Tis the Season, Holiday Festivities
My article on various Christmas celebrations in Europe to accompany my chocolate yule log recipe for Nashua Telegraph Encore Food and Fun Supplement, published November 2018.
I finished article by saying ' And to all our friends of other Nationalities, faiths, and customs, Happy Holidays.'
'Tis the Season
Christmas is a good deal older than its name implies. The holding of a mid winter celebration came from the ancient peoples who were greatly influenced by the climate and weather changes. They would hold a celebration on the winter solstice (22 December) when the sun was furthest away from the Earth, to encourage and celebrate the return of the Sun. It was the celebrations of the Romans and Northern Europeans who had the greatest influence on our Christmas today.
In Europe, Christmas is celebrated for far longer than in US. Advent starts with the Advent wreath in homes and Advent Candles in Church for the 4 Sundays before Christmas. Advent calendars are sold with chocolates, presents, even lego. I have a folding Noah's Ark advent calendar, that I've glued all the animals in pairs. We have a homemade felt stocking that for the 12 nights before Christmas I would make up a riddle and my son would have to guess the answer and then search for the tiny present. The original rhyme on the stocking was for a piece of candy a day. Not the sanest present to give to a child at bedtime as well as the excitement of the riddle and search.!
In many countries the Christmas tree is only put up on Christmas Eve and the children don’t help. This tradition came from the pagan times of decorating trees to favour the Gods.
Prince Albert married to Queen Victoria brought the tradition of Christmas Trees to England. Queen Elizabeth follows the same tradition from her German heritage and the family enter a room with all the presents laid out on Christmas Eve.
St. Paul's Cathedral in London has trees inside and out donated by the Queen. The famous tree in Trafalgar Square, almost the same height as Nelson's Column, is a gift since 1946 from the people of Norway as thanks for British help during World War II. Then from Christmas day there are the 12 days of Christmas until Jan 6 - the feast of the Magi, Epiphany, Three Kings or Three Wise Men. Christmas decorations stay up until that date and are not taken down the day after Christmas.
UK, Canada, Australia and other Commonwealth countries also celebrate Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, St. Stephen's Day when Good King Wenceslas looked out, as another day of holiday. He was the patron saint of horses. It was a day when ‘boxes’ containing money as tips were collected from wealthy households for the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker , milkman, newspaper boy (or rather their delivery boys) as well as the alms boxes for the poor were opened in Churches. In England it is a day when many people go horseracing, and the races are televised.
Our Christmas Day dinner was a 30 lb roast turkey with sage and onion stuffing in one end of turkey (my father always had to be reminded to serve it) and sausagemeat stuffing the other end (which would be carved as the turkey was carved) , roast potatoes, roast parsnips, bacon rolls, chipolatas (skinny sausages), bread sauce, peas, brussel sprouts, gravy. I make almost the same Christmas dinner now, just a smaller turkey.
December 6 is celebrated as the feast day of St. Nicholas who was the Bishop of Myra in Turkey in the 4th Century. Santa Claus - Father Christmas in UK comes from him. We also call him jolly old Saint Nick. It is celebrated as a special day in many countries. When I lived in Holland, on that day, Sinta Klaas and Swarte Pieter bring gifts for good children and coal and a whip for bad children. Presents are left in wooden clogs (rather than stockings), as well as solid chocolates made in the shape of letters. In Vreeland where I lived, he arrived in a canal boat in the village. They make crunchy cookies known as Speculaas biscuits with seven spices for 7 days or 7 sacraments.
Mince pies were originally made (1200’s) with actual minced meat (ground beef in US) and fruit and heavy spices often to disguise the fact that the meat was bad. The original mince pies were baked in the shape of a crib and exchanged between families on Christmas Eve. Being given a mince pie baked by another cook was suposed to bring good luck for one calendar month for the household, so it was consider prudent to make certain you received (and gave in return) twelve pies – normally tiny - to ensure prosperity and happiness for the coming year.
Christmas pudding also known as plum pudding even though it doesn't contain plums (again frequently home made same as mince pies). The raw mix should be stirred by all the family for luck and should be made on the Sunday before Advent, known as Stir Up Sunday. This comes from the reading for the 25th Sunday after Trinity ' Stir up we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy fruitful people, that they plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may be of these plenteously rewarded'. Silver coins and trinkets are put in the mix before cooking, a ring promised marriage in the year ahead, a thimble for an old maid, button for a bachelor, coin for wealth. I can remember my mother making Christmas puddings in a huge preserving pan and my poor father having to beat the raw mixture, which was very heavy. And the commercial mince meat and Christmas pudding on sale in supermarkets locally, bear no relation to homemade. My mother began making her plum puddings in September, and then as time passed, she added a bit more whiskey to soak in. By Christmas, that pudding was just perfect. Traditionally served at Christmas dinner, carried into a darkened dining room, with flaming brandy and a sprig of holly. " A sprig of holly is added as a symbol of everlasting life, and the burning brandy a reminder of the rebirth of the sun." Then served with a sweetened chilled butter with either rum or brandy beaten into the butter or a custard.
English Yule Log - chocolate jelly roll (Swiss roll) filled with chocolate buttercream and cut to resemble a log from the woods. It's based on old Druid superstition of keeping a log of oak or ash burning in the fireplace (meaning huge room sized fireplaces seen in old castles etc) over 12 days of Christmas to burn away old wrongs and bad luck and always keeping a piece to start the fire in 12 months time.
We always went to Midnight Mass, carols from 11.30, followed by Mass starting at midnight and then friends came home after mass for home made mince pies and sausage rolls. Here, I used to go to children's early mass on Christmas Eve with our son, stayed up and watched the Pope from St. Peter's in Rome and then phoned parents in UK when Charles woke us up at 7 am, and just handed the phone over.
My parents were both born in Southern Ireland and I have more family there than anywhere. The Irish love a celebration, and the festivities in the Emerald Isle surrounding the Christmas season are rich in tradition. Ireland has long been a strongly Catholic country, and Christmas is still observed primarily as a religious holiday. However, many Christmas traditions - like those in other parts of Europe - are rooted in ancient Celtic and pagan rites associated with the winter solstice, and were adopted into Christian usage in the early centuries.
Some of Ireland's unique traditions were preserved at great effort and risk. During various periods of Irish history, the English tried to suppress the Gaelic language and culture and the Catholic religion through the "penal laws." The Irish, however, defiantly retained their ancient customs, passing them down from generation to generation so that they have survived into modern times.
One of the best known Irish Christmas traditions is to place a lighted candle in the window on Christmas Eve, a symbol of welcome to Mary and Joseph, who wandered in search of shelter on the first Christmas. Traditionally the candle is lit by the youngest member of the household, and extinguished by someone named Mary. My father would put the candle on the windowsill as we went to Mass and leave it burning all night. I now just leave the Christmas lights on all night. Upon returning home after midnight mass, the friends and family who had gathered always celebrated the occasion with brown bread. Nearly every household on the Emerald Isle has their own version of this Irish specialty... with smoked salmon, it becomes a real treat. We had Irish soda bread and smoked salmon at our wedding, our son's Christening and all the other special times. I make gluten free soda bread nearly every week for myself.
France
Celebrate La Reveillon de Noel – on Christmas Eve like most of Europe. Bûche de Noel - their version of yule log frequently with sweetened creamy chestnut filling available over here in cans by Clement Faugier (make sure to buy sweetened chestnut puree not unsweetened or whole chestnuts.)
Italy
In most Italian homes, both in America and Italy, a special feast takes place on December 24. In celebration of the birth of the Christ Child, the Cena della Vigilia is not only a feast for the palate it is also very much a feast for the soul.
On this evening, families gather to celebrate the holiday season over a meal that consists almost entirely of fish and seafood. As it was against the doctrine of the Catholic Church to consume meat on certain holy days, fish is traditionally served as the main course for this meal. This dinner typically includes 3, 7 or 13 different preparations for fish and in US is referred to as ‘the Feast of the seven fishes’. 7 sacraments, 7 days of the week, the most significant number in the bible. This close to Boston and Rhode Island, the Feast of the seven fishes is familiar to many of us. I normally take a trip down to the North End before Christmas and shop.
La Befana is the witch that flies around on January 6 – Feast of the Epiphany delivering gifts. Legend has it that she was too busy to offer hospitality to the three Wise Men when they called on their way to Bethlehem, and said she would see them on her return. But they returned by a different route, and the witch now spends her time searching for Jesus, and leaving a present at each house she visits in case he’s there.
Sweden
The Festival of Light, where light has a special significance because of the region’s long winter nights. It is a thanksgiving for the return of the sun. At dawn on December 13, a daughter from each family dresses in a white robe with a red sash and a wreath of evergreens with tall lighted candles on her head to represent St. Lucia and brings coffee and saffron buns to her family. Any other children dress in white robes or shirts as well. (Watch Paul Hollywood, Masterclass on PBS with piece on St. Lucia and making the saffron buns )
Germany, Austria, Switzerland
They tend to celebrate Christmas Eve, with roast meats, the tree is up and presents opened.
Lebkuchen, a moist spicy individual cake like gingerbread is eaten - Bahlsen brand sold locally at Christmas. They refer to the Christ Child.
The Swiss chalets you see on Christmas cards with snow and horse drawn sleighs do still exist. The chalets are decorated with beautiful wood carvings. When we ski in Austria etc, a special evening includes a ride on a sleigh or sledding down the mountain in the dark. (watch Rick Steeves, Christmas Celebrations on PBS)
Spain. Feliz Navidad
On 5 January before going to bed, Spanish children put their shoes on the windowsill with hay in them, in order that the Wise Men’s camels might feed on their way to Bethlehem. In the morning, the hay is gone and the shoes are miraculously full of presents.
Lithuania and Poland
Also celebrate Christmas Eve. The evening meal begins when the evening star appears in the sky and the family is called to the table and begin the meal with a prayer. A white linen tablecloth is placed on a hay covered table. Hay symbolizes the birth of Jesus in the manger, His simple life and His humility, and also where the souls of dead family members rest.
Holy wafers (from church) and Christmas bread are place side by side in the center of the table. These are surrounded by other foods, of which there can be seven, nine or twelve, all meatless. Twelve foods are most commonly prepared to assure that the coming year, twelve months, will be good and plentiful. Twelve also signifies the twelve Apostles who were with Jesus at the Last Supper. American families of European descent have replaced this tradition by serving a 12 fruit compôte instead. I usually make a 12 fruit compôte for the Christmas class for my Lithuanian cooking demos in Hudson NH.
When all the foods are in place, candles are placed on the table and lit, and the family is seated. A special place is set for a family member who died during that year. It is also tradition to invite a poor or homeless person, or to take food to them. This behavior assures that there will be happiness in the family throughout the coming year.
Eating is begun with the passing around of the Christmas wafer and with wishes for each member, then all the foods have to be tasted. It is a long, leisurely meal, usually, with a break before dessert to let excited children of all ages open their gifts.
And to all our friends of other Nationalities, faiths, and customs, Happy Holidays.
