A peppermint pig!

While we were away over New Years we were able to find a store with Peppermint Pigs™ for sale! If you're not from northern New York, you may not know the tradition of the pig.

From Saratoga Sweets:

In early Decembers long since past, while the quaint Victorian village of Saratoga Springs slept quietly through a chilled and moonlit eve, legend suggests that a bit of magic was in the making.

The first dusting of winter's snow gathered in darkened downtown doorways and twirled by night's wind seemed to dance and whirl like sugarplum fairies. Behind the oaken doors of gingerbread-sized candy shops that dotted Saratoga, tireless old candy makers, bathed in amber glow of crackling hearth and bubbling candy pots, labored on into the night creating... and continuing a holiday tradition known to all as the Peppermint Pig™

This Peppermint Pig™ as aptly it was named, was cast of hard candy similar in fashion to candy cane and festive pink in colour. And while the pig is honored in Victorian holiday tradition as a symbol of good health, happiness and prosperity, these special Peppermint Pigs,™ unique to Saratoga Springs, New York, came to represent much more. They proudly stood for and old-fashioned Yuletide itself-a wonderful time when red-cheeked children laughed and rode old wooden sleds over fresh snow, when church bells pealed and fond recollections were shared by family and friends. After the holiday dinner, the Pig was passed amongst those gathered, each in turn giving the pouch a firm tap and sharing a tale of the past year's good fortune. The delicious broken peppermint and warm memories were enjoyed by all in hopes of prosperity for the coming year.

The various candy makers who crafted the pigs have long since passed on, their businesses fading away. Now, Saratoga Sweets is the only producer of the true Peppermint Pig™ and finding them outside of northern NY can be tricky. The pig was a tradition that we did in my house for several years when I was growing up. We'd sit around the table and smash the pig, then a container of sweet pink pieces would sit on the counter, available for a taste any time.

It was exciting to find a pig down here in North Carolina, simply for the novelty of it, but sitting around with my family last night, each taking a turn whacking the pig, took me right back to my own childhood. Right down to the, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Everybody else back up!" when the kids crowded around and someone nearly took a hammer swing to the face. Thankfully it's only a small hammer that comes with the pig, and in the end no one was hit. Then, the taste! That sweet, sharp, unmistakable taste of a Peppermint Pig™. Mmmm, the memories. I highly suggest picking one up for your next holiday season. If you're not local to NY or cannot find one in a specialty shop near you, they are available to order online.

image credit: www.saratogasweets.com

The holiday highs come to an end.

I spent a large portion of today taking ornaments off the tree, carefully wrapping them, and packing them away. Then the lights came down. My husband was unable to find a tree bag anywhere in stores so the tree is still up until we dig out from our shed all the random boxes that have been housing it in the off season. It wasn't until I was in the kitchen making dinner and turned to look into the living room, saw the unlit, lonely tree in the darkened room, that I realized the holiday lows are upon us.

our 2012 Christmas tree

Our family celebrates what I would call "secular Christmas." We put up a tree (which, I know, is actually an ancient Pagan tradition, and not secular at all), write letters to Santa, cut paper snowflakes, bake cookies, and exchange gifts and acts of goodwill with each other and our friends and family. It is one of my favorite times of year. The beautiful decorations, the feelings of love and generosity that tradition has brought, the togetherness that the various crafting and activities provides. Most of all, I love the tree. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there are few things more beautiful to me than a brightly lit tree decorated with lovingly handmade or thoughtfully given ornaments. We don't do a "theme tree" with color coordinating ribbons and baubles. Our tree is an eclectic collage of memories: each unique ornament has a story or a history. Even the simple colored stars and silver balls that we use as fillers are special to me, because they were purchased by my husband and placed on a little tree, ready and waiting in our first home for us to arrive together in North Carolina after our winter wedding in New York.

Seeing the undecorated tree this evening was the official sign to me that the Christmas season is over and it's back to normal life now. That's always a bit depressing. I do have some ideas in mind to keep the lovely feelings that I associate with Christmas going into the new year, though. And on the bright side, only 360 days until next Christmas!