Christmas Thread: Santa, Reindeer, Elves & Yule Goats

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    Christmas Thread
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The discussion revolves around holiday traditions and experiences related to Christmas, Hanukkah, and Yule. Participants share their favorite holiday songs and videos, express relief over gift-giving simplicity, and discuss the challenges of finding safe toys for children. There is a strong emphasis on enjoying the festive atmosphere through decorations, food, and family gatherings rather than focusing on commercial aspects. Recipes for traditional holiday treats like eggnog and cookies are shared, along with nostalgic memories of childhood gifts and family rituals. The conversation also touches on the commercialization of Christmas and the desire for a more meaningful celebration. Participants express mixed feelings about holiday music and the timing of decorations, highlighting a preference for maintaining the distinctiveness of each holiday. Overall, the thread captures a blend of humor, nostalgia, and a focus on the joy of togetherness during the holiday season.
  • #101
Andre said:
Oyster crackers?

These guys?

http://www.scottsbt.com/fishids/idcom/phoysta1.gif

Oyster cracker

:smile: We always called those oyster crunchers. So ugly they're just fascinating.

These are what I call oyster crackers:
http://www.sbamerica.com/OTC/otc.htm
Horrid, rock-like tasteless things you MUST drown in soup to make edible.

Now I see things labeled oyster crackers that look more like a Ritz cracker or Saltine someone cut into tiny hexagons. They aren't so bland as the originals, and definitely not so hard, so you could actually eat them on their own if you really wanted to.
 
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  • #102
Moonbear said:
Now I see things labeled oyster crackers that look more like a Ritz cracker or Saltine someone cut into tiny hexagons. They aren't so bland as the originals, and definitely not so hard, so you could actually eat them on their own if you really wanted to.
I used Saltine oyster crackers, very yummy.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21MBE4AS2EL._AA160_.jpg
 
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  • #103
Astronuc said:
I forgot to mention earlier, that when I visited my sister's family at Thanksgiving, the day before, we had Ninfa's fajitas - with the green Tomatia sauce/dressing. Mmmm, Mmmm!

I thought Evo might appreciate that. :biggrin:

http://www.ninfas.com/default.asp?ID=74
I love their tomatillo guacamole.
 
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  • #104
Evo said:
Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer is on tonight! I know the Fruit Bat, Dr foofer and I will be sipping eggnog and watching with my Abominable Snowman live action figure the girls bought me. It's over a foot tall with shaggy white fur. :approve:

http://www.scifi-toyz.com/abominable.jpg

That's so COOL! :approve:

WANT!
 
  • #105
Ivan Seeking said:
Heh, I always loved Rudolf.

Yet another one of those ancient religious Christmas time traditions. :smile:

Yeah I have always been partial to Rudolf, sorry I am going to miss it.
 
  • #106
Andre said:
Oyster crackers?

These guys?

http://www.scottsbt.com/fishids/idcom/phoysta1.gif

Oyster cracker

I am sorry, when I first saw that I it reminded me of something my dog did this morning.
 
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  • #107
Integral said:
Yet another one of those ancient religious Christmas time traditions. :smile:

As a kid this all seemed very simple. We are Borg: You have been assimilated. Any previous meaning is now redefined for our purposes.

I am quite certain that Rudolf is Catholic.
 
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  • #108
Ivan Seeking said:
As a kid this all seemed very simple. We are Borg: You have been assimilated. Any previous meaning is now redefined for our purposes.

I am quite certain that Rudolf is Catholic.

I thought that was the red nosed Irish priest!
 
  • #109
Math Is Hard said:
That's so COOL! :approve:

WANT!
We have slipped a generation, here. I loved cartoons as a kid, but had no patience for marionettes, stop-action animation, etc. Can't tell you why. By the time the Rudolph animation came out, I was a bit old for that kind of thing anyway, and never warmed up to it. No Bah, Humbug! implied or intended. I just never warmed up to that adaptation of the story.

I remember very fondly listening to Gene Autry singing "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" on a 78rpm record on our crank-powered table-top Victrola. I'm really not that old, but we were not well-to-do, and most of our stuff was hand-me-downs, sometimes for more than a generation. I probably drove my parents nuts listening to that song, and the few other Christmas songs we had on 78s, but they never chided me. When I was about 8-9 or so, my great-uncle sold his house and moved into an apartment he had built in that same house. He had no room for his console record-player/radio, so he gave it to my mother along with a little collection of LPs - Ink Spots, Mills Brothers, Johnny Cash, etc. I was in heaven!
 
  • #110
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer-Burl Ives-Christmas Music Vid


:biggrin:

Christmas Lights - Holly Jolly Christmas (Burl Ives)



This one has pretty impressive lights
Christmas Lights - Christmas Shoes
 
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  • #112
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town is on tonight!
 
  • #113
A friend of my fathers, was very good friends with Burl Ives. We were invited several times to holiday partys, where he would sing. Those are some great memories.
 
  • #114
hypatia said:
A friend of my fathers, was very good friends with Burl Ives. We were invited several times to holiday partys, where he would sing. Those are some great memories.

Okay, one more then, "A Holly Jolly Christmas", Burl Ives
 
  • #115
hypatia said:
A friend of my fathers, was very good friends with Burl Ives. We were invited several times to holiday partys, where he would sing. Those are some great memories.

How cool! How old were you at the time; an adult or very young? Did you ever get to spend time with him and get to know him?
 
  • #116
I was around 12 years old, and I thought he and his wife{Dorothy} were the sweetest people in the world. He had the most enchanting smile. He showed me my first guitar chords, and my sisters and I got to sing a few songs with him. Eddie Arnold was often there too.
I never got to know him well, mostly because when he came to Fla. he came to sail. I recall he had a beautiful sail boat. He would get up a regatta, and they would sail from Cape Canaveral to Key West. The wifes and kids would drive down and meet them and have a beach party.
 
  • #117
Here's a shot of our first snowy December since we moved here. The last couple of years, we've had bare ground right through Christmas. My gardening neighbor's wife made and decorated that huge wreath.

snow.jpg
 
  • #118
It's snowing, I'm not sure how much we're supposed to get. Our third snow storm since November.
 
  • #119
I hate shoveling snow and snow-blowing, especially in gusty winds, but I hope this snow stays and we get plenty more, so the snowmobilers and skiers will come and spend their money. With little or no snow the past few winters, lots of people have been hurt bad, and they are people who don't show up in the employment figures because typically they can't claim unemployment because they are seasonal/part-time employees. Chambermaids, wait staff, kitchen staff, bartenders, guides, chair-lift attendants, ski patrol members, snow-makers and groomers, etc. Some of the bigger rafting companies have branched out into all-season lodging and snowmobile rentals, just in time to endure several un-snowy winters in a row. They're sitting on fleets of lightly-used snowmobiles that still have to be paid for, and they are operating with skeleton crews. This snow may give them all a merrier Christmas.
 
  • #120
Had a nice surprise when I got to work (after having driven through the snow. I had 3 cookies with chocolate kisses on them, a beautiful christmas mug, stuffed with packets of hot choclate, candy canes and chocolate dipped peppermint sticks.
 
  • #121
This was in a letter from Red Rum last night. He's an Irishman living in The Netherlands.

Red Rum said:
Today is Sinterklaasdag, when the man you interpret as Santa Clause (who is known here as de Kerstman, or Father Christmas) comes sailing from Spain on his white horse with his black and very mischievious helpers, known as Zwart Piet (or Black Peter...How politically incorrect can you get?) doling out presents (cadeautjes), dropjes (candies) and pepernoten (little ginger snaps, I suppose). Dutch kids leave their shoes out for presents. The bold ones get lumps of coal instead of gifts and get kidnapped and taken back to Spain as punishment. This I don't quite understand as enduring the cuisine, climate, language and culture of the Iberian peninsula would hardly constitute punishment for most Dutch citizens.
 
  • #122
Evo said:
Had a nice surprise when I got to work (after having driven through the snow. I had 3 cookies with chocolate kisses on them, a beautiful christmas mug, stuffed with packets of hot choclate, candy canes and chocolate dipped peppermint sticks.

Ooh, that's a nice treat for a snow day!
 
  • #123
Hmmm Eggnog and lotsa rum...
 
  • #124
Evo said:
This was in a letter from Red Rum last night. He's an Irishman living in The Netherlands.

I have some Dutch friends, and their version sounds really fun. Zwart Piet is a chimney sweep! How else is Santa going to get down your filthy, clogged chimney without the help of a chimney sweep? :biggrin:

Pepernoten are what we know more commonly by their German name of pfefferneusen. I think there's a slight difference, but they're spice balls (literally, spice nut, I think), those little ball-shaped cookies coated in powdered sugar.
 
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  • #125
hypatia said:
I was around 12 years old, and I thought he and his wife{Dorothy} were the sweetest people in the world. He had the most enchanting smile. He showed me my first guitar chords, and my sisters and I got to sing a few songs with him.

That is just too cool! I guess he was America's Christmas grandpa because he was genuine. AFAIK, everyone loved Burl Ives.

Eddie Arnold was often there too. I never got to know him well, mostly because when he came to Fla. he came to sail. I recall he had a beautiful sail boat. He would get up a regatta, and they would sail from Cape Canaveral to Key West. The wifes and kids would drive down and meet them and have a beach party.

Still, what a treat that must have been. Was your dad in show business related work or was the connection just a fluke?

I got to hang with Michael Landon for a bit at a Rams game when I too was about 12. He happened to be sitting in the next row and right in front of us. I definitely thought that was very cool! It was fun telling my buddies that I was hanging out with Little Joe last Sunday. :biggrin:
 
  • #126
My Dad worked for NASA. My Dads co-worker/friend played football with Mr Ives when they were teens.
I did know many of the early astronauts very well. Heheh I would of traded them all for one seat next to Michael Landon:!)
 
  • #127
Today is Sinterklaasdag, when the man you interpret as Santa Clause (who is known here as de Kerstman, or Father Christmas) comes sailing from Spain on his white horse with his black and very mischievious helpers, known as Zwart Piet (or Black Peter...How politically incorrect can you get?)

Sinterklaas, Heilige Nikolaus, Sankt Nicolaus, is a rapidly declining Mid Europe tradition with one of the last stronghold in The Netherlands. The Black Peter figure however has nothing to do with political, ethnic issues. Indeed, there is little doubt that his skin color has darkened pernamently due to his habit to deliver the goodies by crawling into chimneys into the shoes of the kids and collect the carrots that are left there for the white horse of his master.

However, in Germany "Zwarte Piet" is known as Knecht Ruprecht (knecht (servant)pronounced Knecht - not 'necht' ) and this hint a bit to his real character. He is simply the negative opposite of Sinterklaas, naughty, playful but potentially dangerous. It's the classical good guy - bad guy trade off. Children have to behave and prevent deportation as RR indicated. Other variations for the Knecht Ruprecht figure are Belznickel, Bullerklas, Pelzebock which may orginate from Belzebub, aka Lucifer, Satan although it has also been proposed that Ruprecht originates from German paleo deity Wotan (old german Wuotan - wut = angry) or he may have been a servant of the Goddess Holle.

Nothing to do with politics :approve:
 
  • #128
Glühwein

While eggnog is unknown here in Germany, the traditional Christmas drink here is Glühwein(glow wine) obtainable in about all the stands in the numerous Christmas fairs. Certainly worth trying. The recipe for this "Conditum Paradoxum" goes back to the cooking book of Marcus Gavius Apicius, a Roman "gastronomer" who lived in the first century AD, in which wine and honey are heated with spices.

For a good Glühwein use a sweet red wine, the Germans seem to like using the "Spätburgunder", the Austrians the "Blau Burgunder", the French "Pinot noir" (Don't tell them that those grapes are all the same).

For one bottle of wine use 100 gram sugar, juice of two oranges, two cinnamon sticks, 20 cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)

Slowly bring the wine and sugar to boiling, stick the cloves in a peel of one of the oranges and add to the boiling mass together with the juice and cinnamon. Boil for 10 minutes. Drink warm.

Note that the alcohol has virtually disappeared after boiling.
 
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  • #129
We make the same drink here, except we call it Glog, we correct the alcohol problem, by adding brandy.
 
  • #130
Andre said:
Sinterklaas, Heilige Nikolaus, Sankt Nicolaus, is a rapidly declining Mid Europe tradition with one of the last stronghold in The Netherlands. The Black Peter figure however has nothing to do with political, ethnic issues. Indeed, there is little doubt that his skin color has darkened pernamently due to his habit to deliver the goodies by crawling into chimneys into the shoes of the kids and collect the carrots that are left there for the white horse of his master.

However, in Germany "Zwarte Piet" is known as Knecht Ruprecht (knecht (servant)pronounced Knecht - not 'necht' ) and this hint a bit to his real character. He is simply the negative opposite of Sinterklaas, naughty, playful but potentially dangerous. It's the classical good guy - bad guy trade off. Children have to behave and prevent deportation as RR indicated. Other variations for the Knecht Ruprecht figure are Belznickel, Bullerklas, Pelzebock which may orginate from Belzebub, aka Lucifer, Satan although it has also been proposed that Ruprecht originates from German paleo deity Wotan (old german Wuotan - wut = angry) or he may have been a servant of the Goddess Holle.

Nothing to do with politics :approve:
I think Red Rum's mention of politically incorrect was referring to how this would go over in the US (I'm American). A caricature like this here and all hell would break loose.

http://www.partyshop.nl/images/Piet%20masker%20plat-l.jpg
 
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  • #131
hypatia said:
We make the same drink here, except we call it Glog, we correct the alcohol problem, by adding brandy.
I'm drinking at hypatia's! :approve:

Thanks for the info Andre!
 
  • #132
Has anyone else here been celebrating Hannukah since the 6th?
 
  • #133
Math Jeans said:
Has anyone else here been celebrating Hannukah since the 6th?
We started on the evening of the 5th. I have one of those electric menorahs so I had the change the blessing a little. See if I got this right:
vetsivanu lesovevet et hamenorah shel hanukah
And commanded us to screw in the lightbulb of Hannukah.

My thought for the holiday. If you give an adult a gold coin and they find out that it is just chocolate covered in foil, they will be disappointed. The kids will be disappointed if it's a real coin.
 
  • #134
jimmysnyder said:
We started on the evening of the 5th. I have one of those electric menorahs so I had the change the blessing a little. See if I got this right:
vetsivanu lesovevet et hamenorah shel hanukah
And commanded us to screw in the lightbulb of Hannukah.
:smile: :smile:
 
  • #135
Happy Hannukah!

 
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  • #136
jimmysnyder said:
We started on the evening of the 5th. I have one of those electric menorahs so I had the change the blessing a little. See if I got this right:
vetsivanu lesovevet et hamenorah shel hanukah
And commanded us to screw in the lightbulb of Hannukah.

My thought for the holiday. If you give an adult a gold coin and they find out that it is just chocolate covered in foil, they will be disappointed. The kids will be disappointed if it's a real coin.

:smile: Happy Hannukah!
 
  • #137
Math Is Hard said:
Happy Hannukah!


:approve: Thanks for that. The candlabra at the end was an actual menorah (7 candles) as opposed to the one used during Hannukah (9 candles) which is pedantically called a hannukiah.
The song is ok, but reminds me of a better one from 40 years ago called "When you're in love, the whole world is Jewish".

Bob Booker said:
I've had a lot of thrills in my life
Three kids, a gorgeous wife
(Such looks)
I'm thrilled about my car: a Riviera
My sister Sarah
And John O'Hara's books
But the thrill of thrills that gave my heart a clout
Was the thrilling night when I thrillingly found out

Steve McQueen is Jewish would you believe it?
He's just like you and I, couldn't you almost die?
And Cary Grant is Jewish could you conceive it?
Such a living doll in a prayer shawl
Marlon Brando's Jewish, Pat O'Brien and Richard Conte
Not to mention that lovely couple, Harry and Bela Fonte

Frank Sinatra's Jewish would you believe it?
Sean Connery and Lyndon Johnson too
As a matter of fact the whole world is Jewish
Since I fell in love with you
Rosie McGonegal!
Since I fell in love with you
 
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  • #138
Yummy cookie baking night!
Ginger bread with lemon frosting
Walnut chocolate chip
Michigan sand bar cookies{my favorit}
Coconut dipped in white chocolate
and last but not least Sugar cookies!
 
  • #139
hypatia said:
Yummy cookie baking night!
Ginger bread with lemon frosting
Walnut chocolate chip
Michigan sand bar cookies{my favorit}
Coconut dipped in white chocolate
and last but not least Sugar cookies!
I make a lemon frosting for my gingerbread cookies too!
 
  • #140
Sounds delicious, hypatia! What are the Michigan sandbar cookies?

Can't wait to make a gingerbread house with my siblings when I get to Texas.
 
  • #141
They are a cinnamon bar cookie, very much like a shortbread, except you push ridges across the top with your fingertips. The second it comes out of the oven, you dump a ton of powdered sugar and cinnamon on it. Melt in your mouth good eats!
 
  • #142
hypatia said:
They are a cinnamon bar cookie, very much like a shortbread, except you push ridges across the top with your fingertips. The second it comes out of the oven, you dump a ton of powdered sugar and cinnamon on it. Melt in your mouth good eats!
Can you post the recipe?

Spawn of Evo is coming over this week to make her favorite Cherry Winks (cookies made with corn flakes and maraschino cherries) and Moon cookies. I'm going to post both recipes.
 
  • #143
Michigan Sandbar cookies

1 cup of butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pre heat oven to 300

In large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add brown sugar and cinnamon, mix well. Then add flour and mix just until a dough forms. Its really easy to over work this, so with a gentle touch, press it into the bottom of a 9 by 13 pan{ungreased}. I use butter on my fingers to keep it from sticking to me. Push deep ridges across the dough.
Bake for 40 minutes.



Topping 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Sift together.
The second it comes out of the oven, sift the sugar/cinnamon over the top.

After it cools cut into 1 by 2 inch bars.

My Mom use to buy little chocolates shaped like seashells to have with them.
 
  • #144
hypatia said:
Michigan Sandbar cookies

1 cup of butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pre heat oven to 300

In large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add brown sugar and cinnamon, mix well. Then add flour and mix just until a dough forms. Its really easy to over work this, so with a gentle touch, press it into the bottom of a 9 by 13 pan{ungreased}. I use butter on my fingers to keep it from sticking to me. Push deep ridges across the dough.
Bake for 40 minutes.



Topping 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Sift together.
The second it comes out of the oven, sift the sugar/cinnamon over the top.

After it cools cut into 1 by 2 inch bars.

My Mom use to buy little chocolates shaped like seashells to have with them.
That sounds so easy! Thanks hypatia!
 
  • #145
Great recipe! I think I may have all the ingredients on hand.
 
  • #146
Evo said:
Can you post the recipe?

Spawn of Evo is coming over this week to make her favorite Cherry Winks (cookies made with corn flakes and maraschino cherries) and Moon cookies. I'm going to post both recipes.

I hope you have a wonderful time.:smile:
 
  • #147
hypatia said:
I hope you have a wonderful time.:smile:
Thanks, we're going to add your bars!
 
  • #148
Sounds yummy! Are Moon cookies for Moon bears? :biggrin:

I'm in a very good mood tonight. I leave tomorrow for vacation, and just got in some results from an experiment that have turned out beautifully, so can leave in a very good mood (and just gave a grad student the happy news he can start working on writing up the abstract over the Christmas break...:rolleyes:...to attend a conference in Hawaii! :biggrin: Something tells me the promise of a trip to Hawaii will more than make up for having to work on an abstract over Christmas break, especially since he had other work to do anyway on things that haven't been going as well).

Between good news on this experiment (this was better than just an experiment going "well"...this was GREAT...the sort of results that justify years of beating one's head against walls trying to make sense of strange results that others just wanted to give up on...of course, there's still "part 2" that can go wrong), and leaving for vacation tomorrow (a "the lab better be burning down if you call and disturb me with something work-related" vacation), I don't know how I'll ever get to sleep tonight. I already feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. :biggrin:
 
  • #149
I'm really happy for you, Moonbear. That's great news. :smile:
 
  • #150
Moonbear said:
, I don't know how I'll ever get to sleep tonight. I already feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. :biggrin:
I'd say count sheep, but your more than likely immune to that:redface:
Have a safe and fun vacation!
 

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