We are really missing our friends, Norm and Lena with whom we used to spend Christmas Eve at their house feasting on Swedish specialties. They moved to Sweden, Lena's homeland, 4 years ago and we have really missed spending Christmas Eve with them as we had for most of the previous 20 years.
Last year I asked Lena for her glögg (mulled, spice wine) recipe and am already on my second batch this year. Here's the recipe:
250mL (1-ish cup) water
1cm fresh ginger or 1 Tbsp dried ginger
1 tsp cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
Boil this mixture for 30 min and let cool. Strain away the spices.
Add 750mL red wine and 150mL - 250mL of sugar (depending on how sweet the wine is)
Add slices from an entire orange as the glögg heats up.
Serve with raisins and whole blanched almonds in a cup with a little spoon.
I think I have everything under control for Christmas. I made the cranberry sauce a couple of days ago. This afternoon, I wrapped (gift bags and tissue paper) gifts and got them under the tree. I need to make the scalloped potatoes for tomorrow's dinner. I'll either do them tonight or tomorrow.
Last night I watched 'Love Actually'. It's on Netflix and dates from 2003 - 18 years ago! Keira Knightly was only 18 at the time. And of course anything with Alan Rickman and Colin Firth is OK by me. Shortly Skip and I are going to watch 'The Shop Around the Corner' - a 1940 movie with Margaret Sullavan and Jimmy Stewart. Skip was very impressed when he watched it a while back and felt it would be something fun to watch with me.
We are treating this week like we are on holidays and have been watching TV, videos, and movies during the day - which we usually never do. It's been lots of fun.
Happy holidays however you celebrate them. Merry Christmas to those who observe it.
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