The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

CHRISTMAS CUSTOM

WHEN I WAS YOUNG WE CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS WITH MY GRANDMOTHER ON MY
FATHER'S SIDE. SINCE THEY WERE LUTHERAN THEY CELEBRATED IT ON
CHRISTMAS EVE. SHE WOULD SERVE TRADITIONAL SWEDISH FOODS LIKE
LUTEFISK IN CREAM SAUCE WHICH WAS A KIND OF CURED COD. I REMEMBER
IT WOULD TURN THE SILVERWARE BLACK. THERE WAS PULT, A HOT SAUSAGE
MADE WITH SOME KIND OF BLOOD WITH FLOUR TO THICKEN IT. SHE SERVED
KORV WHICH WAS A POTATO SAUSAGE MADE WITH BEEF, PORK, AND RAW POTATO
IN A CASING. SHE MADE SYLTA, A PRESSED MEAT BY COOKING THE MEAT TILL
IT CAME OFF THE BONES. THE JUICE WOULD BE FULL OF GELATIN AND SHE
WOULD WRAP ALL OF IT IN CHEESECLOTH AND PRESS IT TOGETHER. THERE
WERE PICKLED PIG'S FEET IN A SALT BRINE AND SWEDISH RYE BREAD AND
SWEDISH MEATBALLS. THERE WERE A FEW SWEDISH COOKIES BUT NOT MANY.
THERE WOULD BE A LONG TABLE SPREAD WITH ALL THIS FOOD. RIGHT AFTER
MIDNIGHT WE WOULD HEAR BELLS AND SANTA CLAUS WOULD COME AND PASS OUT
GIFTS. THEN WE WOULD GO HOME AND SANTA CLAUS WOULD COME AGAIN DURING
THE NIGHT AND WE WOULD CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS AT HOME THE NEXT DAY.

Submitter comment: MY MOTHER CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS IN THIS WAY WHEN SHE WAS A SMALL CHILD
IN DULUTH, MINNESOTA. HER GRANDMOTHER WAS NAMED IDA NEWMAN. IDA WAS
BORN IN SWEDEN AND CAME TO THE UNITED STATES WHEN SHE WAS 15 OR 16.
HER HUSBAND HAD LIVED HERE SINCE HE WAS 2 OR 3. WHEN MY MOTHER WAS
OLDER THEY JUST CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS AT HOME. MY MOTHER DOES NOT
KNOW HOW TO PREPARE ANY OF THESE FOODS EXCEPT FOR SWEDISH RYE BREAD.
SHE USES A DIFFERENT RECIPE THOUGH BECAUSE HER GRANDMOTHER NEVER GAVE
AWAY HER RECIPES. I HAD NEVER EVEN HEARD OF SOME OF THESE FOODS
BEFORE THIS. MY MOTHER'S SISTER IN CALIFORNIA DOES MAKE POTATO
SAUSAGE BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S IDA NEWMAN'S RECIPE.

Where learned: OHIO ; SOLON

Date learned: CA00001929