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    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Live Reveal - Thursday 12th of June at 1700BST

    Holiday Traditions

    General Chat
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    • JDelageJ
      JDelage
      啓蒙家
      Joined:

      @goosehd:

      One of the things we like to do as a family is to have a night of snacks (and wine).  A family favourite is Bacon wrapped water chestnuts or figs.  It's kind of messy, but always a hit.

      Also good with medjool dates. Also good with medjool dates stuffed with gorgonzola (but even messier…).

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • goosehdG
        goosehd
        Mod Squad
        Joined:

        Homemade apple cider.

        @JDelage Thank you for the tip!  On my list for this year.

        "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

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        • GilesG
          Giles
          IHUK Crew
          Joined:

          @goosehd:

          They are supposed to be holding the tree so that it doesn't fall on me.  😃

          🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

          "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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          • GilesG
            Giles
            IHUK Crew
            Joined:

            Great idea for a thread….I am sure we can join in.

            In the meantime, I try and use lures that reflect the colours of Christmas  😃 😃

            "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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            • goosehdG
              goosehd
              Mod Squad
              Joined:

              G,

              Like that!  What's the chance that Paula will let you hang that on the tree?  😃

              @AdamJ Thank you!

              "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

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              • neph93N
                neph93
                見習いボス
                Joined:

                I can confirm that good dates in bacon is delicious. I will have to try the Gorgonzola too as that is a favourite cheese of mine.

                One of our traditions is making a festive dinner each Sunday in advent. The reason for this is that as the cook in family and as an immigrant to the country I felt I needed the practice to perfect the somewhat idiosyncratic and provincial execution of the dishes. It is also because eating them only once a year is not very satisfying [emoji1].

                First Sunday in advent is only a few days away so I’ll be back here then.

                “Some of those that work forces
                Are the same that burn crosses”

                • Virginia Woolf
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                • BoyoB
                  Boyo
                  The Unwoven
                  Joined:

                  Humping fire wood…

                  Lively Up Yourself

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • GilesG
                    Giles
                    IHUK Crew
                    Joined:

                    @goosehd:

                    G,

                    Like that!  What's the chance that Paula will let you hang that on the tree?  😃

                    @AdamJ Thank you!

                    One year, @Alex  and bought a tiny artificial Christmas tree and decorated it solely with fishing flies we had tied  🙂 🙂 It had pride of place in the centre of the table….

                    "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • ChapC
                      Chap
                      見習いボス
                      Joined:

                      Christmas Puddings… absolutely nothing Austrian and the epitome of British Xmas. But we do it every year... usually preparing it in September as in needs some rest. Then it will be reheated, flambéed with lots of brandy and served with vanilla sauce. This year I was late... prepared it end of October...
                      Candied the lemons some days before:

                      Mixed them with raisins, almonds, sugar, spices, eggs and brandy… of course:

                      Steamed in bowls in hot water a whole day

                      God has blessed you richly, so get down on your knees and thank him. Don’t forget the less fortunate or God will personally kick your ass. I’d love to do it for him, but I can’t be everywhere. Willie Nelson

                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • goosehdG
                        goosehd
                        Mod Squad
                        Joined:

                        Quick question for you guys.  My wife always has used beef suet in her Christmas pudding.  What do you guys use?

                        "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • ChapC
                          Chap
                          見習いボス
                          Joined:

                          @goosehd:

                          Quick question for you guys.  My wife always has used beef suet in her Christmas pudding.  What do you guys use?

                          My recipe calls for it too… don’t like it. We have something here in Austria called „Butterschmalz“  butter lard? Used that instead...

                          God has blessed you richly, so get down on your knees and thank him. Don’t forget the less fortunate or God will personally kick your ass. I’d love to do it for him, but I can’t be everywhere. Willie Nelson

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • ROmanR
                            ROman
                            Haraki san Prodigy
                            Joined:

                            @Chap:

                            @goosehd:

                            Quick question for you guys.  My wife always has used beef suet in her Christmas pudding.  What do you guys use?

                            My recipe calls for it too… don’t like it. We have something here in Austria called „Butterschmalz“  butter lard? Used that instead...

                            AKA Clarified butter

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • goosehdG
                              goosehd
                              Mod Squad
                              Joined:

                              Our family took advantage of a Teacher’s professional activity day (kids day off) and cut our Christmas for this season.  We normally take 3 days to decorate and should have everything completed on Sunday Evening.

                              We wanted to share a couple of pictures of our shenanigans:

                              "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

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                              • goosehdG
                                goosehd
                                Mod Squad
                                Joined:

                                Well, it’s not 25000 imported Italian twinkle lights, but it’s a start.  Anybody know the movie reference?

                                "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                • S
                                  sabergirl
                                  見習いボス
                                  Joined:

                                  Wow. That’s quite a tree.

                                  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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                                  • neph93N
                                    neph93
                                    見習いボス
                                    Joined:

                                    First Sunday in advent tomorrow so we are gearing up here. Generally Norwegians are low key and bound by tradition with regards to xmas. Many houses simply start with an advent star and that is it.

                                    Tomorrow I’ll put some lights up outside. They are simple but very effective due to the permanent gloom and the fact that you they heavily influence out living room because they are visible from the inside all the time. Pics to come.

                                    Last night I started preparing the pinnekjøtt. This is the first and last meal of xmas for us. We always eat it the first day of advent and on xmas eve. It consists of dried, salted, smoked lamb rib that had finne soaked for 24-48 hours before a 3 hour steam.

                                    “Some of those that work forces
                                    Are the same that burn crosses”

                                    • Virginia Woolf
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                                    • goosehdG
                                      goosehd
                                      Mod Squad
                                      Joined:

                                      @neph93 Very intrigued!  A meal that I was unaware of, and which I have spent the last hour reading about.  Hope to see more pictures of the dish served.

                                      We have finished most of our decorations in the house and are now cleaning up and placing a few decorations around the house.

                                      As my wife and I are both the oldest in our respective families, we have been handed down quite a few ornaments from each family.  We have also spent almost 30 years together and have collected quite a few along the way.

                                      I will try and get a few pictures of our favourites.

                                      "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

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                                      • ChrisC
                                        Chris
                                        Raw and Unwashed
                                        Joined:

                                        Thought I'd contribute a picture of our tree

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                                        • neph93N
                                          neph93
                                          見習いボス
                                          Joined:

                                          @goosehd I’ve blogged the making of the pinnekjøtt almost every year on one thread or another here but will happily do it again tomorrow for the greater glory of this thread.

                                          Beautiful trees gentlemen. Again, in line with conservative Norwegian traditions, ours won’t go up until the morning of «lillejulaften» which is December 23rd.

                                          “Some of those that work forces
                                          Are the same that burn crosses”

                                          • Virginia Woolf
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                                          • SeulS
                                            Seul
                                            Joined:

                                            Best tradition: taking the first week of December off!.. See you at the party Richter!..

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