Category: Christmas

Holiday Baking, the Norwegian Way

I’m an avid baker, and the holidays are a time when I get to shine the spotlight on recipes that celebrate my Norwegian ancestry. Norwegians love their sweets, especially during the holidays, when they celebrate with syv slags kaker, or “seven types of cookies,” a Christmas tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages. I…


Norwegian Spritz Cookies

Makes about 7 dozen cookies 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 2/3 cup granulated white sugar 2 large egg yolks 2 teaspoons milk, whole or 2 percent 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, optional (may also use other extracts or citrus zest to flavor) Food coloring, optional 2…


Pepperkaker (Norwegian Gingerbread Cookies)

Makes about 7 dozen medium-sized cookies 2/3 cup unsalted butter 2/3 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup golden syrup (see Notes) 1/4 cup heavy cream 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as…


Picking Poinsettias

Have you seen poinsettias for sale yet? I have. Were they red? Probably. That’s because we all know that poinsettias are red, right? Well, not so fast. There are pink, purple, white, spotted, striped, and even yellow and orange poinsettias. Every year, the commercial plant breeders of poinsettias come out with 5 to 20 new…


Deep Dive (Nov. 29): ‘Cause for Concern,’ Not Panic: Biden on the Omicron Variant

President Joe Biden says the new Omicron variant is “cause for concern, not a cause for panic.” He went on to say that” we’ll fight this variant with scientific and knowledgeable actions and speed, not chaos and confusion.” The director of the National Institutes of Health says it’ll take weeks to figure out if vaccines…


Christmas Events Kick Off in Los Angeles

Though Christmas is still a month away, Angelenos are already looking forward to all the outdoor festivities coming to town, especially after a nearly two-year hiatus. Here is a list of must-go events in Los Angeles for the holiday celebration. Make sure to plan ahead to make the most of the holiday season! Los Angeles…


Durham Cathedral Criticised Over Christmas COVID Passport

Worship has been offered every day at the celebrated Durham Cathedral in the North East of England for more than 900 years. But visitors who plan to attend the UNESCO World Heritage site and Norman building, which was constructed between 1093 and 1133, will now need to show their digital CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus…


Inflation Forcing Many Holiday Shoppers to Ditch Christmas Festivities

Many Americans plan not to embrace the holiday spirit this year, finds a new survey by consulting firm Deloitte (pdf). According to the annual study, 11.5 percent of Americans will not be spending anything on presents, gift cards, or any other items for entertaining. This is the highest percentage since the company began tracking consumers’…


Inflation Forcing Nearly 12 Percent of Americans to Ditch Christmas Gifts

Americans are changing their holiday shopping habits this year, finds a new survey by consulting firm Deloitte (pdf). According to the annual study, 11.5 percent of Americans will not be spending anything on presents, gift cards, or any other items for entertaining. This is the highest percentage since the company began tracking consumers’ holiday habits….


Tens of Millions of Red Crabs Form Scarlet Sea as They Migrate Across Christmas Island to Spawn in Ocean

Nature lovers each year flock to Christmas Island, Australia, around late November to witness a scarlet sea of tens of millions of red crabs migrating down from the forest to mate and spawn on the shoreline. Male red crabs set out on the journey first, triggered by the first rainfall of the wet season; they…