A Recipe for Special Memories

Traditional foods have long been the cornerstone of holiday celebrations, from breads and cookies to oyster stew, plum pudding and roasted turkey or goose. While we may treasure the tastes and smells of holiday treats, it seems the experience of preparing the holiday feast and gathering together to celebrate is where the real memories are made.

“Years ago, grandmothers and mothers passed down family recipes and advice to the younger generations as ladies gathered together to prepare an elaborate meal for the holidays,” shared Shellee Murcko, Sauder Village Historic Foodways Program. “Thanksgiving meals included many foods as evidence of a bountiful harvest, while Christmas was the time to prepare the choicest foods to celebrate the birth of Christ. Nineteenth century holiday meals often included sweet potatoes, squash, cranberry sauce, oysters, candy canes, sugar plums, Lebkuchen, roasted chestnuts, Stollen, spiced cider and pies.”

While you may not be gathering chestnuts, a fresh goose or the bounty you preserved from your garden for your holiday party – there are still ways to make holiday meals a special tradition for your family.

Take time this year to prepare a meal (or even just a batch of cookies) with your children or grandchildren. While the whole process may take a bit longer, the end result is sure to be priceless. Stay connected to far-away relatives by tucking a copy of your favorite holiday recipe inside your Christmas card this year. Traditional recipes can also make great gifts! Why not make a recipe book that includes some of your holiday favorites or even a shadow box showcasing recipes in your own handwriting. Continue a tradition in your family this holiday season and dust off some old family recipes. Or, try some historic recipes and start a new tradition of your own!

While the menu at holiday meals has evolved through the years, it is food, feast and family that continue to bring us together. This year, make your holiday meals an experience to treasure and savor for years to come!

Check out some great Holiday Recipes on our website!

Stuffed Acorn Squash
INGREDIENTS
1 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
1 cup water
3 tablespoons butter, melted
½ to 1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large tart apple peeled, cored, chopped
¼ cup chopped nuts of your choice

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place acorn squash, cut side down, in a large baking pan or dish; pour water into bottom of pan around the squash. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine butter, lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar, and chopped apples. Divide mixture evenly among partially cooked squash and return to oven for 30 minutes or until tender when flesh is poked with a fork. Sprinkle with chopped nuts to serve. Makes 2 servings.

Handmade Gifts for the Holidays

If you reminisce about some of the most cherished gifts you have received, chances are a sweater, blender, tie or DVD are not high on your list. But rather, the most cherished gifts are often those with real meaning . . . gifts that were made by hand, gifts that tell a story or preserve a memory for years to come.

In the early 1900s, gifts were made by hand out of necessity. There were no malls and online shopping was unheard of. While some gifts may have been purchased by catalog, many gifts were often hand made. Mothers may have made new clothing as a special gift and men would have carved wooden figurines or toys for their children.

With people of all ages exhibiting a renewed interest in and appreciation for hand-crafted items, one of the top trends in gift giving again this year is homemade gifts. It seems people are revisiting skills they thought they had lost or taking the time to learn something new in order to create a heartfelt gift that will be treasured for years to come. From woodcarving, quilting or knitting to scrapbooking, photography, painting or baking – there are many gift possibilities for you to consider!

Sauder Village has continued that tradition of handmade items by offering classes to learn a new skill. With the many classes we are offering this fall, there are plenty of opportunities for people to learn something new while making a handmade gift. You can learn to knit Christmas socks, make a hooked hot pad, a tatted holiday ornament, or learn hand appliqué. You can also make a holiday wreath, gingerbread house or nativity scene basket.

While making handmade gifts certainly seems to be a new trend, it’s what we’ve been doing for years at Sauder Village. If you think you don’t have the talent or time to make your own gift, the craftsmen at Sauder Village are here to help. The items made by our potter, glassblower, basketmakers, tinsmith and other talented craftsmen are gifts you won’t find at every store in the region. These hand-crafted items are unique to Sauder Village and Northwest Ohio. They are also gifts that are sure to be cherished for years to come.

We see many grandparents come into the Gift Shop to buy wooden toys and games for their grandkids. They see the value in the wooden games, cars and trains. Many customers appreciate that these items are made locally and believe they will be gifts that are shared from one generation to the next. Our guests really seem to value the unique qualities of the items made by our craftsmen and see the value in supporting their talent and sharing it with others.

Why not start your Christmas list early this year and allow time to find just the right gift for those special people in your life. Be creative – make a photo book for your family, share some of the bounty from your garden, take the time to learn something new, and create a treasured keepsake. People love it when it’s obvious their gift required some imagination and creativity. Why not give it a try this holiday season!

Click here to view our Fall/Winter 2010/2011 Catalog!
We’re sure you’ll be inspired to learn something new.