These bougainvillea images were taken in Florida in the Four Arts Garden in Palm Beach. They are our visual interlude while we travel the Christmas journey learning all sorts of things about food traditions at Christmas.
In Japan, a food associated with Christmas is the Christmas cake. It is a sponge cake with whipped cream, chocolate and strawberries. Any cake that is not sold after the 25th is unwanted. This idea was applied to single Japanese women over the age of 25: they used to be called Christmas Cakes.
Part of Spain's celebration of December 28th as a fool's day is to put salt in their cakes in place of sugar to 'fool' children.
An Italian tradition is Carbone dolce. This is a rock candy that looks like coal. It is intended for bad children, and is left behind in place of toys on January 6th, Epiphany the last day of Christmas.
A number of countries have a Christmas Pickle tradition. It is most attributed to a German tradition of hiding a glass pickle ornament in the Christmas tree. Ground Zero for this, though, is Berrien Springs, Michigan. It bills itself as the Christmas Pickle Capital of the World. Thy have a parade in early December with the Grand 'Dill' meister giving out fresh pickles along the parade route.
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