An Early Tradition Revealed

I am a tried and true believer that Christmas is not to be thought of until after Thanksgiving…..now that doesn’t mean that I won’t wait up until midnight on Thanksgiving Day so that I can pull all of the Christmas stuff out and get my decorating on, but, I will not do it a minute before midnight. I feel that we are in such a rush for the Christmas season that we loose the whole meaning of Thanksgiving…..we need to celebrate our history, we need to be thankful for what we have, not worrying about what we are going to get. If we do not address Thanksgiving whole heartedly we loose some of the magic associated with Christmas.

Saying that…..I am going to make an exception to the rule (just so you can all be prepared for midnight next Thursday….I am thinking about you…I got it like that!!!) and share with you one of my Christmas season traditions. A few years back a friend of mine introduced me to book that has become a must for my Christmas Season enjoyment, it is called Four Midwestern Sisters’ Christmas Book by Holly Burkhalter. Every Friday after Thanksgiving, instead of beating my way through the crowds at the stores and causing myself great stress over the rudeness that has become our society, I sit at home with a cup of Hot Buttered Rum (recipe to follow) to which the recipe comes from the afore mentioned book. I escape back to a simpler time when traditions and family were what the season where all about. I pretend to be a part of the happy gatherings and parties they reminisce about and I find my self starting to fill with the joy of the Holiday Season…..it could be that the Hot Buttered Rum is a tiny bit responsible for some of that cheer.

The Daileys’ Hot Buttered Rum
From the book Four Midwestern Sisters’ Christmas Book by Holly Burkhalter

Mixture:
2 cups Butter, melted
2lb. light brown sugar
1t cinnamon
1t allspice
1t ground cloves
1t nutmeg
4 eggs

Added upon serving:
Rum
Boiling water

Beat together the butter, brown sugar, spices and eggs until emulsified (at least 15 min but be sure to turn the mixer off once and a while to let it cool down). Pour the mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, put a heaping tablespoon of the mixture in a mug, stir in 1.5 ounces of Rum, and fill the mug with boiling water.

I have used the spiced Rum before and it gives it a little more kick. I have to be careful with Rum it makes me very warm all over so it is really good on a night when it is cold and I am in need of some warmth. The mixture makes around 35 servings so be sure to share!!!