CHRISTMAS 2015

[Puternut]

Received a delivery yesterday of a new Christmas decoration, which we hope will "kick our display up a notch" we couldn't resist checking it out and it's awesome! also waiting for new lights, got a real bargain, they sent the wrong ones 300 multi color garland mini lights, dh phoned as we ordered 100 LED blue, so they are sending them, and told us just keep the others, Wow! free lights, how kewl is that? "Free is good!"

[kiwidogy_max]

Free Christmas lights! Fun times and an late Christmas present for sure!

[kiwidogy_max]

Jolly, what is in that recipe? I am excited because i just discovered some Christmas leftovers in the refrigerator... RUM BALLS! Yummy!

[Jolly O'Leary]

http://www.kokaihop.se/recept/knuts-frestelse-2

There is the recipe, you can get something of a translation from www.google.com/translate. Basically it is potatoes cut in strips like string potatoes. Minced beef (hamburger meat) browned in the skillet with onion, garlic, mushrooms. Then you add 3 deciliters (have to get conversion) of cream, soy, and mustard for flavor. The body of the recipe mentions crème fraiche (sour cream) but it was not listed in the ingredients, so I forgot to buy it. After you brown your meat and mix in the sauce ingredients you "let it cook". it did not say how long....Then you put your poatotes on the bottom of a casserole dish, but the meat sauce on top and bake for an hour. Then top with cheese and bake again until cheese is melted. It had a great flavor but the sauce was a bit runny. Could be the sour cream is necessary. I would do it again. You could probably add whatever veggies you wanted as well. It is a variation of a Christmas dish called Jansson's temptation made with anchovies. We have bought a small frozen one for hubby, but do not make it at home as I do not like it. This dish is a bit labor intensive with all the chopping, but could make a nice end of the season tradition as hubby and I like to cook together. However, if is DEFINITELY not a weeknight dish. Took about an hour prep, plus an hour cooking,etc. we started at 4 and ate around 7.

[Jolly O'Leary]

I also put away 3 rolls or Christmas toilet paper, Christmas beer, and Christmas coffee for Christmas in July. We have not opened the Christmas kitchen paper yet but when we do, I will put one roll away as well. It is always fun to bring it out in July when the heat is sweltering.

[Jolly O'Leary]

OH! and hubby's Christmas in July Hawaiian shirt came in! it is too Christmas cute. It is blue and green but has santa in a hula skirt on the beach. I could have gotten a red one but thought that would be a bit too "Nutty" if hubby decided to wear it on the Christmas in july cruise. I mean, we know we are weird, but do we really need to advertise. ;-)

[Jolly O'Leary]

http://www.ukraine.com/blog/spiders-and ... G_-Q.email

Stumbled on this Christmas tradition playing on the web last night. Enjoy!

[Noel+]

I also put away 3 rolls or Christmas toilet paper, Christmas beer, and Christmas coffee for Christmas in July. We have not opened the Christmas kitchen paper yet but when we do, I will put one roll away as well. It is always fun to bring it out in July when the heat is sweltering.

You're a smart Christmas elf'

[Noel+]

http://www.ukraine.com/blog/spiders-and-their-webs-are-not-showed-the-door-on-ukrainian-christmas#.VLLHGlGG_-Q.email

Stumbled on this Christmas tradition playing on the web last night. Enjoy!

Thanks

[Noel+]

OH! and hubby's Christmas in July Hawaiian shirt came in! it is too Christmas cute. It is blue and green but has santa in a hula skirt on the beach. I could have gotten a red one but thought that would be a bit too "Nutty" if hubby decided to wear it on the Christmas in july cruise. I mean, we know we are weird, but do we really need to advertise. ;-)

[Jolly O'Leary]

Jolly, what is in that recipe? I am excited because i just discovered some Christmas leftovers in the refrigerator... RUM BALLS! Yummy!

We usually make an end of chrismtas pytt (pronounced "pit"). basically it is as hash. diced potatoes with whatever meat and veggies you have left thrown into a skillet with whatever Spices you want and cooked until the potatoes are done. Here you eat it with HP sauce, but bbq sauce would work too. commonly called pytt i panna (Pit in the pan).

That is when we throw in all the leftover turkey and ham just to get rid of it and eat any other christmas leftovers there are. It is different every time.

[kiwidogy_max]

Jolly, that sounds delightful! That is one of my favorite things about Thanksgiving and Christmas...the leftovers!!

[kiwidogy_max]

That Christmas cruise sounds fun! What goes on during the cruise? I loved the 2 that I went on but would be ecstatic to go on a Christmas one in July!

[kiwidogy_max]

http://www.ukraine.com/blog/spiders-and-their-webs-are-not-showed-the-door-on-ukrainian-christmas#.VLLHGlGG_-Q.email

Stumbled on this Christmas tradition playing on the web last night. Enjoy!

Thanks

Jolly, while I don't really like spiders (especially in the house) I will definitely think twice before casting them outside. They will help to keep Christmas all year long with all 8 of their legs!

[Jolly O'Leary]

http://www.ukraine.com/blog/spiders-and-their-webs-are-not-showed-the-door-on-ukrainian-christmas#.VLLHGlGG_-Q.email

Stumbled on this Christmas tradition playing on the web last night. Enjoy!

Thanks

Jolly, while I don't really like spiders (especially in the house) I will definitely think twice before casting them outside. They will help to keep Christmas all year long with all 8 of their legs!

I totally agree about spiders in the house. However, a bit of that spider web they sell at Halloween in an obscure part of the tree makes for a nice addition to the Christmas traditions, especially if you have eastern European heritage in your family.

[Jolly O'Leary]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6SPyMD ... URuKgOj5lA

For your end of Christmas ceremony. I love this guy's Swedish it is SO CLEAR! I think the song should be a bit faster though. An interesting note, in generations past playing the accordion was so common that almost every family had at least one member who could play. Also, at the end of the video he says that it is less than 1 year to the next Christmas! Woohoo!

[Jolly O'Leary]

That Christmas cruise sounds fun! What goes on during the cruise? I loved the 2 that I went on but would be ecstatic to go on a Christmas one in July!

It is just the regular Baltic cruises that usually run in the summer. WE try to go July 24-25 and take our own Christmas entertainment. Movies loaded onto our devices or the portable DVD player, music. etc. The standard Swedish smörbåsbord is pretty close to the Christmas dinner so we get meatballs, crown sausage, etc with all the trimmings. Then we make our Hawaiian food at home to go with the decorating theme.

I also froze a loaf of raisin bread, only available at Christmas time for Hawaiian ham and cheese sandwiches in July and a loaf of regular Christmas "herb" bread, sort of like gingerbread but more subtle.

[Noel+]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6SPyMDXHcY&list=FL2cYr6zLuXsUbURuKgOj5lA

For your end of Christmas ceremony. I love this guy's Swedish it is SO CLEAR! I think the song should be a bit faster though. An interesting note, in generations past playing the accordion was so common that almost every family had at least one member who could play. Also, at the end of the video he says that it is less than 1 year to the next Christmas! Woohoo!

That was great! Thanks Jolly.

[Christmas Crazy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6SPyMDXHcY&list=FL2cYr6zLuXsUbURuKgOj5lA

For your end of Christmas ceremony. I love this guy's Swedish it is SO CLEAR! I think the song should be a bit faster though. An interesting note, in generations past playing the accordion was so common that almost every family had at least one member who could play. Also, at the end of the video he says that it is less than 1 year to the next Christmas! Woohoo!

That was great! Thanks Jolly.

It made me sad when he turned off the Christmas light.

[kiwidogy_max]

It was a bit of a sad moment when he turned off the Christmas light, but I am happy that this weekend we will be celebrating Christmas 2.0 at my parents' house as my brother will be coming from CT. I am very excited!