Right about now, little blond 100-percent Dutch children all over Northwest Iowa, Pella, Western Michigan and Holland itself are beginning to dream of Sinterklaas -- hopefully he will come and leave some almond patties and Dutch letters in their wooden shoes. Etc., etc.
Children in Minnesota are not so silly. The blond children here are typically Scandinavian -- they are busy wondering how many helpings of lutefisk and julekage their grandmothers will force them to consume this holiday season. Others are constantly reminding their mothers that the family simply must have lefse for both Thanksgiving and Christmas... and maybe every week while she's at it. (They are also swordfighting with Mother's lefse-rolling sticks.) The mothers are busy dreaming of their Swedish tea rings. Some cry out for krumkake, but most don't have the special iron for making them.
(Younger Swedish girls are also putting on airs because they get to play Santa Lucia in early December and wear fake candles on their head and a pretty white robe like Jesus might have had after he rose again.)
And the blond children here who are not Scandinavian are German, but most are both anyway. The German children know securely for the rest of their lives that their family holiday dinners will never contain a Tofurkey, for meat and potatoes are the staples of any reasonable household. German children sing "O Tannenbaum" and watch "The Nutcracker" with extra pride.
How about other ethnicities? What are your holiday traditions?
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