It's that time again...

[WandererX12]

Yesterday I had my first glass of eggnog (im now up to five), and my first candy cane of the season. Plus the first Xmas card came in the mail. Today had first (heavy)snow, first cookies, getting the tree (from the attic), and a shipment of gifts from out of state realatives. It would appear then, that Christmas is here again. What signs, signals, and traditions mark the start of the post-thanksgiving holiday season for everyone else? Think about it, let me know, I'm gonna go pour glass six.

[-spike-]

Prett much when my family starts playing Christmas music. Once they start that I cant get the damn songs out of my head. That and once i get out of school.

[gubi-gubi]

Yesterday I had my first glass of eggnog.

I've always wondered about this. I don't think we have it in the UK (well im sure I saw an eggnog latte in Starbucks). What the hell is it? It sounds pretty horrible. Is it made with alcohol and egg or something?

Anyway as for Christmas I don't really get in the spirit anymore. I guess I start to think about it when we get a tree but that's about it.

[Elcoholic]

Same here. We have the radiostations playing Wham! all day, some decorations in the shopping streets and eventually I'll get a tree (a fake one ). On christmas we have diner with the family but that's it. No presents since we have a thing on december 5 where an old guy in red clothes and a beard (St. Nicolas) gives all the childern presents.

And I also want to know what eggnog is. Sounds disgusting.

[Zagatto]

I love eggnog. It's a rich, creamy drink with waaaaayyyy too many calories that is typically enjoyed during November and December.

One funny story about me learning to cook is associated with eggnog. It has to do with learning about the potency of vanilla and reading my mom's handwriting. You see, we have a family recipe for eggnog that has been handed down on handwritten note cards from generation to generation. Being the eggnog that I've grown up with it's what I associate with the "perfect" eggnong. One day I had the urge to make it (I was about ten at the time) so I pulled out our handwritten note card with the recipe on it and followed the instructions very closely.
This is the part where bad handwriting comes in. You see, my mom doesn't always close the top of her a's when she's writing things out. In this particular case she had intended to write 1 cap of vanilla. What I read was 1 cup of vanilla. Typically, nobody has a full cup of vanilla in the house but our neighbour had brought back a 1 liter jug of vanilla (really good stuff too) from Mexico. So I proceded to make my eggnog with 1 cup of vanilla and was quite concerned that the colour wasn't the smooth yellow that I was accustomed to. Instead I had this gross brown coloured mess. And it turned out to be pretty gross.

Remember, a little vanilla can go a long way.

[WandererX12]

A cut and paste history of eggnog.
It all began in England, where eggnog was the trademark drink of the upper class. But it became most popular in America, where farms and dairy products were plentiful, as was rum. It descended from a hot British drink called posset, which consists of eggs, milk, and ale or wine. The recipe for eggnog (eggs beaten with sugar, milk or cream, and some kind of spirit) has traveled well, adapting to local tastes wherever it has landed.
Full article herehttp://whatscookingamerica.net/Eggnog.htm

I have never made it, I just get some from the store. It's usually neer the milk and come without alcohol. If you want to add alcohol later, I think that Jager works well.