Ghosts (photos) of Christmases Past

This year Eldest stayed in Montana for Christmas, and we miss her, of course! We'll be getting together with her after the New Year on a family vacation in sunny Lake Tahoe (California/Nevada). So, in the meantime, here are some photos from Christmases past.

Christmas Eve with all 3 kids. Eldest is reading the Nativity Story aloud. Looks like they already set out a treat for Santa Claus: the American tradition is to set out a plate of cookies with a glass of milk, but by the time Santa Claus makes it to Alaska, we figure he's tired of sweets and would prefers a refreshing beer (he's partial to India Pale Ale).

Our good friends from Mountainpulse always come over to join in some Christmas Cheer!

FOOD: Christmas baking at our house is heavily influenced by our respective cultural backgrounds: German and Scandinavian. But Christmas dinners are less so: no pickled herring or lutefisk at our house! Instead we've developed our own traditions based on what we like, and it so happens that we like it spicy!
On Christmas Eve (and New Year's Eve too), our family always eats Cajun Gumbo and Alaskan King Crab. It's delicious! On Christmas Day we always eat smoked turkey. We all LOVE turkey, and I think the left-overs are the best: turkey soup with dumplings, and, of course, making the next batch of spicy gumbo a couple of days after Christmas (or Thanksgiving, or Easter)...
Here Eldest is cooking the roux for a giant batch of gumbo. Of all her many talents I have to say she's a wonderful cook, quickly surpassing her parents' skills.

Here's wishing ya'll a merry Christmas, good eats and good cheer!