Thank you so much for your wonderful, rigorously researched articles.
It seems to me that you have a genuine feeling for what we think are our ‘traditional’ festivals but I admire that you are not afraid of asking questions about their authenticity. A fabulous combination of heart and mind!
Thank you once again and I hope you enjoy whatever-it-is-you-are-observing at this time of year. 🙏
That is A LOT to take in, and I will surely (sadly) not remember much, but still found it fascinating! Thank you for doing all the research and sharing it!
Elissa, thank you for this fascinating and well researched article. Here in the Southern Hemisphere we are heading towards the middle of our Summer and have just enjoyed another wonderfully hot (but not as hot as usual) Christmas. I love the Australian Christmas traditions, though it took me a while to really appreciate them as I spent much of my childhood overseas and I am half Canadian.
I LOVE the winter season where I live as I get to celebrate Winter Nights on 1 June when all the snow and winter-themed decorations come out (snowmen, reindeer, polar bears etc). Then Winter Solstice on June 21 with a delicious dinner (Beef Wellington and green peppercorn sauce, herb-roasted kipfler potatoes, winter greens salad and a fig and ginger pudding... It's the same every year as its delicious but takes a lot of time (and joy) to prepare).
1 July is our Lussinatte celebration. The Yule decorations go up to join the winter-themed decorations, including the tree with seasonally specific ornaments (the same tree is decorated at Christmas with an Australian and Summer theme). The lights are strung outside, candles are lit and lussikatter are baked. Then there is all the prep and excitement for our big Yule party in midwinter (closest Saturday to July 14/15), where we have roast beef and duck, roast vegies, warm drinks (gluhwein/glogg and sometimes eggnog), our guests bring a plate of nibbles, drinks or their favourite seasonal food. Dessert is always my Yule Log cake made with my Grandmother's WWII ginger cake recipe (eggless due to rationing but so delicious), topped with my lovely Yule Nisse/Tomte who I bring out just for Yule.
My region is starting to get into the spirit of celebrating winter so there are lots of winter/ Christmas in July markets and events. Then, either the day after our Yule feast or at the end of July, we take everything down and wait for the change of season and the next celebration. August is the hardest month, the excitement of Yule has been and gone and the weather stays cold and windy with frosts sometimes into October.
I need to go back through my blog to make sure the information I've posted about Germanic traditions and calendars is accurate thanks to the in-depth information you've given. I'm going to be posting about Midsummer in a couple of weeks and will include something about Germanic/Scandinavian Midsummer celebrations. I'll take a look through your posts to make sure I have the correct information.
Sorry for the overshare, I love seasonal celebrations so much and I love hearing about how others celebrate, as well as the history behind these traditions. Thanks again for taking the time to research and share your work!
Thank you so much for your wonderful, rigorously researched articles.
It seems to me that you have a genuine feeling for what we think are our ‘traditional’ festivals but I admire that you are not afraid of asking questions about their authenticity. A fabulous combination of heart and mind!
Thank you once again and I hope you enjoy whatever-it-is-you-are-observing at this time of year. 🙏
That is A LOT to take in, and I will surely (sadly) not remember much, but still found it fascinating! Thank you for doing all the research and sharing it!
Elissa, thank you for this fascinating and well researched article. Here in the Southern Hemisphere we are heading towards the middle of our Summer and have just enjoyed another wonderfully hot (but not as hot as usual) Christmas. I love the Australian Christmas traditions, though it took me a while to really appreciate them as I spent much of my childhood overseas and I am half Canadian.
I LOVE the winter season where I live as I get to celebrate Winter Nights on 1 June when all the snow and winter-themed decorations come out (snowmen, reindeer, polar bears etc). Then Winter Solstice on June 21 with a delicious dinner (Beef Wellington and green peppercorn sauce, herb-roasted kipfler potatoes, winter greens salad and a fig and ginger pudding... It's the same every year as its delicious but takes a lot of time (and joy) to prepare).
1 July is our Lussinatte celebration. The Yule decorations go up to join the winter-themed decorations, including the tree with seasonally specific ornaments (the same tree is decorated at Christmas with an Australian and Summer theme). The lights are strung outside, candles are lit and lussikatter are baked. Then there is all the prep and excitement for our big Yule party in midwinter (closest Saturday to July 14/15), where we have roast beef and duck, roast vegies, warm drinks (gluhwein/glogg and sometimes eggnog), our guests bring a plate of nibbles, drinks or their favourite seasonal food. Dessert is always my Yule Log cake made with my Grandmother's WWII ginger cake recipe (eggless due to rationing but so delicious), topped with my lovely Yule Nisse/Tomte who I bring out just for Yule.
My region is starting to get into the spirit of celebrating winter so there are lots of winter/ Christmas in July markets and events. Then, either the day after our Yule feast or at the end of July, we take everything down and wait for the change of season and the next celebration. August is the hardest month, the excitement of Yule has been and gone and the weather stays cold and windy with frosts sometimes into October.
I need to go back through my blog to make sure the information I've posted about Germanic traditions and calendars is accurate thanks to the in-depth information you've given. I'm going to be posting about Midsummer in a couple of weeks and will include something about Germanic/Scandinavian Midsummer celebrations. I'll take a look through your posts to make sure I have the correct information.
Sorry for the overshare, I love seasonal celebrations so much and I love hearing about how others celebrate, as well as the history behind these traditions. Thanks again for taking the time to research and share your work!