2017 Home for the Holidays

2017 Home for the Holidays LINCOLN DAILY NEWS November 22, 2017 Page 41 dessert. Favorite desserts now include pie, traditional puddings, or fruitcake. Of course fruitcake is more of a joke now than a delicacy, but it wasn’t always so! Cookies are another long-standing tradition. This tradition actually began in the 16th century in Europe, and the cookies were more biscuits. These stored well, and were easy to take when traveling. In the United States and Canada, favorites are sugar cookies and gingerbread, but each family has their own favorites, and many family bakers are required to make the Christmas cookie plate! Each year, we get out Grandma’s spritz cookie maker and turn out a batch. The tradition of leaving milk and cookies for Santa is also from the United States and Canada. These items are left on Christmas Eve, and often something is left for the reindeer as well. Carrots are a favorite, but reindeer chow (similar to puppy chow) is becoming more popular. In Britain and Australia Santa is sometimes left beer and mince pie. Irish families, of course, often leave him a Guinness and Christmas pudding! The traditions of the holiday season are too numerous to cover them all, or even do justice to a few. The traditions of old came from family heritage, and customs brought from ancestors’ upbringing. It’s no different today, and traditions keep evolving to fit the family. The important thing is to have some traditions for you and your family.