For me, Christmas is rich in traditions. One of them is to go to my parent’s house at the first Christmas day for a brunch. My wife and I with all the children are driving a couple of hours to meet them with my sister’s family and our aunt and her husband. We arrived at noon and as we approached the city, we saw this wonderful scenery: The winter land covered with a touch of snow and they sun low on the horizon. This is the highest the sun gets at this time of the year.
We are talking about the Yule Party time and of course with loads of food to eat. My parents smorgasbord is full of Christmas delicacies like haring, smoked salmon, scramble eggs, liver pate, tongue of beef, lambroll, baked ham, baked ribs, cranberry souse, fried meet patties, Waldorf salad, potatoes eu gratin, cheese. On the dessert table there were Christmas cookies, mixed barriers with vanilla souse and flan with caramel souse. For sweets there were toasted almonds, marzipan and chocolates. I call it brunch as it starts around 1PM and last the whole day through. Talking about traditions: all the treats are home made and most of it by mom and my sister and her daughters. Seeing and smelling the treats on the table, always remind me of the Advent time in my childhood where this was made day by day and filled the house with Christmas joy and anticipation.
We are staying over at my sister’s house and the morning after we starts all over again with most of the same treat. My sister has taken the habit of Christmas decoration from childhood too and earlier you have seen her “Yule log”, so here I show you her Ginger Bread House. Her two daughters are very artistic and have created a lovely Yule Nisse (Santa Clouse) house.
Yule is a time for gaining vitamins, proteins, fibres and other body resources for surviving in the cold and dark period through the winter time. Combined with family gathering, joy and traditions it is the most wonderful time of the year.
Happy holiday everyone – there is still some days to go!