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Holiday Traditions

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  • G
    goosehd
    Mod Squad
    Joined: 8 Apr 2016

    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 28 Nov 2020, 20:18 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
    • S
      sabergirl
      見習いボス
      Joined: 4 Oct 2013

      Wow. That’s quite a tree.

      Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

      last edited by 28 Nov 2020, 20:31 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • N
        neph93
        見習いボス
        Joined: 18 Aug 2014

        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
        last edited by 28 Nov 2020, 22:44 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • G
          goosehd
          Mod Squad
          Joined: 8 Apr 2016

          @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. :)

          last edited by 29 Nov 2020, 00:06 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • C
            Chris
            Raw and Unwashed
            Joined: 28 Jun 2010

            Thought I'd contribute a picture of our tree

            last edited by 29 Nov 2020, 04:54 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • N
              neph93
              見習いボス
              Joined: 18 Aug 2014

              @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
              last edited by 29 Nov 2020, 06:43 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • S
                Seul
                Joined: 24 Nov 2009

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

                last edited by 29 Nov 2020, 12:07 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • G
                  goosehd
                  Mod Squad
                  Joined: 8 Apr 2016

                  We are running behind this year, but making our pudding today.  Promise that it tastes better than it looks.

                  "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 29 Nov 2020, 15:59 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • G
                    Giles
                    IHUK Crew
                    Joined: 22 Sept 2009

                    Duck confit and Christmas pudding sent to me by a friend….....Both in a cool dark place for the next 4 weeks or so, the Christmas pud was made by him, bix was re-purposed  😃 😃 :D....

                    "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 29 Nov 2020, 19:53 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • M
                      Madame Buttonfly
                      IHUK Crew
                      Joined: 28 Sept 2009

                      @goosehd - WOW, your tree is spectacular.  Would love to see close-ups of some of your family ornaments.

                      I love Christmas, and one of my favourite bits of the build-up is dressing the tree (with a glass of sherry or port on the side).  We usually have a big tree (but nowhere near as big as that!) This year is likely to be just me and G, so I have two 4-5 ft potted trees (we're hoping we can plant them and keep them alive till next year) and I plan to decorate them next week.  Usually I leave it till late December, but this year I'm all for getting a bit of festive cheer early.  I love the tradition of collecting ornaments over the decades, I especially smile whenever I uncover one that has been given me by family, or brings back memories of where I/we bought it on a trip.  Giles can be a big bah-humbug, but when the tree is done i know he loves it too.

                      @Chris your tree is splendid!  We use white lights and mainly glass, red and gold decorations.  I'm diggng the truly colourful approach - it's beautiful and can imagine the kids adore it.

                      @Chap I love that you enjoy traditional British Christmas pudding! The cross-over and sharing of traditions from different countries over the years has shaped all our Christmases.  But I also love that there are still very local customs that maintain our cultural identities.

                      To me, most importantly, Christmas is an occasion - whatever one's beliefs or nationality - when we can celebrate family and friendship and joy (and loads of sparkly decorations).

                      😘 😘 😘 😘 😘 😘

                      AKA Mrs G

                      last edited by 29 Nov 2020, 20:03 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • G
                        goosehd
                        Mod Squad
                        Joined: 8 Apr 2016

                        @Madame:

                        To me, most importantly, Christmas is an occasion - whatever one's beliefs or nationality - when we can celebrate family and friendship and joy (and loads of sparkly decorations).

                        😘 😘 😘 😘 😘 😘

                        @Madame Buttonfly A beautiful sentiment that I wholeheartedly agree with.

                        Here are a few of my personal favourite ornaments with a little history behind them.

                        These first three are all glass ornaments that have been passed down from our respective families:

                        "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 29 Nov 2020, 22:24 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • G
                          goosehd
                          Mod Squad
                          Joined: 8 Apr 2016

                          This ornament was made from an apple tree that Laura’s great grandfather planted on the family farm.

                          When my parents met in the early ‘70s, they had little money and made their own ornaments.  This was made from a soup can lid, glue, and glitter.

                          "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 29 Nov 2020, 22:28 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • G
                            goosehd
                            Mod Squad
                            Joined: 8 Apr 2016

                            These last two are from Swarovski and are part of set’s that are released yearly.  We have purchased a set for every year for each of our daughters.  They will be passed down to them when it’s time.

                            "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 29 Nov 2020, 22:31 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • G
                              goosehd
                              Mod Squad
                              Joined: 8 Apr 2016

                              @Giles I loved the story of you and Alex decorating the tree in hand tied flys.  It would be a memory to be cherished.

                              @Chris Beautiful tree!  Thank you for sharing.

                              "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 29 Nov 2020, 22:36 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • G
                                goosehd
                                Mod Squad
                                Joined: 8 Apr 2016

                                One last ornament to share:

                                "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 29 Nov 2020, 22:43 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • S
                                  Sage954
                                  Iron Heart Deity
                                  Joined: 1 Apr 2012

                                  Love seeing everyone’s traditions. We always cut our tree down the weekend after thanksgiving. Tree farm today. I’m dragging one tree and our son is dragging the other tree for my parents. My wife taking pics. IH tee and 634ii

                                  last edited by 29 Nov 2020, 23:37 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • G
                                    goosehd
                                    Mod Squad
                                    Joined: 8 Apr 2016

                                    Six hours in:

                                    "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 30 Nov 2020, 00:08 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • N
                                      neph93
                                      見習いボス
                                      Joined: 18 Aug 2014

                                      Yesterday’s advent Sunday dinner, pinnekjøtt. It is effectively what we’ll be eating for our main meal on xmas eve (when Norwegians celebrate), only that version will have more frills.





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

                                      • Virginia Woolf
                                      last edited by 30 Nov 2020, 11:26 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                      • J
                                        jordanscollected
                                        啓蒙家
                                        Joined: 13 Nov 2018

                                        I love seeing these traditions. Rueben The beer sitting at your spot looks very tasty and so does the food, especially the sausage rope

                                        world tours:
                                        888 Fat guy chocolate WT
                                        Mad Red x2
                                        Wabidashery

                                        last edited by 30 Nov 2020, 15:19 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • N
                                          neph93
                                          見習いボス
                                          Joined: 18 Aug 2014

                                          It is a very salty, very fatty, very tasty dinner. The lamb rib is dried, salted and smoked. The sausage is smoked, and I did a twist with the potatoes this year. Normally you steam the lamb for three hours on top of a grate made of birch sticks. This time a put potatoes in the base and filled with water until it was level with the tip of the potatoes then put the meat on that. You’d think potatoes in hot water for three hours would result in a sludge but something to do with the salt and fat mixing with the water keeps them firm. And they tasted insane.

                                          I paired the food with this classic beer from Germany for the first time. Worked a treat:

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

                                          • Virginia Woolf
                                          last edited by 30 Nov 2020, 16:47 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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