Holiday Traditions

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

And now I can't unsee that, thank you very much.

Today is Lucia day.
We haven't celebrated but we did have saffron bread at work yesterday and we celebrated at our childrens school the day before that.

Here is a luciatåg for you:

And saffron bread:

Oooohh! Thank you for sharing! I want a hat that is on fire! Possibly even more than I want saffron bread...

 

[Cumference]

And now I can't unsee that, thank you very much.

Now that I think about it, it could have been worse.


I could have worn my pink tutu singing "Santa-baby"....... Then wondered about what was meant by the line "coming down the chimney tonight".


Wooops! Now I did. Sorry, that will never leave your ears again.

 

[IrisAlthea]

Now that I think about it, it could have been worse.


I could have worn my pink tutu singing "Santa-baby"....... Then wondered about what was meant by the line "coming down the chimney tonight".


Wooops! Now I did. Sorry, that will never leave your ears again.

I know this warrants a stern "No saffron bread for you mister!".

I have to admit that I laughed out loud though.

 

[seela]

Although I've never witnessed it myself, I have to bring the Icelandic Santa tradition to this thread now that I was reminded about it again. Because it's plain awesomeness!

So. They don't have one Santa, but they have 13 of them instead. They come one by one starting December 12th. Kids put out a shoe every evening and one of the Santas puts a little present in it during the night. Naughty kids get rotten potatoes.

Naturally they're not some generic Santas, but each one has a different name and personality. And actually they're sort of mean or pranky rather than jolly fat dudes like the American Santa. One of them is called "Spoon Licker" and he steals spoons and licks them after he has left the present or potatoes. One of them scares sheep. One of them carries around a meat hook so that he can steal meat with it. The last one is particularly nasty and steals candles from children. From children! For shame!

Of course that candle stealing is nothing compared to the Icelandic version of Mrs. Santa, Grýla. She's a giantess who eats misbehaving kids. And then there's the Christmas Cat who eats kids with frumpy clothes. Apparently people in Iceland still get an all new set of clothes for Christmas. Knowing all this must make you feel pretty satisfied that all you Americans need to be afraid of is a lump of coal!

Read more about them here.

 

[midwestyankee]

Seela, as you can imagine, I rather like the idea of mean and pranky Santas.

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

Although I've never witnessed it myself, I have to bring the Icelandic Santa tradition to this thread now that I was reminded about it again. Because it's plain awesomeness!

So. They don't have one Santa, but they have 13 of them instead. They come one by one starting December 12th. Kids put out a shoe every evening and one of the Santas puts a little present in it during the night. Naughty kids get rotten potatoes.

Naturally they're not some generic Santas, but each one has a different name and personality. And actually they're sort of mean or pranky rather than jolly fat dudes like the American Santa. One of them is called "Spoon Licker" and he steals spoons and licks them after he has left the present or potatoes. One of them scares sheep. One of them carries around a meat hook so that he can steal meat with it. The last one is particularly nasty and steals candles from children. From children! For shame!

Of course that candle stealing is nothing compared to the Icelandic version of Mrs. Santa, Grýla. She's a giantess who eats misbehaving kids. And then there's the Christmas Cat who eats kids with frumpy clothes. Apparently people in Iceland still get an all new set of clothes for Christmas. Knowing all this must make you feel pretty satisfied that all you Americans need to be afraid of is a lump of coal!

Read more about them here.

OMG!! 13 Santas, and they aren't simply magnanimous, but play tricks and steal stuff? I LOVE this!! Wait, you mean lick the spoons and put them back in the drawer so you don't know, and you use a dirty spoon? That might be a little over the top, but I absolutely adore the rest of this! Eating children with frumpy clothes... OMG this is just awesome!

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

Ok, the Icelandic Santas all pretty much like to steal food.
Our Santa leaves presents, and we find presents in the morning. We all know how the presents get there
Icelandic Santas steal food and dishes. How do they get through 13 plus nights of that (because they all stay more than one night) and explain that to the kids in the morning? Do they throw dishes away to keep up appearances? Bury spoons in the back yard, have midnight smacks to cover for the prankster Santas?
I sure hope so!!

 

[Cumference]

Around here, the tomtes are still a strong element.
I guess they are the remains of Scandinavian/Norse house gods.

Originally they were certainly not nice by nature. They were a force you had to stay on good terms with. If you kept them friendly, they could help you (they were supposed to be immensely strong).... or maybe they did not feel like it, and would prank you.


Now they have become disgustingly sweet and Disney-fied, and should be shot at first sight.

 

[IrisAlthea]

Writing Christmas cards.
Some people I know write Christmas letters with a summary of what has happened in the year with pictures.
I love the idea but it's something I think might be too much for us to master. Just the thought of writing them in three different languages is daunting.
I do try to get in touch with everyone in some way instead. And I send Christmas cards with pictures of the kids so that family and friends that live far away can get a chance to talk about how fast they grow up.

 

[seela]

Writing Christmas cards.
Some people I know write Christmas letters with a summary of what has happened in the year with pictures.
I love the idea but it's something I think might be too much for us to master. Just the thought of writing them in three different languages is daunting.
I do try to get in touch with everyone in some way instead. And I send Christmas cards with pictures of the kids so that family and friends that live far away can get a chance to talk about how fast they grow up.

Yep. Christmas cards are still a pretty big deal here as well. The mail services here hired 3500 seasonal workers this year just to be able to cope with the amount of cards sent (and presents ordered online, increasingly, as well).

I received the first Christmas cards today and it was so much fun! It's so rare you (well, I at least) get real, physical mail these days that the Christmas cards always feel extra special.

 

[Cabriela]

Unrelated to any holidays: On the 29th of every month, we eat gnocchi for dinner. Generally, money is "hidden" underneath everyone's plates. It's basically to be thankful for the prosperity of the month gone by and to hope for prosperity in the coming month. After you finish eating, you lift your plate up to take it to the kitchen and act "surprised" to have found the windfall underneath.

For Christmas: We always decorate a Christmas tree with ornaments that have been made by various family members throughout the years. The only ornaments that are "storebought" are ones that are souvenirs from places that we have visited. Dinner is generally parrillada (a mix of grilled meats, sausages, sweetbreads, and vegetables). Panettone and homemade iced sugar cookies are also plentiful.

I just recently moved though, so I'll be missing out on the traditional barbecue this year. Considering the chill outdoors, that's probably a tradition that I won't be able to continue unfortunately unless I'm home for the holidays.

 

[Curious_in_Cali]

I used to love sending Christmas cards but I would only get cards from my dentist and my ISP and no one seemed to really care so I stopped.

I miss it and loved reading that you ladies still do it.

 

[Cumference]

Unrelated to any holidays: On the 29th of every month, we eat gnocchi for dinner. Generally, money is "hidden" underneath everyone's plates. It's basically to be thankful for the prosperity of the month gone by and to hope for prosperity in the coming month. After you finish eating, you lift your plate up to take it to the kitchen and act "surprised" to have found the windfall underneath.
.......

I had never heard about that tradition before.



...... And welcome to our merry flock.

 

[Cumference]

Regarding xmas cards.

Neither Lady C nor I write them.

We get a few, and we normally reply in the middle of January. Just too many things going on in December!

 

[Cabriela]

I had never heard about that tradition before.

...... And welcome to our merry flock.

It's an Argentinian tradition, but I think that it might have roots in Italy, because the cry of "Mangia, mangia!" ("Eat, eat!") is always repeated when we do it. (At least I THINK that's Italian!)

And thank you for the welcome!

 

[Cumference]

I think it is bout the darkness.

We burn a lot of candles around here, especially in December.

The kids would consider it a severe lack of parenting abilities, should we not have a calendar candle.

 

[IrisAlthea]

I think it is bout the darkness.

We burn a lot of candles around here, especially in December.

The kids would consider it a severe lack of parenting abilities, should we not have a calendar candle.

Yup, they might call child services.

 

[Cumference]

And a picture:

The candle normally stands in some sort of decoration, that is completely dry at the 24th.
It thus forms the traditional festive Danish time delay incendiary device.

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

These are great traditions! I love the gnocchi tradition, with cash to boot
And I have never seen a calendar candle before... please take a pic for us when that catches on fire
And I have remembered another tradition of my own. I do this eeeeeeeevery year, and you would think I should expect it by now, but I just don't I buy a present meant for someone else, and then I decide I can't possibly live without it, and I keep it for myself This year's "non-gift" is a glass/crystal ball on a stand that I found in an antique store. It was meant for a girlfriend, but I made the mistake of taking it out of the bag and putting it on my desk, and now I simply must have it! It inverts everything, so as I work I can look at the world upside down. Very helpful in my line of work (she rationalizes)

 

[straypuss]

I still get a stocking from my parents on Christmas morning (no an old woollen one you kinky perv) with an apple, an orange and a tangerine in it, though the fifty pence coin in the toe has now graduated to a two pound one so it's not a tradition that's totally stuck in the snow.

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

I still get a stocking from my parents on Christmas morning (no an old woollen one you kinky perv) with an apple, an orange and a tangerine in it, though the fifty pence coin in the toe has now graduated to a two pound one so it's not a tradition that's totally stuck in the snow.

Oooohhh! I like this tradition!
What is the significance of the three pieces of fruit, do you know?

 

[seela]

On the morning of Christmas Eve there's "Santa Hotline" on TV. Kids can call Santa and talk with him, a lot of them sing or recite a poem for him as well. You can also send in emails and pics and they get shown on TV, too. The Santa Hotline is laced with Christmas or winter themed cartoons, but the classic one is The Snowman, which is on every year.

The Santa Hotline has been a Christmas staple for as long as I can remember. I've never called in, though.

When the Santa Hotline ends, Santa is shown leaving his cabin in a sleigh drawn by reindeer and then The Snowman begins. When it ends, the Christmas Peace is declared and that's when I get my glögg on.

Also: God jul and Glædelig jul for my fellow Christmas Eve celebrators!

 

[Cumference]

Tak for det, og tak i lige måde.



In some families, someone (typically the father or grandfather) is expected to dress as Santa and "bring the presents".

Luckily that has never been demanded of me, probably because they were all very well aware what they would risk....

 

[IrisAlthea]

On the morning of Christmas Eve there's "Santa Hotline" on TV. Kids can call Santa and talk with him, a lot of them sing or recite a poem for him as well. You can also send in emails and pics and they get shown on TV, too. The Santa Hotline is laced with Christmas or winter themed cartoons, but the classic one is The Snowman, which is on every year.

The Santa Hotline has been a Christmas staple for as long as I can remember. I've never called in, though.

When the Santa Hotline ends, Santa is shown leaving his cabin in a sleigh drawn by reindeer and then The Snowman begins. When it ends, the Christmas Peace is declared and that's when I get my glögg on.

Also: God jul and Glædelig jul for my fellow Christmas Eve celebrators!

Tak for det, og tak i lige måde.



In some families, someone (typically the father or grandfather) is expected to dress as Santa and "bring the presents".

Luckily that has never been demanded of me, probably because they were all very well aware what they would risk....

God Jul på er!

 

[LallyH]

Ive just been getting the turkey prepared ready for tomorrow and it reminded me....

Tomorrow morning, I will drink my annual glass of sherry, heavily diluted with lemonade as I'm not particularly alcohol tolerant, and toast my mum who always drank a glass of sherry as she cooked the Christmas lunch.

And then we will play 'Brussels Sprout Challenge' - I hide one sprout on everyone's plate which they try to spot and remove before meal begins. If unsuccessful, then they use a variety of distraction techniques to either move their sprout to someone else's plate without getting caught, or getting the sprout off their plate and into the bin without me catching them