TravelWorld International Magazine - Home for the Holidays

Radio City Music Hall

Photo by Rob Jerome

DECEMBER 2020

travelworld

INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

Home

for the

Holidays

The Magazine Written by North American Travel Journalists Association Members

TravelWorld International Magazine

is the only magazine that showcases

the member talents of the

North American

Travel Journalists Association

DECEMBER

2020

travelworld

INTERNATIONAL

MAGAZINE

We are ...

Home for the Holidays!

Group Publisher:

Publishers:

VP Operations:

Editor:

NATJA Publications

Helen Hernandez &

Bennett W. Root, Jr.

Yanira Leon

Joy Bushmeyer

Contributing Writers & Photographers:

Jeremy Bassetti Julie Hatfield

Lynn Berry Ruksana Hussain

Laura Watilo Blake Sarah Jaquay

Judi Cohen Rob Jerome

Suzanne Corbett Alex Kallimanis

Christine Cutler Barbara Marrett

Kathryn Farrington Rose Palmer

Kimberly Fisher Meryl Pearlstein

Rich Grant Heather Raulerson

Wendy Gunderson Barbara Singer

Dayna Harpster Sherry Spitsnaugle

Charles Winters

7

Home for the Holidays

Thanksgiving Stories

"New Normal" Traditions Wendy Gunderson 7

To Thanksgiving or Not to Thanksgiving, That is the Dilemna Meryl Pearlstein 8

Thanksgiving Memories in Wauchula, Florida Jeremy Bassetti 10

What's Most Important for the Holidays Dayna Harpster 12

8 10

12

DMO Contributors:

Branson, Missouri

Discover Newport, Rhode Island

Huntsville, Alabama

San Juan Islands, Washington

Chanukah Story

Celebrating Chanukah Quietly at Home Judi Cohen 16

2

Holiday Cheer

from our house to yours!

Joy Bushmeyer,

Editor

Editorial /Advertising Offices:

TravelWorld International Magazine

3579 E. Foothill Blvd., #744

Pasadena, CA 91107

Phone: (626) 376-9754 Fax: (626) 628-1854

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Volume 2020.03 December 2020. Copyright ©2020

by NATJA Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written

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in no way constitutes approval or endorsement by

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World International Magazine or NATJA Publications.

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NATJA Publications, Inc. PRODUCED IN U.S.A.

14 Recipe

Included

Christmas Stories

Christmas Cheer in New York Kimberly Fisher 17

Trimming the Tree with Travel Treasures Laura Watilo Blake 18

Christmas Sing Julie Hatfield 20

Christmas at Longwood Gardens Rose Palmer 22

17 18

20

Recipe Included

Movie Included!

22

3

DECEMBER

2020

travelworld

INTERNATIONAL

MAGAZINE

Home for the Holidays

Christmas Stories, cont'd.

Traditions Change Christine Cutler 27

Hard Candy at Christmastime Heather Raulerson 28

An "Engaging" Christmas in the Mile High City (Denver) Rich Grant 32

Fond Memories of Celebrations Past Bring Home the Holidays Roxanna Hussein 36

Visions of Vacations Dancing in My Head Sarah Jaquay 40

27

28 32

36

40

Recipe Included

Recipe Included

Recipe Included

Christmas Markets in My Home Sherry Spitsnaugle 43

The Joy's of Christmas on California's Central Coast Barbara Singer 46

Captive by Covid for the Holidays Alex Kallimanis 50

Christmastime in Branson Lynn Berry 52

Rocket City Holiday Magic Charles Winters 54

43

46 50 52

54

Recipe Included

Recipe Included

Cover Contest Finalists

Photography Finalists for the Cover Contest 56 - 60

Holiday Recipes

Holiday Recipes 62 - 67

4 5

“New Normal” Traditions

Story and Photos by Wendy Gunderson

BVI Lobster

6

It’s the fourth week in November

and I’m not wearing a bikini. Or

donning flip flops or slathering

on the sunscreen. That would

be expected for this time of

year in Wisconsin, but for us, it’s a bit

unusual. It has been ten years since

we haven’t traveled to the Caribbean

during Thanksgiving. With our oldest

now in college, her free time around

Thanksgiving is limited to Thanksgiving

Day and the few days following.

When the calendar ticked over to

November, and the temperatures started

dropping here in Wisconsin, I couldn’t

help but feel a little sad. It was as if our

family’s holiday tradition was ending.

We would not, at least for a few years,

be waking up to the sound of the waves

washing up onto the beach, to the smell

of coffee and the sweetness of freshlybaked

pastries, or to the feeling that our

only worry was if we had put on enough

sunscreen. We had become accustomed

to spending my favorite holiday with

our family of four, far away from any of

the stresses of everyday life. It was the

time when we took the annual Christmas

card photo on the beach. Thanksgiving

day was spent really appreciating what

we had, and how thankful we were,

accompanied by Caribbean spiny lobster

as my “traditional” Thanksgiving meal.

It’s curious how quickly that became our

“family tradition.” For years and years

before that, our tradition was like most

in our country.

Thanksgiving Day was my favorite

holiday because it was all about the

food. No presents to worry about or

dozens of parties to attend. It was one

gathering, with more vegetables than you

could count, and with a side of football

thrown in. It was the most relaxing

holiday of the year, perhaps aided by

the L-Triptophan of the holiday bird.

After you slept off the best meal of the

year, Friday was spent pulling out all

the decorations and getting started with

preparations for Christmas. No Black

Friday shopping here. The thought of

running around a mall or from store to

store seemed contrary to the whole idea

of the holiday.

So this year, we’re back to our previous

Thanksgiving traditions, and maybe we’ll

spice it up a bit and add something new

to the mix. Because one thing you learn

over the years is that you can’t always

have the traditions you grew up with, or

the traditions you have had the privilege

to experience over the previous years.

But you can always, every holiday, make

memories for the future generations,

memories that future generations may

look back on as some of the best times of

their lives, their holiday tradition.

Eleuthera Lobster

7

To Thanksgiving or Not to Thanksgiving,

That is the Dilemma

Story and Photos by Meryl Pearlstein

Thanksgiving this year

is like no other. The

Macy’s Thanksgiving

Day parade is virtual.

Our gatherings are

small. And maybe there

won’t be any gatherings

at all. In a nutshell, to

Thanksgiving or not

to Thanksgiving is a

dilemma that many of

us, myself included, are

facing.

I’d like to say that

holding a 2020

Thanksgiving gettogether

is a slam dunk.

My immediate family

including my sons

and their significant others, plus my

husband, would, of course join me for

a celebratory meal. I guess you could

say that they comprise my “bubble.”

But it’s way more complicated than

that. Realistically, there’s no such thing

as a sanitary “bubble.” Every one of us

has had some sort of interaction with

people outside of the bubble even if we

follow all necessary health precautions

and minimize interpersonal contact.

Unless you all live together under one

roof, the concept of a complete bubble

can be something of a pipe dream.

So that brings me to the dilemma at

hand: do we celebrate Thanksgiving

as a family in person or hold another

clunky virtual meal? I’m completely

torn.

Guidelines suggest that you should

hold an in-person dinner in a

spacious room, not gathered around

a small table, with strong airflow and

Turkey Ice Cream Cake

ventilation surrounding you. Don’t

invite elders, don’t invite cousins you

haven’t seen for months, and don’t

invite anyone who needs to fly into your

hometown.

But what do you do if you can’t comply

with those suggestions? For example,

what is the protocol if you live in a

small apartment, rather than a house,

and your dining room table IS cramped

and cozy.

I live in New York City in a Manhattan

apartment that would not be called an

estate by any stretch of the imagination.

It’s comfortable and great for an

intimate party, but not necessarily for

a socially distanced event with grand

stretches of room between individuals.

There’s no outdoor terrace and the

apartment has limited cross-ventilation.

I have a few fans that I can place in

the few windows that surround the

dining room, and I can turn on the

kitchen exhaust, but

I’m concerned that

it’s not enough. And

to require everyone

to wear masks at all

times except when

actively eating or

drinking seems

unappealing.

I’m at the crossroads

of a decision here.

Every day I read the

suggestions of people

in the medical field

counseling against

holding small indoor

gatherings. And every

day the thought of

not seeing my family

in person makes me increasingly

despondent. Three of us have already

had Covid, three of us have not. Two

of us go to work outside of the home

daily, with one person interacting with

children as part of his job. One other

has just traveled out of state to visit

friends, requiring testing before being

able to return and then mandatory

quarantine and testing following.

I wish someone had a crystal ball to

allay my doubts, to tell me that all

will be fine, and the spacing, masks,

dining, open windows and more will

make the Thanksgiving gathering

worries unnecessary. So, as I sit here

and ponder what my holidays will

be like this year, I’m at a loss for

answering. Can I handle another zoom

event, particularly on Thanksgiving?

I’m not sure. Perhaps the answer will

come to me in a vision or a dream. I’m

still waiting.

Memories of Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

A successful

bird at a past

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Past

Family

Thanksgiving

Food Coma

8

9

Thanksgiving Memories in Wauchula, Florida

Stories and Photos by Jeremy Bassetti

L

ive Oaks and Spanish moss shaded

the Davises’ barn, which was in a small

town of about 5,000 people in Central

Florida surrounded by dairy farms and

citrus groves. In this part of Florida, radio

stations turned to noise—the occasional

Mexican ballad cut through the static of

some AM stations like a ghostly transmission.

Nobody would visit Wauchula unless they had

business there, like we did somehow every

Thanksgiving after my father remarried.

I want to remember that my older brother Damian

was also in town visiting for the holidays that

first year I visited the Davises. Together, with

my father and stepmother, we rolled up the dirt

path to the barn, parked under an oak tree, and

At the Davis Barn,

Wauchula Florida

walked to the barn as acorns crunched underfoot.

My brother and I were outsiders, but as soon as

we walked into the barn, the Davis daughters—all

three carefree, optimistic, and chatty in that southern

kind of way—made us feel as if we were honorary

Davises with nice-to-meet-you hugs and offerings

of beer. More cars and trucks parked under the oak

trees. Strangers hopped out and crunched their way

to the barn where the Davises welcomed them with

nice-to-see-you-again hugs and offerings of beer.

That’s all I remember about my first Thanksgiving

with the Davises, but not for any other reason

than because it is hard to distinguish between all

the Thanksgiving Days when each one is also a

Groundhog Day of acceptance, gratitude, and blue

skies.

Every year, we would find ourselves at the

gazebo where we’d happen on Brent in

the same spot, stirring a vat of “swamp

cabbage” and drinking a beer. Next to him,

Joe Jr. would tend to the meat inside the

smoker. The grandparents of the greater

Davis clan often took up lawn chairs in the

gazebo’s shade, Dutchie bringing with her a tray

of deviled eggs to pass around the group.

“Remind me — you said you lived in Tallahassee,

right?” Brent would ask as he hovered over his

steaming cauldron.

“That’s right,” I’d say.

“Big game this weekend, huh?”

“Yeah. You never know who’s going to win these

games.”

“That quarterback you have. He’s something.”

As the conversation turned to football rivalries,

Joe Jr. would ask us what kind of beer we’d like

and passed around sausage slices.

A variation of this happened every year.

But amid the reliable comfort, uncertainty crept

in. Joe Sr. was the first to go, followed by his

wife Pat of 68 years. Dr. Elver Hodges, another

honorary Davis, left us after turning 107. The

Davis girls started moving away to bigger cities,

getting married, and having families of their own.

One year, only Savannah came down. Another,

just Ashley. Another, none did. When the Davis

girls did come home for Thanksgiving, they

brought with them unfamiliar faces: love interests

that turned into spouses that produced children.

Soon, my little brother was born and, just like us,

became an honorary Davis on Thanksgiving Day.

Yet, with all the comings and goings, the deviled

eggs would continue to make their rounds as

children ran off, hopped a barbed-wire fence, and

threw twigs into a pond.

“Are there alligators in here?” a kid would ask each

year.

“I haven’t seen any lately,” Gloria would say with a

mischievous smile. “But there are fish.”

Sometimes, the cows and buffalo would walk to

the fence and lick the hands of whoever was brave

enough to stick one through the barbed wire. Parents

would eventually call their children back for the meal,

which always began with a prayer and ended with

everybody cleaning up.

We will miss the Davises for Thanksgiving this year.

Dutchie and the other elders of the group are too old

to risk a covid-19 infection. The Davis girls probably

won’t travel home. And my older brother, who

probably wouldn’t have come home anyway, died

in May. Yet, while time embellishes our memories,

blends them together, and makes them hazy and

distant, they live on. And they remind us that, though

some will be with us and some will not, real and

honorary Davises will descend upon Wauchula for

Thanksgiving next year.

The Davis Gazebo

Cows near the Davis Barn

10 11

What’s Most

Important for the

Holidays ?

Story and Photos by

Dayna Harpster

TURDUCKEN!

y family’s ghosts of Christmases past would fill

a barnyard. I suspect that hovering around the

homestead still are the spirits of many, many animals

that became dinner over the years.

We’ve dined on standing rib roast and brisket,

numerous turkeys, Lake Erie walleye – caught in the

waters off my hometown in Ohio – and during one

ambitious year, a duck.

(It was terrible – my fault, I’m sure, because as a

newlywed I was more optimistic than knowledgeable.)

We’ve also taken short trips together around

Christmas.

But all that has changed. We’re in Florida. Our

younger daughter is a vegan activist, and we’ll be

dining at home. Although some of her animal rights

tactics can be extreme, she is deadly serious about

them. Not long ago she had to pick up a few things

from the grocery store for her grandfather, who is 83.

Buying eggs made her cry; she said we had no right to

take the potential chicks from their mothers. Although

I don’t have a problem with eggs, most of her anticarnivorous

ways have changed my behavior, too.

Fortunately, I don’t think she remembers the holiday

dinner that particularly haunts me. We lived in New

Orleans at the time, and that year we joined the parade

of folks trying the greatest food since French bread:

That’s one of the problems of vegan dining:

the expense. Doing the “right thing” has

a cost. No grocery store is giving away a

field roast with $50 worth of the week’s

shopping.

But in the season of Covid – and it’s been

such a long one – I’ve been thinking about

what’s important. It isn’t the gumbo we

make now, a holdover from our Big Easy

years. It isn’t even the mango chutney

we make from the generous trees in our

Florida yard.

It isn’t about the cruise we took one

holiday season and thought we’d take again

someday.

Our whole family may not even be

together this season because of the

C-word, but I do know what the holidays

are about. It has nothing to do with

turkey, field roast or cranberry sauce. It’s

not about what ship we’re on or country

we’re in. It’s about the fact that so far,

we’re all OK. I’m so grateful for the health

of my family and friends, while I hold

onto hope of the same for other families.

That’s what every day is about now.

TThe First

(Vegan)

Thanksgiving

: Tiny ghosts of Christmas past:

Buying shrimp at the Westwego

Seafood Market near New Orleans

the turducken. All these years later I can picture

the skeletal remains of the turkey, duck and chicken

joined at the wings, floating above the dining room

and squawking at me something about why they had

to die so the gluttonous humans could consume three

birds at a time.

Annabelle’s meat-free commitment has been going on

for years, despite our assumptions when she was 19

that veganism was a passing fancy. She’s 24, and it isn’t.

She even has a large vegan symbol tattoo now on the

inside of her right arm.

An early Thanksgiving

meal in October 2018

at Silver Dollar City,

on the ‘Only in the

Ozarks’ fam

Vegan daughter Annabelle, left,

demonstrating with her group, a local

chapter of Anonymous for the Voiceless,

in downtown Fort Myers, Florida.

Wearing Guy Fawkes masks, group

members hold screens showing videos of

factory farms and slaughterhouses.

They talk to people about the videos and

animal rights if people approach them first.

More modern

reading material for

our vegan holidays

So this year as in the past several, our Christmas dinner

will look exactly like our Thanksgiving meal. We’ll dine

on field roast, a ham-alike that in truth looks more like

an overcooked pumpkin roll; canned corn with fake

butter; baked sweet potatoes with the same fake butter;

mashed potatoes with fake butter and almond milk;

vegan bread; and the only recognizable side item, the

already-vegan jellied cranberry sauce from a can. For

dessert: vegan pumpkin pie at a pricey $30.

12 13

Annabelle

Genevieve

Dayna Harpster

It’s a strange feeling. I can’t remember the

last holiday season our family spent at

home in Toronto.

For well over a decade, we’ve used this

ideal time of year when colleges and work

are closed to travel to off-the-beaten-path

exotic destinations around the world.

Celebrating Chanukah

Quietly at Home

Story and Photos by Judi Cohen

Whimsical Chanukah Dinner Plate - Photo Alison Cohen

e have celebrated the

holidays on small-ship

cruises along the Irrawaddy

River in Myanmar, the mighty

Mekong River in Cambodia

and Vietnam with pandawexpeditions.

com, and along the Brahmaputra River

in northeast India as well. We combined

these with land journeys as well.

This year will be very different. We

will celebrate Chanukah quietly and

comfortably in our home, lighting the

candles on the menorah and enjoying

traditional potato latkes on a Zoom

call with our children in Toronto and

Manhattan.

(To make this year even stranger, with

the Canada/US border still closed we

will not even be able to be together. It

is unimaginable that we have not seen

our son since before the start of the

pandemic. We celebrated his wedding

on May 24th over Zoom.)

My son's Zoom Wedding in

New York without us!

So, this year, we’ll be “traveling” through

the past and some of our traditions

that we’ve missed while off in far flung

locales. It’s a strange thought that we

normally use this time to learn about

other cultures, customs, and habits, that

we haven’t really focused on our own!

The Jewish winter Festival of Lights,

bringing warm flames to an otherwise

dark and cold December, is traditionally

celebrated by lighting the menorah and

eating fried foods.

On each of the eight nights of Chanukah,

a candle is lit in a special menorah

candleholder. The menorah has nine

stems with a candle for each night

and a special ninth candle called the

shammash, which is used to light the

other candles. This holiday celebrates

a miracle that occurred where a small

amount of oil kept a temple flame

burning for 8 nights.

One way we celebrate the miracle of

the oil is by eating fried foods. The

two most traditional are latkes (fried

potato pancakes) and sufganiyot

(jelly donuts). Both my mother

and mother-in-law made latkes

for our family and I still have fond

memories of the smell of latkes

wafting out of the kitchen, and my

young children’s joy as they fought

over the heaping platters of latkes on

the family dinner table. My husband

loves to eat them with chunky

homemade applesauce! This year,

we’ll be ‘travelling” back to these

traditions.

My sister in law Marla has captured

our family recipe on her website,

LoveThyCarrot and I am lovingly

sharing it here for anyone wanting

to try their hand at making the best

potato latkes.

My Homemade

Potato Latkes

LACY LATKES

This recipe makes about 20 to 25 latkes.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 medium unpeeled potatoes

• 1 small sweet potato

• 2 onions, finely chopped

• 3 eggs, beaten

• 1/3 cup matzo meal

• salt and pepper to taste

• vegetable oil for frying

• applesauce and sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Using a food processor grate the potatoes.

Squeeze out liquid.

2. Add potatoes to a large bowl and add onion, egg,

matzo meal, salt and pepper.

3. In a large frying pan heat oil over medium heat.

4. Add big spoonfuls of latke mixture into the hot pan

for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Make sure

to push them down with your spatula and cook until

golden brown. You will need to add more oil

between batches.

5. Drain well on paper towels.

6. If not serving right away they can be reheated or

you can put them in the freezer. When reheating

place the frozen latkes on cookie sheet lined with

parchment paper and bake for about 10 to 15

minutes at 400 F until hot. Drain well on paper towels.

7. Serve with home-made apple sauce and sour cream.

Enjoy!

Chanukah

Menorah at

my daughter

Alison's home

I am grateful to be celebrating the Festival of Lights safe at home

Photo by unknown

Menorah in my home -Sculpted as a memorial to the Holocaust

and over Zoom with my family. Wishing everyone a joyous,

healthy, peaceul and memorable festive season and New Year.

14 15

16

Weekends are

for Road Trips

With Indianapolis as your starting place, you’re on your way to a great weekend

getaway. Like you can travel back in time to the luxury of West Baden Springs

Hotel and its amazing domed atrium that naysayers predicted could never be

built. And whichever direction you go in Indiana, you’ll find destination dining,

challenging hiking and biking trails, welcoming wineries and breweries, one-of-akind

museums and other Instagram-worthy getaways. Miles well spent, indeed.

VisitIndiana.com

As I sit here in my New York

City apartment and write this

on November 9th of 2020, I

don’t have clear holiday plans

this year. Covid-19 has thrown

off any set plans and traditions

not only for me, but for people

around the world. Annually, the

routine has been my in-laws for

Thanksgiving in Washington

D.C, my family in Tennessee for

Christmas the last few years, and

New Year’ Eve spent in an exotic

location. Last year we visited the

winter wonderland of Aspen at

the St. Regis, where Jasper, my

fluffy Samoyed enjoyed spending

time with the dog butler, playing

in the snow and attending the

NYE party. The year before,

beachside in Mexico watching

fireworks at midnight.

With aging parents and climbing

COVID cases reaching over 10

million and 250,000 deaths, the

question of travel still looms. Do

we rapid test before traveling?

Quarantine? Drive? Fly? Should

we not take the chance it at all?

Wherever I end up spending

the holidays, I will be sure to

make it cozy and festive. The

best evenings end with good

food, family chats, and a special

cocktail around a fire or reruns

of favorite holiday movies.

Wherever you are, here are a few

of my favorite winter holiday

cocktail recipes to share to bring

back that holiday spirit:

Christmas Cheer in New York

Story and Photos by Kimberly Fisher

WINTER WHITE

COSMO

Mulled Wine is perfect for

large groups, and this recipe

is simple and perfectly

delicious.

INGREDIENTS

• 750ML BOTTLE RED

WINE

• 1 ORANGE, SLICED

INTO ROUNDS, PLUS

EXTRA FOR GARNISH

• 6 WHOLE CLOVES

• 6 CINNAMON STICKS,

PLUS EXTRA FOR

GARNISH

• 3 STAR ANISE

• ¼ CUP HONEY

• ½ CUP ST. REMY

BRANDY

Being a New Yorker and adoring Sex

in the City, the Cosmo is making a

comeback and this wintery spin is chic,

elegant and easy to make.

INGREDIENTS

• 0.75 OZ COINTREAU

• 2 OZ VODKA

• 0.75 OZ FRESH LIME JUICE

• 0.25 OZ WHITE CRANBERRY JUICE

To Make:

Add all ingredients to a shaker, add ice

and shake. Strain into glass. Garnish

with cranberries.

MULLED WINE

17

18

TRIMMING THE TREE WITH

Travel Treasures

I’ve been collecting Christmas ornaments

from around the world for some time now.

They make great personal souvenirs because

they serve a higher purpose than merely

contributing to clutter that amasses in my

home. Once the holiday season is upon

us, I pull several dusty plastic storage

bins out of the crawl space and begin

the lengthy process of extracting each

dainty decoration from its 11-monthlong

hibernation. The ritual of placing

each memento on the Christmas tree

brings back a rush of memories from

adventures of years past.

It all started with a shuttlecock. It

wasn’t just any ol' cheap plastic projectile

from a badminton set. It was a replica

of one of Claes Oldenburg’s four supersized

birdies that rest on the lawn of

the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in my

hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. Scattered

on the expansive lawn, the shuttlecocks make the

museum’s class Beaux-Arts style facade look like

the net for a giant's game of badminton. I found

the shuttlecock ornament in the gift shop on one

of my trips back to Kansas City after moving to

Cleveland, Ohio. The ornament was a Band-

Story and Photos by Laura Watilo Blake

Aid for the homesickness I was feeling at the

time, not to mention a conversation piece for

new friends who may not have known about

Kansas City’s progressive art scene.

Since then, most of the items I’ve

collected represent fond memories from

my travels. I can almost taste the limoncello

while unwrapping the lemon-shaped

ornament I found in Sorrento, Italy. The

kimono-clad glass figurine that emerges next

reminds me of spending the day wandering the streets

of the Gion district in Kyoto, Japan, watching hundreds

of tourists play dress-up in traditional geisha attire. The

beaded angel from South Africa, at the top of the tree,

Ornaments from six

continents include

(clockwise from top):

A South African angel,

Japanese geisha,

Portuguese star,

Honduran pottery,

Australian koala and a

Colombian

seed shaker.

caps off the shameless display of my global adventures.

I don’t specifically set out to find ornaments

for the Christmas tree while I’m on a trip, but

they often appear to me while browsing in

bustling souks, street fairs, boutiques and

airport gift shops. Sometimes the items I

buy aren’t intended for holiday displays, but find

their way onto the branches of the Christmas

tree anyway. A traditional seed shaker musical

instrument from Colombia hangs within reach

for impromptu musical performances. The etchedmetallic

hamsa I found in a Moroccan market

wards off evil, allowing only the holiday spirit to

enter our home. A mobile phone charm depicting a

dumpling from the famous restaurant Din Tai Fun

at the base of Taipei 101 brings back memories of

a cultural phenomenon that was all the rage in

Asia at the time, but didn’t really catch on in

the United States. Instead of taking up space in

the headphone jack of my phone, the charm dangles

between the Sydney Opera House and the tin-cut

ornament of Frida Kahlo.

This year’s ritual will be no different. After the

irritating task of unraveling the tangled lights and garland

haphazardly thrown in that dusty bin, I will carefully pull

out each of my travel treasures and start to hang them on the

tree. Several ornaments will be missing, though. They

are the ones I never had a chance to buy on the many

trips canceled in 2020. Perhaps one of them may have

been the fanciful alebrije I could have bought off a

vendor on a Mexican beach in March or a Christmas

elf with a sauna towel I might have picked up during

my 50th birthday trip to Finland in May.

Despite the absence of new ornaments, I won’t

have time to be bitter nor dwell on the memories

I never had the chance to make. I’ll be too busy

pausing to reflect on all the amazing experiences I’ve

been lucky enough to have in my life. That said, I will also be

daydreaming about new adventures to come and wishing for a

Christmas miracle that puts an end to the pandemic once and

for all.

My Christmas tree is

an ode to my travels.

18 19 19

Our Christmas Sing

Story by Julie Hatfield • Photos by Tim Leland

"OUR CHRISTMAS SING" the Movie!

Claus” and the like, but serious singers, who could

sight-read music, had lovely voices, and remembered

most of the ancient carols and Christmas music of

the church and the public realm. I even had a few

tenor friends who were paid to sing in their churches,

good tenors being the most valued, and scarcest

voices among the four vocal ranges. Had I personally

known a countertenor, the rarest of the rare, I would

have paid HIM to come to dinner. But Alfred Deller

was dead and the principal singer from the gorgeous

Philip Glass opera “Akhnaten” was way above my

price range.

(Just click on this picture to see the video)!

When we had a blended family of

five teenagers, we treated them to

travel at Christmastime: to ski in

Sun Valley or the French Alps, or

to Mexico and the beaches to swim.

Fun times all, but as the children left to make their

own households at holiday time, I decided to stay

home and return back to the most important part of

my Christmases as a child: the music.

Video by Tim Leland

Recently, in an old attic trunk, a Boston homeowner discovered a few deteriorating

film clips of a major musical occasion that took place on Dec. 21, 1997 in Duxbury,

MA. On that night, eight distinguished choral singers gathered around a dining

room table in Duxbury MA to sing Christmas music -- a cappella -- between courses

of a gourmet meal. Despite the poor quality of both the film and the soundtrack,

musicologists the world over consider these brief but historic clips priceless.

From the time, at age three, when I first sang in the

children’s church choir, then in glee clubs in school, in

adult choirs, and finally, in adult madrigal groups of 15th

and 16th Century music, Christmastime meant the most

beautiful Christmas music from everywhere around the

world. I had formed a neighborhood madrigal group and

from that and all the other singing groups I joined as an

adult, I had compiled in my files a good list of Friends

Who Sang. These were not the types who stood around

the piano and belted out “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa

In December of 1997, I decided to give a different

kind of Christmas party. From my list of singers,

I counted how many I could fit around my dining

room table – 14 – and how many sopranos, altos,

tenors and basses I knew who might like to sing for

their supper. I invited a dozen people (my husband

sings so the two of us made 14) to come a few days

before Christmas, and to bring their voices with

them. They all happily accepted, postponing their

shopping and gift wrapping to spend a night in

song. For the most part they didn’t know each other

before they came, but musicians speak a language all

their own, and after a few songs, we were a happy,

completely cohesive group.

Sitting around the dinner table – without so much as

a minute of rehearsal -- we sounded pretty darn good.

All the preparatory work was worth it to me when

we gathered in the library beforehand for cocktails

and the first few songs. The house literally rang with

Christmas music! It was glorious, and it was live.

The evening was so successful that I did it again for

several Christmases. I decorated my house to the

hilt, cooked for three days, and lit fires in three of our

six fireplaces in my historic New England house.

We would always start in the library around the

Christmas tree and then move into the dining room

to sit at the table. At each place there was a Christmas

songbook. We continued singing through the

dinner, a cappella, our throats moistened with wine,

ice water, coffee and, for those who could handle it,

post-prandial liqueurs. I don’t remember needing to

repeat a song, we knew so many different ones. After

dessert we moved into the music room, where I lit a

new fire, and we stood around the piano singing our

favorite parts of “The Messiah” to finish up the night.

No one had to worry about social distancing, masks

or hand washing.

The Duxbury house,

built by sea captain

Ezra Prior in 1800

The Christmas tree

in our Music Room

"The stockings were hung by the chmney with care"

In recalling those sublime evenings long ago, I am so sad

for those who cannot gather together to sing at holiday

time during this dangerous pandemic. Let’s hope that next

Christmas, if we’re not traveling to faraway places again, we’ll

be able to sing together (not necessarily a cappella --) live, in

person, without masks and distancing.

20 21

Continuing a Family Tradition at

Longwood Gardens

Story and Photos by Rose Palmer

The Exhibition Hall takes on a different look each holiday season at Longwood Gardens

This year's Exhibition Hall features brightly lit trees and red and white pointsettias

It may be

cold and grey

outside, but the

conservatories

at Longwood

Gardens are

always filled

with the colors

of the season

22

23

Enjoying one of

the mnay lit trees

on the grounds

of Longwood

Gardens

A

s my husband and I

started our family many

years ago, we melded the

traditions that we had

each gown up with and

established our own set

of holiday rituals. Today our children are

grown with lives of their own and our

son and daughter-in-law are now going

through the same process as they develop

their family Christmas traditions with

our first grandchild.

Today, Pierre’s legacy is enjoyed by over one million visitors annually with the

holiday display being one of the most popular events. Preparations for “A Longwood

Christmas” start as early as September. Over the course of two months, staff

members wrap over 100 trees with half a million lights all throughout the grounds

of the 1000 acre property. Inside, thousands of poinsettias, amaryllis, paper whites

and other seasonal plants adorn the conservatories, along with numerous decorated

trees. Each year the decorations revolve around a different theme and the designers

outdo themselves with creative and unique displays.

24

Strings of lights shaped like fir trees

decorate one of the outdoor walkways

I love the Christmas season and I was

really looking forward to experiencing

this magical time of year with our

2½-year-old grandson, but like much

of the rest of the world, we will have to

limit our indoor interactions this holiday

season. Licking cookie dough, watching

him rip off wrapping paper and playing

with his new toys will unfortunately have

to wait for another year. But there is one

family tradition that we will still be able

to indulge in.

We live in southeastern Pennsylvania,

which is dubbed America’s Garden

Capital. The area has 30+ gardens and

arboretums, and I am fortunate to live

near one of the best botanical gardens in

the country: Longwood Gardens. There

is always something special going on at

Longwood Gardens all year long, but the

holiday season is the perennial highlight

for me.

In 1906, Pierre S DuPont purchased a

track of land to protect an arboretum

with tress that were over 100 years old.

This farm became the centerpiece of his

summer residence which he developed

into a showpiece for entertaining

friends and family and which he called

Longwood. With his love and interest

in all things horticultural, Pierre

developed a diverse range of informal

and formal outdoor spaces, some of

which were inspired by the French and

Italian fountain gardens he discovered

on his European travels. Pierre added

conservatories, elaborate fountain

displays and an outdoor theater, all of

which became the core of one of the

country’s premier horticultural display

gardens.

Just a few

of the half

million lights

that decorate

the outdoor

scenery

Dancing fountains light

up and play along to

holiday music

The Italian Water

Garden is all lit up

for the holidays

Lights in the shape of a

Christmas tree float on

the Large Lake

25

26

One year, green apples were used to make large

patterns in the reflecting pool of the Exhibition Hal

The Music Room was turned into a holiday candy shop one year

One of my favorite Exhibition Hall displays

M

y family and I have been

enjoying Longwood Gardens

at Christmas time for the past

25 years, and each visit has

been different (and I have a

collection of photos that document

each visit). Just when I think that

this year’s decorations are the best

I have ever seen, the following year

is even better. Our 2020 visit will be

particularly memorable as we share

this experience with our grandson for

the first time. I can’t wait to see the

awe on his face as he sees the manycolored

lights, the lighted dancing

musical fountains and the festive

outdoor model train display.

We will have many more years to

create other new holiday traditions

with our grandson, but this year we

can at least indulge in one family ritual

as we share all the outdoor holiday

beauty at Longwood Gardens.

Our Las Vegas tree

Our Spiral Tree

Traditions Change

Story and Photos by Christine Cutler

Around the Fire Pit

I

grew up in a dual-ethnic

household. My maternal

grandparents emigrated

from Italy while my paternal

grandparents came from Austria. At

Christmas, we spent half of the time

celebrating the Italian traditions,

and the other half of the time, we

celebrated the Eastern European

traditions. Christmas Eve started with

a dinner with my father’s small family

(11 of us) and ended with a raucous

party with my mother’s family where

35+ of us gathered to play games,

dance, and exchange gifts.

Once I married someone who is

not of Italian descent and moved

across the country from family, the

holidays changed. No longer close

to family, Mike, our son Jason, and

I spent holidays alone until each

of our mothers spent alternating

Christmases with us. The four or five

of us celebrating the day together

was a lot quieter than anything I had

experienced growing up.

Our holidays became even quieter

once our mothers passed and our son

graduated from college and moved to

yet another part of the country. While

Mike and I occasionally traveled to

spend the holidays with our son

and daughter-in-law, we spent

many of them alone. Last year,

we decided to move back across

country to be closer to them, and

made the move from Nevada to

Florida in October.

The pandemic has, of course,

changed any real plans we

had. Because we have moved

from a large house to a smaller

condo, we won’t have a large

tree. Instead, we’ll have a lighted

spiral tree in the living room and

a few decorations on the balcony.

If it is warm enough to spend

time outside, we’ll probably go

to see Jason and Sandra for

a few hours. Jason will light a

fire in the fire pit, and we’ll sit

around it instead of a tree to

exchange gifts. We may or may

not have a regular holiday dinner;

perhaps sandwiches will suffice.

Perhaps this will become our new

tradition.

It would be easy to convince

ourselves that all of these

changes, especially this year’s,

are depressing. The truth, though,

is that holidays can be stressful.

There were many years that I

could not wait for the season

to be over so life could go back

to normal. If 2020 has taught us

anything, it is that family is the

most precious gift we have. I

am in no way denigrating fancy

dinners and huge celebrations,

but while life spins on outside of

our little piece of the world, we’ll

enjoy a glass of wine around the

fire pit and embrace the quiet

time together.

27

Decorated Sugar Cookies

Hard Candy

& Other

Goodies at

Christmastime

Story and Photos by

Heather Raulerson

Candy Gingerbread House

Christmas Wreath Cookies

here is no season more appropriate

for family traditions than during the

holidays. My family has quite a few, so we

combine them all in one day. Our family

tradition is to set aside one Saturday after

Thanksgiving where my mom, two sisters,

niece, nephew, and I get together to bake

cookies, create Gingerbread houses, and

make Hard Candy.

Growing up with two sisters beside myself, it was hard

to decide what type of Christmas cookie to make. So, we

make multiple batches, and everyone gets to pick their

favorite to bake. My sisters like the Christmas Wreaths and

Peanut Butter Blossoms, whereas I go more traditional

with Sugar Cookies or Chocolate Chip Cookies. While the

cookies are baking, my mom is building a Gingerbread

house with her grandkids. I’m not sure who enjoys making

the Gingerbread House more.

Decorated Sugar Cookies

28

29

Granddaughter and

Grandson watching

Grandma Decorate

the Gingerbread House

Grandson helping

Grandma Decorate the

Gingerbread House

Chocolate Chip Cookies

he highlight of our Christmas Baking

Day is the making of Hard Candy. My

family has been making Hard Candy for

as long as I can remember. We learned

how, from my dad’s mom. She was the one to

start the tradition of making Hard Candy for

the Christmas season. I remember going to

my Grandmother’s house over the holidays

and hunting for the tin that held the sugary

goodness. When you opened the container,

you would get all the flavors wafting up

toward you at once. Then your fingers would

be covered in powdered sugar as you dug in.

You were lucky if you were able to find your

favorite flavor by picking out a particular color.

But that wasn’t always as easy as you would

think. Grandma liked to throw in a surprise

and not match the color with the flavor. This

caused some surprises when you thought

you were getting orange and ended up with

butterscotch.

This tradition has been passed down through

my aunts. Now my sisters and I are making

Hard Candy at Christmastime. For those

who have never had Hard Candy before, be

prepared for a sugar high as that is what it is

and entirely made up of. The uniqueness is

that we add flavors and food coloring to it to

make it a colorful treat for the holidays. We all

choose one flavor to make. I haven’t wavered

once in all the years of making it or eating it

as I always pick Cinnamon! But, the choices

for everyone else are as diverse as the flavor

options available. It depends on what flavor

oils we found at the stores and bought. You

can get everything from Strawberry, Apple,

Black Cherry, Grape, Lemon, Root Beer,

Spearmint, and Watermelon. You can order

online flavors such as Buttered Popcorn,

Marshmallow, Eggnog, Cookies & Cream, and

even Bourbon and Brandy. Guaranteed, you

can find a flavor that you would like for your

Hard Candy.

Pouring Out the Hard Candy

Hard Candy Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of sugar

• Karo Light Corn Syrup

• ¾ cups of water

• 1 Dram LorAnn Flavoring Oil

• Food Coloring

• Powder Sugar

• Candy Thermometer -

capable of measuring above 300 degrees

PROCESS:

Lay aluminum foil down on a table. It is

recommended to have a towel underneath

the foil as the candy does get hot.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water

in a pot. Boil to exactly 310 degrees. Watch

the temperature closely. Once it reaches

310 degrees, pour in the food coloring

then the flavor oil. Stir constantly to mix

the flavor oil with the sugar mixture. Once

mixture is completely mixed in, pour

quickly thin rows of liquid on the foil. Once

the candy has cooled completely, crack/

break pieces off and mix in a bowl of

powdered sugar (this is to keep the candy

from sticking to each other). Then collect

a mixture of flavors in your favorite tin or

mason jar to give to your friends and family.

Close-up of Cinnamon Hard Candy

With life being uncertain at the moment, our

holiday tradition will probably change. The

laughter and giggles will be subdued as we

won’t be together. But, that won’t stop us

from making Hard Candy, we will be doing it

at our individual houses and then when we do

get together, we will swap flavors just like we

always did.

30

31

An “Engaging” Christmas in the Mile High City

Story and photos by Rich Grant

Denver!

ther than in movies, I

had never seen someone

actually get down on one

knee and propose marriage. So

it was something of a surprise

to witness two proposals in two

days – and in both cases, I was

so close, I was asked to take the

first selfie of the happy couple.

But that’s the type of thing that

can happen in Denver during the

holidays. Always pretty, the Mile

High City is especially gorgeous

around Christmas. Maybe it’s

the evergreens covered with

snow, the smell of woodsmoke,

the jingle of bells as a horse

drawn carriage clatters by, or

hearing the Nitty Gritty Dirt

Band’s Colorado Christmas

about eighteen times a day, no

matter where you go.

Whatever it is, the Christmas magic

is difficult to resist and these two

couples fell under the spell. The first

engagement took place at Larimer

Square. This is the oldest street it in

the city, one time lined with saloons

and brothels. It was a romantic

woman named Dana Crawford

who in 1969 saw the potential of

these old Victorian brick and stone

buildings. At a time where Denver

was tearing down old buildings, she

convinced a group to buy the whole

block, steam clean the exteriors,

add gas lamps and outdoor cafes,

and fill the insides with chef-owned

restaurants. It was a sensation in

1969, and it still is.

I’d had a couple beers at the nearby

Christkindl Market, an authentic

German Christmas market with

wood stalls selling sausages and

salmon, European scarves,

glass globe ornaments,

cookies, cheese and chocolate,

and naturally, German beer.

At twilight, I wandered down

to Larimer to take a couple

of pictures during the “magic

hour” when the lights come on,

the cafes are packed, and the

old gas lamps are glowing.

I had just grabbed a shot when

a young man came up, handed

me his phone, and said “Would

you mind taking a picture of

us?” Of course! I took his

phone and centered the couple

in the frame, when an amazing

thing happened. He got down

on one knee, and proposed. I

took a dozen pictures, realizing

the importance this shot could

have to them and possibly to

their future unborn children.

Kristkindl Market - Cheeses

Larimer Square (the street is now

closed to traffic and filled with

outdoor cafes and street lamps)

City & County Building

is decorated for each

holiday season

Kristkindl Market - Soldier Ornaments

Kristkindl Market - Glass Ornaments

Union Station

Kristkindl Market - Cheeses

32

Kristkindl Market - Beer Steins

33

The Mile High Tree

(with couples sculpture)

Mile High Tree

The Mile High Tree

View from Inside the Mile High Tree

Ice Skating in downtown Denver

t turned out, he had a

professional photographer

positioned to record it, but

his girlfriend, unknowing, kept

walking, and desperate to get

her back to the spot, he had the

inspiration to give me his phone

and pretend that it was my photo

of them that he wanted. I may

have neglected to mention, that

in addition to having had a few

beers, I was wearing a Santa hat.

It was all very nice, but I

probably would have forgotten

it, if damn near the exact same

thing had not happened the next

night. From Denver’s oldest

Victorian Christmas destination,

the next night I went to the

newest – the Mile High Tree. At

110-feet, this was the tallest

digital tree in North America, as

well as the tallest art installation

in Denver’s history. New in 2019,

the tree was 39 feet in diameter

and basically an enormous

outdoor rock concert of lights

and holiday music. You could

go inside the tree, lay down

in the middle and watch as

lights spiraled and danced, all

choreographed to music. In a

word, it was amazing.

Now Denver was the first city in

the world to legalize recreational

marijuana, and while it’s illegal

to consume it outside on the

street, it’s perfectly fine to walk

around after having consumed

it. So I was laying down in the

middle of the Mile High Tree,

enjoying the lights cascading

upwards, when a second young

man said, as if in a dream, “Sir,

would you mind taking a photo of

us?” And it happened again!

This guy had no plan. I

was the official and only

photographer. But there

he was, on his knee, his

girlfriend yelling, “Yes, Yes

Yes!!!” above the music as

I snapped away.

The great thing is that even

in the pandemic, Denver will

be just as romantic in 2020.

Larimer Square closed the street to

cars and made it one huge outdoor

Rich

Grant

café with heat lamps, music and lights.

The Mile High Tree is coming back

and will be just as spectacular.

Christkindl is moving to Civic

Center Park, where there will

be more room to socially

distance, and where the

backdrop will be the wildly

decorated City & County

Building covered with 20,000

floodlights and ringing bells.

So even with COVID and masks,

I’m planning to dust off my

Santa hat and see how engaging

Christmas in Denver can be.

The Clock Tower

Union Station

Larimer Square

Larimer Square - The Market

34

35

When Fond Memories of

Celebrations Past

Bring Home the Holidays

Story and Photos by Ruksana Hussain

Christmas decor

at a restarunt in the

United states during the

author's holiday travels

Holiday fireplace decor in the US

This year, unlike every year for the past

decade or so, I will be home for the

holidays but not ‘home’ for the holidays.

Unlike every year, when I pack my bags

and book my tickets for a November

departure to south India to spend the

holidays with my parents, siblings, and

extended family; this year I will remain

in my home in the southwest United

States, holidaying with my husband, the

only family I have here, apart from our

beautiful chosen family of dear friends.

And even that holiday celebration will

possibly not be in person given the global

pandemic that still has us in its clutches.

And so, a virtual holiday it will be, with

distance not so much the factor that will

affect us the most, as will be the inability

to hug and kiss our loved ones and share

happy banter across a supper table filled

with food, love, laughter, and good cheer.

And then seeing them again the next day

for a repeat performance of the same.

Growing up in India, the year-end

holiday season was, well, one truly long

holiday. India has more than 20 national

holidays (these include governmentrecognized

and religious holidays) along

with every state in the country observing

its own regional holidays. Needless

to say, the last quarter of the year and

heading into the new year presented

opportunities aplenty for celebration.

For Diwali, colorful and intricate rangoli

decked the neighborhood as sweets were

exchanged while the evening sky and

the streets lit up with fireworks of all

shapes, forms, and colors. For Christmas,

there’d be plenty of carol singing to be

heard all around, much of it in Tamil, the

state language. Fruit cakes, custards and

puddings, and a variety of homemade

cookies filled our homes and hearts. And

if it was a year that Eid occurred in that

last quarter, then that was just a festival

trifecta everyone looked forward to.

Christmas dessert spread at a restaurant in

Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Raised in Oman during my formative years, where a

large Indian population resides, holiday celebrations

were an extension of everything we’d do in India but

one notch down. Much as Oman is an Islamic nation,

Indian religious holidays and other festivals were

observed by Indian nationals that called the country

home. Parties at friends’ residences would entail an

evening of food and fun, with Indian sweet and savory

dishes being the main attraction.

Christmas decor at a restaurant in Chennai,

Tamil Nadu

Typically held potluck style, we’d get to savor a family

recipe for a popular dish ranging from biryani and a

plethora of vegetable side dishes to slurp up, with roti on

the savory side to rasmalai, barfi, gulab jamun and more

on the sugary end of that spectrum. Decorations for

Diwali, Christmas, and Eid would go up in store fronts

and I still have fond memories of running behind Santa

at a local department store, so we’d get the little gift

giveaways he’d handout to kids from his red sack.

Christmas Lights at The Grove in

Los Angeles

The author at an outdoor

holiday event in Rodeo Drive, Los Angeles

More desserts at a sweet shop in Chennai,

Tamil Nadu

Desserts at a sweet shop in Chennai, Tamil Nadu

36

37

Indian dessert rasmalai

Moving to America as an adult,

those holiday celebrations took

another form. Still celebrated with

friends and potlucks, with the

addition of Thanksgiving and New

Year’s as major celebrations just as

well. While those weren’t holidays

that we traditionally celebrated,

many friends opened their homes

to us and shared their tables

knowing we didn’t have family here

to spend those holidays with.

From a Vietnamese Thanksgiving

lunch to one on a farm somewhere

in Illinois, a multicultural

Christmas celebration to a

beautifully organized formal

dinner, we’ve had the pleasure of

partaking in these celebrations

to our hearts’ content with loved

ones in America. New Year’s was

welcomed with cheers breaking

out in a friend’s backyard or at

the beach, and in the mountains

on one of many road trips and

other travels undertaken with our

adopted posse of friends from many

different cultures and nationalities.

To me, celebrating the holidays

this year, away from home and

family but also distanced from

friends that are so close yet so far

(given social distancing and safety

considerations), will be clothed

in yet another variation of years

past. There will be laughter and

good cheer and friendly banter but

through our personal devices and

third-party apps. We will see each

other celebrating and reminisce

the days we were together, plotting

for the next chance we can meet

in-person again and present warm

hugs with our good wishes. But for

now, here’s wishing you and yours

good health and happiness in the

safety of your home from this here

home of mine.

Rangoli at the entrance to the home

FAMILY RECIPE:

As is many times the case,

this dessert recipe was passed on among

relatives of the family as an oral tradition

and thus, is unnamed.

We refer to it as EGG SWEET

(how original) and so it shall remain.

Family recipe egg sweet

Indian dessert gulab jamun

Egg Sweet

Makes 8-16 squares

depending on your

INGREDIENTS

generous cutting skills!

5-6 large eggs

1 can of condensed milk

1 tablespoon of butter or ghee

Butter to grease the baking tray

(Note: A square baking tray is best but a round one means pie-shaped pieces – your call)

Indian dessert kaju katli or

casher barfi

Winter wonderland decor in South India, a place

that has clearly never experienced snow

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large whisking bowl, beat together the eggs and condensed milk until well combined.

2. In a saucepan, heat the butter or ghee just until melted. Add in the above mixture

3. Cook until it takes on the consistency of scrambled eggs. Expect a little bit of browning.

4. Heat the oven to 350. Grease a baking tray ready for when your mixture is all cooked.

5. Layer the mixture onto the baking tray and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes.

6. The top will brown a tad bit and the mixture will come together, maybe even rising some.

7. Your dessert is done when a toothpick or fork is inserted and comes out clean.

8. Remove the tray and allow to cool. Cut in squares or other desired shape and serve.

9. Garnish with slivered or chopped almonds or some powdered pistachio.

OPTIONAL: You can include a splash of rose water or a few strands of saffron for a richer taste.

38

39

Clinging to a Holiday Habit:

Visions of Vacations Dancing in my Head

Piano keys in the lobby

of Budapest's Aria Hotel

Story and Photos by Sarah Jaquay

With old man winter’s icy breath encasing the Great Lakes, I’m

dreading being cooped up listening to dire statistics and only being

able to visit friends and family via Zoom. Thanks to the pandemic,

festive holiday gatherings won’t brighten up the enveloping darkness

and Lake Effect precipitation hurtling towards America’s “North

Coast” at the end of November and all of December.

On the bright side, I can still embrace one holiday tradition I cherish

every year during the season of light: Planning next year’s trips. I have

a far-flung family that doesn’t always make getting together easy for

Thanksgiving and Christmas. So when the flakes start flying, I stoke

up the fireplace. And instead of a grabbing a tantalizing biography

that’s risen to the top of my reading pile, I plop down in my favorite

wing chair with my iPad and start cogitating on where to take respite

from winter weariness and what might be appealing for a major trip

the following fall. It’s quite entertaining and very rewarding since

it’s the only aspect of the holidays I ever seem to control. Even an

untimely cold doesn’t keep me from brainstorming, scrolling through

images, budgeting and looking up flights and deals.

ast year I was at a slight

disadvantage since I was on the

road during the holidays, or more

accurately, cruising the Danube

River from one port to the next

on board one of Scenic Luxury

Cruises & Tours boutique ships that deposit

travelers in one fabulous Christmas Market

town after another in Germany, Austria and

Hungary. We arrived home Christmas day

and I took up my annual holiday gaze into

my wandering future on Dec. 26. I knew my

circle would be smitten with my description

of this Danube River Christmas Market

cruise that included stops in Nuremberg,

Regensburg, Melk, Salzburg, Vienna and

Budapest. These cruises are offered every

December, except during major European

wars and global pandemics. For the first

time since WWII, Nuremberg’s annual

Christmas Market (started in the 1600s) has

been canceled. Fortunately, the majority of

our clan was interested in the 2021 holiday

season, which gives us more time for

planning and saving--not to mention more

time for an effective vaccine. Many tour

operators, including Scenic, are offering

“book with confidence” options that allow

rebooking on future cruises if things get

scary again.

Salzburg's Christmas Market

boasts a skating rink.

Castles on the Danube near Durnstein, Austria

Nuremberg's Christmas market

is one of Europe's oldest.

Handel's Messiah performance at

Nuremberg's St. Sebaldus

Christmas Tree: Salzburg's Stiftskeller at St. Peter's is

one of Europe's oldest restaurants.

Spiral Stairway at Pest’s

Aria Hotel l

Brass Trio playing carols at Nuremberg's

famed Christmas Market

40

41

Vienna's Cafe Restaurant Residenz at

Schonbrunn Palace is a great place for

a strudel break.

I can’t wait until next December for a change of scenery

though; and since I know where I’ll be then anyway, my

focus will be on winter escapes we can drive to that offer

plenty of social distancing. These destinations must be dogfriendly

and boast a variety of outdoor activities that don’t

involve dressing up like the Michelin Tire man. Right now, I’m

dreaming about Edisto Island, South Carolina (Hilton Head’s lowkey

neighbor), Gulf State Park at Gulf Shores, Alabama or Amelia

Island Plantation off the coast of Jacksonville. All will require an

overnight stay to get there, but there’s little that delights me more

than listening to carols and sipping mulled cider while searching

for a cozy bed & breakfast along our route.

Delighting in Germany’s Christmas Markets

in My Colorado Home

Story and Photos by Sherry Spitsnaugle

Evoke the warmth and good tidings of the Old Country by celebrating

Germany’s traditions at home – beginning with Glühwein!

42

Strudel-making class in the basement of

Schonbrunn Palace's Cafe Residenz

I don’t know where we’ll go between our winter sojourn and Scenic

Cruises’ Danube River Christmas

Market cruise next December.

But after canceling five trips

last March, we’ve decided

to wing some of our 2021

travel plans. One thing

is for certain though: I

will be much happier

celebrating the holidays

at home this year with

visions of vacations

dancing in my head.

Sarah & Bob Jaquay in front of

Prince Joseph Wenzel’s carriage

at Vienna’s Palais Liechtenstein.

Apple Strudel recipe from Vienna's Cafe Residenz

at Schonbrunn Palace.

I close my eyes and breathe in

the aroma of cinnamon from my

porcelain Christmas mug filled

to the brim with steaming hot

Glühwein, Germany’s official

holiday grog. I take that first sip

and savor the spice-laden mulled

wine, fragrant with the aroma of

oranges and cloves. The scent alone

brings back memories of strolling

cobble-stoned streets of Germany’s

picturesque Christmas markets,

where rosy-cheeked children

snuggle in their woolens, castles

glisten with fresh snow, and Saint

Nicholas greets visitors.

Transport yourself,

virtually, into a

yuletide holiday card

come to life.

In the midst of the pandemic with

no travel on the horizon, and

holidays that will be decidedly

low-key, I’m re-creating my own

German holiday right here in

my Colorado home. A children’s

choir sings Silent Night, and my

tree is adorned with cherished

family ornaments passed down for

generations. A fire crackles in the

fireplace and the candles are lit. My

own Saint Nicholas figurine graces

the coffee table. I am daydreaming

about a ten-day trip I took

more than a decade ago touring

Germany’s Christmas markets.

Cheers! Mugs of steaming Glühwein, or hot

chocolate if you prefer, abound at Germany’s

Christmas markets.

The town square in Gengenbach, a village in the south of Germany,

sparkles during the holidays. Photo credit: H. Grimmig

43

Nativity scenes are a big part of Germany’s

magical Christmas markets

Christmas markets through

the centuries – little has

changed

From the beginning of Advent through Christmas

Eve, main squares in towns throughout cities

and countryside villages in Germany transform

into festive seasonal fairs. Germany’s Christmas

markets date to the 14th century. Temporary

wooden stalls were set up near the villages’

largest church so that bakers, toy makers, and

woodcarvers could sell their wares to passers-by.

Attending church was a daily ritual, hence the

strategic location. Little has changed through the

centuries, and you’ll still find toy trains, wooden

Hansel’s and Gretel’s, and winged-golf-foil angels.

Women stroll arm in arm; couples push baby

carriages piled high with feather-filled coverlets;

and children nibble on freshly baked gingerbread

cookies.

Bringing traditions of the Old

Country into my home

Recipe for

Glühwein

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium orange

• 3/4 cup water

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 20 whole cloves

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 2 whole star anise

• 1 (750-milliliter) bottle dry red wine

• Rum or amaretto, for serving (optional)

Remove the zest from the orange in wide

strips, taking care to avoid the pith and

set aside. Juice the orange and set the

juice aside. Combine water and sugar in a

large saucepan and boil until the sugar has

completely dissolved. Reduce heat and add

the cloves, cinnamon, star anise, orange

zest, and orange juice. Simmer until a

fragrant syrup forms, or about one minute.

A baker displays his creation at a German Christmas

market. The translation for Wir sind süden is “We are

South,” referring to the southern part Germany. Photo

courtesy of Tourism Marketing Baden-Wuerttemberg

Vendors sell handmade souvenirs at Germany’s

Christmas markets.

Due to COVID, the Christmas markets are closed

this year, but I’m bringing Germany into my

home. And I’m planning my visit for next year.

Meanwhile, I treasure the memories, photos, and

most of all the warm feelings of the season.

I’m stuck at home physically, but my mind doesn’t

have to be. I take another sip of Glühwein and

picture myself strolling the medieval cobblestoned

path of a countryside village as church

bells ring, a brass band plays and bratwursts sizzle

on the grill. It’s a getaway for my mind.

Reduce the heat and add the wine. Let it

barely simmer for at least 20 minutes. Keep

an eye out so that it doesn't reach a full

simmer. Strain and serve in mugs, adding

a shot of rum or amaretto and garnishing

with the orange peel and star anise if

desired. You may wish to cut the recipe

accordingly, (or not!) since we are all social

distancing in small groups.

Pro-tip: Heat gently, but don’t boil

Heat (but don’t boil) the mixture for about

20 minutes before you are ready for the first

sip. You don’t want to boil away the wine.

Cheers!

Sweets create a lovely aroma at Germany’s Christmas markets.

Visiting Southwest Germany

Click here for more information.

44

Sights of the season grace homes and businesses

in the Old Country at Christmastime.

Gold-winged angels are on display

everyone at Germany’s Christmas markets.

The fare at German Christmas markets includes a selection

of meats – all displayed with a touch of the season.

45

The Joys of Christmas on California's Central Coast

From Santa Barbara to Los Olivos

Story and photos by Barbara Singer

fter experiencing 2020, a year

I never imagined and will never

forget, I am happily reflecting on

my pleasant and vivid memories

of my last Christmas on California’s

Central Coast. I spent the Christmas

holidays in Santa Barbara, my

second home. A staycation in Santa

Barbara, one of the most beautiful

cities in the world, is like traveling

without leaving town. It’s an allseasons

resort with a flair for casual

elegance. I’m looking forward to the

joys of Christmas there and hoping

the yearly traditions will return

again.

When it’s “beginning to look a lot

like Christmas”, Santa Barbara’s

seaside ambiance is a perfect stop

for the holidays as the city spruces

up its environs of the American

Riviera. I can be there in just two

hours from Los Angeles, along

scenic California Highway 101.

Luckily, I do not have to pursue a

hotel, although there are plenty of

options, from mountains to sea and

chic to casual.

love the simple pleasure of meandering

down State Street with its twinkling lights,

seeking the splendor of a plethora of decorated

Christmas trees found in every nook and cranny

galore, such as malls, arcades, street corners,

restaurants and shops. La Cumbre Plaza and the

Paseo Nuevo Mall bustle with shoppers and carolers.

There are many holiday events and shopping options

from boutiques, to a Mexican Christmas market,

to holiday concerts, a lively Chanukah party at the

Bronfman Jewish Community Center, and boats in

the harbor, glittering with holiday lights.

During the holidays I rediscover Santa Barbara. I

visit the Funk Zone, I indulge in wine tastings at

wonderful wineries like the Santa Barbara Winery,

and I stop by the famed Stearns Wharf for fresh

fish such as oysters, lobster, mussels, clams, and

calamari. From here it’s a joy to watch the harbor

with it’s decorated boats and yachts.

Poinsettas adorn State Street

Sterns Wharf

Santa Barbara

State Street Christmas decor

Downtown Santa Barbara

More Santa Barbara trees

46

La Arcada Mall

Christmas tree

Santa Barbara can be chilly in

December, but that doesn’t keep the

spectators away from the holiday

season kick-off with the Christmas

Parade on Downtown State Street.

Locals and visitors are out and about

and the holiday spirit pervades as

approximately 60,000 viewers line

the street. The crowd pleasers are

the marching bands, holiday floats,

entertainers, lots of music, the

celebrity Grand Marshall, and all is

culminated by the presence of Santa

Claus himself and the lighting of the

Santa Barbara Christmas tree.

47

Art and wine in

Los Olivos

Fess Parker Country

Inn & Spa, Los Olivos

Los Olivos

Spontaneous travel is a great way to start a day. So

celebrating my birthday in Deeember was a sure

incentive to spark a quick sojourn and Girlfriend’s

Holiday Getaway with my friend Lisa. In just 40

minutes we arrived in the quaint country town of Los

Olivos (The Olives), in the heart of Santa Ynez Valley

wine country, and right at the door of the upscale

Fess Parker’s Country Inn on Grand Avenue. In order

to capture the moment, we checked into a spacious

room and were pleased with its sense of style,

oversized furniture, down comforters and an inviting

fireplace. Cordially, there was a complimentary bottle

of their signature wine. The Inn itself was beautiful

and tranquil, and just what was needed to revitalize

the senses.

48

One winery to another, Los Olivos

Boutique hopping

in Los Olivos

Complimentary

fresh breakfast

at the Inn

Lisa & Barbara

Keeping busy shopping

Local artists

display their works

Since our time there was precious, we quickly went

off to “do the town”. We appreciated its walkability.

With an invitation to wine tasting at Epiphany Wine

Cellar, one of the Fess Parker Wineries, we headed

over for a birthday tasting while taking in the Los

Olivos holiday decorations. This is one town where

you can do winery hopping for various tastings

within minutes of each other, as there are so many

wineries on Grand Avenue. There is something

endearing and pleasant about wine tasting, shopping,

art perusing, and dining in the Victorian and

craftsmen houses in Los Olivos that have a very

welcoming effect on visitors. A big surprise awaited

us on our return to the Inn. There was a beautifully

wrapped box in our room. Curiously it was a gift

from the Chef, a dozen beautifully designed cupcakes

to remember my birthday, so thoughtful!

This small town has its own Olde Fashioned

Christmas atmosphere with tree lighting, gingerbread

houses, and more. It was a perfect girlfriend’s retreat

at the Inn and we enjoyed a delightful dinner of fresh

grown products, farm to table prepared, in creative

dishes at The Bear & Star Restaurant. We returned

for a complementary breakfast in the morning. As it

was too chilly to enjoy the intimate private pool at the

Inn, we walked through the town visiting art galleries

and shops, finding a lot of products and items created

by the locals. There was more wine sipping since we

were in a mecca of over 40 wineries in the area. The

folks of Los Olivos were very friendly and welcoming,

which we also experienced from the warm hospitality

of the staff at the Inn. All too soon it was time to

return to Santa Barbara with a promise of a return

visit to Los Olivos.

Holiday Splendor

Santa Barbara

For Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day dining in Santa

Barbara, there is the beautiful Ritz Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara,

the Four Seasons Biltmore Santa Barbara, and the Belmondo El

Encanto, as well as many of the city’s upscale restaurants, which

all serve special holiday menus. For New Year’s Eve celebrations

there are private parties, club events and the ever-popular New

Year's Eve Pops concerts at the Granada Theater. The Granada

Theater has a long time tradition of celebrating New Year’s

amidst great music and lots of good cheer in an amazing, historic

venue, reminiscent of old Hollywood. Enter the Granada, grab

your holiday hat, sip some complimentary bubbly champagne,

and enjoy the show! It’s a wonderful way to welcome the New

Year, any year.

Good-bye sweet nostalgia, please return again.

www.SantaBarbaraCA.com

www.losolivosca.com

49

Captive by COVID for the Holidays

View of Niagara Falls

from the New York side,

dusted with snow

ith coronavirus cases in

the US exploding at an

astonishing rate, the answer

to “how will I spend the

holidays” is currently unknown. I live

in the D.C. area with my Australian

wife, Bell, but no extended family are

close by or in our bubble. A few weeks

ago, we planned to drive to Buffalo,

NY for Thanksgiving. That’s where

my mom’s side of my family lives.

Unfortunately, my mom passed away

from cancer on January 1st of crazy

2020.

Aside from COVID-19, a holiday

trip to Buffalo would not be the same

this year. My uncle unfortunately has

stage IV cancer, and while it would be

great to spend this one having a loud

laugh with him and others, he is also

high risk. Also, frigid Buffalo weather

in November and December makes

social distancing difficult. And many

government officials are asking us to

not share the holidays with extended

family to assist with minimizing

the spread. Alternatively, my dad is

down in Florida and I have not seen

him in a while. He is also high risk

being 92 years old. But mild Florida

temperatures mean we could enjoy a

meal outside that is socially distanced.

Story and Photos by Alex Kallimanis

Typically, we try to spend a holiday

with family and then one where we

travel somewhere new. But with rapidly

changing rules and restrictions, it makes

planning difficult. I was in Italy back in

March when the first national lockdown

was announced. I was at a lovely dinner

with TBEX conference attendees who

made their way to Catania, Sicily hoping

some trips could still be salvaged. After

the announcement, we lost our appetites,

and everyone scrambled to make their

way out of Italy as the options narrowed.

After a cancelled flight, I eventually

made my way out by flying from Catania

to Marseille, France. I then flew to

Amsterdam to catch a direct flight home

to Washington, DC. It was stressful

receiving updates about cancelled flights

and travel bans, it has not been an

experience I’m keen to repeat!

So where will we be for the holidays is a

question that weighs heavily on my mind.

I want to be respectful of our healthcare

workers, who are strained. Also, to the

essential service staff who work with the

public to make going into public spaces

possible. I also want to be able to support

struggling businesses, as well as creating

content and partnering with folks to

support my own business. And finally,

there is mental health. Being stuck inside

and isolated for the holidays can be

difficult, even for those not already prone

to anxiety and depression.

I don’t think I’ll have an answer to

this question until very shortly before

Thanksgiving as we’ll be monitoring

the situation right up until then. On a

brighter note, one place I have spent

a wonderful Christmas is with my

father’s side of the family in Greece. My

dad was born in Pyrgos, Greece and I

have a large family in Athens. My aunt

Eugenia makes the most delicious food

and is a gorge yourself on delicious

food enabler! The last Christmas I was

with them, was back in 2010 and my

uncle had a whole lamb slaughtered and

butchered for the occasion. My dad had

also flown in from Florida and it was the

perfect combination of family and new

adventures as we drove to Kalamata and

enjoyed ringing in the new year on the

Island of Syros. The recipe I’d like to share

is for my Aunt Eugenia’s holiday treats,

melomakarona. These Greek honey

cookies tend to be sold year around in

Athens and Greek bakeries world-wide

but are traditionally baked for Christmas.

We may not be able to travel to Greece

now, but we can all enjoy the cookies

while daydreaming of future travels.

MELOMAKARONA

Greek Christmas

Honey Cookies

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1-pound unsalted butter

¾ cup white sugar

3 egg yolks

½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon honey

Honey Syrup

1 cup honey

1 cup water

1 cup white sugar

Add a dash of brandy for extra flavor

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda,

cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl beat the butter and sugar

together until fluffy.

In another bowl mix the OJ and eggs, then

slowly combine the butter and OJ mix.

Fold the wet ingredients with the flour mix

until soft, but firm.

Let the batter chill.

Heat the oven to 350 f.

Take about a tablespoon of mix, and shape

into an oval shaped cookie and pop in the oven.

Bake until golden colored.

While baking in a saucepan add the

ingredients for the syrup, heat on low until

sugar is dissolved.

Once the cookies are cooled, dip them in the

syrup and sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts.

Enjoying drinks in

Piazza Universita

in Catania, Sicily

with fellow TBEX

conference

attendees just before

the Italian lockdown

was announced on

March 9th, 2020

Kayaking in

Wekiwa Springs

State Park, near

Orlando, Florida,

where I grew up

With my

father in

Pyrgos,

Greece

(near

Olympia),

in front

of Saint

Nicholas

Church,

where

he was

baptized

over 90

years ago

50

51

Branson's Christmas Tree

CHRISTMASTIME IN BRANSON

Story and Photo by Lynn Berry

ith the notable exception

of Santa’s workshop in the

North Pole (you DO believe,

right?), you’re not likely to

find a more Christmassy place

on the planet than Branson,

Missouri. That’s a bold

claim, but one that can be

supported with a quick

study of the number

of Christmas trees

and lights found in

this festive Ozark

Mountain town,

which boasts a

population of

just under

12,000.

With

about

1,700

beautifully decorated trees peppered

throughout the town, that amounts

to a staggering 7:1 human-to-tree

ratio for this community that truly

lives up to its nickname, “America’s

Christmas Tree City.” And a new,

very special tree joined the ranks on

Nov. 4.

“United We Stand” is the name of a

39-foot-high, 25-foot-wide tree that

was designed to serve as a symbol

of peace, hope, joy and love. In a

year that’s been marked by a health

crisis, economic struggles, social

issues, natural disasters and other

tremendous challenges, Branson’s

Christmas Coalition (yes, such

a thing DOES exist outside of a

Hallmark movie) was determined

to unite the community and the

entire country this holiday season.

This spectacular tree is the very

epitome of that cooperative spirit;

giant ornaments were sent in by all

50 states. Each ornament measures

nearly two feet, and many were

crafted to look like the unique

shape of their state. Several feature

notable wildlife, from Alaska’s

moose to South Dakota’s bison to

Georgia’s sea turtles, while others

are adorned with their state’s very

recognizable flag (props to you,

Maryland!). The tree also features

2,592 LED white lights; the words

“PEACE,” “HOPE,” “JOY” and

“LOVE” surround its base; and

a 6-foot-tall, 3-D “snowburst”

light tops the mammoth artificial

evergreen.

The tree stands adjacent to the

Branson Wheel, a giant Ferris wheel

that was relocated from Chicago’s

Navy Pier in 2016. The wheel itself

is electrified year-round, but for

Christmas there are 16,000 LED

fixtures holding more than 144,000

individual lights that all “dance” to

favorite Christmas tunes. The light

show takes place every hour on the

hour once night falls.

There’s another new addition to the

Wheel complex this holiday season,

in the form of a 7,200-squarefoot

ice rink (that’s just a smidge

larger than the rink at New York’s

Rockefeller Center) that will

operate from mid-November

through New Year’s Day. Come join

in the quintessential winter holiday

fun! ExploreBranson.com

52

53

Rocket City

Holiday Magic

Huntsville, Alabama

Story by Charles Winters

Harrison Brothers Hardware - Huntsville, Alabama

untsville, Alabama is

known as The Rocket City

for helping put mankind

on the Moon along with its

continuing role in developing

the propulsion system to return

humankind to the lunar surface,

then on to Mars. It takes lots of

rocket scientists to accomplish

these lofty goals, but it doesn’t

take one to see that Huntsville

is a fantastic destination for a

holiday visit!

Many of the same folks who

worked for NASA now volunteer

their time and talents at the

Huntsville Botanical Garden

to create the displays for

their annual Galaxy of Lights.

Preparations begin in the

summer for this major event at

the garden. Existing displays

are maintained and new designs

created from the minds of

physicists, rocket scientists

and other dedicated volunteers.

This is a very special year for

the Galaxy, since 2020 marks

the 25th presentation of this

perennial holiday favorite.

The Holiday Magic starts in

mid-November, and runs into

the New Year. Walking nights

kick-off the event for those who

prefer to see the lights up close,

yet safely socially distanced

from others. Drive through

nights start after Thanksgiving

and conclude in early January.

The two and one-half mile

spectacle features hundreds

of displays and thousands of

lights. Come and see why the

Huntsville Botanical Garden’s

Galaxy of Lights is an event for

all!

Downtown Huntsville also

features some outstanding

events including the Huntsville

Museum of Art’s Skating in the

Park, an outdoor ice skating

venue ready to delight the

young and young-at-heart.

Rental skates are available

and no previous skating

experience is necessary! The

museum also has a stellar

Gloria Vanderbilt exhibit and

on-site dining at Pane e Vino

overlooking the lagoon in Big

Spring International Park.

The Downtown Huntsville

Tinsel Trail is a free event

featuring trees decorated

by local organizations and

businesses for all to enjoy.

Themed holiday trees line

walkways throughout Big

Spring International Park

to illuminate the area with

thousands of lights. Tinsel

Trail will be open the day after

Thanksgiving and throughout

the holiday season.

The Twickenham Historic

District, one of the largest

concentrations of antebellum

homes in the south, will be

aglow with luminaries, trees

and front doors glistening with

decorations during the Spirit

of Christmas Past Luminary

tour, on December 12. It’s the

perfect opportunity to walk

or drive through this historic

district and see the homes

at their holiday brightest and

best.

The EarlyWorks Family of

Museums is offering some

holiday magic of their own

with Ten Nights of Santa.

The event will be indoors at

the EarlyWorks Children’s

Museum with a program

that allows safe capacity

limits, social distancing and

sanitizing protocols. The

jolly old elf will still visit with

children and spread holiday

cheer from within Santa’s

Magic Snow Globe. This event

is offered December 13 - 23

with limited and timed entry

tickets to ensure the safety of

all involved.

A mile and a half maze of bright

holiday lights awaits visitors to

a brand new event, the Rocket

City Christmas Spectacular.

Guests can drive through the

magical Santa’s Mountain

themed show, then wander

into the Winter Wonderland in

Toyota Field for a whole host of

holiday activities.

Burritt on the Mountain’s

Candlelight Christmas offers

a glimpse into the holidays of

yesteryear. Celebrate with a

truly old-fashioned Christmas

experience at Huntsville’s very

first museum.

Other area attractions

including the U.S. Space &

Rocket Center and Lowe Mill

ARTS & Entertainment will also

feature special exhibits, events

and activities sure to bring

everyone some yuletide joy.

For additional information, visit

www.huntsville.org/hsvmagic

. There you’ll find all the info

you’ll need including lodging,

dining and shopping options

in the Rocket City. There are

even discount coupons for

many of the events mentioned

in the article.

Can’t make it during the

holidays? No problem!

Huntsville is a fantastic

destination year-round and

we’re serious about providing

family-friendly activities with

social distancing protocol

and sanitization procedures

in place. The Rocket City is

ready to see you in our space.

Huntsville is a Go for Re-Entry!

54

55

THE DOGGONE HOLIDAYS!

Photo by Kimberly Fisher

Submitted by Kimberly Fisher

HEARTH AND HOME

Submitted by Nancy Corbett

Thank You for Your Beautiful Photos!

HEARTH AND HOME: JC WYATT HOUSE


HEARTH AND HOME



ROCHE HARBOR VILLAGE

Photo by Kristy Papadopulos

SAN JUAN ISLAND CHRISTMAS

Photo by Mark Gardner

LIME KILN LIGHTHOUSE, SAN JUAN ISLANDS

Photo by Matthew Pranger

FRESH SNOWFALL IN CENTRAL PARK

Photo by Meryl Pearlstein

56

Submitted by Barbara Marrett, San Juan Islands



Submitted by Meryl Pearlstein

57

LONGWOOD GARDENS

Photo by Rose Palmer

Submitted by Rose Palmer

LONGWOOD GARDENS




LONGWOOD GARDENS



LONGWOOD GARDENS




58

THE BRANSON CHRISTMAS TREE

Submitted by Lynn Berry

NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND

Submitted by Kathryn Farrington





59

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GREATER BIRMINGHAM CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

61

Holiday Recipies

Holiday Recipies

MULLED

WINE

Mulled wine is perfect for large

groups, and this recipe is simple

and perfectly delicious.

INGREDIENTS

• 750ml bottle red wine

• 1 Orange, sliced into

Rounds, plus extra for

Garnish

• 6 Whole cloves

• 6 Cinnamon sticks, plus

Extra for garnish

• 3 Star anise

• ¼ Cup honey

• ½ Cup st. Remy brandy

Recipes

from

Kimberly

Fisher

Story on

Page 17

WINTER WHITE

COSMO

Being a new yorker and adoring

sex in the city, the cosmo is

making a comeback and this

wintery spin is chic, elegant and

easy to make.

INGREDIENTS

• 0.75 Oz cointreau

• 2 Oz vodka

• 0.75 Oz fresh lime juice

• 0.25 Oz white cranberry juice

DIRECTIONS:

Add all ingredients to a shaker,

add ice and shake. Strain into

glass. Garnish with cranberries.

LACY LATKES

This recipe makes about 20 to 25 latkes.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 medium unpeeled potatoes • 1/3 cup matzo meal

• 1 small sweet potato • salt and pepper to taste

• 2 onions, finely chopped • vegetable oil for frying

• 3 eggs, beaten

• applesauce and sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Using a food processor grate the potatoes. Squeeze out liquid.

2. Add potatoes to a large bowl and add onion, egg, matzo meal,

salt and pepper.

3. In a large frying pan heat oil over medium heat.

4. Add big spoonfuls of latke mixture into the hot pan for about 4 to

5 minutes on each side. Make sure to push them down with your

spatula and cook until golden brown. You will need to add more

oil between batches.

5. Drain well on paper towels.

6. If not serving right away they can be reheated or you can put

them in the freezer. When reheating place the frozen latkes on

cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about

10 to 15 minutes at 400 F until hot. Drain well on towels.

7. Serve with home-made apple sauce and sour cream.

HARD CANDY

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups of sugar

• Karo Light Corn Syrup

• ¾ cups of water

• 1 Dram LorAnn Flavoring Oil

• Food Coloring

• Powder Sugar

• Candy Thermometer -

capable of measuring above 300 degrees

Recipe

from Heather

Raulerson

Story on

Page 28

Recipe

from Judi

Cohen

Story on

Page 14

PROCESS:

Lay aluminum foil down on a table. It is recommended to have a towel

underneath the foil as the candy does get hot.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a pot. Boil to exactly

310 degrees. Watch the temperature closely. Once it reaches 310

degrees, pour in the food coloring then the flavor oil. Stir constantly to

mix the flavor oil with the sugar mixture. Once mixture is completely

mixed in, pour quickly thin rows of liquid on the foil. Once the candy

has cooled completely, crack/break pieces off and mix in a bowl

of powdered sugar (this is to keep the candy from sticking to each

other). Then collect a mixture of flavors in your favorite tin or mason

jar to give to your friends and family.

EGG SWEET

Makes 8-16 squares depending on your generous cutting skills!

INGREDIENTS:

5-6 large eggs

1 can of condensed milk

1 tablespoon of butter or ghee

Butter to grease the baking tray

(Note: A square baking tray is best but a round one means pie-shaped pieces – your call)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large whisking bowl, beat together the eggs and condensed milk until well combined.

2. In a saucepan, heat the butter or ghee just until melted. Add in the above mixture

3. Cook until it takes on the consistency of scrambled eggs. Expect a little bit of browning.

4. Heat the oven to 350. Grease a baking tray ready for when your mixture is all cooked.

5. Layer the mixture onto the baking tray and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes.

6. The top will brown a tad bit and the mixture will come together, maybe even rising some.

7. Your dessert is done when a toothpick or fork is inserted and comes out clean.

8. Remove the tray and allow to cool. Cut in squares or other desired shape and serve.

9. Garnish with slivered or chopped almonds or some powdered pistachio.

OPTIONAL: You can include a splash of rose water or a few strands of saffron for a richer taste.

STRüDEL

Recipe of the confectioners of the Imperial Bakery Schönbrunn,

who wish you success in making your own strudel!

STRUDEL: 250g flour Type 700, 2g salt, 1 egg. 100g lukewarm wter, 20g oil.

Mix all ingredients to a soft dough and knead it until it looses from hands and table.

it to a ball and let it rest in vegetable oil for 30 minutes. Put the dough on a flourcovered linen

cloth and roll it in a rectangular shape. Extend it on the back of your hands to a waferthin layer.

BUTTER - BREADCRUMBS: 100g butter-breadcrumbs, 50 g butter. Heat the butter in the pan,

add the breadcrumbs and roast them until they take on a golden-browm shine.

CINNAMON SUGAR: 140g sugar, 10g cinnamon. Mix the ingredients.

Recipe

from

Ruksana

Hussain

Story on

Page 36

Recipe

from Sarah

Jaquay

Story on

Page 40

FILLING: 150g butter-breadcrumbs, 150g cinnamon sugar, 170g raisins, 10g lemon juice, ca.

1kg peeled sour apples - cored and sliced, a shot of rum. Mis all ingredients well. You can also

use 1 tin (800g) of the original

Old-Viennese Apple Strudel Filling from the Hofbackstube SchÖnbrunn, the imperial bakery of

SchÖnbrunn.

INSTURCTIONS: Put the filling in the extended layer of dougn, cut off the thick ends and roll it

carefully with the cloth. Put the Strudel onto a buttered baking tray and bake it in the oven at

190 until it takes on a golden-brown shine. TIP: Put butter on the Strudel as soon as you take it

out of the oven.

62

63

Holiday Recipies

Holiday Recipies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 medium orange

• 3/4 cup water

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 20 whole cloves

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 2 whole star anise

• 1 (750-milliliter) bottle dry red wine

• Rum or amaretto, for serving (optional)

GLüHWEIN

Recipe

from Sherry

Spitsnaugle

Story on

Page 43

DIRECTIONS:

Remove the zest from the orange in wide strips, taking care to avoid the pith and set aside. Juice

the orange and set the juice aside. Combine water and sugar in a large saucepan and boil until the

sugar has completely dissolved. Reduce heat and add the cloves, cinnamon, star anise, orange

zest, and orange juice. Simmer until a fragrant syrup forms, or about one minute.

Reduce the heat and add the wine. Let it barely simmer for at least 20 minutes. Keep an eye out

so that it doesn't reach a full simmer. Strain and serve in mugs, adding a shot of rum or amaretto

and garnishing with the orange peel and star anise if desired. You may wish to cut the recipe

accordingly, (or not!) since we are all social distancing in small groups.

PRO-TIP: Heat gently, but don’t boil

Heat (but don’t boil) the mixture for about 20 minutes before you are ready for the first sip. You

don’t want to boil away the wine.

CRANBERRY-ALMOND BISCOTTI

Makes about 30 Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour 2 egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs

1 tsp. baking powder 1 tbsp. vanilla or almond extract

½ tsp baking soda

¾ cup sliced almonds

1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Recipe

from

Kathryn

Farrington,

Discover

Newport

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in the middle of the oven.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.

3. Whisk together egg whites, eggs and vanilla or almond extract in a separate bowl.

4. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients, mixing just until moist.

5. Add dried cranberries and almonds and mix thoroughly.

6. On a floured surface, divide batter in half and pat each half into a log approximately

14-inches long and 1 ½-inches thick.

7. Place on a cookie sheet and bake 30 minutes or until firm.

8. Cool on a wire rack about 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.

9. Cut biscotti on the diagonal into ½-inch slices.

10. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

11. Place cut biscotti upright on a cookie sheet, placing them about an inch apart.

12. Bake for an additional 20 minutes.

13. Let cool and store in a loosely covered container.

MELOMAKARONA

Greek Christmas Honey Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups all-purpose flour 3 egg yolks

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon ground cloves Honey Syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup honey

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup water

1-pound unsalted butter

1 cup white sugar

¾ cup white sugar

Add a dash of brandy for extra flavor

Recipe

from

Alex

Kallimanis

Story on

Page 50

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a large bowl.

• In a separate bowl beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy.

• In another bowl mix the OJ and eggs, then slowly combine the butter and OJ mix.

• Fold the wet ingredients with the flour mix until soft, but firm.

• Let the batter chill.

• Heat the oven to 350 f.

• Take about a tablespoon of mix, and shape into an oval shaped cookie and pop in the oven.

• Bake until golden colored.

• While baking in a saucepan add the ingredients for the syrup, heat on low until sugar is dissolved.

• Once the cookies are cooled, dip them in the syrup and sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts.

Natalie Manning

Creative Director

Discover Newport

Francis

Malbone

House

Cranberry-Almond Biscotti

from the

FRANCIS MALBONE

HOUSE

Newport, Rhode Island

Francis Malbone

House

64

65

Holiday Recipies

Holiday Recipies

Whether you’ve been naughty or

nice, a cocktail can help to make

the season bright. And since travel

is challenging right now, we hope

to bring a little comfort and joy to

you through these San Juan Islandsinspired

recipes. They are our gift to

you from the restaurants and resorts

on Orcas Island, Lopez Island and

San Juan Island, direct to your home.

Enjoy!

Rosario Resort,

Orcas Island,

by Sam Horine

ROSARIO RESORT’S

"FESTIVAL OF TREES"

COCKTAIL

Every year Rosario Resort & Spa on Orcas Island

hosts The Festival of Trees fundraiser for local

non-profits in its historic Moran Mansion lobby.

This year they will forego the gathering but in

honor of this island tradition, they’ve created a

cocktail reminiscent of a walk in the forest. Picture

yourself by a crackling fire in the arts and crafts

style mansion lounge, drink in hand. This wintery

drink features Douglas Fir brandy, rosemary, and

elderflower liqueur. Add in a bit of scotch, orange

and lemon juice, and you might not be able to tell

the forest for the trees.

1.5 oz Scotch

.75 oz Elderflower Liqueur

.25 oz Douglas Fir Brandy

.25 oz Orange Juice

.25 oz Rosemary Simple Syrup

.5 oz Lemon Juice

Recipes

from

Barbara

Marrett,

San Juan

Islands

Blend thoroughly and pour over ice cubes in an old

fashioned glass. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary

or Douglas fir.

DOWNRIGGERS

HOT PEANUT

BUTTERED PECAN

BOURBON

COCKTAIL

The weather outside is frightful, but this bourbon

is so delightful! Enjoy Revel Stoke pecan

whiskey, peanut butter (Downriggers makes their

own peanut butter mix), brown sugar, nutmeg

and honey, mixed to perfection. As you enjoy

this festive Downriggers drink, imagine you are

watching the cheerfully-lit ferries arrive in Friday

Harbor at night with their festive red and green

running lights all aglow.

2 oz Roasted Pecan Infused Revel Stoke

Whiskey

1 T Peanut Butter

1 tsp Honey

1 tsp Brown Sugar

Pinch of nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon

Shake well with ice, strain into a martini glass

top with whipped cream

LOPEZ ISLANDER

PEPPERMINT

WHITE RUSSIAN

Here’s one way to guarantee yourself a white

Christmas, the Lopez Islander peppermint white

Russian. A local favorite and a holiday flair on

a classic drink, this mix is the perfect blend of

Kahlua, vodka, peppermint schnapps, and cream.

Enjoy this holiday cocktail along with imagining

stunning views of Lopez Island’s Fisherman's Bay,

but beware of the whiteout. It’s a smooth, creamy

ride to Christmas bliss.

¾ oz Vodka

¾ oz Kahlúa

¾ oz Peppermint Schnapps

Half and half

Ice

Optional Festive Garnish:

Crushed candy canes

Clear corn syrup

Recipes

from

Barbara

Marrett,

San Juan

Islands

Optionally garnish ahead by dipping the glass's

edge into corn syrup, then into crushed candy

canes. Finish with a candy cane stir stick. Fill an

old fashioned glass with ice. Pour in vodka, kahlúa,

and peppermint schnapps. Top off the glass with

half and half.

Mansion Lounge, Rosario Resort,

Orcas Island, by Sam Horine

Rosario "Festival of Trees" Cocktail

Downriggers

Hot Peanut

Buttered

Pecan

Bourbon

Cocktail

We wish you happy

holidays from the

San Juan Islands of

Washington State,

where evergreen

trees and the scent

of fir make it feel

like Christmas all

year! And please

forgive all the

allusions to holiday

songs; we couldn’t

help ourselves.

66

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68

TravelWorld International Magazine - Home for the Holidays

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