I dedicate this book to my great grandma, Virgina because I knew her for 9 years and we were very close. Then she passed away on November 14, 2011.

’

Christmas Eve

In the country the trip to church

was by horse-drawn sleigh by the jingling

with tiny bells on the horse’s harness.

Christmas started early in the morning

on Christmas Eve: the house was

thoroughly cleaned, all bed linen were

changed, food was ready for several days, the livestock were

tended to, water was heated and everyone took a bath and

dressed with clean clothes. The table was then set with plates

and had small fir tree branches and candles. A plate of

Christmas wafers was placed in the center.

Lithuanian Christmas

Lithuanians lived on small family farms, grew their own

crops, and raised their own livestock. What they did, what

they ate, etc., was

intimately tied to the

cycle of the seasons

and to the products of

their own labor. The

ground is covered with

snow, lakes and rivers

are frozen. All nature

seems to be in a deep sleep except for the evergreen fir and

pine trees. There are no fresh flowers, no fresh fruit, and no

fresh vegetables.

First day of

Christmas

The first day of Christmas was considered most sacred

and, therefore, all unnecessary work was avoided. Only food

prepared days in advance was eaten. Much of the morning

was spent at home singing Christmas hymns and carols. As

the day progressed neighbors would start to visit each other

and exchange

Christmas greetings.

And finally, usually at

the home of the most

prosperous neighbor,

the musicians would

appear, signaling the

end of the Advent

season and the return

of entertainment and all types of merrymaking.

Makes about 6 servings of Polish Strawberry Kissel - Kisiel Truskawkowy

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar (or more to taste based on sweetness of fruit)

3 tablespoons potato starch (NOT potato flour) or 4 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup cold water

1 pound hulled, washed and crushed strawberries

Preparation:

1. In a large saucepan, bring to boil 1 cup water and sugar. Remove from heat.

2. Dissolve potato starch in 1/2 cup cold water and stir into the sugar-water mixture. Return to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add strawberries and mix well.

3. Portion into individual dessert bowls or one large bowl that has been rinsed with cold water. Place in the refrigerator until firm, about 3 hours. Serve with cream, half-and-half, milk or whipped cream.

Pictures of location, weather patterns, si

Europe is the 6th largest continent on Earth. It is

surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, black

sea, strait of Gibraltar, Bay of Biscay, North

Sea, Norwegian Sea, Greenland Sea, Barents

Sea and Asia. Europe is located in the

northeastern hemisphere and north of the

equator. There are about 3,203,000 people in

Europe.

Latvia, Portland, Germany, Russia,

Belarus, the Baltic Sea, and the Gulf of

Rigo and all are around Lithuania.

Lithuania is in the northeast

hemisphere. About 3,203,000 people

how live in Lithuania.

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http://www.google.com/imgres?q=what+borders+europe&hl=en&safe=active&client=firefox-

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