Christmas Traditions Around the World (Podcast Interviews)

Welcome to The Storied Recipe! While you listen to my podcast guest's lighthearted, nostalgic interviews about their warmest Christmas memories make sure you try their favorite Christmas Desserts Around the World!

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Favorite Christmas Desserts from My Global Guests

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Highlights of Episodes

I love to hear how Christmas is differently celebrated among cultures. It warms me to hear each family's own special Christmas traditions. Start listening to these at the beginning of the Christmas season and enjoy every time you bake or wrap presents to raise your spirits throughout the festive season!

Ep 146 Christmas in Norway with Alexandra

• Bunad – the Warrior Norwegian Queen outfit
• Saint Nicholas as Nordic tradition
• A magical holiday season: Walking in the “loud silence” of snow with the smells of coffee and baked goods
• “Feeding your children is just the best feeling in the world”
• Reminiscing on the “hygge” trend
• Alexandra’s grandmother, a professional baker
• Skoleboller, Norwegian Rice Pudding, other Norwegian Christmas Food
• Coconut in Norwegian baking/cuisine
• The Norwegian Church and the “church mother”
• The Norwegian, concept of time and Christmas Eve vs. Christmas Day
• The 12 Days of Christmas and the beauty of 12th Night church service
• Lutefisk, roast pork, homeade alcohol and other common dish of the traditional Norwegian Christmas dinner
• Linie Aquavit (Akvavit) - the traditional alcohol that travels around the world
• Singing and dancing traditional Norwegian Christmas Carols around the Christmas tree - and the traditional Norwegian Christmas tree decoration
• All about the recipe for Norwegian Peppermint Balls that Alexandra shared with us
• How the commercialism of the United States has nearly ruined Christmas

145 Christmas in South Africa with Kate Jack

• Rainy Christmas days vs. Sunny Christmas days
• Spray on snow to bizarrely emulate decorations of the Northern Hemisphere
• The trend to Africanize Christmas decorations
• Succulent wreaths
• How Father Christmas can survive in the heat 😉
• Low key Christmas dinner foods for hot days
• How to make caramel from sweetened condensed milk
• Peppermint Crisp: Dessert famous in South Africa (also New Zealand and United Kingdom)

144 Christmas in the Valley of the Kings, France

• Long dark days and the magic of Christmas
• Claire Marie's family of origin: No St. Nicholas (Le Père Noël, in French) and very few presents
• Christmas in a large Catholic family
• Midnight mass
• Feasts! Christmas Eve Dinner, the traditional Christmas meal, and different desserts
• 10 pairs of shoes under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning
• Christmas festivities with over 100 first cousins!
• Peeling chestnuts at her grandmother's beautiful wooden dining table for Chocolate Chestnut Cake
• Christmas in French households vs. Irish households (where Claire is raising her family)
• Provence – the Christmas town scene with Santons characters
• Claire’s unusual - and so refreshing - approach to the Advent calendars
• Their family's unique Christmas tradition on Christmas Day: “It’s the contrary of running everywhere and doing all the things”

143 Christmas in Alicante with Mar Lozano

• The nativity scene and nativity play in her quaint old-fashioned her Catholic town
• How it looks: A non-religious family celebrating a very religious holiday in a very religious town
• The new and experimental Christmas feasts Mar prepares for her family members each year
• The short and strict dates for the Portuguese Christmas Season 
• Boxing Day (the day after Christmas) in Portugal

142 Christmas in Palestine with Mai Kakishmore info

• The Christmas tree lighting in Bethlehem, where Baby Jesus was born
• The unity between Christians and Muslims shown in Ramallah's Christmas celebrations
• Weather at Christmastime & evergreen trees in Palestine
• Mai’s memories visiting The Church of the Nativity for the Christmas Tree lighting
• Christmas music in Palestine
• Christmas markets in Palestine
• How Christmas in Palestine brings hope and resistance in the face of occupation
• Special treats available at Christmastime in Palestine
• Her Aunt Ida’s goodie bag and her famous Santa Claus mask
• "Christmas presents weren’t a thing” - New clothes for Christmas and Father Christmas
• Advent wreath decorating parties at the church
• ALL the Palestinian Christmas foods!
• The importance of visiting in Palestinian Culture
• Two Christmases: 25th December and January 6th
• Celebrating epiphany at the Jordan River
• Cooking with "Nafas"
• Palestinian Celebration of the New Year

013 The Christmas Pudding Episode

• The happiest, funniest, most nostalgic episode of the podcast ever!
• A classic - true - Christmas story of special annual family gatherings to make a Christmas pudding
• Every member of the family took a stir for good luck
• It's a holiday tradition for me to release this episode every year!