Things I Love About Christmas

[Dibbler]

These cakes (or cookies. we say cakes), are one of the best things about christmas:

 

My mother or sister usually makes the batter - if I pledge to cook them. They are lovely, crispy and sweet. And you can peel them apart with your fingers! :D

 

They are kalled krumkaker, literally curved cakes ;)

 

@Dibbler, we do the exact same dessert but with a warm sauce made of cherries!  (Must be the Danish variant.). The first Christmas my husband spent with my family he accidentally ate the almond and almost choked on it.  His complaints of, "No really, I think I swallowed it," were met with annoyance, disbelief and many more servings eaten. 

 

We use strawberries, or rasberries. Cherry sounds lovely! Poor guy :P

 

Oh, and "The Julekalender" has a couple of Norwegian/English songs. This is possibly the most English one. Search for "Travelling strawberries". I totally heard about these guys before I heard of travelling willburys. Boy was I suprised.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWyEWUN-1Jk

Edited December 9, 2014 by Dibbler

[scorpio616]

Drinking in the misery of people who work retail like a psychic vampire.

[Reaperbryan]

Putting Muppet Christmas Carol on repeat and not getting sideways looks like I do when I watch it other times of year.

 

I love that movie.  I also watch Muppet Movie, The Muppets, Muppets for Space, Muppet Treasure Island, and Muppets Most Wanted repeatedly.  I listen to the Green Album. I have YouTube playlists of Muppet Show and Muppets Tonight episodes.

 

That or MST3K.  Which I also get for Christmas, because they release a boxed set every Thanksgiving.

[FaekiasDracon]

Drinking in the misery of people who work retail like a psychic vampire.

Grrrrrr.......  Dislike..

 

But I AM crazy enough to work retail, sure beats call center jobs though.

[Pingo]

Putting Muppet Christmas Carol on repeat and not getting sideways looks like I do when I watch it other times of year.

 

I love that movie.  I also watch Muppet Movie, The Muppets, Muppets for Space, Muppet Treasure Island, and Muppets Most Wanted repeatedly.  I listen to the Green Album. I have YouTube playlists of Muppet Show and Muppets Tonight episodes.

 

That or MST3K.  Which I also get for Christmas, because they release a boxed set every Thanksgiving.

Ohhh, me too, Muppets and Misties both!

 

We also love "A Muppet Family Christmas," a sweet 1987 TV special with muppets from most major muppet TV series (including Fraggle Rock!) singing Christmas songs while stranded at Fozzie Bear's Mom's house. Jim Henson makes a cameo at the end, washing dishes (almost his last appearance, I think. weep).

 

Do NOT watch "It's A Very Merry Christmas Muppet Movie," from 2002 with Whoopi Goldberg. It is ... it just ... Look, Kermit is depressed and attempts suicide and is shown how life would be without him. Miss Piggy is a miserably lonely phone sex worker. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker are an S&M pair working as bouncers at a nasty nightclub. It is dark and hideous and traumatizing. Just don't.

 

If we had a working VCR we could watch our complete home-taped runs of the Muppet Show and MST 3K and Muppets Tonight.

[dsmiles]

Fruitcake, but only the kind my mother makes. (I can send out a recipe when I get home, if anyone is interested.)

 

In case no one can tell, my primary sense is taste. All of my fond memories are food-related.

[Inarah]

Have to agree that home-made fruitcake is One of My Favorite Things.  Hmn, I think I need to buy more rum...

[Heisler]

 

Putting Muppet Christmas Carol on repeat and not getting sideways looks like I do when I watch it other times of year.

 

I love that movie.  I also watch Muppet Movie, The Muppets, Muppets for Space, Muppet Treasure Island, and Muppets Most Wanted repeatedly.  I listen to the Green Album. I have YouTube playlists of Muppet Show and Muppets Tonight episodes.

 

That or MST3K.  Which I also get for Christmas, because they release a boxed set every Thanksgiving.

Ohhh, me too, Muppets and Misties both!

 

We also love "A Muppet Family Christmas," a sweet 1987 TV special with muppets from most major muppet TV series (including Fraggle Rock!) singing Christmas songs while stranded at Fozzie Bear's Mom's house. Jim Henson makes a cameo at the end, washing dishes (almost his last appearance, I think. weep).

 

Do NOT watch "It's A Very Merry Christmas Muppet Movie," from 2002 with Whoopi Goldberg. It is ... it just ... Look, Kermit is depressed and attempts suicide and is shown how life would be without him. Miss Piggy is a miserably lonely phone sex worker. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker are an S&M pair working as bouncers at a nasty nightclub. It is dark and hideous and traumatizing. Just don't.

 

If we had a working VCR we could watch our complete home-taped runs of the Muppet Show and MST 3K and Muppets Tonight.

 

I must see this movie now

[dsmiles]

 

I must see this movie now

 

Ditto.

[Pingo]

 

I must see this movie now

 

Ditto.

A new Christmas tradition. 8/

[Dr.Bedlam]

Putting Muppet Christmas Carol on repeat and not getting sideways looks like I do when I watch it other times of year.

 

I love that movie.  I also watch Muppet Movie, The Muppets, Muppets for Space, Muppet Treasure Island, and Muppets Most Wanted repeatedly.  I listen to the Green Album. I have YouTube playlists of Muppet Show and Muppets Tonight episodes.

 

That or MST3K.  Which I also get for Christmas, because they release a boxed set every Thanksgiving.

 

I preferred Patrick Stewart's version, but the Muppets have songs...

[Pingo]

 

Putting Muppet Christmas Carol on repeat and not getting sideways looks like I do when I watch it other times of year.

 

I love that movie.  I also watch Muppet Movie, The Muppets, Muppets for Space, Muppet Treasure Island, and Muppets Most Wanted repeatedly.  I listen to the Green Album. I have YouTube playlists of Muppet Show and Muppets Tonight episodes.

 

That or MST3K.  Which I also get for Christmas, because they release a boxed set every Thanksgiving.

 

 

I preferred Patrick Stewart's version, but the Muppets have songs...

I am taking my family to a Klingon version as a surprise birthday treat for our youngest.

[kay13]

This!

 

My Favourite Fruit Cake

 

 

1.    Melt 125g butter in a large pot.

2.    Add ½ cup of water.

3.    Add fruit. My usual fruit mix is 375g packet of dates or prunes, 750g mixed fruit, 350g cherries and 500g of pineapple or figs or ginger or a mix of fruit that you have in the cupboard. This is a way more than the original recipe and amounts are not critical.

4.    Add ½ cups brown sugar.

5.    Stir over gentle heat until mixture gently simmers then heat over a gentle heat for about 10minutes.

6.    Put lid on and leave overnight or for the day until cold. You could put it in the fridge or freezer to chill faster.

7.    Add 1/2cup of your favourite alcohol, 1/2cup of tart marmalade, 2 large eggs, 2cups of flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder. Alternatively you could use 1cup of plain flour and 1cup self raising flour.

8.    Put in prepared cake tins. I line with cardboard then 2 or 3 layers of greaseproof paper. I leave the cardboard in the tins for years.

9.     Fill the tins to about ¾ full. This mixture does not rise much.

10. Bake at 160^oC (not fan bake) until skewer comes out clean. You will need to judge the time because it will of course depend on the size of the tin. A deep 20cm square tin takes about 2 hours.

11. Brush hot cooked cake with 1/2cup of the same alcohol that went into the cake and cover with foil and a folded tea towel to cool on a wire rack. I store in cake tins lined with grease proof paper.

 

Most ingredients are not too critical. You can swap the marmalade for tart cherries and use orange juice instead of the alcohol.

 

Happy cooking.

Edited December 10, 2014 by kay13

[Pingo]

I had to look up "fan bake." Is it common to have such things in your ovens in Australia?

 

I love a good fruitcake too. So long as it hasn't any walnuts (allergic) or candied citrus peel (revolting), I'm good with just about any variation.

[redambrosia]

Oh, my Hubby's favorite Christmas tradition is watching the A Christmas Story marathon. It's all we're allowed to watch. if the TV is on, it must be on that movie. All day.

 

 

Needless to say, I've memorized a few lines.