My mother loved Christmas! I grew up in Northern California with my family of four siblings and parents. Some traditions I remember from a young age included Kris Kringle and Santa Claus. Others were hanging stockings by the fireplace, making gingerbread houses, cookies, and lots of candy.

Kris Kringle (Christkindl) comes from Germany. It is a German name for Christ Child. My roots are both German and British. So many of the traditions were taken from each. I am not sure where my mother learned about being Kris Kringle (perhaps Sunset Magazine). 🙂 She had us all be this to each other. In secret, one had to do nice things or leave little gifts for our assigned family member. Usually involved leaving candy on their beds and perhaps making their beds if they had not. It was a fun, thoughtful tradition only if one took the time to actually perform the nice things! Not everyone did. Soon it became clear when a sibling did not participate enthusiastically. If they did nothing, we would take over their person and do nice things for them. This way, they did not feel left out. In the end on Christmas Eve, we would gather together and make guesses to who was our Kris Kringle.

The other rather American tradition was stockings. We were lucky to have an Aunt who was an Avon Marketer. Every Christmas she would bring boxes of brand new Avon products for all of us kids. They would end up in our stockings. Toys, lip balm, bath soaps, things like that. I remember her generosity was overwhelming knowing she was a single mother herself. On Christmas morning, we would all spring from our beds. Sometimes, we would wake up very early. We were eager to see what was laid in our stockings. I remember one Christmas when Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was a popular movie. I found a Truly Scrumptious doll in my stocking. I felt so special.

My mother was from Kansas, but she was a devoted Anglophile. She would express how she was loyal to England and her Queen. She would lay the table for dinner with British Christmas Crackers and make fancy desserts. One year she made a Yule log, which is also a German tradition.

So now that I am all grown up, I can decide which traditions to remember. I am now married to a Brit. Therefore, it’s required to make a Christmas Cake with the marzipan layer. We also frost it with Royal Icing. Also one of my favorite British moorish Christmas foods is minced pies. I love to make my own. When I would take some to the hospital where I worked I would get some strange reactions to them. They are not really super sweet as most American desserts. So, either one loved them or not. They are especially nice to eat warmed up with cream on top!

I also yearly make batches of fudge. This tradition was on my German side from my Grandmother whose relatives came to Pennsylvania in the 1800’s. Her and sisters would spontaneously make plates and plates of fudge during the holiday season each November and December. Out of all my siblings, I was the only one who continued this delicious sweet tooth delicacy.

These are a few of my traditions. As this year comes to a close, I wish all of you peace and hope!

Happy Christmas! Frohe Weihnachten! Merry Christmas!