Family, Heritage and Christmas Traditions

Christmas is coming, and when I think of Christmas, the thing I usually get most excited about is the food, and family time. Growing up our family traditions revolved around my mothers, and therefore my, Norwegian heritage. Christmas Eve meant Rice Pudding, an almond hidden in one of the bowls, and a Norwegian chocolate bar waiting for whomever found it in their bowl.

Christmas morning holds some of my happiest childhood memories, and is still exciting for me. We were not allowed to see the room with the tree and presents until after breakfast, and I didn't even mind, because breakfast was a present. My whole family would help prepare the food- a traditional Norwegian breakfast; sliced boiled eggs, fresh baked bread, Norwegian goat cheese (it's the color of peanut butter), cheddar cheese, swiss cheese, jams, and then of course caviar, sardines, pickled herring etc. I remember the first time I tried the caviar. Now don't get too excited- this isn't the sort of caviar you find at fancy restaurants, this is toothpaste tube caviar. As a naive child I watched my mom prepare one of her usual open faced sandwiches of sardines smeared onto bread, topped with sliced eggs and then her strange orange paste. I thought I would give it a try. Luckily for me I was smart enough to avoid the sardines- but I had the unfortunate experience of tasting the caviar. Never again. I now recall that half the fun of Christmas morning was making faces and gagging noises while watching my mom prepare her food. There was always laughing and happy faces.

Then there were Grandmas cookies. She always had the best cookies, norwegian recipes with names I still can't pronounce, and I loved them. The fried ones were my favorite. Now that she is in Heaven, we don't have those cookies. The only recipes we have are from a newspaper article about her cookies printed in the 70's. She didn't have most things written down, they were all in her head. I am still trying to figure out those fried cookies- I don't think she followed her own recipe. I miss her, and I miss her cookies. I miss what those cookies meant. They meant she loved us. She spent hours, I am sure,making all the varieties. Oh, and the Lefse- a norwegian flat-bread spread with butter and cinnamon-sugar. She would have a huge tray of them set out- and the grandchildren would devour them in seconds. That or her heart shaped waffles (divine!).

Beyond just the meals, this food meant something. This was family history. My dear Grandparents sacrificed a lot to come to the US. They left their families and their country behind. By preparing those foods, and enjoying them as a family we are honoring them, and what they did for their family. Christmas is a time for families to grow closer, to show a little more love and appreciation for each other.

It also goes beyond Christmas. I make heart-shaped waffles often, I love them, and every time I make them I think of Grandma Gerta. Last night I made Kumla, a strange norwegian dish of potato-flour dumplings, cabbage, carrots and hot dogs. Making it makes me happy, I think of eating it as a child, and I think of my Grandma making it. I imagine her coming to the US and trying to make the meals she was used to, to make it feel like home. Obviously hot-dogs aren't traditional Norse fair. She used them because it was inexpensive. When they came here they were poor, my mom recalls her mother skipping meals so the rest of them could eat. That is love! I will think of that each time I make a meal inspired by her.

Kumla

So at Christmas time and every time I make heart-shaped waffles or Kumla, or make another attempt at her cookies, I am going to think of family, of love and heritage. I will think of Grandma Helland.

I love you Grandma, thank you for the memories!
Tak for matten (thank you for the food).