We haven't observed the pickle tradition, but I may do something this year. I think the one who finds it gets to open their gifts first.
CIJ 2025
- Thread starter Miss JoDee
- Start date
I’ve never had a good fruit cake. I do remember my father and grandmother making one when I was a child but I didn’t care for then. I really would like to taste a good homemade one. I do love spice cake and I like to add pumpkin, dried cranberries, and pecans to that. I call it harvest cake I might try to make a fruit cake this year, but it’ll be closer to Christmas. thanks for the recipe!
We do have a Pickle for our Christmas tree. My mom always hid one and whoever found it got a bag of candy on Christmas Day. I usually give my kids a gift card to whoever finds it. One year, when God has been especially good to us., I gave the winner a $50 bill! That was fun, but not the norm!!
I’m not sure what I’ll give this year. I’ll have to think on that.
Once again, thanks for all the history. I’m loving this. Y’all are so smart!!
We do have a Pickle for our Christmas tree. My mom always hid one and whoever found it got a bag of candy on Christmas Day. I usually give my kids a gift card to whoever finds it. One year, when God has been especially good to us., I gave the winner a $50 bill! That was fun, but not the norm!!
I’m not sure what I’ll give this year. I’ll have to think on that.
Once again, thanks for all the history. I’m loving this. Y’all are so smart!!
@PamelaG I loved learning about Boxing Day!
@Myron's Mom I own most of those and they have been my favs throughout the years! I don’t know the John Doe one or the donkey one. I will look for those. I have saved the popcorn recipes. Yum
@sweetpumkinpye Very interesting about fruit cake. I have never made one. I do make a fruit cake cookie for Christmas.
@missjane We don’t have a Christmas pickle … but maybe I will look for one for fun! I do love pickles … sweet or dill.
@Myron's Mom I own most of those and they have been my favs throughout the years! I don’t know the John Doe one or the donkey one. I will look for those. I have saved the popcorn recipes. Yum
@sweetpumkinpye Very interesting about fruit cake. I have never made one. I do make a fruit cake cookie for Christmas.
@missjane We don’t have a Christmas pickle … but maybe I will look for one for fun! I do love pickles … sweet or dill.
I usually find canned pineapple and dried fruit in our grocery store.
I made a fruitcake a few years back and my kids really enjoyed it. I may try to make it again if I can get my act together.
Katrina, thanks for the story and the recipe. I love how the percentage of each spice is given in the photo you uploaded for the mixed spice. Here in the States, we would get just the name of the spices but not the percentage.
Regarding the Christmas pickle, I heard about it first from the Bronner's catalog so I figured it was a Mid-western thing. I don't know of anyone doing it around here.
I remember as a young adult one school sold a brand of fruitcake that was mainly fruit and I did like it. Do not remember the brand 50 years later! I should try making a gluten free one. I have saved several recipes. Some from MHHers. I remember I made a Black cake one time but do not remember if I liked it or not. Also many years ago.
Love a good fruitcake! Will be trying this one. From my experience, if you’re going to do rum, bourbon, or brandy fruitcake, it needs to soak for 6-8 weeks, with additional liquor being added every week or two. So you may want to make it in early November, if not earlier.
@Lori K that is the beauty of this cake. It is quick to make and does not need weeks of soaking. It is a lighter cake, very good
Years ago I made Fruitcake Squares. It got published in a Christmas issue of Country Woman. Don't remember where I found the recipe at.
July 30 Random Act of Kindness Day
You are encouraged today to perform a random act of kindness of your choice and spread joy.
DH take a container of flowers from my garden and gives it to one of the ladies at church.
You are encouraged today to perform a random act of kindness of your choice and spread joy.
DH take a container of flowers from my garden and gives it to one of the ladies at church.
Last edited:
Just catching up. We have never made or eaten fruitcake. I know about the pickle - also from Bronners- but I don't have one on my tree. My grandma may have made fruitcake back in the 30s 40s? My mom never did.
Something we did around the tree was play I Spy. Did anyone else play this? You took turns, and described an ornament and the others guessed which one it was. No prizes. Lol. But it was fun.
Something we did around the tree was play I Spy. Did anyone else play this? You took turns, and described an ornament and the others guessed which one it was. No prizes. Lol. But it was fun.
You know that I always have to get a bit of Hanukkah into our holiday celebrations and this is really a delightful book. Hope you all enjoy it!
Eight Dates and Nights by Betsy Aldredge
Hannah Levin, a snarky, a tinsel hating, Jewish New York teen is sent to spend Hanukkah in a small town in Texas with Grandma. Naturally she meets the sole eligible Jewish bachelor in town, Noah a laid back lover of all things Hanukkah no matter how kitschy they are. Noah promises to get Hannah to love everything about a small town Texas Hanukkah.as they also go about saving the family deli from closing, and learning a lot about both their families and Jewish Texas along the way.
Eight Dates and Nights by Betsy Aldredge
Hannah Levin, a snarky, a tinsel hating, Jewish New York teen is sent to spend Hanukkah in a small town in Texas with Grandma. Naturally she meets the sole eligible Jewish bachelor in town, Noah a laid back lover of all things Hanukkah no matter how kitschy they are. Noah promises to get Hannah to love everything about a small town Texas Hanukkah.as they also go about saving the family deli from closing, and learning a lot about both their families and Jewish Texas along the way.
I am away at the moment so have posted my last offering today.....
Please see the brand new MHH Christmas Planner pages. Thank you to Pamela G for the lovely cover page.
These pages can be found in the Notebook and Planners section under Christmas Notebooks.
I hope you enjoy them for this year and many years to come.
Please see the brand new MHH Christmas Planner pages. Thank you to Pamela G for the lovely cover page.
These pages can be found in the Notebook and Planners section under Christmas Notebooks.
I hope you enjoy them for this year and many years to come.
Thank you! They are a wonderful addition!
Thought you might all enjoy this as we close out CIJ 2025.
I found the book in our library and look forward to reading it.
Planning for Christmas in July is a continuous process. Before the month begins, ideas for the following year’s celebration are collected. These ideas can emerge unexpectedly, inspired by how Christmas has been celebrated throughout different decades, current events like the COVID-19 pandemic, and comments shared on this forum or elsewhere.
In January, contacts are made for collaborators willing to sort out the details of CIJ. By March, forum members are contacted and asked to participate. Assignments are given, a calendar is made, and members begin preparing their posts.
This year, I had the opportunity to work with Katrina. She had some wonderful ideas for making it more interactive. The format was kept simple, yet ideas, recipes, raks, and self-care suggestions were included. The backstories to Christmas lore, or why traditions are carried on, were shared. A pickle in a Christmas tree?
I would like to express my gratitude to Katrina and everyone who participated in the CIJ 2025. Thank you to those who have contributed in the past and continue to do so. And to those who contributed for the first time, bravo! Your efforts are greatly appreciated.
My heart is filled with joy. I appreciated the opportunity to work with all of you.
Jody
All feedback on this year’s Christmas in July is always helpful. What you liked and didn’t helps us in our planning. A topic you would like to discuss or a new idea is always welcome.
In January, contacts are made for collaborators willing to sort out the details of CIJ. By March, forum members are contacted and asked to participate. Assignments are given, a calendar is made, and members begin preparing their posts.
This year, I had the opportunity to work with Katrina. She had some wonderful ideas for making it more interactive. The format was kept simple, yet ideas, recipes, raks, and self-care suggestions were included. The backstories to Christmas lore, or why traditions are carried on, were shared. A pickle in a Christmas tree?
I would like to express my gratitude to Katrina and everyone who participated in the CIJ 2025. Thank you to those who have contributed in the past and continue to do so. And to those who contributed for the first time, bravo! Your efforts are greatly appreciated.
My heart is filled with joy. I appreciated the opportunity to work with all of you.
Jody
All feedback on this year’s Christmas in July is always helpful. What you liked and didn’t helps us in our planning. A topic you would like to discuss or a new idea is always welcome.
Thank you Jody and Katrina, and everyone who shared ideas and feedback. This was truly a great Christmas in July!
I would also like to thank everybody for the work they put into CIJ. Stories were interesting.
I loved this format of having a different topic or theme each day, with certain days of the week being repetitive like RAK or book/movies of the week.
Fabulous job to everyone that took the time to share for CIJ!
Fabulous job to everyone that took the time to share for CIJ!
A very Merry CIJ that lifted my spirit! Thanks to all for their time and effort to keep this going.