German Christmas in the Kolm Household

In October 1984, Lee Kolm (born 1911) recorded his memories of growing up in Oregon. This is how he recalled Christmas time:

With German forebearers, I lived in a German Christmas atmosphere. As a boy my Mother, I remember, lighted candles on the Chrismas tree once an evening. A short burning of candles and then candy was taken from its hanging place on the limbs and passed around.

Always plenty of German cookies to eat at Christmas time. I liked a particular cookie that was hard as a rock and it had to be dipped into coffee-milk to soften it for eating. My mother also made at Christmastime a wonderful dessert called carrot pudding. Not a bit of carrot taste and this delicious steaming dessert was served with hot brandy hard sauce. What a treat!

(If anyone has a recipe for "carrot pudding", I'd love to try it)

Have a Merry Christmas!