Advent Unity and Peace

My theme for this week of Advent 

My grandson's first St. Nicholas Day!

is "Striving to find unity and peace with all the people of the world".

One way I love to do that is by learning about the traditions and beliefs of people throughout the world.

This year I decided to learn more about the advent customs in the Netherlands, the land of my paternal grandmother's people: My geat-great-grandparents, Izaak and Anna Caterina (Remeeus) Toussaint came from the Netherlands to Milwaukee by boat in 1854. (Izaak's family, the Toussaints, emigrated to the Netherlands from Normandy, France, before 1718.) 

Agenda:

1 - Research the Netherlands

2 - Make Speculaas cookies
3 - Make a wooden shoe ornament

1. Research the Netherlands:

The Netherlands has a long, North Sea coastline. It shares an eastern border with Germany and a southern border with Belgium. It is famous for chocolate, tulips, windmills, wooden shoes, Van Gogh, delftware, and Gouda cheese. The people of the Netherlands are Dutch.

Dutch Christmas is called Kerstmas. The Dutch have two parts to Christmas: The gift-giving part is on December 5th, Pakjesavond (Presents Evening), when Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) comes, and the second part is the rest of Christmas, which is less commercial and more family oriented. 

After Presents Evening, Dutch Christmas trees (kerstbomen) go up, as well as lights and decorations - everywhere.

The Dutch people celebrate Christmas both on the 25th and the 26th of December. They spend two days with their family, playing games, watching movies, singing carols, and eating traditional Christmas foods. About half of Dutch families exchange gifts at Christmas as well as at Pakjesavond.

2. Make Speculaas:
These Dutch cookies are traditionally made in a windmill mold. I don't have one, so I used cookie cutters. Speculaas are thin and crisp and spicy- much better than the packaged windmills. It seems like a lot of spice, but it's beautiful! Notice that dough needs time to chill - start it the day before you want to eat them.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla 
• 3/4-c. granulated sugar 
• 1-1/4 c. dark brown sugar 
• 2 large eggs 
• 3-1/2 c. flour 
• 2 tsp. baking soda 
• 4 tsp. cinnamon 
• 1 tsp. nutmeg 
• 1 tsp. cloves 
• 1/2-tsp. white pepper 
• 1/2-tsp. ground ginger 
• 1/2-tsp. cardamom
• 1 tsp. salt

1. Cream together the butter, vanilla, and both kinds of sugar until light and fluffy. 

Add eggs and blend well.

2. Whisk all of the dry ingredients together and slowly add to the butter mixture, combining until the dough looks smooth. 

3. Divide the dough in half. Wrap each half in parchment paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for several hours or (better) overnight.

4. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Roll the dough out very thin, 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick, and cut with cookie cutters. 

Bake at 350ºF for 10-12 minutes.

3. Make a wooden shoe ornament:

I wanted to make something traditionally Dutch for my tree, so I made this small wooden shoe out of polymer clay.

Dutch crafts idea:

Check out this clever idea - DIY Delft Dutch Mugs - at Mommy Maleta