Photo by Muffy Aldrich
The Modern Guide to The Thing Before Preppy

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Reader Question for the Community: What are your Christmas sine quibus non?


A reader question for the community:
I have a question for the community which has given much sound direction: what are the holiday traditions which we can never give up? Decorations, food, gifting, etc,.? 

21 comments:

  1. NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP ONE THING.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't think my husband and I will ever give up the fresh cut tree. I'm looking at mine right now (smile).

    ReplyDelete
  3. Egg nog, unfortunately. At 57, my body does not thank me for it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. A freshly cut tree, wreaths, eggnog, my wife's authentic Dresdner stollen, pretty seasonal music, lots of candles, hoping for snow, and THOUGHTFUL gifts (not the singing bass for example)for close family.

    Best Regards,

    Heinz-Ulrich

    ReplyDelete
  5. Egg nog, with a little bourbon or scotch. At 75 my body thanks me for it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Well, I'm Jewish so...

    ;o)

    ReplyDelete
  7. It is the same for Thanksgiving. On the night before we build a fire in the fireplace and cook hot dogs over the flame.

    ReplyDelete
  8. We make a traditional Swiss fondue every year on Christmas night. The recipe was collected by my parents in the 80's from their dear friend who is from Geneva. A fresh cut tree is a must- how people erect fake trees is beyond me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I used to love fondue. We had a killer recipe from a Swiss restaurant at the bottom of Smuggler's Notch ski area in Vermont. It has five different cheeses (cheddar, gruyere, emmentaler, appenzeller, and Swiss wine-maker's cheese), and it was made with beer rather than wine and a bit of rum rather than kirsch, and a dusting of fresh nutmeg.

      One time, I brought this to a dinner party. It was such a hit the hostess got a little annoyed as people clamored for the recipe, but not for recipes from her dinner. We were never invited back, so that was the last time I brought that fondue outside the house.

      Aiken

      Delete
  9. Will not give up the Glögg, live candles around the house, and live candles on a real tree...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Bourbon with a tiny bit of egg nog.
    Lots of fresh green boughs to decorate the hearth.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Catherine Deneuve’s favorite chocolate cookies. The recipe was published in the New York Post in 2002, thereabouts. It’s a “knock off” from patisserie Pierre Herme. My daughter stopped there to sample the original version. Her verdict, “yup, they taste just like my Dad’s.”

    ReplyDelete
  12. "This bayberry candle comes from friend, so this holiday eve burn it down to the end. For a bayberry candle burned down to the socket brings joy to heart and gold to the pocket."

    ReplyDelete
  13. A fresh cut tree that my husband cut, making boilo, and using all of the very sentimental ornaments on the tree that we've collected over our lifetimes. --Holly in PA

    ReplyDelete
  14. For the last few years we have been enjoying brandy alexanders while opening presents on a quiet Christmas evening by ourselves. Seems like a tradition that will stick for us.

    ReplyDelete
  15. We're French so definitely a crèche provençale (nativity scene) and fine food.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are moderated.