Celebrating the weird and wonderful in this week's Christmassy Heyday Friday newsletter
This week's newsletter is chock-full of Christmas traditions - some of them very weird indeed, some really rather wonderful, and some with a special festive twist.
The final blog for this year focuses on those curious and often more than a bit bonkers traditions that somehow become embedded in our family Christmas festivities.
In it I reveal a couple that have been part of my family heritage, and one that is a more recent addition, as well as a selection generously shared by some of my friends, which include a glittery tree-related ceremony, a beloved and now rather battered gift receptacle, and a hilarious one involving that most traditional of Christmas treats - a big tin of Quality Street.
Find out what they are by CLICKING HERE and please do make all our Christmasses that little bit more magical by adding yours in the comments here or on the post.
As it is nearly Christmas, and in the spirit of a) continuing the theme of the blog and b) giving you a special subscriber bonus, I thought you might enjoy discovering some of the more unusual Christmas traditions observed around the world. You’re welcome.
In Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, roads are closed off in the mornings between Dec 16th and Christmas Eve in order to enable people to roller skate to early morning church services.
Norwegians believe that Christmas Eve coincides with the arrival of mischievous spirits and witches. As witches often use brooms as their preferred mode of transportation, in order to protect themselves families hide all their brooms and mops before they go to bed.
Do you look forward to your Christmas meal? Not sure you’d feel the same about the traditional festive treat in South Africa where deep-fried emperor moth caterpillars are considered something of a delicacy, and are served as a starter on Christmas Day. Apparently they taste a bit like tea. But I’m happy to say I can’t confirm that from personal experience!
A far more palatable Christmas tradition happens in Poland on Christmas Eve, where families share oplatek (an unleavened religious wafer). Each person breaks off a piece as they wish each other Merry Christmas. Dinner can’t begin until the first star appears in the night sky and it’s also tradition for an extra setting to be left at the table in case someone shows up uninvited.
In Sweden people believed that the Yule goat was an invisible spirit that would appear before Christmas to make sure that the holiday preparations were being done correctly. In 1966 someone came up with the idea of making a giant straw goat, which is now referred to as the Gävle Goat. More than 42 feet high, 23 feet wide, and weighing 3.6 tons, it’s constructed each year in Slottstorget (Castle Square) in central Gävle on the first Sunday of Advent, where it stands until after New Year when it’s dismantled.
I’m not sure this counts as a tradition but one of my marvellous mum’s favourite desserts is jelly. So it’s become a habit for me to make her one as part of the spread of options for pudding on Christmas Day. If you have any jelly lovers in your family, here are a couple of easy, boozy, ideas for juzzing (I have no idea how that’s spelt!) up their wobbly fave.
SPARKLING FRUIT JELLIES
Technically this is a summer recipe, but I think it looks really festive too. This amount will make 6 individual jellies or one largeish bowl.
Gently heat 200ml of water and 100g caster sugar in a pan until the sugar has dissolved, then boil for 5 mins until the mixture becomes syrupy. Put 5 gelatine leaves (or however many the make uses for 700ml of liquid) in a small bowl of cold water and soak for 5 mins or until soft. Squeeze the excess water from the leaves then stir them into the warm syrup until they are fully dissolved. Stir in 500ml prosecco and 3tbsp elderflower cordial and pour into half-filled jelly moulds or a bowl.
Set in the fridge for 1 hour (leave the remaining liquid out of the fridge). When set, sprinkle over your choice of berries or fruit and top with the remaining jelly mix. Chill for 3 hours or overnight, then invert onto a plate, or plates.
This one is very firmly a wintry version of jelly. The recipe is enough to serve 6
SPICED RED WINE JELLIES WITH STEM GINGER
Put a 750ml bottle medium-bodied red wine such as Merlot or a Merlot-Shiraz blend, 1 cinnamon stick, 10 cloves, a pinch of dried chilli flakes, and the pared zest of two oranges in a pan over a medium-high heat and bring to just below boiling point. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean pan, bring back to just below boiling point. Add 80ml cranberry juice and 220g caster sugar. Stir for 2-3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat to low and keep hot.
Meanwhile, soak 8 gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes. Squeeze to remove any excess water, then whisk into the wine mixture until dissolved. Divide between 6 wine glasses (or whatever receptacle you fancy), then chill overnight until softly set.
Whip together 150ml double cream and 1tbsp of syrup from a jar of stem ginger to soft peaks. Spoon the cream onto the jellies, decorate with the some chopped stem ginger and dust with a little cinnamon.
WHAT’S MADE ME HAPPY THIS WEEK
Unsurprisingly, a number of the Christmas traditions in THIS WEEK’S BLOG relate to the tree. This video of the Queen’s annual tree decorating tradition warmed the cockles of my festive heart for a number of reasons, not least because of the children involved. But look out especially for the little girl who grabs Camilla for a kiss (and how she reacts), and the very handsome equerry’s method for helping the children put their decs on the higher branches of the tree.
What is making me very UNhappy however, is that somehow I’ve uploaded the video twice and now can’t figure out how to delete one (arrgh!) So apologies for the double helping.
FRIDAY FUNNY
To round off continuing the small human Christmas theme, this made laugh, so I hope it does the same for you
Although there won’t be a blog next week, there will be a newsletter with two top notch entertainment recommendations and some final Christmas treats.
In the meantime, I hope your preparations aren’t quite as far behind schedule as mine….ahem…..
Have a great week
Perfect final posting before we launch ourselves into whatever 2024 has in store for us. Thnks Diane!