It's that time of year again....

[Jethro Bodine]

Now now, let's not encourage bad behaviour! That will come all on it's own.

Get the hoses ready.

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

Get the hoses ready.

Well I think that I'm right and you're wrong.
And I think everyone agrees with me.
Merry Christmas!

 

[TOG]

Doggone it I forgot to add a poll!
Okay the question is: "Are you ready for Christmas?"
Answer choices:
"Let it snow let it snow let it snoooow!"
BAH HUMBUG!
I prefer festivus...for the rest of us!

I vote "BAH HUMBUG!"

As for the cold, wind, ice and snow, I'm not particularly looking forward to that either. As far as I'm concerned, winter can just hurry up and be over.

The TOG​

 

[TOG]

Yes.... eggs, sugar, milk, heavy cream, whisky & rum. That's obviously the full egg nog.
For a non-alcoholic egg nog, don't add the whisky & rum.

Aren't you supposed to sprinkle something on top also?

The TOG​

 

[TOG]

Well I think that I'm right and you're wrong.
And I think everyone agrees with me.

Everybody has the right to be wrong.

The TOG​

 

[twinc]

why not just come to England for Christmas where unlike elsewhere we have a Christmas tree like no other - for whilst all around others are dead or dying it blooms with the real message of Christmastide and asks us all to answer who do you say I AM "for I am the Resurrection and the life" - who the tree belongs to and how it got there is an enchanting legend like no other for another time and day - twinc

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

Aren't you supposed to sprinkle something on top also?

The TOG​

cinminum

 

[twinc]

why not just come to England for Christmas where unlike elsewhere we have a Christmas tree like no other - for whilst all around others are dead or dying it blooms with the real message of Christmastide and asks us all to answer who do you say I AM "for I am the Resurrection and the life" - who the tree belongs to and how it got there is an enchanting legend like no other for another time and day - twinc

btw it is a glad time intermixed with a sad time for the older ones of us - "for across the bright morning sky each dawn weve seen the birds fly but now they are leaving - how and when do they know its time for them to go - for who knows where the time goes - via google see and hear Sandy Denny sing her own "Who knows where the time goes" - twinc

 

[Willie T]

You can keep the eggnog... I'll take the Glühwein.

 

[jeff77]

Christmas yes, it's big doin's at our house, no snow, it's summertime, the flamboyant trees will be in full bloom, ...the Lord's Christmas trees for us.

I like the flamboyant trees as well. We don't have them in Texas but my in-laws that live in Brazil have them everywhere. Also they are known as Royal Poinciana trees.

 

[jeff77]

You can keep the eggnog... I'll take the Gluhwein.

What's that?

 

[tim-from-pa]

I never knew eggnog had alcohol in it. Thought drinkers just added it, like you add rum to coke. I guess because the only kind I ever bought came from the store and had no alcohol.

Yes and no. Here in Pennsylvania, they have "State Stores" to sell hard liquor and various beer distributors for all kinds of beer and soda. Regular supermarket stores do not have permission to sell alcoholic beverages like some states have but we are getting some that are allowed now like Wegman's if it's on a limited basis such as only a 6-pack of beer and not a whole case or barrel.

If you walk into a supermarket here, they want to join the bandwagon and sell eggnog like everyone else, but the non-alcoholic variety only since eggnog is heavy liquor. But if you buy it in a state store, then it's loaded with liquor. I'm not sure which is cheaper to get-- but oftentimes the state store's pre-made eggnog is on sale cheap, while getting non-alcoholic eggnog is not that cheap, and then you'd need to buy some liquor on top of that yet which probably does not cost much less than the eggnog already loaded.

 

[Willie T]

What's that?

Glühwein is a warm winter German version of sangria; it should taste like Christmas spices and every area has their own jealously guarded recipe. As long is it tastes good the exact ingredients don’t really matter and you could be starting a new tradition in your family.

The basics are red wine, spices, sweetening and fruit, heated together to diffuse the flavours and served warm to bring relief to hands that cup it and bodies that drink it.

Ingredients: Makes around 8 servings

• 1 bottle of red wine. Use an inexpensive full bodied fruity wine. You definitely do not want to use an expensive bottle and try to avoid one with oak aging. I think a Gallo Ruby Cabernet would be ideal. Or a red Zinfandel or Syrah - Shiraz.

• 2 - Cinnamon sticks – Cinnamon is very traditional. Break the sticks into pieces 1 – 2 inches each

• 16 Whole Cloves – again a traditional ingredient

• 1 Orange

• 2 Tablespoons runny honey

• 1 heaped teaspoon mixed ground Christmas cake spices – or equivalent amount of any of ground allspice, nutmeg, coriander mixed together

• Water – wineglass full

Method

1. Put water in large pan and place over medium heat.

2. Add cinnamon honey and spices.

3. While honey is dissolving cut the orange into quarter lengthways, then cut them in half so you have eight pieces. Push two of the cloves into the skin of each piece and add to the pan.

4. Pour in all the wine.

5. Bring the heat up. It should not boil so as when bubbles start rising turn the heat off.

6. As soon as it is cool enough to taste, test it for sweetness. If it is not sweet enough add sugar to taste and stir to dissolve.

7. Let the pan stand for an hour or longer so the flavours develop.

8. Warm gently before serving and spoon out into a heatproof glass, leaving the oranges and cinnamon behind. Optionally garnish with slice of lemon or fresh stick of cinnamon.

Notes:

The wine has not been heated enough to evaporate all the alcohol, so be aware it is still an alcoholic drink.

The idea of pushing the cloves into the orange is so they are not loose in the drink. If you do not do this stage you should consider straining the drink so that people don’t get the surprise of a whole clove in their throats.

Variations:

As mentioned, there are many variations to the basic recipe of warmed wine with spices

Some people like to add brandy to give the Glühwein more body, but of course that adds dramatically to the alcohol. Another way of adding body is to pour in a glass or two of Port.

Enjoy!!

 

[ReginaForbes]

Good season because its in summer. But then i have always thought it would be cool to have a winter Christmas. Where everything is really mellow, the snow is falling, the fireplace is going, the smell of pine trees, and a big turkey. That would just be so soothing.

LOL WUT? Wait are you in New Zealand? Is it summer there when it's winter here? BLEGH! Don't you know it's a law that Christmas has to be in winter!

 

[ReginaForbes]

what is eggnog?. Does it have eggs in it?

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

LOL WUT? Wait are you in New Zealand? Is it summer there when it's winter here? BLEGH! Don't you know it's a law that Christmas has to be in winter!

They have a city called Christchurch.
They have Christmas year round there.

 

[jeff77]

Glühwein is a warm winter German version of sangria; it should taste like Christmas spices and every area has their own jealously guarded recipe. As long is it tastes good the exact ingredients don’t really matter and you could be starting a new tradition in your family.

The basics are red wine, spices, sweetening and fruit, heated together to diffuse the flavours and served warm to bring relief to hands that cup it and bodies that drink it.

Ingredients: Makes around 8 servings

• 1 bottle of red wine. Use an inexpensive full bodied fruity wine. You definitely do not want to use an expensive bottle and try to avoid one with oak aging. I think a Gallo Ruby Cabernet would be ideal. Or a red Zinfandel or Syrah - Shiraz.

• 2 - Cinnamon sticks – Cinnamon is very traditional. Break the sticks into pieces 1 – 2 inches each

• 16 Whole Cloves – again a traditional ingredient

• 1 Orange

• 2 Tablespoons runny honey

• 1 heaped teaspoon mixed ground Christmas cake spices – or equivalent amount of any of ground allspice, nutmeg, coriander mixed together

• Water – wineglass full

Method

1. Put water in large pan and place over medium heat.

2. Add cinnamon honey and spices.

3. While honey is dissolving cut the orange into quarter lengthways, then cut them in half so you have eight pieces. Push two of the cloves into the skin of each piece and add to the pan.

4. Pour in all the wine.

5. Bring the heat up. It should not boil so as when bubbles start rising turn the heat off.

6. As soon as it is cool enough to taste, test it for sweetness. If it is not sweet enough add sugar to taste and stir to dissolve.

7. Let the pan stand for an hour or longer so the flavours develop.

8. Warm gently before serving and spoon out into a heatproof glass, leaving the oranges and cinnamon behind. Optionally garnish with slice of lemon or fresh stick of cinnamon.

Notes:

The wine has not been heated enough to evaporate all the alcohol, so be aware it is still an alcoholic drink.

The idea of pushing the cloves into the orange is so they are not loose in the drink. If you do not do this stage you should consider straining the drink so that people don’t get the surprise of a whole clove in their throats.

Variations:

As mentioned, there are many variations to the basic recipe of warmed wine with spices

Some people like to add brandy to give the Glühwein more body, but of course that adds dramatically to the alcohol. Another way of adding body is to pour in a glass or two of Port.

Enjoy!!

Wow, sounds like you know what you're doing!

 

[Willie T]

It has a taste you will never forget. Perfect on a chilly night.

 

[twinc]

I like the flamboyant trees as well. We don't have them in Texas but my in-laws that live in Brazil have them everywhere. Also they are known as Royal Poinciana trees.

dead and dying at Christmastide presumably - twinc

 

[jeff77]

dead and dying at Christmastide presumably - twinc

Not sure what you are referring to exactly. The flamboyant tree would be in full bloom in most parts of Brasil during Christmas time. During the summer months of the U.S it would be dying and would have those nearly 2 foot long seed pods hanging from them. I guess they can be grown in the warmer states of the U.S but not sure if they would be in bloom during this time of year. I believe these trees are native to somewhere in the far east. I have tried growing several of them myself. They would get about 4ft tall if I could keep them alive by moving them inside during the winter, but they would all eventually die from some kind of blight or root rot.