The only problem is that we end up with far less cookies to eat the next day, compared to what we baked!
ReplyDeleteFavorite Tradition:
ReplyDeleteEating dinner like a "picnic" under the Christmas Tree. Every year, since the kids were little (now 15 and 13), we decorate the tree--one ornament at a time, we talk about them (we have our favorites..) I never move one ornament--even when they were all hanging at "kid" level! Then, dinner MUST be homemade chicken tenders (with assorted dippings!), french fries and sweet carrots. I love making memories with my family!
Ann Ciombor