Make This Christmas the BEST with three Old Time Traditions 

Make this Christmas more than special – make it unforgettable – by awakening three traditions of the past. An eclectic, unexpected and healthy line-up of treats for all to enjoy; the pairing of toys and treats that engage and encourage; and alluring, easy-to-make sweets and treats that never turned corporate.

Christmas is a spirited event, kids madly unwrapping gifts, grown-ups enjoying cakes, pies and holiday wine. And the candy – oh the candy! So many kinds. Truffles and creams for grown-ups and for kids a bonanza of rich chocolate Santas, sticky ribbon candy, marshmallow snowmen, and gummies galore.

So you may wonder, is this really the American way? Are these gift-giving, sweets-sharing practices merely a product of modern-day crass consumerism? Surely they were unknown to the legends of Christmas practices of the past. Actually, no. Our forefathers and mothers reveled in similar ways…only they were better at it. Here is what they did:

An eclectic line-up of sweets.  Fresh fruits and nuts may get relegated to a side table or an overlooked accompaniment to dessert today. But in the past, they were stars at the dessert line-up. In the 1880s, the varieties included

 candied violet petals, crystalized fruits, Jordan almonds, and crystalized ginger root. In 1935, candy stores were carrying “luscious nut-filled candies,” toffee and mixed, salted nuts.

The candy-nut-fruit trio wasn’t reserved for Christmas, of course. They were commonly sold together at general stores, open-air markets, and gift counters at well-coiffed mid-century department stores. But during Christmas they really shined! A gift of fruit - not baskets wrapped in cellophane but a piece of fruit – was a Christmas gift. An orange was a special favorite AND KIDS, especially, loved it!

The Takeaway: Granted, these fruits were riper, more fragrant, and more luscious than the varieties at Walmart or the school cafeteria. Regardless, the presence of fruits and nuts enriched the holiday meal, as they were healthy, nicely textured, and flavorful. And for the young people who ate them, they engendered positive associations of fruit and nuts that would endure their entire lives.

Unique Pairing of Sweets and Toys. Remember Cracker Jacks? The treat that boasted having candy-coated popcorn, peanuts, and a surprise toy inside the box? Cracker Jacks weren’t the only ones. Year-round, and at Christmas

especially, toys and candy were paired for sale. Toy glass figurines from water pumps to guns were loaded with candy. Late 1800s candy boxes were shaped like ice cream freezers, firecrackers, and billard tables. At that time, candy sticks and little, hair-woven baskets the size of a thimble, were popular. In 1923, puzzles, games, bells, and whistles were “crammed” in a holiday stocking and, in 1939 “affectionate nonsense such as perfume bells and silly balloons” according to one advertisement.  Naturally, the assortment also contained marbles, spinning tops, and playing cards.

The Takeaway: The variety of old-time toys is pretty impressive, although not of the towering magnitude of today’s Christmas. Which is kind of the point. Toys sparked imagination, were made for sharing, and with such delights as balsam gliders and parachute men, encouraged kids to go outside.  Of course, they had no choice. The internet wasn’t invented and in many homes, especially rural ones, electricity wouldn’t be available for decades. Life was essentially unplugged, the only “toy” kids kept themselves was a book. A tradition worth returning.

Alluring, Easy-to-Make Sweets and Treats. For much of American history, grocery stores had limited supplies and, in rural communities, a day’s trip away. Christmas candy was made at home, along with cakes, cookies, and whatever other supplies and delights finance allowed. They were also highly regional, never actually accepted into the corporate empire of today’s, they’re around. Some, like potato candy, were a favorite in Appalachia as well as parts of the West. In these regions, people may not have had money, but they could grow things. And potatoes, rugged and enduring, was one of them. Mash the potatoes with powdered sugar to a velvety paste, add a layer of peanut butter, roll and cut.

 Stain glass (aka hard tack) was another favorite where they boiled sugar with flavorings and colors, poured the mix onto a pan, which they left to dry and harden. Next they smashed the result into stain-glass looking chards, which they pesented with awith gloriously colorful flair. You also might find cornflake candy, sea foam, sponge candy and variously flavored creams, depending on where you are.

The Takeaway: It’s as hard to find these selections today as it is to find billard-shaped candy boxes. But the real glory is that holiday candy gifts and those served at dinners varied depending on where you were. The ingredients were part of the culture, the tradition, and the ever-unifying presence of fun. They defy the idea that being together means being like everyone else. And they punctuate the increasingly rare experience of sitting, talking, laughing and sharing memories with all.

Looking for an old-time regional recipe? No matter where you live, try this one for creams circa 1905.

SEE BELOW!