We don't have very many family traditions when it comes to Christmas. We collect ornaments for the kids each year-- one that represents something about the closing year. For instance, this year Songbird received an ornament that was a comedy and tragedy mask with the name of the play she was in and the year. Mighty Mouse gets a blown glass pumpkin because she is totally obsessed by pumpkins. She wants pumpkin everything...slippers, blanket, clothes, stuffed pumpkin...you name it, she wants it pumpkin.
Our other tradition is to decorate the tree as a family. (Yes, I do go back and tweak it for days afterwards when no one is looking.) The kids love hanging their own ornaments and the memories it brings back.
Tonight we did the tree for the first time without Bones. We still have his ornaments since he doesn't have a tree and will probably be over here for Christmas anyways (I hope). It was sad for me as a mom...and it is exciting also. My son is now a man (or so he thinks) and is moving on. Of course he's not moving that fast seeing as we are paying half of his college. LOL!
Along with our tree trimming we also have snacks and coconock. Yes, normal people call it eggnog...but that's because they don't have a Songbird. Talk about a kid that could rearrange words!!! Anyhow, it is now known exclusively as coconock in our house.
A little bit of eggnog history from The Kitchen Project:
Many people believe that eggnog is a tradition that was brought to America from Europe. This is partially true. Eggnog is related to various milk and wine punches that had been concocted long ago in the "Old World". However, in America a new twist was put on the theme. Rum was used in the place of wine. In Colonial America, rum was commonly called "grog", so the name eggnog is likely derived from the very descriptive term for this drink, "egg-and-grog", which corrupted to egg'n'grog and soon to eggnog. At least this is one version... Other experts would have it that the "nog" of eggnog comes from the word "noggin". A noggin was a small, wooden, carved mug. It was used to serve drinks at table in taverns (while drinks beside the fire were served in tankards). It is thought that eggnog started out as a mixture of Spanish "Sherry" and milk. The English called this concoction "Dry sack posset". It is very easy to see how an egg drink in a noggin could become eggnog.
The true story might be a mixture of the two and eggnog was originally called "egg and grog in a noggin". This was a term that required shortening if ever there was one.
With it's European roots and the availability of the ingredients, eggnog soon became a popular wintertime drink throughout Colonial America. It had much to recommend it; it was rich, spicy, and alcoholic.
In the 1820's Pierce Egan, a period author, wrote a book called "Life of London: or Days and Nights of Jerry Hawthorne and His Elegant Friend Corinthina Tom". To publicize his work Mr. Egan made up a variation of eggnog he called "Tom and Jerry". It added 1/2 oz of brandy to the basic recipe (fortifying it considerably and adding further to its popularity).
Eggnog, in the 1800s was nearly always made in large quantities and nearly always used as a social drink. It was commonly served at holiday parties and it was noted by an English visitor in 1866, "Christmas is not properly observed unless you brew egg nogg for all comers; everybody calls on everybody else; and each call is celebrated by a solemn egg-nogging...It is made cold and is drunk cold and is to be commended."
Of course, Christmas was not the only day upon which eggnog was popular. In Baltimore it was a tradition for young men to call upon all of their friends on New years day. At each of many homes the strapping fellows were offered a cup of eggnog, and so as they went they became more and more inebriated. It was quite a feat to actually finish one's rounds.
Our first President, George Washington, was quite a fan of eggnog and devised his own recipe that included rye whiskey, rum and sherry. It was reputed to be a stiff drink that only the most courageous were willing to try.
Eggnog is still a popular drink during the holidays, and its social character remains. It is hard to imagine a Christmas without a cup of the "nog" to spice up the atmosphere and lend merriment and joy to the proceedings. When you try out some of the recipes on this site, remember that, like many other of our grand traditions, there is history and life behind that little frothy brew.
And no...I really don't care about the history...I just like the pictures!
