During the twelve days until Christmas break, the King Street Chronicle will present staff favorites from the holiday season. This fifth edition will not include five golden rings, but beloved Christmas songs, movies, recipes, quotes, and festivities.
Song of the day: “Sleigh Ride” – written by Johnny Mathis and performed by Ella Fitzgerald
Movie of the day: Four Christmases
Four Christmases, starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon, is a light-hearted Christmas comedy about a couple’s outlandish encounters with their previously estranged relatives as they attempt to visit their parents for Christmas.
Recipe of the day: Salted Caramel Bark
Ingredients:
40 Saltine crackers (approx. 1 sleeve)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups chocolate chips
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, lay the saltines side by side so the entire pan is covered.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter and sugar together, and bring the mixture to a boil. Let the mixture boil for five to seven minutes, this will create a caramel.
- Pour the caramel over the saltine carefully, and use a spatula to spread the mixture evenly. Place the Saltines and caramel into the oven for five minutes.
- Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave in 30-second intervals until the mixture is smooth and completely melted.
- Remove the pan of Saltines from the oven, and pour the melted chocolate evenly over the crackers.
- Place the cookie pan into the refrigerator for an hour to allow the chocolate and caramel to completely set.
- Once cool, use either a knife for straight edges or hands to break the toffee into pieces.
DIY of the day: Peppermint Sugar Scrub
Supplies:
A half cup of coconut oil
Two cups of sugar
One tablespoon of peppermint extract
One drop of green food coloring
Four miniature mason jars
Ribbon or twine
Steps:
- Melt the coconut oil in a microwave in 30-second intervals until the oil has completely melted.
- Add the peppermint oil and green food coloring to the oil.
- Slowly add the sugar in sections until the scrub has reached the desired consistency.
- Pour the scrub into the mason jars and tie the ribbon or twine into a bow at the top of the jar.
Quote of the day: “Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” – Norman Vincent Peale
Festivities around the world: Tromso, Norway
According to norway-travel.com, seeing the Northern lights in Tromso is an ethereal and spiritual experience. To commence the festive holiday season, Tromso hosts a Christmas Market in the center of town. The Ice Hotel, which is made entirely of chiseled ice and chilled at -4 degrees, includes ice sculptures, snowmobile transportation, an art suite, and an ice bar for refreshments. Accommodations are available in the form of a “warm room” or “cool room,” according to norway-travel.com. In addition, wilderness dog sledding is a popular winter sport that residents and visitors of the wilderness of the Pasvik valley enjoy. According to fjordtravel.no, in Norway, a traditional Christmas dinner usually consists of ribbe (pork rib) or pinnekjøtt (lamb rib). In some parts of Norway, however, people feast on cod. Norwegians spend the days from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day at home with family. People often go for short walks or ski trips, since most shops and restaurants are closed because of the festivities. Outside the city, the Oslo Opera house is located on the Bjorvika waterfront with views of the Oslo fjord. It hosts performances of opera and ballet, such as The Nutcracker spectacular.
-Daisy Steinthal, Staff Writer and Nina Rosenblum, Staff Writer