Yuletide Reminiscing

I've shared before that one of my favorite things during the Christmas season is celebrating our family heritage and various traditions.  My parents have always made Christmas fun.  One especially treasured memory is the one "Santa" present that my Dad gifted each year.  The Santa present was often a goofy one that never failed to elicit howls of laughter, but other times it was a special item that wasn't on our Christmas list.  Dad would hand pick these treasures after thoughtfully considering our needs and likes, and these remain gifts that I remember most.

Other precious Ahlquist family memories center on the years in which we invited friends or family members to join us for the day.  These were often recently divorced or widowed loved ones who were facing a lonely Christmas day.  What joy to be able to surprise and spoil them with unexpected gifts.  The gifts may not have been of great monetary value, but they were given from the heart and very much appreciated in return.  Precious memories for sure!

For many years now my Dad has made a Swedish Christmas bread called "Julekaga."  Making this yeast bread from scratch is something I have endeavored to do for years with very mixed success.  Thanks to my new oven with a bread proof setting, I am happy to report that this year's batch was a rousing success!  If I can pull it off again next year, I'll be ready to pass along this skill to Annabel and Thane.  Making my mom's perfect pie crust is, sadly, a feat that still eludes me!