Advent Calendar Holiday Food Dec. 2

Traditional holiday foods!  My mouth starts to water just thinking about them.    You know, I don't really remember what I ate as a child, only later as years went on.  All I remember from my childhood were some of my favorite CANDIES!  And those favorites were all German chocolates, marzipan, and Maikäfers.  Those are things I remember.  My grandmother that still lived in Germany would send us packages each Christmas.  They were truly packages from HEAVEN!  Lots of the wonderful bars of chocolate that were so unique to Europe, especially Germany, Switzerland and Holland.  Then the little red "Maikäfers" with their little black spots and thin cardboard "legs".  Too me, that was my special thing to get because to me it meant I was special to my grandmother and she loved me enough to remember them every year.  Here in America I have kept up the tradition with my little grandkids.  They get their own Maikäfers that I buy at the German Weihnachts Markt here in Utah each year or at the German store in Salt Lake City.  They are also available at the Pirate store in Draper.  So I don't have to worry about finding them.  They are now here, year 'round! For those who aren't familiar with the term of "Maikäfer" it is a little ladybug.
Below is the Good luck marzipan pig!  Nothing but marzipan, my favorite. And a little Käfer to boot!

Chocolate was always a big part of "Christmas treats" and still remains such for us. But is HAS TO BE German.  It's the best!  I remember the pastelles also, which were flat chocolates with crunchy sprinkles.  I think that is probably not the correct name for them. 

I guess to some a Christmas Goose or Turkey might be tradition, but at our house not either.  We sort of developed our family traditions by what people in our family like to eat and one of those main dishes is beef Rouladen.  I make them each year for Christmas Eve and then we have red cabbage, and rolls, vegies, etc.  It is always delicious and I am lucky that our butcher can cut them quite well.  When I asked him the first time he knew exactly what I meant and did a great job.  We must not be the only German family around town! 

On Christmas Day we have my mom's cooking and her meal is always Sauerbraten and there is never enough!  It's delicious and everyone eats a lot because we only get it once a year.  It is a marinated beef roast that is sour and if you have never had it, you have really missed out.  The meat is fork tender and falls apart with no effort because the vinegar marinade breaks it down.  It makes the most delicious gravy.  I hope my mom lives forever, because I have tried making it on occasion but it just didn't have the same taste.  She has the magic touch. There are never any left-overs.  I was afraid the little grandkids wouldn't like it, but not too worry, they love it!  So Christmas has always had wonderful smells and tastes.  And I would greatly miss any and all of them, if someone was to suggest something else to eat.  IT'LL NEVER HAPPEN!