Any Specific Plans for Christmas Meals???

11 years ago

Do you have a traditional Christmas breakfast or dinner, or do you just wing it every year with whatever sounds good at the moment?
Our Christmas Eve dinner and breakfast the next morning seem to be carved in stone. Christmas Eve dinner is just the four of us by choice and is a totally bizarre mix of our favorite foods: tamales with red chile sauce, smoked oysters, pickled herring in sour cream sauce,(special) cheeses and crackers, Caesar salad, green chile & cream cheese roll-ups, coconut shrimp and wine.
Christmas Morning breakfast is always Grandma Kay's coffee cake, sausages, scrambled eggs with green chiles, OJ and coffee.

For the last 3 years we've had a gourmet sit-down dinner where we've made most of the meal. A LOT of work and I'm, frankly, tired of it. This year we're going back to a buffet where everyone is bringing their own special dishes. I've told everyone involved what I'm providing for the meal and said to bring whatever else they want. I don't really care, because I know it will all taste great and that's what counts. This year I'm making:
- a spiral-cut honey baked ham
- boiled shrimp platter with cocktail sauce
- a cheese ring & crackers
- green chile & cream cheese roll-ups
- tamales with red chile sauce
- Meatballs in a cranberry and chili sauce
- a fresh veggie tray with dip
- spinach & artichoke dip
- wines
- mulled cider
- iced tea
- (soda) pop
- coffee
- several varieties of homemade Christmas cookies
- chocolates
- mixed nuts

This is a buffet that actually serves as a late-lunch feast and later a grazing-type dinner for a number of people. To help save my sanity, I've decided that I'm not serving anything this year that can't be made ahead of time and just put on serving platters before the guests arrive. DD and I spent most of yesterday making the things that would store well or could be frozen for it. I'd love to put out nice paper plates instead of my usual Christmas china, but DH is against that. I do have to say that he always helps me clean up and wash dishes after everyone goes home, but it would be nice to have that 1 1/2- 2 hours to put our feet up and relax in front of the fire instead.

So, do you go crazy fixing special meals for Christmas (or Hanukkah)? Do you like to have the same thing every year or do you try new things? Any special foods you have to have?

Lynn

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Comments (26)

golddust
11 years ago
I cook for 30 to 37 people. This year, it is 37. I haven't finished my Christmas shopping, wrapping, etc. 'Mom' is taking priority. I haven't nailed my menu yet or started cooking but there is time. I refuse to stress. It will come together beautifully. I have time for everything.

I did buy a large ham, will make eggplant parmesan. Am asking my BIL to bring a main dish to share that accommodates his diet. (Tired of him complaining about my cooking.) Aimee is making a salad. My goal is to pare down on my menu options this year. That will never happen.
gsciencechick
11 years ago
Wow, I am the total opposite in that it is just us and MIL.

For Christmas Eve, we grill a beef tenderloin on the Weber charcoal grill. DH's family has a tradition of appetizers, so that is mostly what we have. I will also have some pierogis, pickled herring, and cookie from my Polish-American background.
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fourkids4us
11 years ago
For the last 25 years or so, we have always had fresh ravioli on Christmas Eve. It started when I was in college in NYC and my father came to pick me up after exams. Little Italy was right across the street from campus, so we went over and bought freshly made ravioli from the pasta shop and Italian pastry from the pastry shop next door. After I graduated, I still lived there, and continued bringing home to my family. Eventually, I moved back to MD and for years and years, the ravioli was purchased in a little pasta shop in Little Italy in Baltimore. A few years ago, dh decided to make it himself, so he's been providing it ever since. My parents come over for dinner, and sometimes my brother and his family. This year it will just be my parents. We'll have garlic bread and salad with it. Nothing else as it's a heavy meal and we go to Mass afterward.

Christmas Day is always over at my parents' house. The menu changes every year but is traditionally an Italian meal reflecting my father's heritage - he typically makes the meal and my mother makes dessert. This year, we are having braciole, eggplant lasagna, and grilled vegetables (my brother makes this). I'm not sure what else is on the menu - I'll probably be bringing the appetizers and perhaps one dessert. Not sure yet what my mom plans on doing for dessert. We don't have a ton of selection b/c the gathering isn't that big - only 12 people. My sister and her family aren't coming this year.
Oakley
11 years ago
When we have Christmas dinner here, Christmas Eve is usually take-out pizza because of all the prep, etc. And no dishes to wash!

DS & DIL have continued the Christmas breakfast tradition from my house. Breakfast casserole and monkey bread.

Dinner will be fried turkey and a duck or Rib roast. Lot's of sides and desserts.

However, they're calling for possible major blizzard here beginning on Christmas day, so I'm going to have a small turkey ready to go!

For dessert I plan on making us (if we're home) Baklava Muffins. Oh my.
camlan
11 years ago
This year, the brother who usually hosts our Christmas dinner is deployed overseas. So we are changing up a lot of traditions, because it just wouldn't be the same without him.

Christmas Eve, we are forgoing the traditional corn chowder and biscuits for homemade pizza, design your own toppings.

Christmas dinner will be steak, grilled outdoors, baked potatoes, corn, carrots and peas, rolls, and salad, followed by gingerbread, apple pie, Christmas cookies, and cider. Not fussy, not complicated, but everyone attending got to pick one favorite food, so everyone will have something to enjoy. (Seriously, peas are your favorite food? The things you learn about your siblings after 40-odd years.)
tinam61
11 years ago
I used to host Christmas Eve for both sides of the family. In recent years, however, I many times host Christmas so have stopped hosting the night before. I am not for sure what we are doing that night. We sometimes have friends drop in. I like to prepare a variety of appetizers for our meal. We go to an early church service @ 4:00.

On Christmas Day - we do one big meal. No breakfast - too much with the meal later in the day. We eat something lite. It's just the two of us Christmas morning. We are hosting this year - it will be my side of the family. Honey glazed ham, party potatoes, cranberry casserole, green beans, deviled eggs, broccoli salad, rolls, etc. That is the for sure list. I have not decided on dessert(s). My MIL and her male friend will come over Christmas Evening for dessert(s).

tina
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Diane Smith at Walter E. Smithe Furniture
11 years ago
One of my brothers usually host Christmas afternoon. No matter which brother is hosting we have roasted meats for sandwiches and everyone brings a dish. My mom started the tradition years ago when she hosted at her home and now that us "kids" do the entertaining, we have carried the tradition on.

Here's what we are bringing:

Carrot cake
Holiday fudge with cherries
Seven Layer cookies
Cut-out Christmas cookies
Rice Krispie Treats topped with chocolate & Holiday sprinkles
Viennese Crescents

DD is home and I'm looking forward to baking with her and her boyfriend on Thursday. They are both good cooks and bakers!
Sueb20
11 years ago
Christmas is pretty simple around here. I have no siblings, mom is deceased, so my extended family is a party of one: my dad. He lives two hours away and will come here early in the day on Christmas Eve and usually leaves early afternoon the next day because he is a popular guy and is usually invited to various friends' houses (or girlfriend, which is the case this year). DH has 3 sibs but two live pretty far away and the other one we usually see either before or after Christmas for gift exchange.

So the 6 of us (me, DH, 3 kids, and my dad) are going to our neighbor's house for a get-together on Christmas Eve night. On Christmas Day, I'll make a huge breakfast -- fruit, egg casserole, French toast casserole (because one DS won't eat eggs), etc. -- and then throughout the afternoon we snack on fancy cheeses and crackers, veggies and dip, shrimp cocktail, pigs in blankets, and, of course, cookies and other treats. To me, Christmas is about being together and hanging out, seeing the kids enjoy their gifts...not really about the food. But I don't think I know anyone else who isn't either preparing or going elsewhere to eat a big meal!
nancybee_2010
11 years ago
My Christmas Day's menu is very similar to tina's.
Christmas eve is often at our son-in-law's mom's house, she sometimes makes Lebanese food, and it's delicious.
Lynn, do you make your own tamales? I have never made them, but have heard they are very labor intensive!

Everyone's menus sound wonderful!
hhireno
11 years ago
I have to laugh, Lynn. After mentioning too much work and being tired, you then provide a list of 16 items! It seems to contradict the "too much work" comment but I see it includes soda & wine, things you won't be preparing.

My family doesn't follow a traditional menu, at any holiday. A few items get repeated for a year or two until we find something new to take their place. We try out new dishes all the time, usually without a practice round. There have been disappointments but that adds to the festivities.

I have mentioned this before but we keep a spreadsheet with comments after big family meals - what was good, what doesn't need to be repeated, who was there, the entertainment, & suggestions for the next get together. They are very funny to re-read each year, it's part of the enjoyment. I realize it works best for families who don't always make the same food because commenting on the food is the largest section. I think it also helps that we all seem to have a good sense of humor and no one takes offense at comments like: "tastes like twigs & sticks" or "there's no place for asparagus at an Xmas dinner".

On the comment list from last year it was noted that we should try all appetizers and salads and skip a sit-down meal, so that's what we're planning this year. So far the menu includes Problano Shrimp Chowder, Butternut squash soup, beef crostini, scallops in a balsamic reduction, and chocolate roulade (which uses all egg whites) & creme brulee (which uses the yolks).

That will be on Xmas Eve. We'll have Xmas breakfast here before people leave for their in-law obligations. My BIL enjoys making eggs to order so I'm guessing that's what we'll do.

For Xmas dinner, I'll end up at my in-laws. They serve cold ham sandwiches and deli salads. I don't eat either thing so I'll have to fill up on left-overs at lunch. And on cookies, of course.
lynninnewmexico
Original Author
11 years ago
What fun traditions and meal ideas!
Nancybee, no I don't make my own tamales. You're right, they're very labor intensive and with all the fantastic New Mexican restaurants out here, it's easier to buy them. I get ours at one of the Garcia's Kitchen restaurants, which have fantastic food, but I do make my own red chile sauce from scratch.
Golddust: I see you as a little ship calmly sailing through the hectic holidays, the one that everyone else navigates to.
FourK's: fresh ravioli sounds like a wonderful and very special dinner!
Oakley: you fry a turkey??? I've heard that they're delicious but have always worried about accidentally burning down the entire village if we tried it.
Camlan: Peas . . . LOL!!!
Hhireno: I keep a log, too, but I'm the only one who reviews our dinners. I think your idea is better . . . and a lot more fun! And yes, I know I have a long list of food I'm making or buying, but this honestly is pared down from previous years. I come from a very big, close-knit family and grew up having these major buffet-style dinner celebrations for every holiday. Lots of different foods, lots of decorations up, and heavy on appetizers. So, to me it's the norm. But I do have to say that I'm very glad that someone else hosts our Thanksgiving and Easter celebrations!
Annie Deighnaugh
11 years ago
I've not made one before, but used to love them when Mom made them, so I'm making a fresh ham for xmas dinner. The other fixings will be

apple and cranberry compote
oven roasted potatoes with rosemary
mashed sweet potatoes with maple syrup and pecans
baked beans with bacon
green bean casserole

guests are bringing salad, beverages, pecan pie, cookies...

DH's family was Slovak and they used to celebrate xmas eve with their traditional xmas eve dinner...which generated more gas than the Henry Hub pipeline!

fresh kielbasa
smoked kielbasa
sauerkraut
kasha
hurka
makovnik
orechovnik
bonnieann925
11 years ago
We're steeped in tradition here:
Christmas Eve at my MIL's, which is a traditional Polish Christmas Eve buffet with 25 people-all family or dear friends. Family comes from CA and FL to be with us here in Mass. My MIL does all the cooking and wouldn't have it any other way. She does a buffet with paper plates and disposable flatware. We bring desserts.

Christmas morning we have a baked camelized French toast casserole (made the day before and baking while we are at church), with champagne mimosa's in front of the fire while we open gifts.

Dinner is a standing rib roast,(Yorshire Pudding-sometimes) roasted veggies, garlic mashed potatoes, salad and Old English Trifle for dessert. This is just immediate family and SO's so it's 8 or less people. We always set a nice table with china, silver and crystal. As the "girls" have gotten older and have have SO's our tradition is even more important to all of us. We do add a touch of Italy to our Christmas dinner as a nod to DD1's SO. Usually it's a pasta course.

One of our fun traditions is to break apart English "crackers" before dinner. We cross arms and share a cracker (it isn't really a cracker-it's a fancy wrapped gift!) with the people beside us until the present pops open. That's a nod to my English heritage. http://www.johnlewis.com/Search/Search.aspx?SearchTerm=pack+of+12+crackers&s_kenid=46bbebaf-9806-6648-6278-0000434902f6&s_kwcid=3x4641432

This is the first Christmas without my dad (we lost him in June), but he hasn't always been able to come for Christmas dinner. That meant fitting in a trip to his assisted living facility to celebrate with him. I'll miss that-and him-so much this year.

My mouth is watering....ah, traditions! Our traditions are so memorable to us....
texanjana
11 years ago
On Christmas Eve morning, we have French Toast Casserole. That night, we always have tamales, chili, and fixings and then go to church.

For Christmas Day, we are having (at our house):

DH's Homemade Venison Jalapeno Cheese Sausage
Crackers
Assorted Cheeses
Olives
Rosemary Walnuts

Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream
Roasted Root Vegetables
Yummy Potatoes (my kids insist on these)
Cranberry Pecan Salad
Fruit Ambrosia
Rolls
Meyer Lemon Pie (I grew the lemons)
Pecan Pie
Apple Pie
Whipped Cream

I'm getting hungry!
porkandham
11 years ago
When I was growing up we always had formal Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve, but we have too much going on to do that now. We have friends and family over, and we vary what we do. Sometimes it's lasagna or chili, and sometimes it's cocktails and hors d'oerves. I still haven't decided what to do this year.

Christmas morning was always egg and sausage casserole, stollen, and fruit salad. I'm continuing the same tradition with my own family except we have cinnamon rolls instead of stollen. I sometimes tint the icing green and make them in the shape of a Christmas tree. If my mother joins us for breakfast, I serve stollen as well, since that's what she grew up with. The kids get sparkling cider and there are mimosa and coffee with eggnog for the adults.

We have dinner with friends on Christmas night at their house. It's usually something like standing rib roast, shrimp, potatoes, and green bean bundles. They have homemade eggnog and numerous desserts. We sing carols around the piano, and then we light the candles on their tree and sing Silent Night. Very beautiful but also a bit nerve wracking as the adults intently watch the tree to make sure it doesn't catch on fire!
blfenton
11 years ago
You guys are all so fancy with your meal plans! We've already had our big family dinner and we hosted 18 people for that.

Christmas Eve is always Chinese food. Christmas breakfast is coffee and dark chocolate. (Oh yea, I'm serious). Lunch is usually some sort of soup and a couple of different loaves - this year it will be banana/blueberry loaf and cranberry/nut loaf. For this there is my Dh and 2 DS's and my mom.

Christmas dinner, is always at our house and will be small this year with just 12 of us and will be very traditional with brie cheese warmed with red pepper jelly, vegie tray and herb dip. Then the main course will be Turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes made with sour cream and cream cheese, corn, green beans, salad, Trifle, steamed pudding with lemon sauce and shortbread cookies.
patty_cakes
11 years ago
It will be Christmas at my house in Austin, but there will only be a small group this year, 5 adults, 2 grands. Other family members will be coming out after Christmas to celebrate New Year's with us.

As usual, i'll have the standard fare of Turkey, organic and range free~if you haven't tasted this 'bird', it's quite a treat. I'll make the dressing, both 'in' the bird and another dish for those who like it 'out' of the bird, crazy, I know. I'll also do potatoes, mashed as well as candies sweets/yams(all organic), and one dessert, as well as wine/sparkling wine, and Irish Coffee later in the evening W/desserts.

I'm asking everyone else to bring a veggie dish or 'whatever', plus a small dessert. I could be in for a few surprises, as DD is the only 'other' person who cooks. It will be interesting. ;o)
Bethpen
11 years ago
I love hearing about everyone's traditions and meal plans. I think it is wonderful how diverse we are.

We always have a beef tenderloin at my Mom's on Christmas Eve. It is a small party, only nine of us. Christmas day has always been a quiet morning at home with brunch with my SIL.

This year is going to be a little nuts. We will go to Mom's as usual, then my family is going to go to NH. We will be working in our new Waffle Cabin on Christmas day. I think the four of us will go out for dinner locally. I'm sad that we won't cook. Right now it feels like Christmas is just something to get through.

Beth P.
tishtoshnm Zone 6/NM
11 years ago
I admit I am chafing a bit at our usual holiday traditions. When I was little, we would always go out for Chinese on Christmas Even. Now, we still always go out but it is usually to a steak house. I do not see the point of eating so much beef and then having a lot of meat (normally a roast) on Christmas Day. My vote was to have an appetizer party Christmas Eve but I was shot down. Right now, my guilt gets in the way of saying no but I think next year I just will not participate on Christmas Eve.

For Christmas Day this year, we will go to my mom's. There will be ham, I will make 2 ducks, corn pudding, corn bread dressing, and a chocolate truffle cake. Breakfast is up in the air because of all that I have to cook and I have to work too.
jlj48
11 years ago
I usually do Christmas dinner light because of all the work involved and following such a big meal at Thanksgiving. We also do a breakfast casserole and monkey bread for Christmas morning, the kids LOVE it. This year we will be traveling on the 26th through the 30th so I don't want extra food lying around. I will make a ham, and a couple small side dishes and a cheesecake (I can freeze that). Does anyone know, can I freeze a spiral sliced ham after cooking it for Christmas?
Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas celebration. :)
terezosa / terriks
11 years ago
Growing up we always had turkey for Christmas Eve dinner, usually at my aunt and uncle's house. Christmas day we had turkey sandwiches, etc.

My husband and I have never lived near extended family, so we started a tradition of a restaurant Christmas Eve dinner, and we invite our kids' girl/boyfriends (none of them are married yet) Christmas dinner is basically a repeat of Thanksgiving: Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, broccoli with "holiday" sauce (hollandaise, which my youngest son thought was holiday sauce when he was 3), and different sides like chipotle cream sweet potatoes or butternut squash soup with marsala.
pammyfay
11 years ago
Texanjana: What are your "Yummy Potatoes"?

All of these menus are making my mouth water! (Maybe I had better go eat breakfast!)
nanny2a
11 years ago
Oweeee, my mouth is watering and I have already HAD breakfast! These menu ideas and traditional menus are awesome. ItÃ¯Â¿Â½s so interesting to see what everyone has for their traditional meals at this holiday! Since my family members are scattered all over the place in different locations, we are not having any type of traditional meal, and IÃ¯Â¿Â½ve been in a sour mood because of this separation during the holidays. We will have only our youngest son here with his new wife visiting from Chicago, and she eats only vegetarian, so IÃ¯Â¿Â½m trying to come up with menu ideas that will please her, as well as DH and son, who are big meat eaters. Will probably do some type of local fish, to please son who canÃ¯Â¿Â½t find it in Chicago, and lots of yummy vegetable sides. Suggestions are always welcome!

All your menus sound wonderful!
cooperbailey
11 years ago
FourKids Does your ravioli come from Trinacria on Paca St. by any chance? yum! I am in MD too.Used to stop there regularly when I worked downtown.
On Christmas Eve when the kids were little,we would have a deli platter that I put together.Everyone made their own sandwiches ( with help when very little) We would eat in front of the fire and watch the Muppet Christmas Carol.Oh, and it was always just the four of us.And they still talk about those days!
Then on Christmas morning I would put in an overnight breakfast casserole while we opened gifts.
We always have Christmas dinner here. Used to be a full house but now the family has dwindled.Dinner can be anything from ham, steak, or like this year a beef tenderloin. Christmas cookies and a homemade cheesecake are always a must.
deegw
11 years ago
Like Lynn, I have been "over" Christmas meals for a while. By the time Christmas day rolls around I am so stuffed that I don't want to eat. I'd put my foot down, but my parents always join us and they are pretty set in their ways.

We usually have fondue on Christmas eve but this year my 19 yo dd is vegan so that is really putting a wrench in the works. Her mission is to find a lasagna or pot pie recipe for Christmas eve dinner. I would love to be able to go out for Chinese!

Christmas day is beef roast and some variation of mashed potato, green beans, salad and crescent rolls (my kid's favorite).
Faron79
11 years ago
In this Norwegian household...

GOTTA have my Lutefisk!!!
DD can't stand it, DW will eat some, but I'm all in!!
Usually DW's awesome mashed potatoes, meatballs & gravy.
Oh...and lotsa Lefse!!!

Uffda!

Faron

Any Specific Plans for Christmas Meals???

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Any Specific Plans for Christmas Meals???

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lynninnewmexicoOriginal Author

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