Christmastide 2026 - Candlemas

 Monday, February 2, 2026

Got the tree down today. Well, one of 'em anyway. 

One of these days I'll make porridge again but for today it was just oatmeal. Still delicious. 

I did have some gingersnaps today with raspberry jelly. I meant to make a gingerbread cake this January but the grocery store didn't have the mix. 

Christmas Season 2015/2016 - Odds and Ends: Porridge

This year's attempt was something of a hodgepodge of a recipe I have for porridge and simply following the directions on the short grain rice package. All in all it turned out well and was a noble attempt to get in touch with my Swedish heritage. 

According to Trine Hahnemann, author of Scandinavian Christmas, "The "nisse" (elf) lives where we can't see him. He is naughty, and the best way to stay friends with him is to leave porridge in the attic for him, with lots of butter, sugar, and cinnamon! Then he won't eat your cookies or hide your favorite things; instead he will leave little presents in your boots." (p. 57)

Maybe some of my Swedish ancestors grew up with this. As kids, St. Nicholas always left an ornament in our shoes on December 6 (St. Nicholas Day). 

Christmas Season 2014/2015 - Porridge

For the past 2 or 3 years, MLK Day has become something of a catch-up day to get to some of the things I missed over the holiday season.  This year I made porridge.

Christmas Day 2013 - Oatmeal

I had every intention of making a Christmas porridge this morning. The recipe calls for short grain rice but when we went shopping yesterday morning, I was disappointed to find out the grocery store was out of it. I was in no mood to attempt more grocery shopping on Christmas Eve so I decided we'd have oatmeal instead. We loaded it up with brown sugar but the butter really helped make it divine. Porridge will have to wait for New Year's Day...