Every year, this season is just as exciting as ever. I love the lit tree with the ceramic angel on top and the beautiful Christmas carols that remind me of the reason for the season. If I had to choose from all the carols, I’d say my favorite is Silent Night. It paints a beautiful picture of the night the Savior came to earth.
Though this is the real significance of the season, I do love all that goes with it. The kids help put up the Christmas tree and we add decorations that have been in the family for years. Many of them are handmade, and some have been saved from projects made at school when their parents were children.
We have a traditional Swedish tea ring for breakfast on Christmas morning.
Swedish Tea Ring (recipe used in my Christmas novel, The Neighbors)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
½ cup warm water
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 ¼ tsp salt
6 cups all-purpose flour
Knead all ingredients until dough is soft and not sticky. Let rise until double.
Roll flat into an 8×15 rectangle Mix together ¼ cup white sugar, ¼ brown sugar,1 tsp. brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and ½ cup raisins. Spread on top of the dough. Roll the dough into a ring and pinch the ends together. With a pair of scissors make snips every three inches along the side of the roll.
Bake 25 min at 350 or until slightly browned. Let cool slightly and then mix 2tbs melted butter, a cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tbs. milk until it is a creamy spread. Spread atop the cooled tea ring. Top with sliced almonds and ½ cup Maraschino cherries cut into halves.
After Breakfast
After tea ring and bacon for breakfast, there is the excitement of the kids opening presents. Huge chaos ensues as wrapping paper piles up and we step around it to deliver presents to the parents sitting on the sofas.
After a bit of rest from all the merry making, we gather for a traditional lasagna supper in the evening. If it a bright, cold, night, I like to look at the stars after supper. It reminds me of the wise men, and also how vast is our galaxy. When I look up at the sky, it reminds me of who designed it and how magnificently it is designed to run.
These are some of the many reasons I love Christmas. How about you? Can you list what is most special to you in this season. Drop me a line in the comments. I would love to hear from you.
Blessings,
Karen