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Playlist Holidays

Holidays

Semlor

Semlor, King Cake, and Pancakes: Indulgent Treats to Enjoy on Fat Tuesday That Aren't Pączki

Daniel Hautzinger

Fat Tuesday may now be unofficially known as Pączki Day in Chicago, but there are plenty of other treats to enjoy on a day when Christians traditionally used up fat and meat before entering a period of fasting. 
A cocktail from Nine Bar

Chinatown's First Cocktail Bar Celebrates Lunar New Year with Cocktail Versions of Asian Food

Daniel Hautzinger

Nine Bar is celebrating Lunar New Year with cocktails inspired by Asian dishes like fried sesame balls and tom kha kai, along with food from acclaimed Filipino restaurant Kasama. The bar was born out of pop-ups that orginally began as Lunar New Year's celebrations.
Lucille, Trixie, and Nancy in the snow in Call the Midwife

'Call the Midwife' Recap: Season 12 Holiday Special

Daniel Hautzinger

While Fred and others organize a talent show to benefit those affected by the recent train crash in Poplar, the midwives and Doctor Turner attend to a family with a handicapped daughter and a woman who has been released from prison to find she has no connections.
A holiday card with a horse-drawn carriage and poem

Get in the Spirit with Vintage Holiday Cards from the Chicago History Museum

Daniel Hautzinger

From dogs in sweaters offering each other gifts to "Dickensian Christmas" scenes to personalized illustrations of graphic design and avant-garde art, the holiday cards in the Chicago History Museum's collection showcase a broad array of styles, and reveal how similar we are to people of the past.
A Venezuelan Christmas spread with pan de jamón and hallacas on the left, and wrapped hallacas on the right

Klein's Bakery & Cafe Provides a Taste of Home at the Holidays to Venezuelans in Chicago

Daniel Hautzinger

At the holidays, Klein's Bakery & Cafe offers two Venezuelan must-haves for Christmas: the tamale-like hallacas, and pan de jamón. Hallacas are typically made as part of a big family in Venezuela, but Klein's helps immigrants have a taste of their traditional holiday experience even in Chicago.

Roasted nuts and other festive foods have been drawing visitors to the Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza for 27 years

The Foods of Chicago's Christkindlmarket

Jack X. Li

Roasted nuts and other festive foods have been drawing visitors to the Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza for 27 years. The Chicago photographer Jack X. Li recently visited to document the snacks—and people’s delight in them.

Deana Martin, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra

Some Holiday Specials to Stream This December

Daniel Hautzinger

The nights are long, the air is crisp, holiday lights are up: it's time to snuggle into your home with a mug of cocoa, a cookie, and some joyful holiday specials. We've collected some favorites that are available to stream by WTTW Passport members, from concerts to holiday episodes of our dramas and mysteries.

Kanelbullar, or Swedish Cinnamon Buns, from America's Test Kitchen

Swedish Cinnamon Buns with a Cardamom-Spiced Dough from 'America's Test Kitchen'

Daniel Hautzinger

As the end of year Swedish holiday St. Lucia's Day approaches, try a not-too-sweet, nuanced Swedish cinnamon bun whose dough is spiced with cardamom. This America's Test Kitchen version of the recipe utilizes a technique from East Asia that keeps the dough moist and light but not sticky.
Lucille, Trixie, and Nancy in the 2022 Call the Midwife holiday special

Celebrate the Holidays with WTTW's Programming in 2022

Daniel Hautzinger

We've got everything from concerts to food specials to a new Call the Midwife special, so we suggest you take a look at our schedule and fit in some cozy viewings amidst all your shopping, gatherings, and other activities.
A tunnel of stars at Lightscape at the Chicago Botanic Garden

’Tis the Season for the 2022 Chicago Holiday Events Guide

Meredith Francis

The holidays have arrived in Chicago. We break down a handful of Chicago holiday events by light shows, activities, and Christmas markets.
Updated beef wellington from America's Test Kitchen

An Updated Beef Wellington Recipe from 'America's Test Kitchen'

Daniel Hautzinger

A Beef Wellington is a great dish for the holidays: impressive as the centerpiece of a feast, filling and able to sate plenty of people, involved in a fun way, and an uncommon dish—when's the last time you ate it? Plus, you don't have to do it all in one day.
Fireworks over the U.S. Capitol. Photo: Mark Reinstein/Alamy Stock Photo

The Performers of 'A Capitol Fourth' in 2022

Daniel Hautzinger

Summer is here, which means the grand Fourth of July tradition of A Capitol Fourth concert and fireworks broadcast live from Washington, D.C. on WTTW and PBS. Meet the performers here.
Janet Gustafson's 2021-2022 Gingerbread Village

Gingerbread for a Gingerbread Village

Daniel Hautzinger

I have been making a Gingerbread Village for over 50 years. I've combined a few different recipes for my gingerbread. I believe my original recipe came from Good Housekeeping magazine in the early 1970s. The majority of the gingerbread is used for the village, but I always make sure there are extra pieces for eating.

Pandan Crinkle Cookies. Photo: Courtesy Mia P. Manansala

Savor the "Quintessentially Filipino" Flavor of Pandan in These Crinkle Cookies

Daniel Hautzinger

“It’s kind of like a grassy vanilla, maybe with some coconut or floral overtones,” says author Mia P. Manansala of pandan, which flavors numerous Southeast Asian desserts. That includes Manansala's crinkle cookie recipe, which she shares ahead of an upcoming book.
Chocolate macaroons from Jeff & Jude's. Photo: Jeff & Jude's

Macaroons for Passover from "Jew-ish" Deli Jeff & Jude's

Daniel Hautzinger

Macaroons are a common treat during Passover, since they don't contain grain and are unleavened. Ursula Siker of the "Jew-ish" deli Jeff & Jude's shares her recipe as well as her love of Jewish delis and inspiraton behind her own. 
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