…on a Sleigh Ride?
Many of our (English) Christmas carols and other holiday songs deal with foods or activities, many of which I’ve never actually eaten or done. For example,
“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…”
Nope, never had chestnuts roasted on an open fire. Never even seen a vendor selling them. Are they yummy? How much does a bag cost?
“…at the fireplace while we watch the chestnuts pop. Pop pop pop!”
Do chestnuts pop like popcorn kernels in extreme heat? The popped kernels must be HUGE.
“…as we pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie.”
I’ve had coffee, and I’ve had pumpkin pie, but not at the same sitting. Do the tastes complement each other? I’ve sworn off the Bean, so I guess I’ll never know. 
“Here we come a-wassailing.”
I’ve never had wassail. Here’s a recipe. Maybe I’ll whip some up later on. Here’s another one for lambswool.
“…while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.”
Never had a sugarplum. ISTR reading somewhere that a sugarplum is an archetype of Victorian “candy,” which is to say, dried fruit coated in crystallized sugar. I can neither confirm nor deny this.
“Now bring us the figgy pudding.”
Never even seen it. Sounds disgusting. :eek:
“…lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.”
Last but not least, I’ve never been on a sleigh ride, even though we’re not wanting for snow in Central Illinois in the winter.
So, have any of you folks ever eaten (or drank) anything on this list? Ever been on a sleigh ride? Ever done or eaten anything else in a holiday song that I’ve missed here?
I await reports from the field :D.
