Thank you, dear people, for the wonderful stories of the traditions of SH and Germany.  Now I am learning about the origin of some of my family Christmas traditions.

Cherry soup was made with cherries from Grandpa's orchard.  Grandmother would can them in the summer and use them later.  I know the cherries and juice were thickened with a tapioca type mixture.  I wish I had the recipe!!  The cherries were sweetened with sugar.  I haven't had any cherry soup since the early 1950's when my father's mother died.  I don't know if the recipe was every handed down to my two aunts or not -- they are both deceased so I can't ask. :-(   Sandra   --- On Sat, 12/24/11, Dorothea Sanderson <ebenordms@tds.net> wrote: From: Dorothea Sanderson <ebenordms@tds.net> Subject: Re: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] Christmas Eve To: schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com Date: Saturday, December 24, 2011, 5:20 PM I had several English plum pudding recipes all from England during my travels there. One of the was from his family  who came from Preston Lanc. I also have the fancy steamed pudding molds bought  in England which I steam them in  have about fifty of them.    They are  indeed steamed puddings  for which the English are well known, but not to be classed with fruit cakes. Real fruit cakes are  seldom on a preferred list of deserts, but plum pudding were along with others of the same method of cooking.   I made them in September, and by Christmas were ready to give a gifts. I would include recipes for sauces, and directions for re-steaming before serving.  I served mine with a Brandy hard sauce that my husband preferred.  Those I gave as gifts, I sent a sauce recipe with it depending upon which recipe I used.   I would use about three different puddings in one year, all giving a slightly different flavor.  I also made American Mincemeat which I packed and gave for gifts.  In fact, I have some in my Freezer that I made long ago, but don't want to throw away.  There is so much alcohol in it that I am sure it could still be used, but am not likely to use it.    Although my Mother In Law made fruit cakes when she retired,   I never did.  I'd have had to eat them myself if I had, because I didn't know anyone else who would.  I did get them from others though including her.   She always sent bourbon  balls which she said my husband liked.  I decided to make a batch for him  and he had a fit.  I said, "Mother told me you loved Bourbon Balls."  He said, "I hate them, but she makes them for me every year."  That was the last of bourbon Balls.  I didn't like them much either.      How did they make Cherry soup??? Dorothea Mother's ancestry was mostly English, so we had English Plum Pudding on Christmas Day.  It's like a fruitcake with not so much fruit and is steamed rather than baked.  Topping was rum sauce, or lemon sauce.   I'm one of those people who likes fruitcake though I've never made one myself.  I have Mother's recipe and helped her a time or two.  Her paternal side was German but I haven't proven which part of Germany they came from.   Sandra Schroder Tennyson     ==== SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS Mailing List ==== Technical Terms and Rules of the S-H-ROOTS: http://www.genealogy-sh.com/faq-sh-roots/index.htm ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

My father's paternal side were all of Schleswig and Holstein. They ate some strange things like blood pudding, etc. My mother's side was from Mecklenburg in Northern Germany, and their food was quite the same. Many years ago I purchased a cookbook from the American/Schleswig-Holstein Heritage Society. There are a couple of recipes for fuetjens/futjens and fritters. Here is a cute recipe: Tolle Tante (Raving Aunt) Hot chocolate Rum or Brandy Whipped Cream To a cup of hot chocolate add a shot glass of rum or brandy, then put a nice cap of whipping cream on top. It tastes delicious and makes you happy! Another glass of Rum or Brandy will make you even happier." From: "The Land frauen - Verein, Pellworm (Holsteing) Cookbook) Kay ----- Original Message ----- From: <schleswig-holstein-roots-request@rootsweb.com> To: <schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, December 24, 2011 3:03 PM Subject: SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS Digest, Vol 6, Issue 151 > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: How was Christmas celebrated? (Dorothea Sanderson) > 2. Re: How was Christmas celebrated? (wesixski11) > 3. Re: How was Christmas celebrated? (Dorothea Sanderson) > 4. Christmas Eve (Sandra Tennyson) > 5. Christmas trees (Sandra Tennyson) > 6. Tree, foods, more / How was Christmas celebrated? (Barbara Petura) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:02:44 -0800 > From: "Dorothea Sanderson" <ebenordms@tds.net> > Subject: Re: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] How was Christmas celebrated? > To: <schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com> > Message-ID: <002d01ccc287$c49f00b0$4ddd0210$@net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > We always had Turkey for Christmas Dinner. My father was from the first > Generation born in the US of the descendents of his grandfather, Peter > William K?pke. Dad always stuffed and cooked the holiday turkey. (My > mother couldn?t boil water when she was first married.) He stuffed it > with > a stuffing that his mother always made, consisting of ground Beef and > Pork, > onions, apples, raisins, seasoned with Garlic and bell turkey seasoning, > always Bell and Salt and Pepper! (I added wine to mine.) Being a picky > eater, I didn't eat much of it until I actually grew up, and then loved it > and made it for my own family. (It may not have tasted like my > Grandmother's, but it did taste a lot like my father's.) As could be > expected, it was a heavy stuffing to say the least and almost a meal in > itself. He never wanted the tree taken down until after the 10th of > January. He also saved tobacco money all year, and bought his own gift > that he put under the tree, and he never put the tree up until we were in > bed Christmas Eve. > > He said she also made Eel Soup which he loved, but never made. I don't > know > where he would have found Eels in Hartford ct. anyway! I am not sure I > would have eaten that either! During the depression he waited until the > last minute and went to a turkey shoot for get a turkey (he was a very > good > shot. We never missed a holiday turkey.) The other thing was the tree. > He > bought it the last thing Christmas Eve, and frequently got it free. He > was > a quiet man who showed his love by what he did rather than what he said. > > Does anyone know if they ever make the soup without eels??? A substitute > maybe? > > Dorothea > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: schleswig-holstein-roots-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:schleswig-holstein-roots-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Tom > Black > Sent: Saturday, December 24, 2011 1:30 PM > To: schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] How was Christmas celebrated? > > Maggie, > More on fudgen.? Gay makes extra batter and forms the leftover dough? into > cinamon or pecan?sticky rolls and bakes them on Christmas morning serving > them with the left over hams, fried.? Gay says she thinks the breakfast > roll > tradition in her family originated with her mother.? Also on our research > of > the name fudgen (feuden, futjen) there are many variations.? Her guess is > that the actual name is Low German and spelled differently by various > families over time. > Blessing and Merry Christmas, > Tom > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:13:51 -0800 > From: "wesixski11" <wesixski11@harbornet.com> > Subject: Re: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] How was Christmas celebrated? > To: <schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com> > Message-ID: <4EEFB22161244AF1B1C12C829F3CFC26@wfwks01> > Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="UTF-8"; > reply-type=original > > I am absolutely LOVING this thread. I missed so much by having a quiet > father and grandparents. Elizabeth Tiedeman Wight > > -----Original Message----- > From: Dorothea Sanderson > Sent: Saturday, December 24, 2011 2:02 PM > To: schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] How was Christmas celebrated? > > We always had Turkey for Christmas Dinner. My father was from the first > Generation born in the US of the descendents of his grandfather, Peter > William K?pke. Dad always stuffed and cooked the holiday turkey. (My > mother couldn?t boil water when she was first married.) He stuffed it > with > a stuffing that his mother always made, consisting of ground Beef and > Pork, > onions, apples, raisins, seasoned with Garlic and bell turkey seasoning, > always Bell and Salt and Pepper! (I added wine to mine.) Being a picky > eater, I didn't eat much of it until I actually grew up, and then loved it > and made it for my own family. (It may not have tasted like my > Grandmother's, but it did taste a lot like my father's.) As could be > expected, it was a heavy stuffing to say the least and almost a meal in > itself. He never wanted the tree taken down until after the 10th of > January. He also saved tobacco money all year, and bought his own gift > that he put under the tree, and he never put the tree up until we were in > bed Christmas Eve. > > He said she also made Eel Soup which he loved, but never made. I don't > know > where he would have found Eels in Hartford ct. anyway! I am not sure I > would have eaten that either! During the depression he waited until the > last minute and went to a turkey shoot for get a turkey (he was a very > good > shot. We never missed a holiday turkey.) The other thing was the tree. > He > bought it the last thing Christmas Eve, and frequently got it free. He > was > a quiet man who showed his love by what he did rather than what he said. > > Does anyone know if they ever make the soup without eels??? A substitute > maybe? > > Dorothea > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: schleswig-holstein-roots-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:schleswig-holstein-roots-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Tom > Black > Sent: Saturday, December 24, 2011 1:30 PM > To: schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] How was Christmas celebrated? > > Maggie, > More on fudgen. Gay makes extra batter and forms the leftover dough into > cinamon or pecan sticky rolls and bakes them on Christmas morning serving > them with the left over hams, fried. Gay says she thinks the breakfast > roll > tradition in her family originated with her mother. Also on our research > of > the name fudgen (feuden, futjen) there are many variations. Her guess is > that the actual name is Low German and spelled differently by various > families over time. > Blessing and Merry Christmas, > Tom > > > > ==== SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS Mailing List ==== > Technical Terms and Rules of the S-H-ROOTS: > http://www.genealogy-sh.com/faq-sh-roots/index.htm > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:37:48 -0800 > From: "Dorothea Sanderson" <ebenordms@tds.net> > Subject: Re: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] How was Christmas celebrated? > To: <schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com> > Message-ID: <003101ccc28c$aaeab420$00c01c60$@net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" > > Some of this sounded like our house! However, my dad decorated the tree > always! We of course didn't see it until morning. Their first child was > born in 1917 and died two years later. He died two months after his > second > Christmas in 1920. My mother sent me all the ornaments that they had, > some > going back to Henry Jr's first Christmas. Some had candle wax on them. > I > still have a garland of small red beads that is still long enough to > put > on the tree! My daughter wants to someday had a talk with my father about > decoration. She feels that he passed on his tree decorating talents and > instructions on to me. She is wrong. It's in the genes! That is > wonderful about getting branches and drilling holes to stick the branches > in. German ingenuity! Just before the icicles went on, all the garlands > went on. If we made something in school, it went on too. He also had a > habit concerning tree ornaments. When Electric lights came in, the early > strings were sockets into which a light was screwed. Some of these were > too pretty for him to throw away when they blew out. He tied a string > around the socket end, and hung it on the tree. I still have one or two > left that I put on our tree. I just found his family in 2008, and how I > wish it had been sooner. I think it would have thrilled him to know his > family even though I have some holes. Besides, he could have translated > for me. > > Merry Christmas everyone. > > Dorothea > > > > > > To: schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] How was Christmas celebrated? > too told of the tree not being put up until Christmas Eve behind a closed > door, not to be seen until Christmas morning. My dad didn't go quite that > far but we didn't go out to get our tree until about 3 days before > Christmas > > and we would freeze while he took us around to just about every tree lot > around to find the perfect tree. If he didn't find the perfect tree he > would get extra branches and when he got home would drill holes in the > tree > trunk and then put the branches in the holes. The decorating was > perfectly > done too. The icicles went on last and we didn't DARE throw one on - it > had > > to be perfectly hung. All the decorations stayed up until Jan 6 which was > the 12th day of Christmas. In Germany my mother said they had real > candles > on the tree too > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:50:22 -0800 (PST) > From: Sandra Tennyson <lnstennyson@att.net> > Subject: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] Christmas Eve > To: schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com > Message-ID: > <1324767022.65305.YahooMailClassic@web180503.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > > > > > When I was a child on Christmas Eve, we always went to my grandparents > farm for supper of fruedens and cherry soup.??Dad's side was mostly > German -- Schroder, Arp, Plett.? The little balls of dough were fried in a > special pan until done and then rolled in sugar.? I haven't had fruedens > for 50 years but I still remember how good they were.? (My Schroder side > is from Kiel area in Schleswig-Holstein.)? The cherry soup was thickened > with something akin to tapioca. > ? > Mother's ancestry was mostly English, so we had English Plum Pudding on > Christmas Day.? It's like a fruitcake with not so much fruit and is > steamed rather than baked.? Topping was rum sauce, or lemon sauce. > ? > I'm one of those people who likes fruitcake though I've never made one > myself.? I have Mother's recipe and helped her a time or two.? Her > paternal side was German but I haven't proven which part of Germany they > came from. > ? > Sandra Schroder Tennyson > ? > ? > ? > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:55:22 -0800 (PST) > From: Sandra Tennyson <lnstennyson@att.net> > Subject: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] Christmas trees > To: schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com > Message-ID: > <1324767322.56865.YahooMailClassic@web180509.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > Forgot to mention that back in the 1940's, we would go to my grandparents > farm and cut a cedar tree -- a stickery cedar tree -- because there were a > lot of them on the farm.? Some years were pretty slim, so we would string > popcorn for a garland.? English walnut halfs were painted and glued back > together with a string or rick-rack for a hanger.? Paper stars, paper > chains - surley everyone remembers paper chains.? My grandmother put "my" > paper chain on her tree every year until she died at age 80.? I'm sure she > had to patch it a couple of times, but it was precious to her. > ? > What wonderful Christmas memories I have!! > ? > Merry Christmas to all on the list.? Happy New Year, too!! > ? > Sandra > ? > ? > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 6 > Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2011 15:03:21 -0800 (PST) > From: Barbara Petura <barbara_petura@yahoo.com> > Subject: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] Tree, foods, more / How was > Christmas celebrated? > To: "schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com" > <schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com> > Message-ID: <1324767801.986.YahooMailNeo@web122501.mail.ne1.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > Christmas greetings, John and list members, > In our family, we celebrated Christmas Eve with my maternal grandparents > in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, suburb. My grandmother's ancestors were from > Schleswig Holstein and from Bremen. They had settled in New Holstein, > Calumet County, Wisconsin, in the 1850s. [Surnames: Luehr, Groth, Boie, > Hachez] > > > I remember the era right after World War II. The family would gather for a > delicious dinner in our maternal grandparents' diningroom. The archway > into the livingroom was covered with a large cloth so we little ones could > not see the tree. Our tradition was that Santa arrived while we dined, and > afterward we were allowed into the livingroom to enjoy the tree - yes lit > with candles and decorated with beautiful glass ornaments -- and open our > presents.? Then off to church. [Christmas dinner was at my paternal > grandparents' home. What wonderful times those were!] > > > Foods that I especially remember around Christmas and New Year's at their > home were Christmas cookies such aspfeffernuesse cookies, stollen cake and > pickled herring! Pickled herring is traditional in Schleswig-Holstein and > northern Germany. I think stollen is a? German bread more generally. > People from many parts of Germany settled in Milwaukee and brought their > traditions that then were shared. > > > For fun, here is a link to Christmas dishes from Germany>> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christmas_dishes#Germany > > And links to websites with foods from Schleswig-Holstein:>> > http://www.germanfoods.org/consumer/facts/schleswigholstein.cfm >>> http://www.germanfoods.org/consumer/recipes/recipes_schleswigholstein.cfm >>> http://www.german-recipes.com/recipes/traditional-german/schleswig-holstein/ > > Stollen information & recipes>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christstollen >>> http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/cat/1206/ > Information and recipes for pfeffernuesse cookies >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pfeffern%C3%BCsse >>> http://www.food.com/recipe/pfeffernusse-german-pepper-nut-cookies-79103 > > Thanks for your great question, John. Sure stirred wonderful memories for > me. > Merry Christmas, all, > Barbara > > > > ________________________________ > From: John Rasch <jlrasch@yahoo.com> > To: schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com > Sent: Saturday, December 24, 2011 12:05 PM > Subject: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] How was Christmas celebrated? > > Christmas Greetings,?Can anyone direct me to a website or other > documentation of how the people of Schleswig celebrated Christmas? Did > they have predominately German cultural practices or Danish?? > My family, who were Lutheran, settled initially in Western Iowa. ?My Great > Aunts and Uncles told of how they were not allowed to see the Christmas > tree or the gifts below it until Christmas morning. In fact I do not > believe that the tree was even put up until Christmas eve. They had real > candles that they lit on the branches too. I assume they went to mass that > morning but am not sure as religion and faith were not talked of any more > than politics. My Grandpa was a baker and so I assume there were lots of > baked goodies to be enjoyed.? > > My Dad was rather particular as to how the whole tree decorating happened > too. I am wondering if this was a result of the depression era or if it > has roots in his heritage. > (Rasch, Pieper, Thomsen, Thomssen, Lorensen, Evers, Trede, Thiedemann, > Hitscher) > > John Rasch (Rootsweb Family Trees: Bartley2007 // Schleswig > towns:?Kiesbyfeld,?Lindaukamp, Kius, Boren / USA: Davenport, IA; - Scott > Co. IA; - Minden, IA; Denver, Co; - Herrick, SD; - Greeley, NE; - > Milwaukee, WI > Merry Christmas > John > "...which He prepared..." Ephesians 2 > ==== SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS Mailing List ==== > Technical Terms and Rules of the S-H-ROOTS: > http://www.genealogy-sh.com/faq-sh-roots/index.htm > > ------------------------------ > > To contact the SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS list administrator, send an email > to > SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS-admin@rootsweb.com. > > To post a message to the SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS mailing list, send an > email to SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS@rootsweb.com. > > __________________________________________________________ > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com > with the word "unsubscribe" without the quotes in the subject and the body > of the > email with no additional text. > > > End of SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS Digest, Vol 6, Issue 151 > ******************************************************** >

I had several English plum pudding recipes all from England during my travels there. One of the was from his family who came from Preston Lanc. I also have the fancy steamed pudding molds bought in England which I steam them in have about fifty of them. They are indeed steamed puddings for which the English are well known, but not to be classed with fruit cakes. Real fruit cakes are seldom on a preferred list of deserts, but plum pudding were along with others of the same method of cooking. I made them in September, and by Christmas were ready to give a gifts. I would include recipes for sauces, and directions for re-steaming before serving. I served mine with a Brandy hard sauce that my husband preferred. Those I gave as gifts, I sent a sauce recipe with it depending upon which recipe I used. I would use about three different puddings in one year, all giving a slightly different flavor. I also made American Mincemeat which I packed and gave for gifts. In fact, I have some in my Freezer that I made long ago, but don't want to throw away. There is so much alcohol in it that I am sure it could still be used, but am not likely to use it. Although my Mother In Law made fruit cakes when she retired, I never did. I'd have had to eat them myself if I had, because I didn't know anyone else who would. I did get them from others though including her. She always sent bourbon balls which she said my husband liked. I decided to make a batch for him and he had a fit. I said, "Mother told me you loved Bourbon Balls." He said, "I hate them, but she makes them for me every year." That was the last of bourbon Balls. I didn't like them much either. How did they make Cherry soup??? Dorothea Mother's ancestry was mostly English, so we had English Plum Pudding on Christmas Day.  It's like a fruitcake with not so much fruit and is steamed rather than baked.  Topping was rum sauce, or lemon sauce.   I'm one of those people who likes fruitcake though I've never made one myself.  I have Mother's recipe and helped her a time or two.  Her paternal side was German but I haven't proven which part of Germany they came from.   Sandra Schroder Tennyson    

Hi John, My dad's family settled in Grundy Co., Iowa. Dad's family opened their presents on Christmas Eve. He said that Santa made an appearance early in the evening and passed out their gifts. The lighting of the real candles sounds very Scandinavian. I have no idea what my dad's family did in regards to the tree. He never mentioned it. I know that my husband's Swedish and Norwegian families lit candles on the tree on Christmas Eve and danced around the tree. My dad's family had a traditional item for Christmas Eve supper called "futjen." We later called them fritters. They are deep fat fried or fried in a fritter pan. They have raisins and cardamom in them. Yum. My mother is not of German background so our family combined our Christmas Eve meal with the fritters and oyster stew. I always liked the fritters. The oyster stew not so much. I continue the tradition of the fritters but now have them for Christmas morning. My adult children look forward to that tradition every year and also to the lefse from my husband's side of the family. (As I'm writing this, Tom's e-mail came through and I see that his wife's family also has the fritters. I know that some friends in SW Iowa also continue that tradition.) Merry Christmas! Maggie Nelson On Dec 24, 2011, at 2:05 PM, John Rasch wrote: > Christmas Greetings, Can anyone direct me to a website or other > documentation of how the people of Schleswig celebrated Christmas? > Did they have predominately German cultural practices or Danish? > My family, who were Lutheran, settled initially in Western Iowa. > My Great Aunts and Uncles told of how they were not allowed to see > the Christmas tree or the gifts below it until Christmas morning. > In fact I do not believe that the tree was even put up until > Christmas eve. They had real candles that they lit on the branches > too. I assume they went to mass that morning but am not sure as > religion and faith were not talked of any more than politics. My > Grandpa was a baker and so I assume there were lots of baked > goodies to be enjoyed. > My Dad was rather particular as to how the whole tree decorating > happened too. I am wondering if this was a result of the depression > era or if it has roots in his heritage. > (Rasch, Pieper, Thomsen, Thomssen, Lorensen, Evers, Trede, > Thiedemann, Hitscher) > > John Rasch(Rootsweb Family Trees: Bartley2007 // Schleswig towns: > Kiesbyfeld, Lindaukamp, Kius, Boren / USA: Davenport, IA; - Scott > Co. IA; - Minden, IA; Denver, Co; - Herrick, SD; - Greeley, NE; - > Milwaukee, WI > Merry ChristmasJohn > "...which He prepared..." Ephesians 2 > ==== SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS Mailing List ==== > Technical Terms and Rules of the S-H-ROOTS: > http://www.genealogy-sh.com/faq-sh-roots/index.htm > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SCHLESWIG- > HOLSTEIN-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Christmas greetings, John and list members, In our family, we celebrated Christmas Eve with my maternal grandparents in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, suburb. My grandmother's ancestors were from Schleswig Holstein and from Bremen. They had settled in New Holstein, Calumet County, Wisconsin, in the 1850s. [Surnames: Luehr, Groth, Boie, Hachez] I remember the era right after World War II. The family would gather for a delicious dinner in our maternal grandparents' diningroom. The archway into the livingroom was covered with a large cloth so we little ones could not see the tree. Our tradition was that Santa arrived while we dined, and afterward we were allowed into the livingroom to enjoy the tree - yes lit with candles and decorated with beautiful glass ornaments -- and open our presents.  Then off to church. [Christmas dinner was at my paternal grandparents' home. What wonderful times those were!] Foods that I especially remember around Christmas and New Year's at their home were Christmas cookies such aspfeffernuesse cookies, stollen cake and pickled herring! Pickled herring is traditional in Schleswig-Holstein and northern Germany. I think stollen is a  German bread more generally. People from many parts of Germany settled in Milwaukee and brought their traditions that then were shared. For fun, here is a link to Christmas dishes from Germany>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christmas_dishes#Germany And links to websites with foods from Schleswig-Holstein:>> http://www.germanfoods.org/consumer/facts/schleswigholstein.cfm >> http://www.germanfoods.org/consumer/recipes/recipes_schleswigholstein.cfm >> http://www.german-recipes.com/recipes/traditional-german/schleswig-holstein/ Stollen information & recipes>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christstollen >> http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/cat/1206/ Information and recipes for pfeffernuesse cookies >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pfeffern%C3%BCsse >> http://www.food.com/recipe/pfeffernusse-german-pepper-nut-cookies-79103 Thanks for your great question, John. Sure stirred wonderful memories for me. Merry Christmas, all, Barbara ________________________________ From: John Rasch <jlrasch@yahoo.com> To: schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com Sent: Saturday, December 24, 2011 12:05 PM Subject: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] How was Christmas celebrated? Christmas Greetings, Can anyone direct me to a website or other documentation of how the people of Schleswig celebrated Christmas? Did they have predominately German cultural practices or Danish?  My family, who were Lutheran, settled initially in Western Iowa.  My Great Aunts and Uncles told of how they were not allowed to see the Christmas tree or the gifts below it until Christmas morning. In fact I do not believe that the tree was even put up until Christmas eve. They had real candles that they lit on the branches too. I assume they went to mass that morning but am not sure as religion and faith were not talked of any more than politics. My Grandpa was a baker and so I assume there were lots of baked goodies to be enjoyed.  My Dad was rather particular as to how the whole tree decorating happened too. I am wondering if this was a result of the depression era or if it has roots in his heritage. (Rasch, Pieper, Thomsen, Thomssen, Lorensen, Evers, Trede, Thiedemann, Hitscher) John Rasch (Rootsweb Family Trees: Bartley2007 // Schleswig towns: Kiesbyfeld, Lindaukamp, Kius, Boren / USA: Davenport, IA; - Scott Co. IA; - Minden, IA; Denver, Co; - Herrick, SD; - Greeley, NE; - Milwaukee, WI Merry Christmas John "...which He prepared..." Ephesians 2 ==== SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS Mailing List ==== Technical Terms and Rules of the S-H-ROOTS: http://www.genealogy-sh.com/faq-sh-roots/index.htm

Forgot to mention that back in the 1940's, we would go to my grandparents farm and cut a cedar tree -- a stickery cedar tree -- because there were a lot of them on the farm.  Some years were pretty slim, so we would string popcorn for a garland.  English walnut halfs were painted and glued back together with a string or rick-rack for a hanger.  Paper stars, paper chains - surley everyone remembers paper chains.  My grandmother put "my" paper chain on her tree every year until she died at age 80.  I'm sure she had to patch it a couple of times, but it was precious to her.   What wonderful Christmas memories I have!!   Merry Christmas to all on the list.  Happy New Year, too!!   Sandra    

When I was a child on Christmas Eve, we always went to my grandparents farm for supper of fruedens and cherry soup.  Dad's side was mostly German -- Schroder, Arp, Plett.  The little balls of dough were fried in a special pan until done and then rolled in sugar.  I haven't had fruedens for 50 years but I still remember how good they were.  (My Schroder side is from Kiel area in Schleswig-Holstein.)  The cherry soup was thickened with something akin to tapioca.   Mother's ancestry was mostly English, so we had English Plum Pudding on Christmas Day.  It's like a fruitcake with not so much fruit and is steamed rather than baked.  Topping was rum sauce, or lemon sauce.   I'm one of those people who likes fruitcake though I've never made one myself.  I have Mother's recipe and helped her a time or two.  Her paternal side was German but I haven't proven which part of Germany they came from.   Sandra Schroder Tennyson      

Some of this sounded like our house! However, my dad decorated the tree always! We of course didn't see it until morning. Their first child was born in 1917 and died two years later. He died two months after his second Christmas in 1920. My mother sent me all the ornaments that they had, some going back to Henry Jr's first Christmas. Some had candle wax on them. I still have a garland of small red beads that is still long enough to put on the tree! My daughter wants to someday had a talk with my father about decoration. She feels that he passed on his tree decorating talents and instructions on to me. She is wrong. It's in the genes! That is wonderful about getting branches and drilling holes to stick the branches in. German ingenuity! Just before the icicles went on, all the garlands went on. If we made something in school, it went on too. He also had a habit concerning tree ornaments. When Electric lights came in, the early strings were sockets into which a light was screwed. Some of these were too pretty for him to throw away when they blew out. He tied a string around the socket end, and hung it on the tree. I still have one or two left that I put on our tree. I just found his family in 2008, and how I wish it had been sooner. I think it would have thrilled him to know his family even though I have some holes. Besides, he could have translated for me. Merry Christmas everyone. Dorothea To: schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] How was Christmas celebrated? too told of the tree not being put up until Christmas Eve behind a closed door, not to be seen until Christmas morning. My dad didn't go quite that far but we didn't go out to get our tree until about 3 days before Christmas and we would freeze while he took us around to just about every tree lot around to find the perfect tree. If he didn't find the perfect tree he would get extra branches and when he got home would drill holes in the tree trunk and then put the branches in the holes. The decorating was perfectly done too. The icicles went on last and we didn't DARE throw one on - it had to be perfectly hung. All the decorations stayed up until Jan 6 which was the 12th day of Christmas. In Germany my mother said they had real candles on the tree too

I am absolutely LOVING this thread. I missed so much by having a quiet father and grandparents. Elizabeth Tiedeman Wight -----Original Message----- From: Dorothea Sanderson Sent: Saturday, December 24, 2011 2:02 PM To: schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] How was Christmas celebrated? We always had Turkey for Christmas Dinner. My father was from the first Generation born in the US of the descendents of his grandfather, Peter William Köpke. Dad always stuffed and cooked the holiday turkey. (My mother couldn’t boil water when she was first married.) He stuffed it with a stuffing that his mother always made, consisting of ground Beef and Pork, onions, apples, raisins, seasoned with Garlic and bell turkey seasoning, always Bell and Salt and Pepper! (I added wine to mine.) Being a picky eater, I didn't eat much of it until I actually grew up, and then loved it and made it for my own family. (It may not have tasted like my Grandmother's, but it did taste a lot like my father's.) As could be expected, it was a heavy stuffing to say the least and almost a meal in itself. He never wanted the tree taken down until after the 10th of January. He also saved tobacco money all year, and bought his own gift that he put under the tree, and he never put the tree up until we were in bed Christmas Eve. He said she also made Eel Soup which he loved, but never made. I don't know where he would have found Eels in Hartford ct. anyway! I am not sure I would have eaten that either! During the depression he waited until the last minute and went to a turkey shoot for get a turkey (he was a very good shot. We never missed a holiday turkey.) The other thing was the tree. He bought it the last thing Christmas Eve, and frequently got it free. He was a quiet man who showed his love by what he did rather than what he said. Does anyone know if they ever make the soup without eels??? A substitute maybe? Dorothea -----Original Message----- From: schleswig-holstein-roots-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:schleswig-holstein-roots-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Tom Black Sent: Saturday, December 24, 2011 1:30 PM To: schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] How was Christmas celebrated? Maggie, More on fudgen. Gay makes extra batter and forms the leftover dough into cinamon or pecan sticky rolls and bakes them on Christmas morning serving them with the left over hams, fried. Gay says she thinks the breakfast roll tradition in her family originated with her mother. Also on our research of the name fudgen (feuden, futjen) there are many variations. Her guess is that the actual name is Low German and spelled differently by various families over time. Blessing and Merry Christmas, Tom ==== SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS Mailing List ==== Technical Terms and Rules of the S-H-ROOTS: http://www.genealogy-sh.com/faq-sh-roots/index.htm ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

We always had Turkey for Christmas Dinner. My father was from the first Generation born in the US of the descendents of his grandfather, Peter William Köpke. Dad always stuffed and cooked the holiday turkey. (My mother couldn’t boil water when she was first married.) He stuffed it with a stuffing that his mother always made, consisting of ground Beef and Pork, onions, apples, raisins, seasoned with Garlic and bell turkey seasoning, always Bell and Salt and Pepper! (I added wine to mine.) Being a picky eater, I didn't eat much of it until I actually grew up, and then loved it and made it for my own family. (It may not have tasted like my Grandmother's, but it did taste a lot like my father's.) As could be expected, it was a heavy stuffing to say the least and almost a meal in itself. He never wanted the tree taken down until after the 10th of January. He also saved tobacco money all year, and bought his own gift that he put under the tree, and he never put the tree up until we were in bed Christmas Eve. He said she also made Eel Soup which he loved, but never made. I don't know where he would have found Eels in Hartford ct. anyway! I am not sure I would have eaten that either! During the depression he waited until the last minute and went to a turkey shoot for get a turkey (he was a very good shot. We never missed a holiday turkey.) The other thing was the tree. He bought it the last thing Christmas Eve, and frequently got it free. He was a quiet man who showed his love by what he did rather than what he said. Does anyone know if they ever make the soup without eels??? A substitute maybe? Dorothea -----Original Message----- From: schleswig-holstein-roots-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:schleswig-holstein-roots-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Tom Black Sent: Saturday, December 24, 2011 1:30 PM To: schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] How was Christmas celebrated? Maggie, More on fudgen.  Gay makes extra batter and forms the leftover dough  into cinamon or pecan sticky rolls and bakes them on Christmas morning serving them with the left over hams, fried.  Gay says she thinks the breakfast roll tradition in her family originated with her mother.  Also on our research of the name fudgen (feuden, futjen) there are many variations.  Her guess is that the actual name is Low German and spelled differently by various families over time. Blessing and Merry Christmas, Tom

Maggie, More on fudgen.  Gay makes extra batter and forms the leftover dough  into cinamon or pecan sticky rolls and bakes them on Christmas morning serving them with the left over hams, fried.  Gay says she thinks the breakfast roll tradition in her family originated with her mother.  Also on our research of the name fudgen (feuden, futjen) there are many variations.  Her guess is that the actual name is Low German and spelled differently by various families over time. Blessing and Merry Christmas, Tom >________________________________ > From: Maggie Nelson <maggiebly@gmail.com> >To: schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com >Sent: Saturday, December 24, 2011 3:06 PM >Subject: Re: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] How was Christmas celebrated? > >Hi John, >My dad's family settled in Grundy Co., Iowa. Dad's family opened  >their presents on Christmas Eve. He said that Santa made an  >appearance early in the evening and passed out their gifts. The  >lighting of the real candles sounds very Scandinavian. I have no idea  >what my dad's family did in regards to the tree. He never mentioned  >it. I know that my husband's Swedish and Norwegian families lit  >candles on the tree on Christmas Eve and danced around the tree. > >My dad's family had a traditional item for Christmas Eve supper  >called "futjen." We later called them fritters. They are deep fat  >fried or fried in a fritter pan. They have raisins and cardamom in  >them. Yum. My mother is not of German background so our family  >combined our Christmas Eve meal with the fritters and oyster stew. I  >always liked the fritters. The oyster stew not so much. >I continue the tradition of the fritters but now have them for  >Christmas morning. My adult children look forward to that tradition  >every year and also to the lefse from my husband's side of the family. >(As I'm writing this, Tom's e-mail came through and I see that his  >wife's family also has the fritters. I know that some friends in SW  >Iowa also continue that tradition.) >Merry Christmas! >Maggie Nelson > > >On Dec 24, 2011, at 2:05 PM, John Rasch wrote: > >> Christmas Greetings, Can anyone direct me to a website or other  >> documentation of how the people of Schleswig celebrated Christmas?  >> Did they have predominately German cultural practices or Danish? >> My family, who were Lutheran, settled initially in Western Iowa.  >> My Great Aunts and Uncles told of how they were not allowed to see  >> the Christmas tree or the gifts below it until Christmas morning.  >> In fact I do not believe that the tree was even put up until  >> Christmas eve. They had real candles that they lit on the branches  >> too. I assume they went to mass that morning but am not sure as  >> religion and faith were not talked of any more than politics. My  >> Grandpa was a baker and so I assume there were lots of baked  >> goodies to be enjoyed. >> My Dad was rather particular as to how the whole tree decorating  >> happened too. I am wondering if this was a result of the depression  >> era or if it has roots in his heritage. >> (Rasch, Pieper, Thomsen, Thomssen, Lorensen, Evers, Trede,  >> Thiedemann, Hitscher) >> >> John Rasch(Rootsweb Family Trees: Bartley2007 // Schleswig towns:  >> Kiesbyfeld, Lindaukamp, Kius, Boren / USA: Davenport, IA; - Scott  >> Co. IA; - Minden, IA; Denver, Co; - Herrick, SD; - Greeley, NE; -  >> Milwaukee, WI >> Merry ChristmasJohn >> "...which He prepared..." Ephesians 2 >>  ==== SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS Mailing List ==== >> Technical Terms and Rules of the S-H-ROOTS: >> http://www.genealogy-sh.com/faq-sh-roots/index.htm >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SCHLESWIG- >> HOLSTEIN-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe'  >> without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >==== SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS Mailing List ==== >Technical Terms and Rules of the S-H-ROOTS: >http://www.genealogy-sh.com/faq-sh-roots/index.htm > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > >

John, I cannot answer your question directly about Christmas customs in Schleswig.  However, I will share a Christmas family tradition that my wife keeps.   My wife, Gladys "Gay" Wellendorf Black is a third generation American-German. He was born and attended public schools in Davenport Iowa.  All eight of her Ggrandparents emigrated from or had their roots in Probstei (Holstein) and Dithmarchen (Schleswig).  The tradition is that the Christmas Eve meal is Feudens or Fudgins or Fritters(American). Feudens are small balls of sweet yeast dough fried in Swedish fry pans.  When served they are dipped in sugar and accompanied by baked ham. This tradition was handed down from her mother and both her grandmothers.  In 2010 when we visited Probstei and Dithmarchen we saw several Fudgin (this is what the present day SH call them) skillets in homes and museums.  Several SH ladies Gay talked with in SH still made them, but the Christmas tradition never came up.   Hope you have a very Merry Christmas, a Prosperous New Year and  the blessing of 4.Mose (Numbers) 6: 24-26. Blessing, Tom Black   PS:  Gay also has an German family Easter tradition meal. Her family calls it Grotten Klump and in Schleswig-Holstein they call it Grotten Hans.       >________________________________ > From: John Rasch <jlrasch@yahoo.com> >To: schleswig-holstein-roots@rootsweb.com >Sent: Saturday, December 24, 2011 2:05 PM >Subject: [SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS] How was Christmas celebrated? > >Christmas Greetings, Can anyone direct me to a website or other documentation of how the people of Schleswig celebrated Christmas? Did they have predominately German cultural practices or Danish?  >My family, who were Lutheran, settled initially in Western Iowa.  My Great Aunts and Uncles told of how they were not allowed to see the Christmas tree or the gifts below it until Christmas morning. In fact I do not believe that the tree was even put up until Christmas eve. They had real candles that they lit on the branches too. I assume they went to mass that morning but am not sure as religion and faith were not talked of any more than politics. My Grandpa was a baker and so I assume there were lots of baked goodies to be enjoyed.  >My Dad was rather particular as to how the whole tree decorating happened too. I am wondering if this was a result of the depression era or if it has roots in his heritage. >(Rasch, Pieper, Thomsen, Thomssen, Lorensen, Evers, Trede, Thiedemann, Hitscher) > >John Rasch(Rootsweb Family Trees: Bartley2007 // Schleswig towns: Kiesbyfeld, Lindaukamp, Kius, Boren / USA: Davenport, IA; - Scott Co. IA; - Minden, IA; Denver, Co; - Herrick, SD; - Greeley, NE; - Milwaukee, WI >Merry ChristmasJohn >"...which He prepared..." Ephesians 2 >==== SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS Mailing List ==== >Technical Terms and Rules of the S-H-ROOTS: >http://www.genealogy-sh.com/faq-sh-roots/index.htm > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > >

Christmas Greetings, Can anyone direct me to a website or other documentation of how the people of Schleswig celebrated Christmas? Did they have predominately German cultural practices or Danish?  My family, who were Lutheran, settled initially in Western Iowa.  My Great Aunts and Uncles told of how they were not allowed to see the Christmas tree or the gifts below it until Christmas morning. In fact I do not believe that the tree was even put up until Christmas eve. They had real candles that they lit on the branches too. I assume they went to mass that morning but am not sure as religion and faith were not talked of any more than politics. My Grandpa was a baker and so I assume there were lots of baked goodies to be enjoyed.  My Dad was rather particular as to how the whole tree decorating happened too. I am wondering if this was a result of the depression era or if it has roots in his heritage. (Rasch, Pieper, Thomsen, Thomssen, Lorensen, Evers, Trede, Thiedemann, Hitscher) John Rasch(Rootsweb Family Trees: Bartley2007 // Schleswig towns: Kiesbyfeld, Lindaukamp, Kius, Boren / USA: Davenport, IA; - Scott Co. IA; - Minden, IA; Denver, Co; - Herrick, SD; - Greeley, NE; - Milwaukee, WI Merry ChristmasJohn "...which He prepared..." Ephesians 2

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: klstruve1 Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.ceeurope.germany.schleswig.general/6387.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Hello from Germany. Your Lantau-family (not Lantan as someone suggested) is partly found in the rootdigger database of emigrants (whom you call immigrants at your end of the voyage) from Schleswig-Holstein. See www.rootdigger.de Carl is listed as well as his brother Johann Christian. I suppose these two are Charles and Chris. You will not find records of them in Kiel. Contact info is on the site. With greetings from the Old Country, Klaus (Struve), in Kiel, capital of Schleswig and Holstein Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: shand133 Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.ceeurope.germany.schleswig.general/3743.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Hi Christopher, I am the great great grand-daughter of your ancestor Franz Ahnfeldt. His son Johan's eldest daughter Ellen was my grandmother. I am happy to share whatever I have with you. Debra Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: mavisjarchow38 Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.ceeurope.germany.schleswig.general/6235.2.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: My grt grt grandma name is Caroline Winkleman born 03-11-1820 in Dantzich Meelenburg, Rachich,Germany. Married to Casper Schmuck in Germany 11-18-1856. Died 01-09-1905. Children Anna, Lizzie,Maria, Johan, Herman. I have her parents as father John Detley Winkleman, Mother Louise Derthea Hohenbein. I have not worked on this for some time it would be great to connect with you. Good Luck Mavis Jarchow Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: Gerstens Surnames: Gerstenschläger Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.ceeurope.germany.schleswig.general/587.892.2.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: All American Gerstenschlagers seem to decend from Conrad Gerstenschläger who lived around 1700 in Germany. Conrad was married to Anna Katharina Spalt. Their three sons all married and died in Habitzheim, a small village in Germany near Frankfurt. 1720, the year in which the first son married, Conrad was already dead. If you want further informations about German Gerstenschlagers who emmigrated to the US please contact me. Ine Gerstenschläger Germany Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: nathanheldt Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.ceeurope.germany.schleswig.general/2940.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I'm Your cousin thing! great great grandson of Hans! Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.de/stellen.europa.deutschland.schleswigholstein/760.2229/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Hello i search Heesch from Burg Iam not sure,but some People told me that my Heesch start there Maybe you can help me Thanks alot Marion