Special Christmas Edition

You are receiving this special version of Curated Morning because, for me and many others, it's Christmas week. Why not dispense with the regular format and provide some Christmas Cheer??

Customs and Traditions

So, what should I write about? I? I know that in the past, when I led organizations, we would have a Christmas lunch or dinner, and I would ask everyone about their favorite Christmas Memory. Or perhaps it was a Christmas toy or present that they had received. Or maybe it was a special family member or crazy uncle.

Here is a story from one of those dinners: A spouse of one of my colleagues was raised in a Jewish household, and he told a funny story about how his friends in elementary school were envious that he received multiple gifts over several days in the celebration of Hannukah. He didn't tell them those gifts usually amounted to a "Hannukah Pillow" or some other non-kid-approved item. He did not receive the cool toys and video games his Christmas-celebrating friends received.

So he said that he was the envious one.

Family Gatherings

My Christmas memories are centered around Christmas Eve. It was the primary Christmas celebration in our home, a tradition that stems from my parents' Latvian heritage. I'm unsure if opening presents on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas morning is a European-centric activity or one emanating from my parents' Latvian traditions.

Nevertheless, my friends were always impressed that almost all my presents were opened by 9:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve started with a Latvian "supper." It was generally light fare, nothing heavy. Cold ham, Latvian farmer's cheese, other assorted cold cuts, head cheese (IYKYK), liver pate, dark and sour Latvian rye bread, potato salad, and Piragi, a warm bread roll stuffed with bacon and onion, filled our table. Then, we consumed piles of Christmas cookies my Mother had made.

While we impatiently waited for my Mother to finish cleaning the table and do the few dishes, my Father would warm up his version of Glugg, a Scandinavian version of mulled wine. His version was not for the weak.

Once my Mother (poor mom, expected to do it all) cleaned everything up, Mom instructed us kids to go to my parents' bedroom, where they had a big mirror. There, we combed our hair and got tidied up for family pictures.

With the door to the room shut, my sisters and I would peer outside the window, looking for Santa's Sleigh, led by Rudolph's red nose. Our imaginations ran wild as we were convinced the far-away airplane or antenna tower with a flashing red light was Rudolph pulling the sleigh.

As adults, we realized that my Father put on the whole show and "disguised" his voice to play Santa. But back then, you couldn't convince me.

My Father had a heavy Eastern European accent when speaking English, but when Santa spoke, it was in plain, un-accented English. As a child, I was convinced that the conversation was between two people, although as an adult, I know it was my Father voicing both ends of the conversation.

Somehow, our imaginations convinced us there was no Latvian accent when Santa spoke.

Just as he finished the conversation, my Father would call for us, "Kids, hurry, quick, come see Santa's sleigh." We would rush past my Mother to the door Dad had propped open with presents from Santa at his feet. With the door open and cold air rushing in, my Father would point to the sky and yell, "Look, there he goes, look, look!" And all I could say was, "Where, where I don't see him!"

That Santa Claus fella was swift, and his reindeer and sleigh were always gone before we could see him.

This little drama was offered to us every year growing up until we realized the truth. I fondly remember it and can still hear Santa's voice without a Latvian accent!

The rest of the night was filled with presents being opened and wrapping paper strewn all around. It was over before we knew it, yet those wonderful memories last forever.

Today, our parents have passed, and with our children and extended families, we have built new traditions while also keeping many of the old ones alive. This year, we will have more family members able to attend a traditional Christmas Eve supper like in the past, which gives me great comfort. We've also introduced new activities, such as a family talent show and a secret Santa gift exchange, to make the holiday season even more special.

I hope all of you have an opportunity to create wonderful Christmas memories this year.

Christmas and Holiday Links

To help you along, I have some gifts (links) for you to enjoy between cups of Glogg, cookies, and opening presents. These links include resources for creating a festive atmosphere, such as Christmas music, recipes, and fun holiday news stories.

Let's start with some Christmas Music. This link is my Spotify Christmas Playlist. You can listen to some carefully curated Christmas tunes I selected if you have Spotify.

And don't forget to make some Glogg. Here is a recipe for you to try.

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​Driver stopped in Wyoming for covering car in Christmas lights by Ben Hooper | UPI -- A reminder to decorate your house, not your car, with Christmas lights. I wonder if it was the Grinch who was on patrol that evening.

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​Flight takes kids to visit Santa at North Pole scene in transformed Denver airport hangar by Thomas Peipert and Becky Bohrer | AP -- What a wonderful idea that puts my Latvian Santa to Shame: Dozens of kids cheered on a festively decked-out plane in Denver on Saturday when the pilot announced their destination for the day: the North Pole.

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​The Economics Of The $2 Billion Christmas Tree Industry -- Video by the Hustle -- Twenty-five Million. That is how many Christmas Trees are purchased each year to celebrate Christmas. The argument of a real tree versus a fake tree reminds me of the argument between a gas grill and one that uses charcoal. Advocates will be on both sides of the argument. This video gives you a perspective on this economic development engine.

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​From pinecone to pine tree, a 300-day time-lapse -- Now that you have learned about the Christmas Tree business, here is a cool video of a pine tree growing from a pine cone seed to a seedling. It will be ready to harvest in ten years as a Christmas Tree

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Thanks for subscribing to the Curated Morning. I appreciate all of my subscribers. Please let me know what you want to read about in the new year. More AI? Less Climate? Cat videos?

Note: The Curated Morning will take a short break over the next few weeks. The next version will be available on January 9th, 2025.

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