How do you celebrate Christmas where you are? In the USA we have trees, lights, carols, food, Eggnog (don't ask what that is), Fruitcake and The Chipmunks singing that song about the Hula Hoop. Here in the Southeastern USA we have BBQ, deep fried turkeys, smokey turkeys, boats decorated like Christmas parade floats in boat parades. Golf cart parades. Tractor parades. What do you do there that is wacky?

In the (Pacific North West) its a lot like any other coastal harbor like place.We have Decorated boat parades, Brightly decorated Houses and commercial buildings. A big deal Santa parade in Seattle and Tacoma. And all the other usual Christmas things. Because of our extremely diverse Ethnic and cultural Mix, for example there's a large Scandinavian influance So there's foods Like Lutefisk, Lefse and Pickled hearing. We are also fortunate to have a large Asian community, as well as a large Hispanic influance. So there's quite a variety of foods to choose from. In December the night time temperature is about 28/40 and the day time highs are about 40/50 once in a while we get lucky and have a little Snow but not as often as I would like. Because of our proximity to the Cascade Mountains there's lots of Skiing close by. About an hours drive will get you to several beautiful places. All in All you couldn't imagine a nicer place to live or visit at Christmas.
----Danny,

Oh, man, that lutefisk is disgusting. Lots of Swedes (and a few Norwegians) around here too and every fall they preserve hunderds of gallons of that crap at a time. It's a community traditional yearly gathering. Fish cured in lye ..... Ewww. I shudder just thinking about it.

A local Swedish peacher whose father was well known in the community as a man of means who drove nice cars once told me the story of how his Norwegian friend bought a new car. When his father asked what the friend bought the preacher (a young man at the time) said, "He bought a Pontiac". The old man said Pontiac stands for Poor Old Norwegian .... Thinks It's A Cadillac.

I thought of that old preacher the day I heard GM shut down Pontiac. The Scanda-Who-vians don't seem to have the same sort of public presence here they once did. Shame, that. They were very entertaining.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

Usually just stay home all day.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

On december 23rd is Saint Thorlaks Mass (Þorláksmessa). Þorlákur is the only Icelandic Saint in catholoism and even though 80% of the Icelandic nation is in the Lutherian church that mass is still celebrated by eating rotted stingray. According to my dad the stingray isn't rotted enough except if you start to cry by the smell. Þorláksmessa is also used for last minute shopping and decorating the tree.

Icelandic Christmas customs are a mix of old Yule customs and Scandinavians and Americans (thanks TV and Coca Cola) customs. We celebrate christmas at 6 in the evening on Cristmas evening.

Among classic Christmas Food is Hangikjöt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangikj%C3%B6t), laufabrauð as a side (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laufabrau%C3%B0) and Rjúpa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Ptarmigan) and from Denmark came Hamborgarahryggur and from America came Turkey (gonna be served home tonight at my parents home.

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Deyr fé
Deyja frændr
Deyr sjálfr ið sama
En orðstír
Deyr aldregi
Hveim er sér góðan getr

In France we celebrate with family with a special dinner for that occasion.

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http://www.guitarmotel.com

Ceri and Mrs C celebrate by going to their country cottage, having a big log fire burning for a week, covering a Fraiser Fur tree from a plantation about half a mile away in more white, silver and glass decorations than you'd think it could bear, and smothering the floor around the tree with presents for the two of us and the snow leopards. Then on Christmas day we eat locally raised turkey with all the trimmings followed by a traditional ball shaped Christmas pudding made by me a couple of months ago. Outside the church bells will be change-ringing in a method unique to Britain and a moderate amount of drink will be taken. Then an immoderate amount. Mulled cider, bubbly, wine, brandy - unconsciousness to follow.

Seems like a plan.

Seasonal cheer to all - C

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