Christmas! What do you do that is special?

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

Anyone interested in sharing the aspects of their Christmas. i.e. Traditions, foods, special regional or cultural observences.<BR>Being Italian-American, we are every big on Christmas eve and eat fish, but no meat until midnight. My family eats the common things like shrimp, lobster tails, and Cod, but we also eat squid, sea snail and octopus. Christmas day we usually have ham or turkey, with the usual side dishes. SalG<p>[This message has been edited by SalG (edited 12-16-2000).]

[Bill Stoneberg]

Every year we go to my Wife's grandmother out in the country. She will be 96 this Christmas. We try to take an old car if its not to cold or rainy. The whole family gathers and eats. Normal bill of fare is fried Turkey, baked Turkey, ham, stuffing and vegatibles.<BR>Normally after dinner (which is at noon) the ladies talk and visit while the men shoot skeet or targets and / or play dominoes.<BR>After while we have desert and do some more nothing.<BR>A nice relaxed day with the extended family, NO TV, NO Radio and NO stress. <BR>I love it.<BR>My wife and I normally go to Midnight Mass on Christmas eve.<BR>Bill

[Guest]

When we stay around Washington, we usually try to get to the National Cathederal for the Christmas eve midnight service - the place is packed with more than 5,000 (they say) including lots of standees. If I'm playing Santa/host, we usually have a lot of good holiday food the next day that is probably unhealthy (everything cooked with butter, plus cheeses, nuts, etc.) - but tastes great. However, this year I'm going to Texas for the holiday to see grandkids and eat barbeque. So here's my opportunity to wish everyone a very special holiday season and a happy new year!

[IndianaCarGuy]

I once spent most of a Christmas at college, and thought I was being left out,...however, despite not being home due to a few reports I was working on, I managed to go and look up a friend who was in the process of doing the mechanicals in a 1923 Studebaker Big Six. It was a huge touring car, and smelled like the 14 generations of mice who had inhabited the shabby interior. I have no idea why,....but the day before christmas, he had it far enough along to make the circuit of local antique stores in Lafayette, Indiana, and we nearly froze due to the non-existent heater, the lack of a top and flow through ventilation floorboards.<BR>(I never claimed to be really sane)<P>About all we had for heat was heavy down coats, my wool army glove liners, and a pair of furry bearskin driving gloves (they were my gloves, so I was designated pilot) Oh,..and some warm brandy which had been hurriedly poured into a ceramic bottle.<P>I recall the first two hours pretty well, as the streets were really not too heavily peopled,...Campus was REALLY deserted that time of year....I also recall doing the drive through at a chicken joint,....and it was sorta nice to smell the coal smoke from someone's furnace, and the fumes from under the seat intermingled. As I recall,..the chicken was a LOT warmer than my face,...and we ate it outside while we took turns going inside antique stores to warm up and buy something or other. (Did we buy anything?) There was no way that car was getting turned off, since it was nearly nine miles home,..well,..the Stude was nine miles from home,..I was living at the Grad house.<P>I think it was the third stop we decided to get gasoline, as the gauge was non-functioning, and no one could recall when gas had been put in it. Well,...that nearly put us all in a panic, so we decided to call it a day, and put $4 dollars worth of Ethyl in Beulah (The car was named "Beulah")and all headed for home. We made it, at about an average of 35 miles an hour,...I think. It felt a lot worse. I have the bearskin gloves to this day,..but Now I am in Austin, Texas. <BR>I think Beulah went home to roost somewhere near Brazil, Indiana. <P>And no,..I don't do that every year,..nor do I think I want to,..once was enough,....I wonder to this day if any police just looked at us and took off as fast as they could the other way. Well,...I do recall that we went home with a wreath over the radiator cap,..I still wonder to this day if I owe someone for that wreath,..or if the store owner really gave it to my co-pilot (He got all the anti-freeze!) It took 4 hours to thaw out, and I got back to my dorm room about 4AM,...Yeah,..it was a pretty decent Christmas!<P>RS<P>

[The Old Guy]

I have 6 children ,and they all have families,so we celebrate Christmas at our house a week early and all the kids and their families come here. We draw names ,so each one receives a gift and it doesn't break the bank, and we patry and then they go home. Each year my wife and I go to one of their homes on Christmes eve ,and that way they can start traditions in their own families and we can watch the Grandkids from a different family every year. We have 13 Grand children,and 2 more on the way ,so it makes a lovely Holiday for Bernice and I.<P>

[Guest rcirilli]

Being of Italian heritage our main celebration is Christmas Eve. We travel to my parents, about sixty miles, where the whole family usually gets together. Our dinner is very traditional. Our main dish is angel hair pasta in a fish sauce, some little fried fish, ham, various potato dishes, lots of olives, nuts, red wine and deserts. Some things have been added since my brother, sister and I all married non Italians. We open presents Christmas Eve after dinner. In the past we went to midnight mass but these days go Christmas morning. Then Christmas days things start over when most of my wife's family come to our house. My wife's family is basic German and have a very traditional American/German meal. Her side has small children so it puts another touch to it. By 7:00 PM or so everyone goes home and we relax.

[ronbarn]

Reading these wonderful posts, I can't but think of the post on KK Donuts and the posters questions about why we drift to non-auto threads. Look at the names of the DFers who are responding and it's easy to see that we do enjoy this diversion sometimes. Good to see that the DF is not only antique automotive but friendly and human. Thanx and best wishes for the Holidays - Father Ron

[Guest]

If the weather is nice. I take out the 63 Grand Prix for a ride. I gave up on that Christmas Hype Years ago. To much crazyness<BR>and insanity up and into the final day. What ever happened to the family get together and Small (inexpensive) gifts?<P>------------------<BR>Gatomon<p>[This message has been edited by Blackcat (edited 12-16-2000).]

[IndianaCarGuy]

Get diverted?<BR>People get diverted here? I think the closest I ever got to diverted was once when I drove into the creek and my feet got wet,..Oh,..I'm sorry,..that's converted, not diverted. My Error.<P>RS<BR>

[novaman]

Since my sister got married, my parents and I would spend every other Christmas with them. The Christmas that we wouldn't be with them, we'd have it at Thanksgiving time. Well she and her hubby moved to GA. Now most Christmas' are with them alternating years wether here or GA. They stopped going to his mom's as often as it is now a 20hour drive.<P>Growing up (in upstate NY)my sister and I would open presents Christmas morning. Then we started going to the 11pm Christmas eve service and started opening gifts when we got home. Boy do I miss that tradition. There are no late night services in my area that I know of(NC).<P>Us? get diverted? Never! As the Democrats would say, I really did mean to go there. That was my intentions." <p>[This message has been edited by novaman (edited 12-17-2000).]

[DugsSin]

We would do the church service and the family meal like most of you, but one of the most vivid memories of growing up was an annual get together of the neighborhood guys for a basketball game on Christmas Eve. Always after dark, we had a couple of floodligths, and hopefully in the snow. What a challenge it was to handle a frozen ball with gloves on and a hat that would quickly be pushed over your eyes if you were in a position to score. Winners would have bragging rights<BR> for the rest of the year. The game would be followed up by eating yule log and having a couple of brews to thaw you out. Strange ?, you know it, but man those were fun times. Have a Great Holiday everybody. Doug<P>

[ThomasBorchers]

Christmas time in Germany starts 4 weeks before the 24th (at the private homes not in the stores. They start in October?). We have a wreath made with fir-twigs and four candles. The last 4 Sundays before the 24th we light one more candle so that at the last Sunday before the 24th all 4 candles burn. We call this ?Advent Time?<BR>The main celebration is also Christmas Eve like at rcirillis family. One of the traditional German dishes at this day at the evening is ?potato salad with broiled white sausages or wieners? . We have of course a Christmas Tree and at this evening my grandma comes like every Christmas (she is now 92 years old) and the cousin of my father. Since some years it is a tradition to see at a large screen a movie about my last USA trip. Before this we change some nice parcels (yes, the presents) but we have no stress to think about it, what is good what is right? The main thing is Christmas and not the presents. <BR>Christmas day we have a very nice lunch (only my parents and me) and two hours later the both from the last evening will come again to drink tea and eat muffins and other fine things.<BR>At the 2nd Christmas day we have no visitors and it is our private day. If the weather is fine we will make a small tour with one of our old cars. Perhaps this time with the Model A. We will see.<BR>I wish you all a very nice Christmas time and a happy new year.<P>Tom<BR><P>------------------<BR>Thomas Borchers<BR>Member of AACA # 004829<BR>HCCA and MAFCA

[Guest]

Christmas eve we have my wife's family over for merry-making & gift exchanges. Christmas day my own family shows up for more of the same. My kids of course make out BIG TIME, present wise, on both occasions. Tonite we're hoping to visit our local village's "Christmas Pageant," where the Christmas story is acted out by real-live people & animals--hoping the rain stops so it can happen! (postponed from last night). I will also be making a day-after-Christmas "pilgrimage" on the 26th, when I take the Bridgeport to Port Jefferson ferry to pick up a Beetle roof rack from another antique VW enthusiast, who will meet me at the ferry terminal. Happy Holidays to all!<P>Steve Mierz<BR>Stony Creek, CT

[Guest]

A little different tradition to relate -- Many, many years ago, several people in our lives passed away in one year -- so many it was hard to even remember and reflect on each individually. Also, from time to time one of the kids is away at school or something when an important day arrives. <BR> At Christmas particularly, but also at Thanksgiving, Easter, Mothers and Fathers Day, and birthday dinners, I always put a plate (empty) on the table near my plate with a small candle nearby to remember all those who have touched our lives but could not be there for that event.<BR> I used to be the only one who knew of the plate and smile at its sight. Now quietly, I've noticed, individually others have a silent reflective smile of their own sometime during the meal. <BR> It is a good feeling. <BR> Happy Holidays Everyone!!

[Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)]

Thomas<P>I remember a German Christmas custom, but don't know all the details or significance. There was large "Christmas card" type of thing that you set up. It has several doors or windows. Several days before Christmas (don't remember how many), you begin opening one of the doors or windows each day. There was a picture or something behind each door. I don't remember all the details. Could you shed some light on this custom for us?<P>Although not necessarilly a Christmas custom, I do remember Gluwein (spelling?). Boy, that's some good stuff!

[ThomasBorchers]

Hal~~<BR>What you mean is an "Advents Kalender". This item is mostly for kids because they count the days to Christmas day, as you know. It starts with the first day of December. Usually behind these small doors are chocolate or if you have a bigger calendar, other things. So every day the kids open a door and if all doors are opened...then is Christmas eve = presents!<BR>The 2nd thing is only for adults. "Gluehwein or Glühwein" is a hot red wine with special Christmas spices. The right thing for cold day at German Christmas Markets. But too much is that you lose something %&)))$§ because the brain becomes a bit dull or so after some glasses of this wine. Remember: You add also sugar in the "Gluehwein"! <BR>Cheers...<P>Tom

[ronbarn]

The Advent Calendar has been a long time tradition in our household. Sally has had them in her home long before her year in Germany. They are available in most good book stores.<P>Now, Gluehwein, that's a whole different matter. I haven't had a good glass of this wonderful concoction since my military tour in Germany back in the '60s. As Thomas says, it is wonderful on a cold winter evening. Hey, Thomas, how about a recipe? Would love to try some again (in moderation, of course).

[Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)]

Amen Father Ron! A recipe would be WUNDERBAR!<P>I must have led a sheltered life in East Central Alabama. I had never seen an Advent Calendar until I went to Germany for my Uncle Sam. <P>Merry Christmas everyone.

[ThomasBorchers]

<span style="text-decoration: underline">A recipe for ?Glühwein?</span><BR>You need: 1 bottle of good red wine. Not the cheapest!, one piece cinnamon, 4 cloves, one soup-spoon of sugar and one piece of orange-peel. <BR>Pour the red wine into a pot and add all other items and warm the wine up. The wine should be hot but it should not boil. After around 30 minutes the ?Glühwein? is ready. If you like a harder version you can add a bit rum. Then you have an ?Eisbrecher? (ice breaker) This makes more dull . If the wine is not sweet enough, feel free to add more sugar.<BR>And if you don?t like it you can put it in the tank of your old car. I am sure the car runs with it. <BR>I am not the best one in writing recipes but I hope you understand what I mean.<BR>Ahh yes, don?t drink too much?you know alcohol and sugar make a nice headache?<P>Tom <BR>

[Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)]

Thanks Thomas. I intend to try this tonight.

[Guest rcirilli]

I have a good bottle of home made Italian Red wine, will that work or should it be sweet wine?

[ThomasBorchers]

You should use no sweet wine. A dry or medium dry is better because is the wine too sweet the taste is not very nice. As I wrote: If the wine is not sweet enough for you, you can add more sugar. It is the best if you do it then in your own glass.<BR>Important is that you use a good wine. <P>Tom

[Guest]

We just eat a tossed salad and some kielbasaand relax!

[Guest]

Thomas - Made gluhwein both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It's good stuff but makes your head fuzzy inside. Thanks for the recipe.

[ThomasBorchers]

Ted~~<BR>I am glad that you liked it but I told the thing with head. <BR>Ron~~Hal~~rcirilli~~<BR>Have you tried this, too?<P>Tom<BR><p>[This message has been edited by ThomasBorchers (edited 01-06-2001).]

[Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)]

Thomas,<P>Yes, indeed. I went by the grocery store on my way home from work the very day you posted the recipe. That night when I came in from the shop, I told my wife to stay out of the kitchen because I had a surprise for her. I made a batch and we drank it while watching TV. Good stuff! Thanks.

[ronbarn]

Did indeed - thanx Thomas - reminded me of the Christmas holidays I spent in Germany many years ago. Good recipe.