If I Knew You Were Coming I’da Baked a Cake

by

For those of you of a certain age, please accept my apologies for infecting you with an ear worm at this hour on a Friday morning. For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking, please google the title of this blog update. You can either read the lyrics or watch a YouTube performance. I’m pretty sure Rosemary Clooney sang this originally.

But the truth is, people are coming and I am baking a cake. Two of them in fact. And because the frosting on pecan praline cakes requires the cake itself to be hot out of the oven, I’ll be baking them one after another instead of simultaneously. Because people ARE coming. And why make two cakes you might ask? One is for my daughter’s birthday—it’s her favorite and the other is for Lil Jul Aften.

Long time blog readers have heard about this before. Lil Jul Aften, Little Christmas Eve, is an old Scandinavian custom which, in the early sixties, my mother hauled out and dusted off when the boyfriend who eventually became my first husband had to be home with his mother every Christmas, no exceptions.

We’ve been celebrating it every year since with a family gathering that happens the Sunday before Christmas, so everyone is free to do whatever they please or need to do for the remainder of the holiday season. And because Lil Jul Aften is a holiday but not for everyone else, it comes with the added benefit of having all the stores open in case some necessary item has been forgotten.

This year things are a lot different than they have been in the past. Some of the college-aged grandkids may or may not make it back to the party due to bowl game complications. Rather than our being out leading the charge to visit local Christmastime highlights, that torch has been passed. As I mentioned last week, Colt is a participant in this year’s Snowflake celebration, and our family will be represented in the audience by our eldest granddaughter’s family which happens to include our four great grandkids kids, all of them five and under. The idea of caring for that number of little ones is utterly daunting. Keeping track of all of them at Snowflake Lane? I might have been able to manage it years ago, but not now!

The house is decorated. It’s not as lush as it was in years past, but it passes muster. When the grandkids came to do it, the process happened chop-chop once in under three hours. It took me the better part of three days, but I made the grade.

As for shopping? We did not Did do that. The gift boxes under the tree are beautiful but entirely empty. The gifts will be in check form and will be found inside individual Christmas card envelopes. I have it on good authority pretty sure that whatever the recipients should choose to purchase, it will be not only the right size but also the right color.

In addition to pecan praline cake, there will be a store-bought chocolate chiffon pie for the chocolate lovers in the group. Other items on the menu include a Honey-baked ham, my son Tom’s mushroom Wellington, a mashed potato casserole, a green bean casserole, Boston baked beans, a fruit salad and a Pagliacci Caesar. No one is going to go away hungry.

And by Sunday evening? I’m sure I’ll be dog tired, but it will be one more star in Evie Busk’s crown. Celebrating Christmas as a family in a way that leaves people free to handle other holiday obligations is an automatic stress reducer in my book, and that in itself is a huge blessing.

Once Lil Jul Aften is over, Bill and I will take a deep breath. We’ll listen to the audio of Jim Dale reading A Christmas Carol and we’ll watch The Man Who Invented Christmas. From this writer’s point of view, that charming movie about the writing of A Christmas Carol can’t be beat!

Then, on December 21st, Bill and I will celebrate our 37th wedding anniversary. The year of the huge snowstorm here, we had Cheerios and champagne for our anniversary supper. This year it could end up being Lil Jul Aften leftovers.

Whatever it is, you can bet we’ll be having fun, and our hope is that you are, too.

57 thoughts on “If I Knew You Were Coming I’da Baked a Cake”

  1. MERRY CHRISTMAS! ? AND GOD BLESS YOU and YOUR FAMILY.
    I enjoy your books and your Friday messages.
    My heritage is in Minnesota right next door to the Dakotas. It’s also Scandinavian. I found the explanation of Lil Jul Aften very interesting.
    My family is in Minnesota while I am living in Oklahoma. It’s the weather ya know! ?

  2. MERRY CHRISTMAS! ? AND GOD BLESS YOU and YOUR FAMILY.
    I enjoy your books and your Friday messages.
    My heritage is in Minnesota right next door to the Dakotas. It’s also Scandinavian. I found the explanation of Lil Jul Aften very interesting.
    My family is in Minnesota while I am living in Oklahoma. It’s the weather ya know! ?

  4. Greetings from your Northern Arizona Stalker……Wish you a Merry Xmas and good health…..A Happy Anniversary and good tidings…..and May 2024 be a great writing year for you JA…….Dann

  5. Oh, so that is the name of a SONG? I had a friend, about 45 years ago, who used to use that expression, but I thought she had made it up! Anyway, your Lil Jul Aften sound lovely–I might have to do that with one part of my family, who lives in a different direction from the part with whom I usually spend Christmas.

  6. Merry Christmas? Enjoy your family and Anniversary! Lovely family traditions are make beautiful memories . Evil must be so proud.

  7. Merry Christmas. I am a few years older than you. I too have now resorted to envelops with checks.?

  8. Yep, checks or cash here for most gifts…..what with one thing (covid) and another (inability to think of appropriate gifts) we decided that was the way to go. I DID buy car fire extinguishers for each driver after seeing a dramatic car fire by the freeway and discovering that we are the only ones in the family with this basic safety tool.

    Hope the praline cake is a great success, it SOUNDS wonderful.

    Ceci

  11. One thing about your blog, you Allways stir up the Memories, and Make them Positive. (Fostering them with some New way of looking at life and / or change that has been forced upon us by life or Mother Nature. Please enjoy the season and your partner this year. Thank you again for stimulating the Gray Mater within this Brain. Aloha from Chuck in Tacoma. May the Aloha spread thru out the Algorithmic world.

  12. ?A Very Merry Christmas a Very Happy New Year for the whole family!
    ..much love from your devoted fan!

  13. Sounds like it will be a wonderful ways to ring in the holidays.

    All the best to you and yours for a very Merry Christmas and all the best you and yours for 2023.

  14. I would love to know how you make your mashed potato casserole! My family loves mashed potatoes and this is something I had not heard of before today. Also Happy Anniversary, and Merry Christmas from all of us at Northview Farm.

    • I make mashed potatoes with plenty of butter and sour cream and a healthy helping of ground shallots. For the casserole, I add in some chopped scallions, place them in a baking dish, and cover the potatoes with a layer of grated cheese. When mealtime comes around, heat and serve. The benefit of this is that it can be done the day before, so I’m not mashing potatoes at the last minute.

      • I’m going to try that since Ted still can only eat soft foods…thanks for the recipe. I like pecan praline very much – can you share that recipe, too?
        Sounds like a lovely holiday season at your house…much love to you all.

    • Your name, Busek, is only one letter off from my maiden name, Busk. That side of my family was from Denmark.

  16. For the last five years our family has been celebrating Christmas on New Year’s Eve. We have three married daughters and they love the idea! There isn’t any stress about who goes where on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and it gives us one more week to find gifts and extend the Christmas season. My 97 year old mother-in-law, Lil’ Pat, is still able to join the celebration and that makes it even better.
    I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy 2023!

  17. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

    I love your idea about having Christmas on another day. It makes it easier for everyone. I have learned over the years that the family is more important than gifts I’m giving few material things this year and have asked my family not to buy me anything that I have to dust or wash..

    • I love your books and your blogs. They bring a lot of sunshine into my life. I wish you a lovely Anniversary, a very Merry Christmas and a healthy happy New Year.
      HOW-JA-DO. HOW-JA-DO. HOW-JA-DO.

  18. How about a share on the praline cake recipe?Couple of other things on the menu were new to my eyes and ears. What is the one with the SWEDISH name at the end. I am wearing my tomkin Christmas socks today. Have you eaten the Flourless Chocolate Cake at Cafe Roka in Bisbee.?It is super delicious. Your son would like that one too. Some of the ladies from the book group are looking forward to Tucson Book Festival. Byron celebrated his 90th birthday with a friends parade. Was great fun. Then folks parked and came to greet and talk and eat gingerbread cookies. We look forward to your blog each week.Merry Christmas to you and your hubby.

  20. Lots of memories in this Blog! For our first anniversary (Dec. 23rd), my husband and I were so broke that our anniversary dinner was hot dogs and a $3.00 (!) bottle of champagne. It became our tradition.

    When I was driving a truck for a living, I just worked through the holidays because my kids had too many obligations already to fulfill. Many years later, my daughter and I started celebrating Christmas on “little Christmas” (Jan. 6th).

    All of that having been said, I hope you and all of yours have a joyous season, and that you and Bill have a stupendous anniversary!

  23. Oops!, I was wrong. Eileen Barton recorded the song.
    By the way, I have read all of your books and have loved them all.
    Merry Christmas
    Joann

  25. “No one is going to go away hungry.”
    You sound like my FIL – “If you go away hungry, it’s your own damn fault!”
    Blessings to you and Merry Christmas. Looking forward to another year of your wonderful writings.

  27. Sounds like a wonderful early Christmas get together with family. Smart idea! Merry Christmas and Happy Anniversary! Love your books and blog! You always give me a good laugh every Friday! Cheers to you and your family in 2024!

  28. Merry Christmas! Happy Anniversary! Thank you for all the many delightful hours you have given me with your books — I love every one!

    Our family celebrates THANKFULCHRISTMAS on a Sunday between Thanksgiving and New Years, because several of them work on the holidays and a few live out of state. Each year it is a little different, but we always manage to find a day when we can be together. My age has caught up with me too and checks have been my gifts the past couple years. There have been NO complaints!

    For our first wedding anniversary, poor and with a just born, we went to a local restaurant and shared one scoop of ice cream. That tradition continued for 49 years, until he died. Now I have a scoop all to myself and go down memory lane. Not a sad thing at all.

    • I love the stories of how folks celebrated their first wedding anniversaries when short of cash and have done the same thing in following years. I think it brings them closer.

  29. Happy Lil Jul Aften to you and Bill. “If I knew you were coming I’d of baked a cake, baked a cake, baked a cake……how’d ja do, how’d ja do, how’d ja do” I love it. Takes me back, waaayyy back. And brings back memories from days long gone. This year my Daughter flew up to OR to help me with a physical crisis, and as we sat and talked, she said my Granddaughter said it didn’t feel like Christmas yet. So we thought of some ways to help here fell more Christmasy. A few years ago, the last Christmas we celebrated together, we started a Christmas village. So I told her to start setting hers up, and I’d send something to add to village. (as I do every year) and we’d make some new memories. She surprised me by writing me a letter (not something most folks do anymore), and those simple little acts help bring new life into our traditions. Cake sounds like a great idea, Happy Holy Days to you.

  30. This will be my first Christmas as a widow. Kids live in different states/countries. I will be going to church and dining with new neighbors who insisted I not be alone. Holidays change as people move or die and we can all find new and different things to keep us happy. I love your idea of Lil Jul Aften. It’s the perfect solution to large families being pulled in different directions as in-laws have to be considered on Christmas. I am wishing a wonderful anniversary for you and your beloved husband and for the rest of the holidays as well. God bless!

  31. I have 3 grown sons who have recently married in the past 3 years. Well, the 3rd son is getting married this fall. But the main thing is that they now have in-laws to share their time with during holidays. I live alone and so celebrating with my sons and spouses is very important to me. When I found out some time ago that you celebrate Lille Julaften, I decided to propose that to my kids this year. And so we will be celebrating Christmas this Sunday. I’m looking forward to spending the whole day together eating, opening presents, playing games, watching movies. It will be wonderful. The only snafu is their dogs. They each have a dog. But not a small dog. These are big dogs. And when the three of them get together it gets pretty crazy. So unfortunately, they need to find some kind of accommodations for them since leaving them at hone for the whole day is too long. But otherwise, the day will be perfect. If anyone has any idea as to what to do with the dogs, let me know. Wishing you a very happy holiday season!

    • Happy Lil, Judy. Your sons current and future in-laws will appreciate this new holiday more than you know. Petsmart has doggy hotel accommodations.

      • Thanks Judy, and happy Lil to you too. I’m so glad you inspired me. And thanks for the tip on the dogs. This Christmas is going to be extra special as I now have my first grandchild, a granddaughter, born a month ago, who will amongst us!

  32. I just love your blogs. Have a wonderful time with your family. Traditions are so very special. Thanks so much for sharing some of yours with us!!

  33. I love all of your holiday plans. Plenty of time with family and plenty of time for yourselves. Yes, we’ve heard of Lil Jul Aften before, but I enjoy hearing it again. Congratulations on the anniversary! I definitely remember the song. I, too, think it was Rosemary Clooney singing it. Also, I love reading all of the comments from your other fans. I feel a true kindship with them all. Merry Christmas, friends!

  35. With each Blog, Judy, we learn a bit more about you and family- Today I know that Jeanne T has a December birthday- Our college-age cousin here in NYC has one, as do our nephew and great-niece in Colorado-
    December birthdays keep families very busy-
    I am so happy to be reminded of Lil Jul Aften again- I can’t believe that lovely holiday is already just two days away- I imagine that many of your fans have adopted it, as I have- However, I do not plan to ruin it by baking anything myself!

  37. I love this, only I’m calling our celebration ‘Grandma’s Christmas’. It’ll be just like Christmas morning, only a week early. On Christmas Day, we’ll have pizza and watch Christmas movies! Thanks for helping me feel normal and not crazy!

  38. Thanks to your clog, we watched The Man Who Invented Christmas for the first time. Thank You! We really enjoyed it and will make it an annual event. I’m sure we’ll appreciate more layers of understanding and nuances with each viewing.
    I really enjoyed the casting and thought that Christopher Plummer made a great Scrooge.
    Kathy

  39. A verry Merry Christmas and Lil Jul Aften to you and your families. I hope Father Christmas brings you everything on your list.
    ?????

  40. Thanks for potato casserole recipe. Will serve with a pot roast, for our holiday meal.
    We were also married in 1985 and remember getting snowed in the week after Thanksgiving on Bainbridge Island.

  41. The song is “If I’da knewen you was comin’, Ida baked a cake”
    Just sayin’.

  42. In reading various recipes for holiday foods, I’ve decided the key ingredient is butter. Don’t use anything else. It makes everything taste best.

  44. You and Bill got married on Dec 21? Lovely! My DH and I celebrated our 31st this week, same day, day chosen to honor my maternal grandfather’s birthday. I never really thought about it being the Solstice.

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