We love a traditional Christmas with family and food, and this year we have been super blessed with a lot of both! Last week with Karen, Loren, Bryan and Ashlyn – this week with Becky, Kevin, Peter and Dayna. And lots of great food both weeks!
Kevin likes to celebrate his Swedish ancestry at Christmas, and one great tasting way is with these Swedish rolls… St Lucia buns. I found this info on the web: In Folk I Fest author Jan Öjvind Swahn states that Lucia buns, known as lussekatter, are reminiscent of the devil because in old Swedish tradition they were called djävulskatter, or the devil’s cat and the s-shaped form is intended to represent a cat curled up. I didn’t know about the devil’s cat when we were making them, but they are fun to make and very tasty! There are many traditional shapes (more than the s-shaped cat) and Peter came up with some very creative new shapes too! See if you can pick out some of his special designs below:
Christmas eve we attended a nice service in our church, featuring songs by lot of the kids. The coolest part was when Dayna sang with two other girls (one was cousin Charlotte) and she sang a melody straight through, while the others sang different interpretations on either side of her. She sang beautifully with great composure. We are all very proud!
Here’s a snippet of the trio:
We had a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner of Risgrynsgröt and Pepparkakor. (That’s Rice Pudding and Ginger Cookies if you’re not Swedish.) Fruit soup completed the festive dinner. A tradition at the Nelson’s, and a delicious one too!
Later in the evening, we drove through a light display to watch a few hundred thousand lights move with the music. I tried taking pictures but I couldn’t capture the effect. It was great fun.
Christmas morning we had a late breakfast with the family… who were all in their Christmas PJ’s. We didn’t get that memo, so were dressed a bit more conventionally. Peter greeted us with our stockings full of goodies!
Our wonderful Christmas brunch included Swedish pancakes and more Fruit Soup and Risgrynsgr.
The tree was buried in presents, and we all had fun going through them!
The big surprise was an Air Hockey Table… The parents set it up late last night, and blocked off the stairs so the kids wouldn’t go to the basement and discover it. The last present they were given upstairs was a set of air hockey pucks and strikers. Peter said “but we don’t have a… Oh, Wow! Do we??” The kids were then allowed downstairs and it was great fun to watch the excitement!
Christmas dinner was also fabulous… as you’d expect. One fun unexpected treat was a British Christmas Pudding.
I found the following on a website called The Spruce Eats about Christmas Pudding:
No British Christmas is complete without a Christmas Pudding. Unlike American puddings, a Christmas Pudding has a sticky, dense sponge, much like a fruitcake, made from mixed dried fruit, candied fruit peel, apple, citrus juice, and zest. Brandy and spices provide a deep, complex flavor and signature dark color.
Are There Other Names for Christmas Pudding?
Christmas Pudding originated in medieval England. As the recipe evolved through time, the name evolved along with it. Known initially as Pottage, it has also been called Plum Pudding, Figgy Pudding, and Frumenty. Traditionally, Christmas Pudding is served with a healthy drizzle of thick, delicious brandy sauce, which makes this dessert even more indulgent.
What is Stir-Up Sunday?
This dessert is traditionally made on Stir-up Sunday, the last Sunday before Advent. That’s when the Christmas Pudding is assembled, and family members take turns stirring the ingredients together with a wooden spoon while making a wish. Historically, silver sixpence was added to the pudding, granting the finder a year of good luck.
Becky’s Christmas Pudding contained no meat suet, and no brandy… and as far as I know, no sixpence. Traditionally made on Stir-Up Sunday, steamed in a cloth wrapping, and left to seep in Brandy until Christmas, it’s not much like what Americans call fruitcake. Our “Vegetarian Non-Alcohol” version was fabulous!
The kids gave me this interesting kit, to build a vintage car. A few hundred pieces are laser cut into the wood, and I get to put them together! Looks like lots of fun, and I got started right after dinner.
