Growing up, our family had about a hundred Christmas Eve traditions- we saw a movie Christmas Eve afternoon, went to Christmas Eve service at church (wearing our new Christmas outfits, of course… I should note that the new Christmas outfits were still a part of the tradition through college- haha!), drove around and looked at lights (while we listened to the ‘rudolph report’), came home to eat soup (used to be clam chowder, but over the years that morphed to my dad’s famous green chile) and drink wassail, and opened one present (the aforementioned pj’s) before heading to bed. I remember feeling like Christmas Eve fit in the category of it’s own holiday because of how special my family made it…
Anyhow, if you’re wanting to create your own slew of family traditions, I’d highly recommend adding this wassail recipe into the mix. It’s delicious and warm and makes your whole house smell like Christmas.
Ingredients:
1 64 oz. apple juice or cider
1 64 oz. cranberry juice (low cal or regular)
1 large can frozen unsweetened orange juice
1 tsp. allspice
3-6 sticks cinnamom
1 peeled orange, studded with cloves
1 orange, sliced for serving
Directions:
Combine everything in a crock pot and simmer for hours-the longer the better! Ladle wassail into cups and serve with orange slices.
Mmmmm…. glory….