Yuletide is Coming

Joesitz (RIP)

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Jul 11, 2003

• Dec 16, 2008

• #1

I believe Yuletide begins on 21 December this year, and is now called Winter Solstice. It is the celebration of Light because the dark days of Fall will begin to lighten up. My father used to say the days will get longer by l minute per day, but I don't believe that really works.

The holiday is of German origin but was also celebrated throughout Europe. However, as it would be with Christianity, they put Jesus' birthday on the 25th of December to get rid of a perceived pagan holiday.

 

Ptichka

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• Dec 16, 2008

• #2

Hey, that's the same day Hanukkahs starts!

 

Joesitz (RIP)

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• Dec 16, 2008

• #3

But Hanukah is a moveable feast.

 

Ptichka

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• Dec 16, 2008

• #4

No, Hanukkah is not a "movable" feast, it always starts on the 25th of Kislev. What you probably mean is that the Jewish calendar does not correspond to the Gregorian one, so it can be any time between late November and late December. This year, however, Hanukkah starts on the same day as Yuletide.

 

Joesitz (RIP)

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Jul 11, 2003

• Dec 16, 2008

• #5

Ahh, it's calendar difference. Thanks for the info. Actually Yuletide can come within the three days of the gregorian calendar 20-22 December, but that has to do with Science and not religion.

 

Ptichka

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• Dec 16, 2008

• #6

Jewish calendar is actually rather peculiar, as it combines the lunar and solar approaches. Each month is either 29 or 30 days, corresponding to the lunar months (in the old days the beginning of the month was announced through observation). However, having just lunar calendar would create 12 months that are 11 days shorter than the solar year. So, to make up for it, 6 of every 19 years is a leap year (literally - pregnant year) - except that instead of adding an extra day, the leap year has an extra month. Once again, in the old days this would be handled by observation - if Passover happened too early, a month would be added, but this has been standardized in the 4th century. So most of the Jewish calendar is also science-based.

Now, why do I say "most" instead of "all"? Well, because there are a couple of exceptions to the rule. Yom Kippur should not fall on a Friday or a Sunday (because that way it would be too difficult to put together either the break fast meal or the meal going into the fast seeing as there is no "work" allowed on Saturday), and Hoshanah Rabba should not fall on Sabbath. To ensure this, an extra day is either subtracted or added to the appropriate months.

Confused yet?!

 

Tonichelle

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• Dec 16, 2008

• #7

I think your dad simplified how the time works with the light... and I'm sure it's different for different parts of the world... like Barrow, Alaska... they won't see the sun at all even though the days are supposed to be getting longer... that idea is counting the hours minute and seconds we see the sun... Barrow doesn't get that for another couple of months (sucks to be them)

of course they also don't see the sun dip below the horizon after the longest day of the year either...

 

Mathman

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Jun 21, 2003

• Dec 16, 2008

• #8

I think your dad's about right, Joe. At the lattitude of New York, the change is a little more than a minute a day in Jamuary, increasing to about twice that by the time of the spring equinox.

In Barrow, it's about 10 minutes a day. (About 6 in Anchorage.)

 

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childfreegirl

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• Dec 16, 2008

• #9

Yes, Yule is coming. I can't wait. This is my favorite time of year. Sunday I'll get up early to meditate at sunrise and hopefully get that shot of spiritual renewal that Yule usually gives me. *gazes hopefully at her Yule tree*

Happy Yule y'all!
Jo, the resident pagan

 

Joesitz (RIP)

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Jul 11, 2003

• Dec 17, 2008

• #10

That you, chilfreegirl. I bow to Stonehedge at this time of the year.

 

Buttercup

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• Dec 18, 2008

• #11

Ptichka said:

Hey, that's the same day Hanukkahs starts!

Click to expand...

Ptichka, do you have a good recipe for latkes? Posting one would be a public service, they're really good!

 

Ptichka

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• Dec 18, 2008

• #12

There are two basic schools of thought regarding latkes - some like to pure the potatoes for a homogeneous mass, whereas others like to taste the fried potato. I am personally of the latter school. I grate (on a large grate) a few large potatoes (I usually grate them into a bowl of water, let them soak for a few minutes, and then flush with cold water and drain), add an egg or two, a bit of flour, freshly ground pepper (that is not traditional, I just like a zing to all of my food), and an onion that I'm too lazy to chop and therefore just pure in a blender. Then fry and eat

 

Tonichelle

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• Dec 18, 2008

• #13

I apologise for my ignorance but it sounds an awful lot like hashbrowns... (which homemade hashbrowns are yummy!)

 

Grgranny

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Jul 26, 2003

• Dec 18, 2008

• #14

I love hash browns too. I never heard of adding eggs to them. I just buy the frozen potatoes because I'm lazy and don't like to clean the food processor.
I sure don't put pepper in anything. I'm allergic to it. Last time I accidently ate some I threw up all over the car when I was driving home. And it was not .

 

Ptichka

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• Dec 18, 2008

• #15

The difference is essentially that hash browns are one big lump whereas latkes are fried as patties. This ones look a lot like the ones I make: http://www.newsday.com/media/photo/2005-12/21042900.jpg. Now, the ones my MIL makes look more like this: http://www.pastramiclub.com/latkes.jpg.

GrGranny, I've been using theMagic Bullet for my blending - it has no mess, and everything fits into a dishwasher. It is coming especially handy now, when I have to pure baby food.

 

Last edited: Dec 18, 2008

Tonichelle

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• Dec 18, 2008

• #16

granny - my dad has to have eggs mixed into his... the rest of us don't like it that way so he just adds his eggs to his hash browns

interestingly enough this is the same man who does not like to have his food touch each other. He will *Freak out* if you put your peas or corn in your mashed potatos lol

 

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luvsasha

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• Dec 19, 2008

• #17

Did someone just mention hashbrowns? yumm

For breakfast on Christmas, we usually have bacon, eggs, hasbrowns, and cinnamon buns and it is really good.

 

Buttercup

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• Dec 19, 2008

• #18

Ptichka said:

The difference is essentially that hash browns are one big lump whereas latkes are fried as patties.

Click to expand...

Yes, while there are certainly similarities, hash browns and latkes are not the same. I also prefer to taste the fried potato and like them with onions and pepper added, not the sweet versions with apple sauce or sugar.

 

Tonichelle

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• Dec 19, 2008

• #19

for Christmas breakfast my family has my dad's coffee cake. It's not my favorite so I normally eat a couple of pieces of pie (pumpkin or apple) and then Dad reads from Luke Chap. 2

 

Mathman

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Jun 21, 2003

• Dec 19, 2008

• #20

Tonichelle said:

...and then Dad reads from Luke Chap. 2

Click to expand...

That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.