MY ATTEMPTS TO SURVIVE NEW CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

“SPARKLY, JOYFUL, AND DELICIOUS. I HOPE YOUR CHRISTMAS IS EXACTLY LIKE GINGERBREAD MAN.”

Every year in the first week of December we prepare gingerbread men with the children. Recipe for years from my mother, but the gingerbread man decorating patterns are different every year. The locations where we create them are also different. 

In 2018 we baked and decorated gingerbread men in Brighton, UK. 2019 in Poland in my hometown, near Jelenia Góra. Again, but for the last time – in 2020 Great Britain. In 2021, we moved our family to the Czech Republic and brought our December tradition of baking gingerbread men here.

For me and my children, the moments of preparation of gingerbread dough, baking and embellishing baked gingerbread man are wonderful experiences. Then we talk a lot during decorating the Christmas tree about Christmas time, Santa, and family. Our gingerbread man custom has remained unchanged for years and we do not change it due to the new place of residence. However, we get to know the Christmas customs of other countries. Christmas traditions and foods vary from country to country. 

POLISH CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

In my family home in Poland, hardly anyone bothers with baking gingerbread men. Here the king of Christmas cake is cheesecake, preferably with a large dose of dried fruits. It can be cheesecake with peach or cold cheesecake. Christmas gingerbread yes, but not in the form of finely cut cookies, but as a large cake with dried fruit and nuts. On the table next to it must be apple pie, poppy seed cake or poppy seed cheesecake. 

On December 24, Christmas Eve in Poland, a Polish Christmas Eve dinner with family is traditionally celebrated. You’ve probably heard that dinner must consist of 12 traditional dishes. It is best if there are two soups on the table: mushroom soup and red borscht. Carp is the main course. Served with baked potatoes. All dishes can be prepared with fish, such as fish salads, fish in jelly, and fish in oil. Dumplings with cabbage and mushrooms, dumplings with mushrooms, and dumplings stuffed with salty cheese. To drink and for a good metabolism dried fruit compote. In other regions of Poland, these dishes may differ slightly, but carp and dishes rich in cabbage and mushrooms are everywhere in Poland.

CZECH CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

There is not a huge selection of cakes in the Czech Republic like in Poland. On the Czech Christmas table, however, we will find wonderful little cookies called – “lineckie”. Decorated with jam, coconuts, and chocolate. Each cookie has a different, fabulous, unique taste. There are also some that are not allowed for children because they are soaked in rum.

In Christmas Czech soups, the fish soup was a surprise for me and my children. We love this soup and so do these little cookies. Carp is also a main dish served with a vegetable salad with mayonnaise for Christmas Eve dinner.

From the Czech tradition, the day of Santa’s appearance will surely remain in my memory, and above all in the memory of my children. In the Czech Republic, Santa Claus for naughty children does not bring a rod, as in Poland, or coal, as in England, but comes with the devil. The devil is painted from head to toe with black paint, has a tail and red horns, and takes naughty children with him. It was an unpleasant shock for me and my children. I don’t know how many more years we have to get used to and reconcile with this tradition, but the second Christmas Eve in the Czech Republic is approaching, and we already feel fear.

ENGLISH CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

In the UK on the 25th of December, families normally come together to prepare and enjoy a huge feast. For a Christmas dinner, the main dish is a Roast Dinner. Included roast turkey, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, and stuffing. The main dishes are served with gravy or bread sauce or cranberry sauce. Essential at a Christmas meal and my children loved them are brussels sprouts.

For dessert have to be Christmas pudding, a pudding made up of dried fruit and Christmas spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. The pudding is coated in brandy and then set on fire before serving, so it is always a very impressive dish. Mince pies (miniature tartlets filled with dried fruit and spices called mincemeat) are also a hugely popular dessert, served with cream or brandy butter (butter, sugar and brandy mixed together).

And I was most captivated by the tradition of Santa Claus, who with elves brings gifts on Christmas Eve night, and in the morning after waking up we find them under the Christmas tree. The tradition of giving gifts and the appearance of Santa Claus in Poland and the Czech Republic runs on December 24th after Christmas eve dinner. This ritual was completely destroying my children. They could not focus on eating, or eating in a hurry, and ran from window to door looking for Santa. 

Because the tradition from England of finding gifts in the morning under the Christmas tree takes place in peace and quiet, without conflicts and unnecessary emotions before bedtime, I copied this idea and apply it to the Czech Republic life.  https://littlepuzzlesandme.com/how-to-make-christmas-stress-free-for-children/  

MY FAMILY TRADITIONS

Christmas traditions really depend on you and your family. We continue to deliver Christmas gingerbread men to the homes of our loved ones. Creating together gingerbread man gives us great joy, as does the whole delivery process. We love carp, but we did not give up brussels sprouts. Cheesecake with dried fruit must be on the Christmas table too.

Maybe over the years we will completely remove the devil from the Czech tradition and replace him with wonderful elves and a charming Santa Claus in a magic sleigh with huge and brave reindeer.