_We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
"Time was with most of us, when Christmas Day, encircling all our limited
world like a magic ring, left nothing out for us to miss or seek; bound
together all our home enjoyments, affections, and hopes; grouped
everything and everyone round the Christmas fire, and make the little
picture shining in our bright young eyes, complete." (Charles Dickens)
Photo: www.schnitzkunst-michael.de _
Photo: www.schnitzkunst-michael.de _
Christmas Market in Šakiai (Lithuania)
Christmas traditions in the partner countries
Herrnhuter Stern (Germany)
The “Herrnhuter Stern” was founded by the Protestant Moravian Church in Upper Lusatia. According to the old custom the star is prepared in the circle of family and friends and hung up on the 1st Sunday in Advent. 150 years ago an educator began to tinker a star from cardboard and paper as a lighting fixture. Soon, the students produced the stars by themselves which helped them to overcome the time living in a boarding school and being away from their parents during the Christmas season.
The instruction manual can be downloded here: http://www.herrnhuter-sterne.de/en/products/montageanleitung.html
The “Herrnhuter Stern” was founded by the Protestant Moravian Church in Upper Lusatia. According to the old custom the star is prepared in the circle of family and friends and hung up on the 1st Sunday in Advent. 150 years ago an educator began to tinker a star from cardboard and paper as a lighting fixture. Soon, the students produced the stars by themselves which helped them to overcome the time living in a boarding school and being away from their parents during the Christmas season.
The instruction manual can be downloded here: http://www.herrnhuter-sterne.de/en/products/montageanleitung.html
Traditional German Christmas recipe
Stollen
Ingredients
Dough:
4 1/3 cups flour
1 to 1 1/2 cups milk
2.5 ounces yeast
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
3/4 cup sugar or honey
1 teaspoon salt
Flavoring:
1/2 cup candied lemon peel
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1 lemon, grated for rind
1/4 cup rum
1 3/4 cups raisins
Topping:
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Make a soft, pliable yeast dough from ingredients listed in the first section and let stand in bowl for 10 minutes.
Knead the spices, except the raisins, into the dough. When all other ingredients are equally distributed, add the raisins. Roll into an oval and place on a greased baking sheet. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Still on baking sheet, wrap dough well in aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator and take off foil. Sprinkle flour around the loaf to prevent the dough from spreading. Place loaf in a pre-heated (350-400 degrees Fahrenheit) oven and bake 50-60 minutes, till pale gold in color. Remove from oven. Brush with melted butter and dust with powdered sugar. Repeat until butter and sugar are used up. Stollen should have a thick, white layer.
Ingredients
Dough:
4 1/3 cups flour
1 to 1 1/2 cups milk
2.5 ounces yeast
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
3/4 cup sugar or honey
1 teaspoon salt
Flavoring:
1/2 cup candied lemon peel
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1 lemon, grated for rind
1/4 cup rum
1 3/4 cups raisins
Topping:
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Make a soft, pliable yeast dough from ingredients listed in the first section and let stand in bowl for 10 minutes.
Knead the spices, except the raisins, into the dough. When all other ingredients are equally distributed, add the raisins. Roll into an oval and place on a greased baking sheet. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Still on baking sheet, wrap dough well in aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator and take off foil. Sprinkle flour around the loaf to prevent the dough from spreading. Place loaf in a pre-heated (350-400 degrees Fahrenheit) oven and bake 50-60 minutes, till pale gold in color. Remove from oven. Brush with melted butter and dust with powdered sugar. Repeat until butter and sugar are used up. Stollen should have a thick, white layer.
Christmas in Lithuania
Preparations for Christmas start early in the morning on Christmas Eve: house cleaned, food prepared for several days. Family members who are away make every effort to come back home. The meal served on Christmas Eve does not include meat, milk products or eggs. It consists of twelve dishes, one for each Jesus Apostle. Everyone is expected to eat some of each dish served. An extra plate is set for any family member that is not present or had died in the past year. It is believed that that spirit of the departed join the family at the table on this sacred evening. Dinner starts then the sun goes down, everyone is assembled by the table, the head of the family says a prayer of thanksgiving, shares a Christmas wafer with everyone present and wishes them a Merry Christmas.
Christmas Eve miracles and prognosticationsAfter the Christmas Eve dinner, Lithuanians turn to old legends and prognostications about the upcoming year. Children are told that at one mystic moment that evening the water in the well would turn to wine and that the animals in the stable would speak like humans. Straws of various lengths are placed under the tablecloth and drawn to predict the length of one's simple life in the case of the young family members. A clear and starry sky on Christmas Eve is thought to portend a good year.
Christmas Eve miracles and prognosticationsAfter the Christmas Eve dinner, Lithuanians turn to old legends and prognostications about the upcoming year. Children are told that at one mystic moment that evening the water in the well would turn to wine and that the animals in the stable would speak like humans. Straws of various lengths are placed under the tablecloth and drawn to predict the length of one's simple life in the case of the young family members. A clear and starry sky on Christmas Eve is thought to portend a good year.
Christmas tradition in Bulgaria
Christmas Eve in Bulgaria is called Budni vecher. According to the old Bulgarian tradition, one of the single young men in the family had to cut a huge piece of a trunk, to wrap it with a white piece of cloth and carry it into the house. That piece of wood was called Budnik (budeshte in Bulgarian means future.) The Budnik symbolizes the Tree of Life - an archetypal image of the Universe. The predecessors believed that the ashes of the Budnik possessed magical power. They used to scatter portions of it over the corn-fields - for abundance of crops; they put pinches of it in the food of the domestic animals for health and fertility. When the Budnik was lit up, the head of the family had to go out in the yard and to, loudly, invite God to join the table: "Come, God, have dinner with us!“
The menu on Budni vecher is rich but it consists only of vegetarian meals. Their number should be odd and they should not be less than 7 - peppers, stuffed with old beans or pieces of leek; “sarmi” made out of cabbage or vine-leaves; old beans, dried fruits, honey, walnuts. Let's not forget the garlic! It keeps away the evil spirits, which might decide to join the party.
The menu on Budni vecher is rich but it consists only of vegetarian meals. Their number should be odd and they should not be less than 7 - peppers, stuffed with old beans or pieces of leek; “sarmi” made out of cabbage or vine-leaves; old beans, dried fruits, honey, walnuts. Let's not forget the garlic! It keeps away the evil spirits, which might decide to join the party.
Panettone from Italy
This traditional Italian Christmas bread is suited for dessert, afternoon tea or breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup dried currants
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted (optional)
- In a medium bowl, combine yeast, water and sugar. Cover and let stand 10 minutes, or until foamy. Add eggs, yogurt, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Mix well. Stir in flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough forms into a manageable ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary, until dough is soft and pliable, but not sticky. (May need up to 5 cups flour.) Place dough in a large, lightly pan-sprayed bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and spray a round 8-inch cake pan with non-stick spray. In a small bowl, toss dried fruit with confectioners' sugar. Punch down dough in bowl, transfer to floured surface, and knead in the fruit.
- Form dough into a ball, place in prepared cake pan, cover loosely with dish towel, and let rise 30 minutes. (Loaf will rise above the pan sides.) Brush with melted butter, if desired. Bake for 45 minutes, or until loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes 10 wedges. BUON APPETITO!!!
Czech Traditional Handcrafts
5th December starts the Czech traditional Christmas atmosphere with St. Nicholas, Angel and Devil who visit children to evaluate their good and bad way of behavior.
24th December is the Christmas celebration. In the old times people fasted all day with the aim to see the “gold pig” in the evening.
Today, people eat carp with potato salad for Christmas dinner. Under the Christmas tree everyone finds some gift from Father Christmas.
24th December is the Christmas celebration. In the old times people fasted all day with the aim to see the “gold pig” in the evening.
Today, people eat carp with potato salad for Christmas dinner. Under the Christmas tree everyone finds some gift from Father Christmas.