Author Topic: December Holiday Open House (Read 30050 times)

Steph · « **Reply #80 on:** December 16, 2014, 09:07:09 AM »

December ~ Holiday Open House

Come celebrate the holidays with us...

- Our Discussion Leaders have shared two favorite short stories in the spirit of the season - as is custom this time of the year. You may notice these stories seem to center on warm memories of home and family.

Do they match your mood this time of year?

Let's share precious - and humorous memories of days gone by!

December 1-7: The Gift (Ray Bradbury)

December 8-14: The Gift of the Magi (O'Henry)

---What memories of gifts given or received stand out in your mind?
--- Is there something you received long ago that you still treasure?
---What's the best gift you ever received and why is it the best?

And the winner is.... (or are)......

Congratulations to:

Salan and

Jonathan

the winners of our 2014 Raffle!!

Enjoy your gift certificates!

December 15-31: And what is a holiday without good food!

---What is a "must have" on your table at the holidays?
---Do you make any special cookies or candies for a holiday treat for family and friends?

And since we can't send you special fudge and cookies, our treats to you are links to some additional online Christmas stories you might enjoy as your time permits:

Pepin's Lord of Misrule - A Medieval Christmas (Denis Domning)

The Burglar's Christmas (young Willa Cather)

T'is the Season (China Miéville)

All Seated on the Ground (Connie Willis)

Happy Holidays, everyone
Your SeniorLearn DLs!

Yes,our Lutheran church had the Christmas pageant on Christmas eve.. Since I was short, blonde,blueeyed, with long hair,, I was the angel for years.. I was famous in the church because when I was maybe five, I turned around to appear as the angel with the biggest black eye, you ever saw.. Had fallen off the bike that afternoon.. then grinned and of course being 5, had several missing teeth.. One of the farmer males said.."Hmmm. like to see the other guy.and the church broke up in laughter. I was furious..
Steph

pedln · « **Reply #81 on:** December 16, 2014, 11:37:49 AM »

Steph

pedln · « **Reply #82 on:** December 16, 2014, 12:10:16 PM »

Mmmm, a lot of Lutherans here.

We had upheaval in my family so I spent the first sememster of third grade in Scandinavia, Wisconsin, living with my mother's oldest sister and her family. I don't remember if it was the school or the Lutheran church (the only one in town) that put on the Christmas program, but I do remember the "big kids" putting on the play Why the Chimes Rang. My mother was working in Chicago, but she came to Scandinavia for Christmas. I was pretending to be asleep in the early hours of Christmas morning when she came and put a sleepyhead doll in bed with me -- one of those dolls that had a zipper opening where you could put your pajamas. I don't think I ever told her that I had been awake.

My best friend in "Scandy" was the minister's daughter and I still have two the Christmas gifts she gave me over the years. Both books, one about famous hymns, and one about famous bible pictures. I never spent another Christmas there, but returned for many summers for several years.

But no matter where Christmas Eve was celebrated, during my growing years, Lutefisk and Lefse was always on the table. I ignored the former, pigged out on the other.

(According to my uncle, Lutefisk was codfish left to dry on the rocks of Norway; according to my brother, lefse, made from potatoes, flour and lard and cooked on a wood stove, was like chewing on your napkin.)

salan · « **Reply #83 on:** December 16, 2014, 12:57:37 PM »

My younger sister & I always had stockings that were one of a pair of nylon hose (before the days of panty hose). We loved it because they were soooo long! The toe of each stocking was a whole coconut. Candy, whole assorted nuts, apples, oranges, rock candy, chocolate coins and several small wrapped packages filled the stocking. Peeking out at the top was a huge candy cane. We were allowed to sneak our stockings back to bed with us and let the adults sleep another hour; while we went through our stockings. We spent days devouring our goodies! I can still remember my father cracking the coconut with a hammer on our back porch.
Sally

Steph · « **Reply #84 on:** December 17, 2014, 08:59:48 AM »

It seems that the stockings were once a way for the parents to sleep in a bit longer. We were not permitted out of our rooms, but the stockings were hung on our door knobs. That we could open. We could look at the tree and presents and there was always one unwrapped one, but otherwise, we had to have a long leisurely breakfast ( my fathers idea of a good joke) and then and only then could we proceed to the presents.

JoanK · « **Reply #85 on:** December 17, 2014, 04:28:23 PM »

"Lutefisk was codfish left to dry on the rocks of Norway". I've always been curious about lutefisk. Does it smell as strong as everyone says? (I notice you didn't eat it!)

PatH · « **Reply #86 on:** December 17, 2014, 06:36:44 PM »

I've never gotten within a mile of lutefisk, which I would guess is about where you would start to smell it. It's not only dried, but when you want to eat it it's rehydrated by soaking in lye. Then you rinse off the lye, and cook it. (I like to think you've gotten all the lye out, but they warn you not to cook it in aluminum pans.) If you cook too long, it turns jello-like in consistency. It's probably like the Italian dried cod. You have to know how to deal with it and then you can get something good.

I had a lot of fun websurfing lutefisk. Here's one:

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/lutefisk-minn-dish-lives-despite-taste

Steph · « **Reply #87 on:** December 18, 2014, 09:01:11 AM »

I had enough problems as a child eating the cookie in German cookery that is pressed with a patterned rolling pin.. Sort of cinnamon, but hard as a rock..

jane · « **Reply #88 on:** December 18, 2014, 09:46:37 AM »

When we were in Norway two years ago, travel friends of Norwegian heritage were so disappointed lutefisk wasn't readily available. (The rest of us non-Norwegians...not so much!!!

] Guides explained it's now mostly found at holidays only and then only looked forward to by the "older" crowd. Lefse, now, was readily available, but was quite bland, I thought. [Some wags said ALL scandanivanian cooking is bland!] Their breads, however, were wonderful!

I think it's all on what you grow up with.

Cute picture in my mind of the little Angel with the shiner and missing teeth!

pedln · « **Reply #89 on:** December 18, 2014, 11:57:46 AM »

I agree with you on the Springerle (?) cookie, Steph, but I love that other German cookie -- pfeffernous (? spelling). You end up covered in powdered sugar, but they are delicious.

And then there is the German "blatkuchen," much like the Norwegian rosettes and futiman (poor man's cookies) -- so crispy and thin and sweet. I think they are deep-fat fried. Yum. There are a lot of Germans here in southeast Missouri. They came from Saxony, landed in New Orleans and came up the Mississippi. Used to be that sometimes you could find blatkuchen to buy, made by one of the older cooks from one of the LUtheran churches.

JoanK · « **Reply #90 on:** December 18, 2014, 04:17:12 PM »

PatH: that's hilarious. I like the idea that you have to try it three times to like it.

Frybabe · « **Reply #91 on:** December 18, 2014, 04:42:37 PM »

Now reading The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits.

Jonathan · « **Reply #92 on:** December 18, 2014, 05:41:10 PM »

How nice to see pfeffernusse mentioned. You're close enough on the spelling, Pedln. The 'u' would be pronounced with an umlaut. My cookbook describes them as especially popular at Christmas. Mom always baked them. Just look at the ingredients:

4 eggs, 1 pound powdered sugar, 4 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the grated rind and juice of 1 lemon.

Mom used to add a little baking ammonia, perhaps as a substitute for the soda. It made our Christmas. And added years to our lives. Me and my five siblings have all made it into our eighties.

Froeliche Weihnachten.

Steph · « **Reply #93 on:** December 19, 2014, 10:32:00 AM »

I love Pfernusse.. but the springerle defeated me, but my Dad adored them. We had a german friend who made apple or cherry kuchen for holidays.. Amazing , when I was grown I went to watch and she could stretch that dough until you could see threw it.. Hers was delicious and delicate. Very few bakeries make it like that.

Frybabe · « **Reply #94 on:** December 20, 2014, 10:50:37 AM »

Every year, our local fire company sends Santa around the village on a fire engine to distribute candy. Santa and his helpers would be on the back of the engine for everyone to see. At least that is the was it was. This year I noticed that the engine was traded for a fire company pickup with Santa sitting in the passenger seat of the cab where you can't see him too well from the opposite side of the street. He was accompanied by two helpers sitting in the back. What a come down.

JoanK · « **Reply #95 on:** December 20, 2014, 03:48:07 PM »

You have a Grinch in the fire department!

Steph · « **Reply #96 on:** December 21, 2014, 08:41:35 AM »

We lived for four years in a teeny town in New Hampshire..Santa came by on the fire engine with a police escort on Christmas Eve.. Everyone went out front to greet him. The year it was snowing hard, the truck was in a massive hurry.. Then we moved to a large town in Massachusetts.. There you went to the police department and left a present(wrapped) with the name and address.. They had dozens of volunteer Santas and drivers and on Christmas eve, they scattered all over town and everyone got a visit ( times were given out). Then all the neighbors used to meet at the various houses ( we went to our neighbors, who had small children). Lots of pictures, laughter, egg nog. I still have a picture of my neighbor and I on the knees of a rather large Santa..

ginny · « **Reply #97 on:** December 21, 2014, 04:01:03 PM »

And the winner is.... (or are)......

Congratulations to:

Salan and

Jonathan

the winners of our 2014 Raffle!!

Enjoy your gift certificates!

PatH · « **Reply #98 on:** December 21, 2014, 07:54:41 PM »

Salan and Jonathan, congratulations. Enjoy.

Steph · « **Reply #99 on:** December 22, 2014, 08:36:55 AM »

Have fun with them.

Jonathan · « **Reply #100 on:** December 22, 2014, 03:05:44 PM »

Thank you very much. What fun to drop in and find I've won a raffle! What are you going to do with your share, Salan?

Frybabe · « **Reply #101 on:** December 22, 2014, 03:10:34 PM »

Congratulations, Salan and Jonathan.

salan · « **Reply #102 on:** December 22, 2014, 05:01:04 PM »

Right now, I am drooling over possibilities. I also received a $25 Amazon gift card; so now I have $40 in credit!! Don't know if I will use it for Kindle or printed books.
What are you going to use yours for, Jonathan?
Sally

JoanK · « **Reply #103 on:** December 22, 2014, 05:08:04 PM »

What a nice Christmas gift. Congrats.

Steph · « **Reply #104 on:** December 23, 2014, 08:51:24 AM »

Ah the joys of decisions on books.. My favorite kind of decision.

JoanK · « **Reply #105 on:** December 23, 2014, 04:06:28 PM »

I usually get at least one Barnes and Noble gift card for Christmas, and I use it to look for a book I never would have bought otherwise (and then have a piece of chocolate cheesecake and coffee in their café).

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #106 on:** December 23, 2014, 06:00:02 PM »

Wow how wonderful - forgot about the raffle - great to hear that our friends here are winners - busy busy - boys are in and it is like the Boars head or 12 days of Christmas around here. Now if the sun would just peek out a bit I would be dancing with glee - had a crown come off this weekend and local dentist was able to pop it back on so I do not look any longer like the north witch. Sincerely hope your holiday is warm and merry. Till next year...

PatH · « **Reply #107 on:** December 24, 2014, 12:37:19 PM »

I'm in Portland for the holidays, so Christmas will be merry and loving, but not sunny--it's Portland, after all. It's raining.

JoanK · « **Reply #108 on:** December 25, 2014, 04:40:06 PM »

t's sunny here, and I'm having a great holiday!

Steph · « **Reply #109 on:** December 26, 2014, 01:31:09 PM »

Home again and glad to be here. I love my family,but I get so very tired..

bellamarie · « **Reply #110 on:** December 26, 2014, 01:55:37 PM »

I hope you all had the Merriest Christmas ever! Mine was with my family sharing Mass, opening gifts, eating, and playing games. Oh what fun! Then Christmas morning it was off to my son's for breakfast, opening stockings, and more games. Then off to the other son's for Christmas dinner and enjoying the grand kids play with their toys. Now, my hubby and I are off til Jan 5th and plan to hit some sales and just have some time alone.

Steph · « **Reply #111 on:** December 27, 2014, 09:15:13 AM »

That would be nice.. When Tim was alive, we took the rv down to where they live.That way, we could vanish for a while and reappear as we wanted.

bellamarie · « **Reply #112 on:** December 28, 2014, 08:31:59 PM »

JoanK., I love Barnes and Noble, I pray the book store stays around for a long time. We are losing too many of the bookstores in our town.

Well, things are winding down here, and we are going to relax a bit before New Year's Eve. We plan a movie, dinner and casino! Congrats to our raffle winners Salan and Jonathan!!

I downloaded the Ellen game Heads Up and want to play it. We finally got back to playing some games with our kids and grandkids through the holidays, oh what fun!

Steph · « **Reply #113 on:** December 29, 2014, 09:10:45 AM »

I have been catching up and decided to start a new tradition for me. Checking out underwear,, I decided that the week between the holidays is a great time to stock up on all of that stuff. Did it yesterday and managed to get all sorts of pay for 2, get 2 more or six for the price of 3, etc. So then played the great discard game and am feeling very spiffy underneath.

bellamarie · « **Reply #114 on:** December 29, 2014, 12:59:55 PM »

Steph, I always wait for the Victoria Secret annual sale, should be coming up soon. Makes you feel so special when you take the time to update undies!!!

Steph · « **Reply #115 on:** December 30, 2014, 08:33:37 AM »

I am highly allergic to most stuff except cotton underneath. Makes for boring undies..But I did find a new bra from Bali, no underwires, no stuffing and very very soft. Hurray. I do hate bras.

Jonathan · « **Reply #116 on:** December 30, 2014, 04:05:33 PM »

Is there anyone still wearing the old-fashioned bloomers? Is there anything that can be said for them? They must have been warm and comfy, and a sheer deilght to get into.

bellamarie · « **Reply #117 on:** December 30, 2014, 05:25:29 PM »

All I can reply to your post Jonathan is they were before my time.

salan · « **Reply #118 on:** December 30, 2014, 06:25:21 PM »

Steph, I can only wear cotton panties, too. Boring, but comfortable. My daughter wears those string bikini undies. They would drive me crazy even if I could wear them. She claims that I wear old lady panties, even though I wore them long before I was an old lady. One of my favorite memories was when my grandson was about 3 and he came into my closet where I was dressing, and exclaimed, "Grandmama', you wear pull-ups." Everybody got a kick out of that.
Sally

Steph · « **Reply #119 on:** December 31, 2014, 09:04:44 AM »

Love the story Sally. When my grandson was little ( he is 13), I said to him one day, to pull up his britches and he looked at me like I was nuts. What is a britches... Funny how things change.
Bloomers.. do you mean the long ones.. When I lived in New England, I wore long underwear when I was cross country skiing.. Very comfy indeed.

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Author Topic: December Holiday Open House (Read 30050 times)