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Well darn! Between work and organizing for a GA, we've been missing a great holiday party! What a wonderful and fun thread, PaterAlf and skimmie. The wife and I are throughly enjoying listening to the music while reading through the traditions, stories and recipes. Bravo, great job on unbotching the festivities, and thank you both for spreading holiday spirit and cheer here. :D

Since Mannheim-Steamroller has already been posted, we'll contribute a song from another of our favorite groups with a timely message: Where Are You, Christmas? - Pentatonix This is a capella (voices only), no instruments.

Our contribution to the party is a favorite old family recipe we like during the holidays which is fairly fast and easy to make. I think the conversions from American measurements are close but you might want to check that.

Spiced Raisin Drop Cookies
yields ~ 6 dozen
Ingredients
1 cup water (240ml)
1 3/4 cups raisins/sultanas (375g)
1 cup butter (240g)
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar (350g)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5ml)
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (420g)
1 teaspoon baking powder (5ml)
1 teaspoon baking soda (5ml)
1 teaspoon salt (5ml)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (5ml)
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (1.25ml)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (1.25ml)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (1.25ml)
dash of ground clove
1/2 cup chopped nuts (75g) - optional, or you can substitute chocolate chips/bits

Directions
Put water and raisins (sultanas) in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until water is almost gone. Remove from heat and leave to cool but do not drain.
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). (This is an old recipe, so probably no fan.)
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Set aside.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices; add gradually to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in nuts and raisins (sultanas).
Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches (5 cm) apart onto greased or lined baking sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Place on wire racks to cool. Dust lightly with powdered sugar (icing sugar) and cinnamon before serving. Enjoy!

Our personal holiday tradition officially starts with Yule (mid-winter for us northerners), where we light the candles, decorate the house and the tree, and wrap the gifts from 'Santa' selected for the family we sponsor from the community Wishing Tree. Baking begins - the best part about helping here is I get the first samples! ;) The next day the gifts will be delivered along with a gift card for a local store so the family can have holiday dinner and a few things to pick out and exchange for themselves. The afternoon before Christmas Eve we'll put on our Santa and Mrs. Claus costumes (Unfortunately the hair and beard does not need as much whitener and the suit is not taking quite as much padding these days) and travel to the shelters to help distribute donated toys and items to the children there. The children are told that as Christmas Eve Santa is very busy, he's decided to make a special visit to them the day before. From there we'll visit the children's ward at the hospital, and even the nurses get a candy cane and cookie. :) Christmas Eve and morning is for family and close friends. On Christmas afternoon we and some friends visit the local senior center to sing songs, play games (bingo, charades) and bring some laughter to those seniors who may not have family around that year. Believe me, those senior ladies can play a mean game of poker over recipe swaps!

As a young child, my wife's ambition was to become one of Santa's elves. From her childhood perspective, they helped spread hope and joy and encouraged goodness and thus helped the angels. That is probably the key to our holidays - for us the holidays are about sharing and spreading hope, joy and a sprinkle of magic. It is the spirit of the season that is important to us personally, a time we look back to appreciate where we've come from and learn from it, then look forward to brighter days where we hope to grow and become better individuals.

We believe in the spirit of Santa, so we'd like to be in. However, we are part of the Secret Santa thread, so I hope it is okay with Santa to include a list of 'stocking stuffers' here in lieu of our wishlist, or wait until the Secret Santa event is over.
BioShock™ Remastered
Dungeons 3: Lord of the Kings DLC
EVERSPACE™ - Encounters DLC
Heroes of Might and Magic® 5: Bundle
Knights and Merchants
Tales of Maj'Eyal: Ashes of Urh'Rok DLC

Wishing everyone a joyous Holiday Season, with a sprinkling of magic. ;)
Thanks again skimmie and PaterAlf for such a great thread!
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vidsgame: I am in. My favorite Christmas song is Carol of the Bells because it's rather ominous sounding for a Christmas song which fits me because I go trick or treating on Christmas dressed up as Freddie. It scares all the carolers. Haha. No, but seriously, I first heard it as a kid and I thought: "Wait...this is a Christmas song? Neat." I love this version.

My Christmas traditions usually involve sleeping in and seeing snow outside while staying inside and watching Home Alone. Yes, that does mean that are no official celebrations, just another day off but I'll take it.

Thank you for the giveaway, skimmie and PaterAlf.
Santa thinks a day off is a wonderful opportunity to play another game. He left a present in your stocking. :)
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vidsgame: I am in. My favorite Christmas song is Carol of the Bells because it's rather ominous sounding for a Christmas song which fits me because I go trick or treating on Christmas dressed up as Freddie. It scares all the carolers. Haha. No, but seriously, I first heard it as a kid and I thought: "Wait...this is a Christmas song? Neat." I love this version.

My Christmas traditions usually involve sleeping in and seeing snow outside while staying inside and watching Home Alone. Yes, that does mean that are no official celebrations, just another day off but I'll take it.

Thank you for the giveaway, skimmie and PaterAlf.
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PaterAlf: Santa thinks a day off is a wonderful opportunity to play another game. He left a present in your stocking. :)
Do you actually live on Christmas Island? Does that also mean it's Christmas every day there? ;)
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PaterAlf: Santa thinks a day off is a wonderful opportunity to play another game. He left a present in your stocking. :)
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TheBigCore: Do you actually live on Christmas Island? Does that also mean it's Christmas every day there? ;)
No, I don't really live on Christmas Island. But GOG doesn't have an option for North Pole, so I thought Christmas Island would be the next best thing for Santa. ;)
It's nice to see such a jolly thread but where is the food and beer section,I even looked out the back o Bourke?
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Tauto: It's nice to see such a jolly thread but where is the food and beer section,I even looked out the back o Bourke?
"Throw another shrimp on the barbie!"

Sorry, I had to. ;)

In all seriousness, though, what beers do Australians drink? I know Fosters is the ultra terrible one that no one there drinks...
Well a variation on the Raisin Cookie recipe I posted is to soak the raisins in rum overnight. Not really sure how it would taste doing that with beer though.
how about this.
my grandpa told me polish and Italians in my city would argue about who made a certain cookie (chrusciki). maybe it was a catholic thing from Europe but I've never seen them made outside of my childhood home.

they're easy to make, assuming you can do it the right way. you have to be gentle, but then stick the tip through the middle slit, then fry it!
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Tauto: It's nice to see such a jolly thread but where is the food and beer section,I even looked out the back o Bourke?
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TheBigCore: "Throw another shrimp on the barbie!"

Sorry, I had to. ;)

In all seriousness, though, what beers do Australians drink? I know Fosters is the ultra terrible one that no one there drinks...
Tooheys,Reschs,Fourex (xxxx) VB,Hanh, and on and on and on and on and too many to name.
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BenKii: My favorite Christmas song has definitely got to be "Wizards in Winter" by the Trans Siberian Orchestra. I first heard this song from a Youtube video of someone who timed his Christmas light display to the music. Was one of the coolest things I'd ever seen. This song also reminds me of the times when me and my family would put up a big light display. Was always the best looking display in our neighborhood. Linked below is the song and also the same light display that I saw many years ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWBjl-jPcVM

I'm in for the giveaway. Thanks Pateralf and skimmie for bringing the holiday cheer to Gog. :D
Santa loves a good light show! He left a present in your stocking.
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josh72718: Happy holidays friends!

:)

In for the giveaway, wishlist updated, and chat open.
here is one song I really like hope you enjoy

Campanas de Belén / The bells of Bethlehem

The Spanish lyrics:

Campana sobre campana
y sobre campana una
asómate a la ventana
verás a un niño en la cuna
Belén
Campanas de Belén
que los ángeles tocan
que nuevas me traés
Recogido tu rebaño
a donde vas pastorcillo?
Voy a llevar al portal
requesón, manteca y vino
chorus
Campana sobre campana
y sobre campana dos
asómate a la ventana
porque esta naciendo Dios
chorus
Caminando a media noche
¿a donde vas pastorcillo?
le llevo al niño que nace
como a Dios mi corazón

The English lyrics:
Bells, over Bells
And one bell above all
Look out the window
See a child in a crib
Bethlehem
Bells of Bethlehem
that the angels ring
Ringing in the new
Pick up your flock,
Where is your shepherd?
I'll take the portal,
cheese, butter and wine.
chorus
Bells, over Bells
And one bell above two
Look out the window,
because God is being born
chorus
Walking at midnight
Where are you going shepherd?
I bring the child that is born
Like God in my heart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyRFHeNMoXA
Santa thinks you've been nice this year! He left a present in your stocking.
Post edited December 20, 2018 by skimmie
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TheBigCore: "Throw another shrimp on the barbie!"

Sorry, I had to. ;)

In all seriousness, though, what beers do Australians drink? I know Fosters is the ultra terrible one that no one there drinks...
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Tauto: Tooheys,Reschs,Fourex (xxxx) VB,Hanh, and on and on and on and on and too many to name.
Any good idea for a recipe that includes beer? Maybe fish with a beer crust?
Wow! I'm absolutely shocked I won something. :O

Thank you both, skimmie and PaterAlf, for the wonderful gift. Merry Christmas to you both and to all my fellow Goglodytes. :)
I'd have to say that my favorite Christmas carol would be Silent Night. It's just so peaceful.

I'm in for the giveaway. Thanks for doing this Skimmie and PaterAlf. I love seeing everyone elses Christmas traditions.
Post edited December 20, 2018 by carpediem15
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Tauto: It's nice to see such a jolly thread but where is the food and beer section,I even looked out the back o Bourke?
I pretty much always go with Sierra Nevada Celebration for my Thanksgiving / Christmas "table beer." I'll also always crack something *very* early in the AM myself when I start cooking - usually a big barrel aged stout or some kind of quad (hmm I don't have my morning beer yet this year - maybe I'll go with Chimay or a Rochfort 10).

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PaterAlf: Any good idea for a recipe that includes beer? Maybe fish with a beer crust?
Not really a recipe but some guidelines. Once in a while I like to fry up a firm(ish) whitefish in beer batter (basically a "Fish 'n Chip" but I won't always do the chips).

You're going to dip the fish in three things - first a flour, then a beer mix batter, then breadcrumbs (I'd go with panko if you can get it).

I like to season the fish with salt / pepper, then cover it in a seasoned flour (mostly flour, salt, pepper and something a bit spicy like cayenne powder or like a cajun mix - I use enough to almost turn the flour reddish). Really cover the fish - pressing it down into the flour helps.

Then you dip the fish in beer batter. Use like an amber or helles beer. Add the seasoned flour you made before to it until it's as thick as you want. Thick batter can sometimes make flaky fish hold together a bit better when you fry it. I guess you could also bake the fish if you really need to? Thinner batter works too. Make sure you whisk the beer up before you add the flour to it, because it'll foam like hell if you don't when you add the flour.

Then give the battered fish a quick dip in panko with some fresh parsley. Or I guess any other breadcrumb you can get your hands on.

Then fry it up! What sorts of fish are the common ones in Germany? I see a lot of carp mentioned in this thread. I'm from East Coast US so we sort of have a few fresh options all the time ;)
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carpediem15: I'd have to say that my favorite Christmas carol would be Silent Night. It's just so peaceful.

I'm in for the giveaway. Thanks for doing this Skimmie and PaterAlf. I love seeing everyone elses Christmas traditions.
I wholeheartedly agree with you on Silent Night. Any particular version or performance you like best? I'm always looking for versions of the traditional carols with as much 'warmth' as possible, if you know what I mean (yes fellow goglodytes, that is a question to all of you :)