9. December - Mulled wine - Glögg - Gluhwein

 Mulled Wine - Glögg - Gluhwein

2 unwaxed oranges
1 lemon, peel only
150g caster sugar
5 cloves, plus extra for garnish
5 cardamom pods, bruised
1 cinnamon stick
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 bottles of fruity, unoaked red wine
150ml ginger wine

1. Peel and juice 1 orange, and add to a large saucepan along with the lemon peel, sugar and spices. Add enough wine to just cover the sugar, and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 – 8 minutes until you have a thick syrup.
2. Meanwhile, if you're serving the mulled wine immediately, stud the second orange with 6 vertical lines of cloves, and then cut into segments to use as a garnish.
3. Turn the heat down, and pour the rest of the wine into the saucepan, along with the ginger wine. Gently heat through and serve with the orange segments as a garnish. Alternatively, you can allow the syrup to cool, and pour it into sterilized bottles for use at a later date.
Is mulled wine a guaranteed spirit raiser, or by far the worst thing about Christmas - Slade and paper hats included? What do you put in your own festive punch – or what would you prefer to be offered instead? 

5. December - Christmas in Germany

Being Swedish and German Nationals here in the studio of Ella & Otto we liked to introduce you to the way Christmas time is celebrated in our home countries. 
Lets start to introduce how Christmas is celebrated in Germany!
 Starting from the first Sunday in Advent, Christmas markets are put up allover Germany. 
You find your way there quite easily. Just follow the lights and scent of roasted chestnuts!
The markets are beaming with festive lights and the smell of delicious German specialties mixed with mulled vine can not be missed. You find stalls selling handmade Christmas decorations and crafts from the region. Some attractions for children are put up to entertain. It is a great place to meet after work or for a family out.

Germans love to decorate their homes. This will be done at the beginning of December. All kinds of fairy lights are hung up to make the dark nights brighter.

The Christmas trees are put up just before Christmas day - often in secret to surprise the young children and make their faces smile.

In most parts of Germany children write their Christmas list to the “Christkind” asking for presents. 
They leave the letters on the windowsill at the beginning or during Advent.

The Christkind is a sprite-like child, usually depicted with blond hair and angelic wings.

Children never see the Christkind in person, and parents tell them that Christkind will not come and bring presents if they are curious and try to spot it. The family enters the living room, where the Christmas tree has been put up, for the opening of presents when the parents say that they think that the Christkind who has brought the presents has now left again. In some traditions, the departure is announced by the ringing of a small bell, which the parents pretend to have heard or which is secretly done by one of the adults in the family.

The Christkind is facing increasing competition from the Weihnachtsmann in the American version of Santa Claus, caused by the use of Santa Claus as an advertising figure.
Saying that, there does exist a "Nikolaus" in Germany, someone who fills stockings with sweets & small presents on the 6th of December. But more to that tomorrow.....

Christmas Eve, the 24th of December is the main day when Germans exchange presents with their families. The 25th and 26th of December are bank holidays. Days of food and rest.

 

Frohliche Weihnachten!