Holiday Traditions

[craigster59]

Everyone has certain holiday traditions that have been in your family for generations, or maybe something you have recently started.

For me, St. Nikolaus Day (Dec.6th) is when you leave your boots out and St. Nikolaus comes and fills them with fruit, candy and toys. Christmas Eve is when the Christ Baby comes and delivers the presents. We also have an Advent Wreath with 4 candles, lit on the 4 consecutive Sunday nights leading up to Christmas.

Christmas Eve is when we open presents and have a "lite" meal, maybe fish, smoked pork chops or schnitzel. Christmas Day we do Schweinshaxen, a roasted pork shank with cracklin skin, potato balls (klosse) and creamed savoy cabbage and cucumber salad. Sometimes we do goose, but haven't in a few years.

Of course we have the pies, nut bread, Christmas cookies, etc. that we all nibble on and candy.

For New Years we have lentils (which represent coins for wealth in the new year). We also have Hoppin' John with black eyed peas, collard greens and dirty rice.

Anyway, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my fellow Pelicans and their families.

[pete3799]

I'm starting a new tradition........i'm going to your house for the holidays.

[ckelly78z]

Party at Craigster's house ! Those are some different traditions, are you from a different country (not California) or have some of these as religous traditions ?

[masraum]

Wow, sounds great, but the end the me way off when you deviated yup the southern food and dirty rice. I had to go back and male site I hadn't read pay the bottom of your post to someone else's.

I love dirty rice and had some black eyed peas and cornbread for lunch today.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by pete3799

I'm starting a new tradition........i'm going to your house for the holidays.

Ha ha......that's just what I was thinking when I read his post.....

[VaSteve]

We have Christmas Eve dinner at my mom's house and she has fish. We open some gifts and then do the rest in the morning with the kids.

My wife started a tradition for New Years Eve. We take the kids to a Japanese steakhouse where we watch them cook the food.

I've heard the black eyed peas, collard greens thing before and ate it once as well. I know the greens are for money, but it wasn't good to me. Or my stomach.

[flatbutt]

Now that my son and daughter have their own families we all ( me, their Mom, their step dad)gather on Christmas Eve (this year at my daughters since she is VERY pregnant). Everybody brings food and we cook together. We put on a good old feast, sing carols badly, give little presents, and make very merry.

This way they are free to spend Christmas Day first with their SOs then with their social circle.

I have Christmas Day dinner with my oldest friend




and continue making merry!.

[Tobra]

New Years Eve-Eat a dozen grapes and throw a glass of water out the front door.

New Years Day-Eat cabbage and black eyed peas. Usually the cabbage is cooked with hamburger, pepper and not much else. Let meat cool overnight in fridge, roll bread dough thin, make a little meat dumpling and bake until dough is cooked. Delicious with mustard. I need to pick up a pot full of ground beef, next week.

The idea with the grapes is one for each month, grapes representing life, or some such thing, I have been fairly drunk every time it has been explained to me. You throw out your bad luck with the water. I believe that is some Italian thing, either that or something that my buddies dad told him to snow him into doing something whack when he is out partying.

The cabbage and blackeyed peas is for money and luck in the coming year. Southern thing, sorry, Southern thang

[vash]

no traditions for Christmas.

for the new year..i'll probably need an assist from some other chinese person..it gets pretty complicated..from not sweeping out the house, not washing hair, this sweet bean dessert..argh. goofy superstitions. i cant keep it all straight. probably explains the last few years.

[Rikao4]

Craigster , that's a real German Weihnachten..
and happening in Tx as well..
minus the REAL candles in the tree...
crazy Germans..

Frohe Weihnachten alle..

Rika

[craigster59]

Yeah Rika, it's a mix of German and Nordic traditions. Christmas is THE biggest holiday in Germany and Scandinavia. Not really as commercialized as here in the States (well there is the huge Christkindlsmarkt in Nurnberg). Lots of great eating for sure, just a great time of year.

[Rikao4]

nuthin like a Christkindlmarkt..
the smells,food,atmosphere...

Rika

[craigster59]

Just to make you feel more at home Rika......

[craigster59]

[9dreizig]

Craigster,, what city is that ?? Nurnberg ?

[Dottore]

The one immutable Christmas tradition in our house is goose. I usually do three or four of these over the holidays.

[Rikao4]

dude..
your water boarding me..
and those Thuringers...
ach du lieber....

& Dottore must be your assistant...

Rika

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by 9dreizig

Craigster,, what city is that ?? Nurnberg ?

Yep!

[azasadny]

Wow, that looks and sounds great!!