Regaining the Christmas spirit...

[kokopelli]

Christmas Spirit

Sorry about your mom and wish her the best. Lots of good suggestion here to lift your spirits. If I may suggest.. Try and figure out the real root of the "lack of Christmas spirit" and target it directly. Of course Christmas represents the birth of Christ, but has come to represent many other things/concepts as well. I like to think of Christmas as a season that begins around December 6th. And lasts through January 6th.; both dates have their meanings. There's a tremendous amount of history in the season, as well as the more modern aspects and really "everything counts in large amounts". I like to begin my preparations by listening to a little Christmas music and seeing a few Christmas movies early in December. That helps to set the mood for the season and start the ball rolling. I try to taste and smell the "flavors of Christmas" as often as I can and pay attention to things. I'll spend some time on the web looking at snowy Christmas vacations and planning/drooling over roadtrips. I like to walk around cities and malls to look/listen to folks going about their Christmas business. It's often very uplifting to eavesdrop on others conversations about parties, gifts, etc., especially kids and teenagers. I also like to define the season in writing. I write "musings" most every season/holiday and send them to my friends. It's good for the soul to "remember" days gone by and times long ago when things were easy and all was well/good. You'll have a lump in your throat, but you'll feel better. Take some time and do something seasonal for yourself. Could be it's time to make that Christmas roadtrip to Taos and see some snow. That's exactly what Sandy and I are doing this year; in fact we leave Thursday for 10-day Jeep roadtrip (i.e. The Great Taos Christmas RoadTrip). It's not done lightly as most of the family are not thrilled with us, but we really need it. My nephew was killed on 12/6/06, my father passed away on 11/14/07 and a grand old cousin passed away yesterday. Sandy also lost a family member this year and there are other problems as well. We all have them, but we have to look at what we've had and what we can make out of the rest of our days for ourselves. I'll paste a section of this year's "Christmas message" below. Who knows, it might help you. Merry Christmas.. Ron

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Christmas is at hand, but there are no decorations or outward signs of the season. It seems that such things are “out of vogue” and not politically correct anymore. Even in offices that do have a tree or other decorations, it’s all very low key. Party’s as such are frowned upon by our leaders as a waste of tax payer money; but $250K per administrator is ok, and they just go home rather than stay after the students leave. Everything changes, but the “song remains the same”.
It’s just decidedly dull and dreary on campus this year and in Knoxville for the most part. I believe we often expect the Christmas spirit to just happen “on its own” and carry us along with it. Really, that’s rather childlike and naïve; if it was only so simple. Sandy and I are going to Taos for Christmas this year and leaving it all behind. I’ve wanted to escape all the downers around here and do this for years, so this year we go. It’s time to try and make our own Christmas memories without the encumbrances of the here and now. Who knows what we’ll find. I’ll leave you with one thought that seems to resonate..

“Life is just a leap of faith, spread your arms, hold your breath and always trust your cape”

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.. Ron

I was all Christmassy....and inspired and festive.

But after spending a week sitting with my ill mother in hospital (she is home now and recovering fairly well from surgery),and then a weekend caring for her at her house, I have lost it.

I have no festive in me.....just want to wallow and do nothing.

Help! and ideas how to regain Christmassy spirit please?

 

[patrick1987]

I'll go with the baking suggestion. When I'm busy doing something fun I forget about my troubles for awhile, and am productive at the same time. Play some vintage Christmas music (or whatever you prefer) in the background, and soon the yummy aromas will get you in a good mood. Then in an hour or so I get to stuff my face, also a way to make me feel better. And don't forget to remind yourself you are doing good by taking care of your mom, especially if there are other family memebers who haven't stepped up.

 

[Helen Troy]

As for holiday spirit, if that mulled wine recipe hasn't done it, I second bath products of the season. I've read that the sense of smell is the one most connected to memory, so if you can use happy holiday scents from your past, it might just do the trick.

I've read that Terry Hatcher pours red wine in her bathtub, as it's supposedly good for the skin. So maybe a glass of this mulled wine in the tub will do the trick?

Glad you liked the recipe, miss Neecerie. I also have a recipe for another mulled wine thing, the traditional Norwegian "Julegloegg" if anyone's interested. I have som trouble on the top of my head finding the english words for the spices, (what the heck do you call the small peg-like spices shaped like stars on tops of cones?) but I will translate if asked!

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Those are cloves.

 

[Ada Veen]

Glad you liked the recipe, miss Neecerie. I also have a recipe for another mulled wine thing, the traditional Norwegian "Julegloegg" if anyone's interested.

My norwegian friend came over for a christmas dinner this weekend and brought some soda called something like 'julebrus' (?) that apparently is a christmas tradition in Norway...with a Santa on the label. Is that similar, Helen?

I'd be interested in the recipe, anyway. I'm not a big drinker but at the market the other day there was mulled apple juice, delicious!

 

[M Tatterscratch]

I'm not a big drinker but at the market the other day there was mulled apple juice, delicious!

Neither am I, but boy, you can't turn around over here in Germany without someone giving you some Apfelwein or Gl?ºhwein. I'm told it's pedestrian to drink it hot with sugar, but unsugared it would pucker your face until you could see the roof of your own mouth!

phhhhlllblllhhhbbbblllllhthhhh!

T.

 

[Helen Troy]

My norwegian friend came over for a christmas dinner this weekend and brought some soda called something like 'julebrus' (?) that apparently is a christmas tradition in Norway...with a Santa on the label. Is that similar, Helen?

I'd be interested in the recipe, anyway. I'm not a big drinker but at the market the other day there was mulled apple juice, delicious!

Ah, the julebrus! Every town and brewery/soda factory has it's own. As far as I know, the julebrus, (which literally means "christmas soda"), was introdused in the early 70s. That's when we got a new law, prohibiting advertising of alcohol and tobacco in Norway. Up until then, the traditional "jule-beer" was the subject of much advertising around christmas time. When that was banned, the breweries introduced the "julebrus", knowing that when the consumers saw the "julebrus"posters with the slogan "The julebrus is here!" they would think about the juleoel! (Beer.) They even sell jule-beer in six-packs, like beer!

And no, the julebrus is nothing like the julegloegg. The julegloegg is definatly for adults, and advertising it in Norway would absolutely not be legal! I will post the gloegg-recipe tomorrow.

 

[Helen Troy]

Julegloegg:(This is a really good version. There are more foul-tasting but maybe more authentic versions beeing served over the whole of Norway!)

One bottle (apr. 0,4 cups) of red wine.
0,6 tablespoons of brown sugar
0,2 cup of cognac
2 tablespoons of gloeggspices.
Almonds and raisins


Gloeggspices
1/2 cinammon stick (the little rolls of cinnamon you can get. Can be replaced with grinded cinamon.)
5 cloves. (Thanks, miss Neecerie!)
2 cardamom pods, chrushed
2 tablespoons of dried orange zest. (You can use fresh after taste.)

Heat some of the wine and melt the sugar in it. Put everything in the pot and heat, but do not boil. Let simmer for 15 min. Drain of the spices, add some chopped almonds and raisins, (or put in a bowl and let the guests help themself to as much as they wont,) and serve.