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.
