“What is good for them, not what they want.”
Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658). Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland.
What do Oliver Cromwell and Covid-19 have in common? Both seem to share a dubious reputation for canceling Christmas celebrations. Oliver Cromwell and his fellow Puritans considered the Christmas festival to be sinful (Figure 1). They considered the celebration of the birth of Christ on December 25th to be a “pop” tradition derived from the Roman Catholic Church (Christ). s Mass), thus threatening their core Christian beliefs. The festival was banned by an Act of Parliament in 1644, and in June 1647 the Long Parliament (the English parliament that lasted from 1640 to 1660) passed an ordinance confirming the abolition of the Christmas feast. Oliver Cromwell was not well-liked by everyone, but his brutal conquests and the introduction of criminal laws (Catholics were barred from membership in the Irish parliament and most of their land was confiscated; Catholic clergy were expelled from Ireland) It was not well-liked, especially in Ireland. [1]. From a hematological point of view, it is interesting to observe that Cromwell died of malaria (falciparum malaria probably).
Oliver Cromwell was Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
Christmas was revived in England after the Restoration in 1660 and has since become popular in most parts of the world. Christmas is still celebrated as a national holiday in countries with Jewish and Muslim majorities.
Although Christmas was originally a religious holiday, it has gradually become secularized and commercialized, and appears to have lost some of its charm and relevance. All Christmas gatherings will be banned amid the coronavirus pandemic, perhaps marking the end of the seedy “office party.” Not being able to unite families during this pandemic will be extremely difficult, especially when families are widely scattered around the world.
What about HCT's activities around December 25th? In a discussion with Per Jungmann, he told me that the EBMT was not specifically considering this issue, but said: There is. “Karolinska and all other Swedish centers will reduce their activities for approximately two weeks due to difficulties in carrying out unrelated donor collection” in the middle of the holiday season.
Being “on call” during the Christmas holiday period was never fun. Not because I didn't want to be away from my family, but because running errands at the hospital was harder than usual during the holidays. On Christmas Day, I asked my girlfriend, a young woman in first remission of AML, to be discharged from the ward to be with her family, even though she had severe acute graft-versus-host disease. I distinctly remember spending hours trying to convince HCT patients. . Fortunately, my persuasion was successful and she survived, and as far as I know she is still healthy and disease-free.
Wine shops, off-licences, and wine associations always experience increased sales before and during the Christmas holiday season. However, 2020 may be different. Champagne sales are down due to Covid-19, and high tariffs on French wine imported into the US will likely add to the problem.
In most societies, Christmas is a time for tasting, and food and wine vary from country to country. In Ireland, the UK and the US, turkey remains the star of the Christmas main course, although the goose is becoming more popular. From what I remember living in the United States, “Thanksgiving” is a bigger festival than Christmas, and the consumption of turkey is practically mandatory. This year, there will probably be problems due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).kim severson's [2] is written in new york times international Family celebrations will be smaller, creating demand for smaller turkeys and demand for larger turkeys could fall by 20%, it said. Time will tell. Reveillon de Noël is a family meal in France. absolute It typically includes shellfish, foie gras, salmon, roasted ham or turkey, although pasta, veal, lamb, or beef stews are preferred in Italy, although there are geographical differences within the country. Turkey hardly appears. In Germany and Spain, seafood, duck, goose and rabbit are common as the main taste extravaganza on Christmas Eve, but roast turkey is becoming increasingly popular. Roasted turkey stuffed with pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg is a favorite in Israel, but lamb is also widely consumed. In Brazil, roasted turkey, pork or cod are the most popular dishes (personal information from Jolio Anselmo de Sousa Neto).
What should I drink with this amazing dish? There's always debate. Should you drink top-quality wine or not? I think most people would agree that sparkling wine always makes a meal more enjoyable. Serve as an aperitif or with a first course of smoked salmon or shrimp (or other shellfish). I like smoked salmon with lemon juice and black pepper and traditional black bread. If you don't like sparkling wine, Chablis, Picpoul de Pinet, Fino Sherry, and Manzanilla are good alternatives.
The discussion becomes more serious when you consider what to drink with your main. Why not reach into the cellar and pull out the best? I do not think so. Young crus Beaujolais are fine, but for those who prefer white wines, Chardonnay and white Rioja are also acceptable. Invented in Lebanon, arak (Figure 2) is widely consumed in many iterations throughout the Middle East and many Mediterranean countries.
Arrack is an unsweetened distilled spirit from the Levant. It has a slight licorice flavor and becomes cloudy when water or ice is added. This bottle was a gift from my boyfriend in Türkiye at his EHA tutorial.
Goose is becoming increasingly popular, so try it with Gewurztraminer (don't try to spell this after a few glasses of champagne), Pinot Gris, or Riesling. But the best advice is to drink as much as you like, don't drink too much, and resist the temptation to offer your best wine and not be appreciated.
Most of all, enjoy the day and keep your PPI handy.
