Christmas Traditions

[Fielding 1st MRB]

Hey Raiders! Thought it would be fun to start a little thing here where everyone can share their favourite Christmas Traditions. Be it something your culture does or religious practice or just something you just enjoy doing I thought it would be fun to share and maybe learn some new things.

[Fielding 1st MRB]

When I was younger I would always help my Dad set up this beautiful handcrafted porcelain Christmas village. Although this is something we haven't done in many years now its something I hope to one day inherit and continue to setup myself

[Warren 1st MRB]

Growing up we used to sacrifice the unborn child of a soon to be teenmom. We would celebrate around a large fire while speaking in tongues and drinking eggnog mixed with spice rum. Was good times!!

 

Now we spend the night at my wifes grand parents with our son and her whole family, christmas eve we play games and drink etc and we all wake up christmas morning for presents, visiting my family later on in the day etc. We started this when my son was born 4 years ago and it just kind of stuck. Aside from that we bicker and argue over ornament placement etc like the usual family haha. 

[Hellenstone]

On 24th my mum and I always set up and decorated the christmas tree together while my father was on a best friends birthday in the afternoon.

And of course baking with my mum, a trtadition my wife continous with our 2 kids, although we always need to renovate the kitchen afterwards :-).

 

To sum up some Christmas facts in Germany:

 

# 01-24 December: everywhere you will find small and big (and even bigger) Christmas markets where you go traditionally to eat some grilled sausages and drink a pot of "Glühwein" (warm red wine with spices)

# December 6th: St. Nicholas brings some sweets, nutz and mandarines to the kidas when they put  a boot out at the front door over night

# 1 week before christmas: kids write a wish list to the Christ Child / Fath Christmas and put it out in the postbox in the evening.

# December 24th: In the evening the "Christkind" (Christ Child) brings the presents while family and kids take a small walk outside to search for signs of the Christ Child

 

St. Nicholas is more based on religious background and not so much an the Coca Cola version of Santa Claus.

The christ child is more common in family traditions than the modern Santa Claus.

[Warren 1st MRB]

5 minutes ago, Asal 1st MRB said:

On 24th my mum and I always set up and decorated the christmas tree together while my father was on a best friends birthday in the afternoon.

And of course baking with my mum, a trtadition my wife continous with our 2 kids, although we always need to renovate the kitchen afterwards :-).

 

To sum up some Christmas facts in Germany:

 

# 01-24 December: everywhere you will find small and big (and even bigger) Christmas markets where you go traditionally to eat some grilled sausages and drink a pot of "Glühwein" (warm red wine with spices)

# December 6th: St. Nicholas brings some sweets, nutz and mandarines to the kidas when they put  a boot out at the front door over night

# 1 week before christmas: kids write a wish list to the Christ Child / Fath Christmas and put it out in the postbox in the evening.

# December 24th: In the evening the "Christkind" (Christ Child) brings the presents while family and kids take a small walk outside to search for signs of the Christ Child

 

St. Nicholas is more based on religious background and not so much an the Coca Cola version of Santa Claus.

The christ child is more common in family traditions than the modern Santa Claus.

Thanks for sharing this, I'm always intrigued with other countries customs and practices, grilled sausages sounds pretty awesome to me, prob pass on the wine though lol

[Hellenstone]

34 minutes ago, Warren 1st MRB said:

Thanks for sharing this, I'm always intrigued with other countries customs and practices, grilled sausages sounds pretty awesome to me, prob pass on the wine though lol

You definitely should give this a try! Nothing better when it's freezing cold out there. Warms from inside and can get you drunk quite fast...

[Hellenstone]

German Glühwein recipe:

1/2 medium orange

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup turbinado or granulated sugar

20 whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

2 whole star anise

1 (750-milliliter) bottle dry red wine

Rum or amaretto, for serving (optional)

 

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the orange in wide strips, taking care to avoid the white pith; set aside. Juice the orange and set the juice aside.

Combine the water and sugar in a large, nonreactive saucepan and boil until the sugar has completely dissolved. Reduce the heat and add the cloves, cinnamon, star anise, orange zest, and orange juice. Simmer until a fragrant syrup forms, about 1 minute.

Reduce the heat further and add the wine. Let it barely simmer for at least 20 minutes but up to a few hours. Keep an eye out so that it doesn't reach a full simmer.

Strain and serve in small mugs, adding a shot of rum or amaretto and garnishing with the orange peel and star anise if desired.

 

Edited December 11, 2020 by Asal 1st MRB

[Fielding 1st MRB]

That sounds awesome! I'm going to try and make this 

[Fielding 1st MRB]

Every year for Christmas breakfast I have eaten the same thing Sun Maid Raisin Bread and a glass of chocolate milk. The first year my girlfriend invited me to Christmas brunch I was reluctant as I do not enjoy change so I decided to go visit anyway just brought my breakfast with me to keep with tradition, silly thing I know but there is something fun about eating this meal just once a year on Christmas and I don't want that to change. 

[MacArthur]

@Fielding 1st MRBraisin bread is the bomb. I like to put cream cheese on toasted raising bread!

[Warren 1st MRB]

Must be something about raisins.... My fav bagel at Tim Hortons is cinnamon raisin toasted with cream cheese, Fielding will know exactly what tim hortons is as will any other fellow canadians haha

 

[Fielding 1st MRB]

57 minutes ago, Warren 1st MRB said:

Must be something about raisins.... My fav bagel at Tim Hortons is cinnamon raisin toasted with cream cheese, Fielding will know exactly what tim hortons is as will any other fellow canadians haha

 

Fuckin right bud my favourite bagel as well

[C. Small 1st MRB]

My family does something different  every year for Christmas dinner , This year we're doing a whole goose , last year was whole suckling pig.

Edited December 11, 2020 by C. Small 1st MRB

[Crafton 1st MRB]

Christmas Eve dinner we only eat appetizers. So like crab cakes, shrimp cocktail, tamales , guacamole, veggie tray with dips, hummus, sliced meats (prosciutto, salami, ham, and roast beef) a huge variety of cheese (some of our favorites are gouda, Havarti, brie) and many options of crackers to go with it. 

[Fielding 1st MRB]

I like that, it sounds nice. Our new one for the last few years is frozen pizza and cheese and crackers on Christmas Eve

[Fielding 1st MRB]

Anyone else a last minute Christmas shopper? Ever year I wait until there is 2 weeks before Christmas to start, never know what to buy anyone and spend a day wandering around shops looking for the right gift. That tradition got even tighter this year with news of lockdown this Monday I decided to go shopping tonight after the unit meeting and grab everything 1.5 hours before everything closed. Good times.

[Warren 1st MRB]

2 hours ago, Fielding 1st MRB said:

Anyone else a last minute Christmas shopper? Ever year I wait until there is 2 weeks before Christmas to start, never know what to buy anyone and spend a day wandering around shops looking for the right gift. That tradition got even tighter this year with news of lockdown this Monday I decided to go shopping tonight after the unit meeting and grab everything 1.5 hours before everything closed. Good times.

literally me every year lol, I wait for my bonus from work which used to cover a large chunk of it but this year due to promotions and shit i got a 1000 dollar bonus lol. I did most of my shopping in the last 3 days. Hoping to finish up tomorrow.... one year i literally finished at 3pm on christmas eve haha

 

[Fielding 1st MRB]

NICE!

[Fielding 1st MRB]

Well Sir I hope your Christmas is as festive as it can be this year all things considering. If you cant get any German pancakes I 10/10 suggest Raisin Bread

[Hellenstone]

German Pancakes ("Pfannkuchen") are great, stuffed with cheese and ham or with chocolate hazelnut spread of you like it sweet.

And a big mug of Glühwein. Hope you can enjoy your holidays sir.

[Hellenstone]

8 hours ago, Fielding 1st MRB said:

Anyone else a last minute Christmas shopper? Ever year I wait until there is 2 weeks before Christmas to start, never know what to buy anyone and spend a day wandering around shops looking for the right gift.

Seems like Germany is going into a massive lockdown again. So no RL last minute shopping except you want to gift some cheese or anything like that...

[Oake 1st MRB]

I mainly bake Saffron Buns for christmas both with and without raisins. I drink gluwine but i haven't made my own like Asal's recipe i would like to try that ^^ 

[Oake 1st MRB]

Oh and hot chocolate milk ofcourse is a classic!