CHRISTMAS DINNER AROUND THE WORLD, Part 2

Christmas Dinner Around the World, Part 2

No matter the holiday nor the place you call home, food plays an important part in celebrations. Conversation, laughter and memories shared over a meal bring people closer together. Continuing my investigation into what people serve for Christmas Dinner, I took a look at a few countries in Europe, where the main meal is often celebrated on December 24, and not a speck of turkey is to be seen.

In Germany, where roast goose and red cabbage are the kings of the Christmas table. Legend has it that those who do not dine well on Christmas Eve will be haunted by demons – so there’s no excuse not to squeeze in that extra slice of Stollen. Since I grew up on my grandmother’s German recipes, we always had a turkey and a goose at Christmas.

                                                         (Shutterstock.com/a9photo)

Growing up on a farm, Gram had a very interesting way of using the grease from the Christmas goose (and that’s 80% of what that bird is made up of). She would gather the goose grease in empty jars and refrigerate it. She would feast on rye bread spread with cold goose grease and salted. Before you say, “Oh, yuck!”, she lived to be 104-1/2 years old!

In Poland, people tuck into an enormous banquet called Wigilia or the Star Supper, featuring dishes such as borscht and dumplings. 

I went to my first Polish Buffet restaurant, the Jolly Inn, last month. I had never before tasted pierogis or dumplings. I like my pierogis with sour cream, and as you can see, I’m a fan now!

In Southern Italy, many families avoid meat on Christmas Eve in favour of The Feast of the Seven Fishes, where gourmet dishes such as fried eel are served along with pasta.

The most popular dessert served on Christmas Day is Panettonne, which is a sweet bread cake with raisins and orange zest.  This dessert can be found in most U.S. grocery stores around the holidays (this is one of my Gram’s favorites, as well).

Christmas Dinners in Denmark can include roast pork and duck, boiled potatoes, brown sauce, a type of gravy to go on the meat and potatoes, red cabbage, Christmas beer (sounds good to me), and Æbleskiver, 

a thick pancake topped served sweet with powdered sugar with sides of berry jams, or savory, filled with cheese, fish and/or nuts. (Photo by Gerik Parmele, gerik.com)

You know, all this talk of food makes me want to do some holiday traveling someday. Maybe a “tour of Europe”, hopping from country to country, restaurant to restaurant??? Maybe??? Anyone with me??? 

Challenge #20 Midway: Optional Theme--Christmas Confectionery

Hello there folks! It is time to get on with the midway for Challenge #20. Just a note before I start: I still haven't had a chance to send out the papers or check for emails from the winners yet; though I am about to head to do that in just a moment. If you are waiting, I really appreciate your patience!

Right now though, it is time to see what the Merry Maidens have been up to with their images from Imagine That! Digi Stamp, our guest sponsor for this month!

Check out the adorable images that the team worked with this month for the start of the challenge. Clicking on any of the image watermarks will take you to their page in the Imagine That! Digistamp store where each of these images can be found.

 
While team members had the option of working with any of my Décosse's Dynamite Doodles papers, I did create a special set called Christmas Confectionery.  Check out the preview...

Everyone who links up a minimum of two cards during the month of August will earn ONE of the digital papers from this set. The specific paper up for grabs will be shown during the winner announcement post. Additionally, one random winner will earn the full set of papers.

Have your say in determining which paper will be offered to those who link up a minimum of two cards this month by completing the poll in the sidebar on the top right hand side.

Now check out what the Merry Maidens and my Co-coordinator Pat came up with to inspire you. Clicking on the names will take you to the individual blogs where you can check out the details for all these wonderful cards.

So if you haven't entered already, what are you waiting for? It is time to link up your Christmas and other holiday cards for August. Whether you choose to link up two Anything Goes themed cards simply to earn your free paper this month, or you choose to also follow the optional theme to have a chance at the sponsor's prize, it is completely up to you! 

Here is a refresher of the details for this challenge...

Please remember that this is a CARDS ONLY link up. While we've had some lovely tag entries in the past, we've sadly had to disqualify them.

Challenge #20

Optional Theme: Christmas Confectionery

One can't possibly think of Christmas without thinking of all the edible goodies associated with the holiday season. Gingerbread, plum pudding, candy canes and hot cocoa with whipped cream or marshmallows are just a few of the yummy treats available for noshing on during the holidays.

In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month, make sure that your card has some sort of candy or goodies suitable for the Christmas holidays, in the design. Examples include: candy canes, cake, muffins, bread pudding, gingerbread, cocoa, etc. If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize.

Remember, you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards and earn a free paper each month, and have your name thrown into the year end draw for some extra digital goodies. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $10 gift certificate to the Imagine That! Digi Stamp store.

If you are new to this unique challenge, you can find out the impetus behind why I started it under the 'Introductions' tab.  As this is a unique kind of link up where we have both an anything goes Christmas option and an optional theme to follow, be sure to read all the details and rules you need to know in order to participate, by checking out the 'Challenge Details' tab (both tabs located at the top of the blog).

You can find the Challenge Details Summary along with the link up for Challenge #20 by clicking HERE.

 Don't Forget, if everything goes according to plan...

• Be sure to join us on August 23rd when Pat will be here to share a Christmas Tradition with you all.
• Next up it will be time for our new challenge to start on September 1st.
• Then, the winners from Challenge #19 will hopefully be posted on September 8th.
• Other special posts may be published throughout the month.  Be sure to sign up to have our posts delivered by email or follow us through Bloglovin' so you don't miss a thing!

We look forward to seeing you participate!

Challenge #18 Winner Announcement

It is time to announce the winners and our top three Stocking Stuffers from Challenge #18. Are you one of those lucky peeps?! Let's find out!

MARGREET

Margreet, you are the winner of a $15.00 gift card from Lunagirl, our guest sponsor for June (chosen by Mini Web Tool), based on all eligible participants (i.e., those entrants who followed the optional theme). 

Margreet, please send an email to the_12_moc_linkup {at} outlook {dot} com (or click HERE to bring the address up in your email program), with the subject, "12MoC Challenge #18 WINNER" to make arrangements to receive your prize.  Please note that it may take me several days to get back to you.  Thank you for your patience.  In the interim, please grab a copy of the winner badge below for your blog.

Next, it is time to get on with showcasing the top three.  With so many wonderful entries to choose from, it is always such a difficult task for the design team.  We did however settle on three awesome creations.  So, without further ado, here are our Stocking Stuffers for Challenge #18:

MEG

TREEBUG

MARLENE

Congrats to our top three Stocking Stuffers!  Meg, Treebug and Marlene, please grab a copy of the badge below for your blog.

Everyone who links up two cards each month is eligible to receive a free digital paper.  All those who linked up two cards during the month of May were mailed their paper.  If you thought that you had linked two, but did not receive a free paper, please contact us and let us know and we'll look into it for you.

The eight individuals who linked up a minimum of two cards each during the month of JUNE, qualifying them to receive the digital paper from that month, will receive the Diagonals paper which garnered 50% of the votes. I have included the watermark of it, below...

To all of you who linked up during June, thanks ever so much!  We are so happy to have all of you with us and hope that you'll continue to link up your holiday cards throughout the remainder of 2016!!!

Papers will be sent to the email address that qualifying participants used when they added their cards to the Link Up.  I hope to get them mailed by the 15th.  Your patience is appreciated.

As always, we are going to have a random draw from all the entries and give out a set of six digital papers to one lucky individual.  The papers are all made so why not have an extra prize! Here is the watermark for the full set...

The winner of the An Eclectic Christmas 1: Silver & Gold Mini Kit is (chosen by random.org)...

DEBBIE

Debbie, please send an email to the_12_moc_linkup {at} outlook {dot} com (or click HERE to bring the address up in your email program), with the subject, "12MoC Challenge #18 PAPER KIT WINNER" to make arrangements to receive your prize.

Well folks, that is it for today.  While you are here, please be sure to check out the details for our current challenge going on now (if you haven't already), with the Optional Theme this month of "Christmas Confectionery".  You can find out all the details along with the link up, by clicking HERE.

Also, be sure to join us on August 15th, for our midway post where you'll get to see cards created by the Merry Maidens!  Other special posts may be published throughout the month.  Be sure to sign up to have our posts delivered by email or follow us through Bloglovin' so you don't miss a thing!

Until next time,

Challenge #20: Optional Theme--Christmas Confectionery

Hello and welcome to The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up.  It is the first day of August and that means it is time for our next challenge to get started! 

Here is what you need to know...

The Basics

While you can find out ALL the information you need to know in order to participate in the challenge by checking out the 'Challenge Details' tab at the top of the page (or by clicking HERE), here is a refresher of the basics.

• Anyone can link up as many Christmas and/or December holiday themed cards (including Happy New Year's cards) throughout the month with an ANYTHING GOES theme.
• Every person who has linked up a MINIMUM of two (2) cards will be eligible to receive a specially designed Christmas themed digital paper.
• Each month there will be an OPTIONAL theme to follow.  Anyone who submits a card adhering to the monthly theme, will have the chance to win a prize from that month's guest sponsor.
• Every holiday card you submit to the link up, earns you one chance to win a special digital Christmas kit that will be offered up after the year is complete.

Now that the basics are out of the way, how about we get on with the details of Challenge #20.

Challenge #20

Optional Theme: Christmas Confectionery

One can't possibly think of Christmas without thinking of all the edible goodies associated with the holiday season. Gingerbread, plum pudding, candy canes and hot cocoa with whipped cream or marshmallows are just a few of the yummy treats available for noshing on during the holidays.

In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month, make sure that your card has some sort of candy or goodies suitable for the Christmas holidays, in the design. Examples include: candy canes, cake, muffins, bread pudding, gingerbread, cocoa, etc. If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize.

Remember, you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards and earn a free paper each month, and have your name thrown into the year end draw for some extra digital goodies. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $10 gift certificate to the Imagine That! Digistamp store.

Talking about Imagine That! Digis by Kris, how about we get to know them a little bit better...

Imagine That! Digis by Kris™ is a mother/daughter team bringing you our cutest hand-drawn images that you can flip, re-size, re-color, print & use in your crafting creations!  Almost all our digi sets include both color & outline formats & include sentiments for a great value.  In addition to carrying family-friendly digi stamps, we also offer digital papers and KD-Kits, all available as instant downloads!  You may want to check out our Free blogwear category, as well as find freebies on our Facebook Page and join in our monthly progressive challenge where everyone who plays, Wins!  You can read more about us here on our 'About the Arists' page.

Check out the adorable images that the team worked with this month for the start of the challenge. Clicking on any of the image watermarks will take you to their page in the Imagine That! Digistamp store where each of these images can be found.

 
While team members had the option of working with any of my Décosse's Dynamite Doodles papers, I did create a special set called Christmas Confectionery.  Check out the preview...

Everyone who links up a minimum of two cards during the month of August will earn ONE of the digital papers from this set. The specific paper up for grabs will be shown during the winner announcement post. Additionally, one random winner will earn the full set of papers.

Have your say in determining which paper will be offered to those who link up a minimum of two cards this month by completing the poll in the sidebar on the top right hand side.

Now check out what the Sleigh Belles came up with to inspire you. Marji, one of our Merry Maidens, loved each of the sets so much she made three different cards.  Clicking on the names will take you to the individual blogs where you can check out the details for all these wonderful cards but please keep in mind that while I am showcasing one of Marji's cards now, she will be showing you all three during the midway on her blog ...

So what are you waiting for? It is time to link up your Christmas and other holiday cards for August! Whether you choose to link up two Anything Goes themed cards simply to earn your free paper this month, or you choose to also follow the optional theme to have a chance at the sponsor's prize, it is completely up to you!

If you are new to this unique challenge, you can find out the impetus behind why I started it under the 'Introductions' tab and all the details you need to know in order to participate, in the 'Challenge Details' tab (both tabs located at the top of the blog).

We have a packed month as usual; so, Pat and I and the rest of the gang hope to see you back with us soon!

• Join us on August 8th, when we hope to publish the names of the winners and top picks from Challenge #18. 
• Then, be sure to join us again on August 15th, for our midway post where you'll get to see cards created by the Merry Maidens!
• Then during the third week of August, we'll hopefully be back here to share a Christmas tradition with you.
• Other special posts may be published throughout the month.  Be sure to sign up to have our posts delivered by email or follow us through Bloglovin' so you don't miss a thing!

CHALLENGE DETAILS SUMMARY
Each month we'll include a summary of details for the particular challenge taking place.  If you are new, please be sure to familiarize yourself with all the details and rules in the 'Challenge Details' tab at the top of the page.  Please note that dates and times listed below are for this particular challenge only:

• Cards for this challenge will be accepted from 6:00 p.m. (18:00 hrs), August 1st - 11:55 p.m. (23:55 hrs), August 31st, 2016.  
• If you wish to receive the free digi paper being offered up for this month, you need to link up a minimum of two (2) Christmas or holiday themed cards. 
• This is NOT a progressive challenge.  You can jump in at any time.
• You can link up as many holiday themed cards as you want as long as each entry is with a new project.  HOWEVER, if you decide to follow the optional theme of Christmas Confectionery (see specific details above), only a maximum of three (3) entries will qualify for the draw for this month's prize of three images from Imagine That! Digistamp.  You must add 'FT' after you name so we know which cards to add to the random draw for the sponsor's prize.
• No backlinking.
• Make sure when entering your project that you mention The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up in your post with a link back to this blog.
• Please remember to link directly to your blog post where we can see your creation, and not just the generic link to your blog. Only permalinks are accepted.

We look forward to seeing you participate!

Link Up Below:

An InLinkz Link-up