Holiday traditions........

[Grandma Helen]

Today my oldest son took me grocery shopping and I was walking around getting things I need and I picked up some pie crusts and then a few aisles later I picked up a couple of jars of mince pie filling.  My son says "some things never change, you still eat that".  He was kind of laughing.  No one else eats it in my family.  My father-in-law and I were the only ones.  My dad introduced it to me when I was just a kid.  What traditions do you have that you've done for years?  How far back does that go? 

[Julia A Knaake]

singing  carols...all my life

[ozzieowl]

My Nan and my Mother used to make steamed rich, fruit puddings in calico

with a handful of sixpences thrown in back in the 1950's

and this process would commence weeks before Christmas Day.

But, since my children didn't like these desserts, I changed things a tad.

I have always made a Superb Lemon Sour Cream Cheesecake,

together with a Mango Mousse for the table on the day,

and these days both my daughters and their families

live interstate, and they are carrying on what I started.

This one above is prepared and then placed in a slow oven to cook,

and it always turns out light and fluffy - yum!

[Sherrie Little]

Looks so festive and delicious, Ozzieowl!

 

 

[ozzieowl]

Thank you Sherrie.

[Grandma Helen]

Lynn, that prank you and your sister did is funny and the silly fun things kids love to do.

Ozzieowl, that picture of that dessert looks yummy.  I used to spend the whole week before Christmas baking cookies and pies.  I haven't done it in almost 10 years.  My son that went to culinary school usually does Christmas dinner, but he hates to bake.  His girlfriend loves to bake, so at least we'll have dessert. 

[ozzieowl]

I think that could be called a 'win/win' outcome there Lynn, lol!

[Sherrie Little]

Love the switch, Lynn, so funny!

[Eaglewoman]

My mom and my sister-in-law from England are the only ones that I know that like mincemeat, also they both loved fruit cake. I buy my SIL one every year made by the monks in the monastery.Don't do much traditions anymore. My DIL usually makes cookies. She does all the holiday cooking, but works so many strange hours (shes a nurse) that we just go with the flow anymore.

[EddieDingo]

Like you, I'm into the mince(meat) pie thing.  Mostly now I buy the filling.  I used to make the filling and I would put some very fine shredded beef or broth in it.  The kids wouldn't touch it.  It wasn't until I started buying the filling and I could honestly say there was no meat in it that they would even try it.

Their response was 'meh'.  

More for me.

[Zochitl]

My Mother would make Greek cookies and fill the house with all those wonderful smells and now I do the same. I have to send my son in Vermont his 6 doz. every year and he begins reminding me after Thanksgiving so that I won't forget. They've already left for him so he's waiting anxiously for them. Loves to have a cookie with his coffee  in the morning before he goes to work. Also my grandchildren are beginning to ask for them too and he tells me I have to send some more because they take a lot from his box.. :-)

[Grandma Helen]

That's a cool tradition Zochitl.  One of the other things I love this time of year is Stollen.  It's funny because all the things I love around Christmas, like Stollen and Minced Pie are things my dad introduced me to as a child.  He hasn't been in my life since I was 10.  I started other ones with my kids, but the best was a big dinner with all the extended family on my ex's side of the family.  Now I have a harder time getting them all in one place at the same time.  Life changes.  Biggest change this year is my infant granddaughter.  She's the first girl in the family after 6 grown sons and 2 grandsons.  Best present in the world for Christmas. 

[Zochitl]

How wonderful you got a little girl. I too have one granddaughter out of five grandsons and it's just so enjoyable to buy little girls things. I love knitting for her too. Congratulations  to you. I know you will enjoy her.