The Word - Vol 52

Stormer’s Punch

Well, here it is, Christmas Eve. You either have everything wrapped and ready, or you’re like some of us, on the run with some last-minute items to take care of, but for the kids, the magical night is about to begin. How many of you tried to stay up to see if you could hear reindeer hooves on the roof, and the next thing you knew it was morning and once again you didn’t make it past midnight.

As a kid, Christmas morning was so special, after all the building anticipation the day was finally here! But not so fast! A tradition in our family was, that nobody could get out of bed till Dad went downstairs and lit the fire in the fireplace, took inventory of how many cookies Santa had eaten, how much milk he drank, and see if he took the carrots to feed Rudolph. Those tasks were passed on to me when I became a Dad, and I should ask the boys if they do the same thing with their kids. As the years went by I heard stories about how other families celebrated the big day. Some kids were allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve before going to bed. Others could open one gift when they woke up Christmas morning, then had to have breakfast before going back to opening gifts. I even heard of some kids not being allowed to see what was under the tree until after going to church! I think my brain would have exploded if that was the rule in our house. 
Christmas dinner was almost always the traditional turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, veggies, and gravy. We were very blessed.

The Christmas season really began for me with the annual announcement that the Japanese Oranges had arrived at the docks in Vancouver. It was a big deal back then, front page news, and a guaranteed story on the television newscasts. Those delicious little Mandarin oranges wrapped in green tissue paper and packed in a small wooden crate were an anxiously awaited Christmas treat that always found their way to the toe of the Christmas stockings.

The other true sign that the festive season had arrived at our house was something called “Stormer’s Punch.” My Dad’s name was Norman, and his nickname was Stormin’ Norman, and the punch was his version of Wassail, (which was a British beverage made from hot mulled cider, ale, or wine and spices.) Dad turned it up a notch and put his own spin on it though, and “spin” was usually what the room would do if you had too many glasses of Stormer’s Punch.

To say it was strong was an understatement, this little cocktail had a definite punch to it but at the same time was very deceptive because it was smooth as silk and went down like an Orange Julius. There really should have been a house rule or even a city by-law limiting the number of glasses of punch any guest could have.

Dad wasn’t much of a drinker, he liked to have a sip of Scotch now and then, an ounce or two, no ice, so this punch was intended for any guests who would drop by. It certainly wasn’t intended for a young teenage son and his high school friends, but how could you have a festive drink in the house without having a wee taste? And we did have a wee taste every year, it was one of the highlights of the season for my friends. I don’t know if Dad knew that we were indulging, but if he did he never said anything.

Stormer’s Punch is a secret family recipe, and without giving away the whole secret, the punch involves 4 ingredients, Rye Whiskey, Apricot Brandy, Orange Juice, and Ginger Ale. The main punch is made of the first 3 ingredients with Ginger Ale as the mixer. The creation of the concoction was quite the procedure that would start after the New Year’s Eve party when Dad would collect the empty bottles from the party. Then all year he would collect the occasional bottle, and save them for the Christmas mix. A few weeks before the big day, he’d assemble all the bottles. He’d pour the Rye, Brandy, and Orange Juice into big mixing bowls and then start filling the empty bottles, cap them, and put them in the fridge. I can’t remember how many bottles would be in the annual batch, but it was a lot, and he never seemed to run out. 

It’s Christmas, and the aroma and the flavour of “Stormer’s Punch” sure puts the Merry in Merry Christmas at this house. I raise a glass and wish you a very Merry Christmas, and a happy and healthy New Year!  

Merry Christmas to all!
- Wayne

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