Feliz Ano Novo - Happy New Year!

A Portuguese poet once wrote:

Friend is a big task,

An endless work,

A useful space, a fertile time,

Friend will be, is already a big party!

Alexandre O'Neill, in 'No Reino da Dinamarca" 

To you who despite far away were available to be our friends, we wish a continuation of 

a Merry Christmas and add a hope of a Happy and Prosperous New Year!!!

The best of luck from your friends of Madeira Island!

Um poeta português, escreveu um dia:

«Amigo» é uma grande tarefa,
Um trabalho sem fim,
Um espaço útil, um tempo fértil,
«Amigo» vai ser, é já uma grande festa!

Alexandre O'Neill, in 'No Reino da Dinamarca'


Para vocês que apesar de longe se disponibilizaram para serem nossos
amigos, queremos desejar-lhes uma continuação de Festas Felizes e
acrescentar a esperança de um Feliz e Próspero Ano Novo!!! As melhores
felicidades dos vossos amigos madeirenses!!!

Santa Claus and Grandfather Frost visited children in Slovenia

Father Christmas or Grandfather Frost is a mythological figure who brings gifts to children in the week before New Year’s Eve or in the evening of December 31^st to be opened on New Year’s Day.

The character of Father Christmas has been known since the times of former Yugoslavia. The religion was not particularly appreciated in public under socialism, therefore the public celebrations of Christmas or Saint Nickolas were not allowed. The only mythological figure allowed under communism was the Russian Father Christmas.

The figure of Father Christmas is still present in schools, kindergartens, some companies (he brings presents for the children of the employed) and at public events organized for children in larger towns.

  

Santa Claus

The character became popular only when Slovenia gained independence (in the 1990’s). Before that, we used to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas day. Recently, with the process of Americanisation, all the American celebrations were introduced to us as well, including the American Christmas celebration and the figure of Santa Claus. It is popular especially among atheists; the Christians, on the other hand, prefer Saint Nicholas.

Children in Slovenia are very lucky, since three men bring them presents.

VESEL BOŽIČ IN SREČNO NOVO LETO

A vida é aquilo que acontece enquanto fazemos planos para o futuro. Por isso...
Que a alegria do Natal permaneça em sua vida para sempre!
E Feliz ano novo! Muita luz, saúde, paz e amor.
 

Življenje je to, kar se nam zgodi, ko delamo načrte za prihodnost. Zato...
Naj božično veselje ostaja v vašem življenjenju za vedno!
In srečno novo leto! Veliko luči, zdravja, miru in ljubezni.

Kristina, Saša, Katarina, Izidora

Spet prihaja novo leto,
v meglo sprva še ujeto.
Kaj prinaša, še ne vemo,
le tipaje skozenj gremo.
Staro leto bo minilo,
zadnje dalo bo darilo –
up na lepše, boljše čase,
ki le dobro vleče nase!

Ajda

Let Christmas holidays
bring in your heart
peace and happiness
and let new year 2011
makes all you wishes come true.
                                                           Martina

Če je sreča kapljica vode, 
če je zdravje žarek sonca 
in če je ljubezen čudovit svet, 
vam želimo vsega za cel planet.

To everyone at Madeira school we wish a joyous holiday season, and a brilliant, prosperous, and a healthy new year! We are looking forward to see you soon in Slovenia.
Srečno novo leto!


Laura



Dnevi in trenutki polni sreče in miline, ko radosti in vesela si potiho zaželimo.
Taki dnevi v novem letu naj preženejo trpljenje!
Polno smeha, ljubezni,miru v svetu ti želm v novem letu!

There are days and moments full of joy and grace, joy and happy when you feel like quietly. 

These days in the new year to chase away the suffering! 

Full of laughter, love and peace in the world are elm in the new year!

    Neža                                             

Snežinke, bele zvezdice

(Snowflakes, white stars)

Slovenian Christmas song, sing by the youth choir of our school.

How to make potica

YEAST:
40 g yeast
1 tsp. sugar
2 tablespoons lukewarm milk
2 tablespoons flour
Sprinkle sugar over yeast and add lukewarm milk. Let it stand until twice its original volume.
________________________________________
DOUGH:
600 g flour
50 g suger
50 g softened butter or margarine
2 egg yolks
2-3 dcl milk
2 Tbsp. dark rum (or vanilla)
1 grated peel of lemon
Pinch of salt

Mix softened butter, sugar and egg yolks until the sugar is well dissolved and mixture is frothy. Warm up the milk, mix in salt, lemon peel, and rum, and add to the butter mixture. Form the dough out of the flour, yeast, and milk mixtures.
Mixing with a wooden spoon until of consistency that dough can be handled without sticking. Place dough on floured board and knead for about 15 minutes, adding flour as needed to make a non-sticking dough. Place dough in a well-greased bowl. Cover and let rise in warm place for about 1 hour. While dough is rising, prepare filling.
________________________________________
FILLING:
2 dcl milk
400 g finely ground walnuts
golden raisins
100 g sugar
2 tbsp. dry bread crumbs
1tsp. cinnamon
40 g butter (or margarine)
2 egg whites, beaten stiff

Nuts fried in a pan, pour the milk and add remaining ingredients. Mix all together. Fold in beaten egg whites last. Let filling cool as you roll out dough.
Roll out dough on table covered with a tablecloth well sprinkled with flour, roll out dough into a thin approximately 5 mm thick.

Spread cooled filling over entire dough evenly. Roll by raising the cloth edge slowly with both hands so the dough rolls itself.
Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place until double in volume. Bake about 1 hour at 200°C.

Potica

A traditional Slovenian festive cake

The Slovenian Potica is typically seen as a Slovenian national dish (in competition with »žganci«).

Known under various names (potica, povitica, potičica, povetica, …), poticas differ not only in size and shape, but particularly in their fillings. Potica has been known for centuries to every household in our little country.

Made of white, wheat or corn flour, filled with nuts, tarragon, carob or chive stuffing, sweet or salty, called potica, povitica  or gubanica – we all like it.

Once upon a time there was a cake

Potica was most probably first mentioned in the 17^th century. Valvasor wrote about festive pastry - the wedding cake – a Slovenian culinary speciality made of white flour with stiffing made of eggs and lard. He also mentioned presnec: a dish made of mlinci with cottage cheese, eggs and pepper, rolled with dough and then baked.

He mentioned potica as well in his famous book Slava Vojvodine Kranjske. According to his texts it was made of very thin layers of dough coated with a filling of honey and walnuts and than rolled. The process of rolling is called “poviti” in the Slovenian language and this is also the reason of its name. In some parts of Slovenia it is still called povitica.

However, the tradition of baking cakes in Slovenia is even older. Slovenian cuisine is known for its love for strong and caloric dishes with a lot of fat and sugar.

The cakes were considered all the farinaceous dishes made of leavened or unleavened dough with several fillings. The cakes could be eaten warm or cold. The peasants used to serve the cakes to their supervisors or tax collectors.

    

Saint Nicholas in Slovenian culture

Saint Nicholas is a Christian figure who brings small gifts for good children on the eve of December 6^th. Since Saint Nicholas is a bishop, he is originally portrayed wearing bishop's robes. He is accompanied by angels that have the list of the good children and “parkeljni” (little devils) that threaten the bad ones.

Children used to put the plates, baskets, shoes or bowls on tables or shelves in the kitchen. In the morning they were excited to find little presents such as nuts, hazelnuts, dry figs, apples, home-made socks or gloves. They were sad if there was a stick – “miklavževka” instead of a present. This meant that they were not obedient. “Miklavževka” was believed to be sacred, so it was not allowed to break it. Their mother put it somewhere where it could be clearly visible waiting till the next visit of Saint Nicholas.

Today, children are good, since Saint Nicholas brings everything the children wish. Their wish list is usually drawn up of toys and sweets.