So who is ready for Christmas? It’s only 53 days away.

What is your Christmas tradition, or things you prefer to do around Christmas?

In keeping up with my wife’s and my love of Christmas, November 1st is when we start the Christmas Season.
The tree is up and lit, but it’ll take a couple days to decorate.
The house and yard will start to get decorations starting tomorrow and throughout the week.

I made some Eggnog today. Best version yet, not many changes over the years, but this is exactly as I made it and I’m quite happy with the changes from last year.

I drink my eggnog between warm to hot. I find cold eggnog to be disgusting. YMMV.

3 cups half and half.
1 cup whole milk
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 packed teaspoon of fresh grated nutmeg
3/8 teaspoon cinnamon
3/8 teaspoon allspice
1.25 teaspoon vanilla extract
a grind or pinch of salt
1.75 cups Buffalo Trace Bourbon

Whisk the yolks and sugar: In a large bowl, whisk the yolks until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and continue whisking until smooth and creamy.

Heat the base: In a saucepan, combine the milk, half and half, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Warm gently over medium heat until steaming but not boiling, around 190° depending on your elevation (I’m at 4000 ft).

Temper the yolks: Slowly pour about a cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly to prevent scrambling. Gradually add the rest, whisking all the while.

Cook the custard: Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly and reaches about 170°F. It should coat the back of a spoon, don’t let it boil.

Add the whiskey: Remove from heat and let cool to 130°-140° then stir in the bourbon.

You want the custard just past warm but not hot when you add the whiskey, ideally around 140°F or a little lower.
Alcohol starts to noticeably evaporate above about 172°F, but if you pour bourbon into a custard that’s still at cooking temperature (165–170°F), you’ll lose some of the delicate aromatics, vanilla, oak, and caramel notes that make good whiskey so rewarding.
Once you stir in the whiskey at that point, it fully infuses and stays bright, with no cooked flavor or loss of potency. After adding it, strain and chill as usual, you’ll end up with that smooth, custardy texture and the full depth of your bourbon shining through.

I could drink a lot of this, but I’d be rather tipsy if I did. Damn, it’s sooooo good.




This is Mrs. Cooker decorating the tree a couple years ago. Not much has changed other than the house as we are back in our old house.



Edited to change the thread name as Ryan suggested.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Beancooker,

Have we forgotten Thanksgiving?

For me, Christmas season does not start after the day of gratitude and appreciation.

In our household, Christmas anything starts the weekend after Thanksgiving.

quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:
What is your Christmas tradition, or things you prefer to do around Christmas?

Pierogies with mushroom gravy and borscht on Christmas Eve. Prime rib (or lamb when the mood strikes) on Christmas day. Presents always opened on Christmas morning only.

Other than that, it's a bit too early for this. Nothing Christmas until at least the day after Thankstgiving.

I'll have to try the eggnog though. Thanks for the recipe.

quote:

Originally posted by oddball:
In our household, Christmas anything starts the weekend after Thanksgiving.

My house it starts on the Friday following thanksgiving (black Friday)

I finish hanging all the ornaments by noon that day, my wife spends the rest of the weekend rearranging my handiwork.

I don’t see anything amiss with an early start to the Christmas season. I do think you nog recipe is lovely.

I have a tradition of never ever drinking eggnog.
Rod

I have never ever heard of hot or warm eggnog. Thought that it was only ever supposed to be a chilled drink and yes store bought eggnog is overly sweet and disgusting. I usually cut it with milk.

My wife LOVES Christmas and is upset that it's a short season with Thanksgiving a week late this year so now I have orders that our lights will be up by November 21st and we will go get our (fresh cut by us) tree on (traditional for her family) Black Friday.

Mmmmm..egg nog.

I made a no-cook batch one year that had to sit in the fridge for a month to ensure that the alcohol killed off everything. It was very strong and GOOD.

December 1st please...Thank you for your attention to this matter!

That Eggnog recipe does sound VERY Good though!

For every Christmas tree lit before Thanksgiving, an elf drowns a baby reindeer.

quote:

Originally posted by sooma:
Have we forgotten Thanksgiving?

For me, Christmas season does not start after the day of gratitude and appreciation.

Same here. We wait until one Holiday is over before getting into the next one. I get how all the stores change as quickly as possible to capitalize on most women’s incessant shopping but we were on vacation 3 weeks ago and the entire hotel usually does an incredible fall setting but this year it was all Christmas. Totally ruined the fall vibe.

So, Christmas is a full contact sport at your household?

Bah humbug, gentlemen. If a few Christmas lights in early November are enough to ruin your day, I think we’ve identified a bigger problem than my timing. Sorry my joy showed up before your seasonal depression meds kicked in. I promise the tinsel isn’t contagious, you can scroll past without catching cheer and go back to polishing your bitterness.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I have never ever heard of hot or warm eggnog. Thought that it was only ever supposed to be a chilled drink and yes store bought eggnog is overly sweet and disgusting. I usually cut it with milk.

My wife LOVES Christmas…

I honestly never liked eggnog until it was served to me kind of hot. Then I was all in.

My wife loves Christmas as well. Hence all the decorations going up the day after Halloween. It’s totally worth it just to see her smile and be so happy.

Should this be the official Christmas 2025 thread? I vote yes.

In the spirit of that, here is my late mother's anisette cookie recipe. She would always make these for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Note that the frosting is much fluffier and not icing like in the photo.



Direct link for those who want a higher resolution version

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:

Thanksgiving a week late this year

Fourth Thursday of November, just like always.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:

Thanksgiving a week late this year

Fourth Thursday of November, just like always.

Maybe he's referring to October having 5 Thursdays this year?

Good for you Bean, but in my world from being a kid (I’m in my 70’s now) we always started, and continue to start, Christmas the day after Thanksgiving.

quote:

Originally posted by ryan81986:
Should this be the official Christmas 2025 thread? I vote yes.

In the spirit of that, here is my late mother's anisette cookie recipe. She would always make these for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Note that the frosting is much fluffier and not icing like in the photo.



Direct link for those who want a higher resolution version

I’m 100% down to rename the thread to “The official Christmas 2025 Thread”. That’s actually a splendid idea, Ryan.


Solely because you posted joy, and a recipe, I will be baking these cookies in the very, very near future. The candied balls most likely won’t make the cut, it’s a texture thing. I will circle back to add some photos when I do. Seems that I’ll have some extra time off work this week, so I’ll make an effort to bake these. Thanks again, because I feel these will be quite tasty.

For those that don’t like eggnog, here is a hot cocoa recipe for you.

2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract, more or less to your taste
1/4 cup cocoa powder.
2 cups half and half.

Whisk together the sugar, spices, and vanilla extract to combine.
Whisk in the cocoa powder.
Heat the milk in a pot until it simmers. When the milk simmers, add the above mixture and whisk vigorously. You want to mix in the chocolate, but also create some froth.
Pour the hot chocolate into fancy cups (small ones are best because it's so rich), and serve it.