Giving the gift of family traditions

For Christmas 2009, Ann Jensen, executive director of the Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce, gave everyone in her family the perfect gift: “A cookbook of special recipes shared by a family that enjoys getting together and making memories through traditions.” Those words are on the title page of the cookbook called “Plenty Here Folks! Plenty Here!”

The introduction was written by David, Ann’s husband of 37 years. He tells of an uncle who, when the family sat down for a meal, would say in his Viennese accent, “Plendy here, folks.” That phrase became one of the family traditions.

Ann thought the cookbook would be good for her daughters who were setting up their own homes. It also served the purpose of writing down recipes that had never been written down. Some family members cook from memory, and Ann worried that when those people are gone, their recipes will be, too. Each book was personalized with a picture of one of the three family branches represented.

Throughout the cookbook are stories about meals and food and family gatherings. Most of their family members live locally, so they get together regularly and enjoy big meals.

Each person who has recipes in the cookbook also has their picture with one of their recipes, making it all the more personal.

Ann and Dave have two daughters, a grandson and another grandchild on the way. Their daughter Ruth is married to Todd, who are the parents of the grandchildren.

Their daughter Martha is an English teacher in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. She is getting married here this summer to a Canadian man who teaches at another school in Abu Dhabi.

David’s parents, Jeanne and Loyd Jensen of Leawood, celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary Sunday. Ann’s mother-in-law is an excellent cook. “Her meals are perfection,” Ann said. Except she did have one dish that wasn’t quite perfect. She once made a cherry pie for her husband’s boss, and after the first bite, she realized she had left the pits in the cherries.

Ann’s mother is also a really, really good cook, she said. Her father owned a restaurant, and the cookbook contains a special barbecue sauce recipe that he shared.

One of the traditions Ann has enjoyed in her home is baking Thanksgiving pies with her children and their friends. She remembers once making as many as 17 pies.

Mexican Christmas Traditions, Customs and Culture

The celebration of Mexican Christmas traditions will usually commence on the 12th December and finish on the 6th January. During this Christmas schedule in Mexico culture a collection of new ideas and age old Mexican traditions combine to create the unique celebration of Christmas in Mexico.

Many of the Mexican festivals focus on re-inactment. For example Los Posadas re-inacts the nativity scenes of Mary and Joseph looking for a place to rest in Bethlehem. The Christmas tradition is acted out each year by a procession of Mexican people starting on the 16th December and finishing on Christmas Eve.

During the Mexican festivals of Los Posadas, the group will stop by at homes asking for shelter. They will be refused entry until reaching the final location, where the party will be welcomed in to pray. Los Posadas lasts for nine days with each day representing a month in pregnancy.

We had a Duncan family Christmas dinner tonight. Just one of the many traditions at GLC.

Italian Christmas Eve Traditions - The tradition of the Italian Christmas Eve Feast: The tradition of the Italia...

Check out my book - 'The Origins of Christmas Songs and Traditions' - on -

The Festive Christmas Cookbook: A Treasury of Old Traditions, Recipes and Lore of the Christmas Season:

Of Witches and Bonfires: The blending of pagan and Christian traditions in celebrating Midsummer or Sankt Hans A...

The Traditions of Christmas

The Traditions of Christmas

The traditions of Christmas

The traditions of Christmas, customs of the season from many lands

Christmas customs and traditions, their history and significance

Reprints the 1912 study of the origins, evolution, and meaning of Christmas rituals and practices of many nations, including caroling, Christmas drama, the ...