Christmas Eve, Christmas, and Cake

[babywings76]

Okay, this is my brainstorming session here. I'd love to hear what everyone else is going to do this year, or any traditions you have.

I'm thinking of revamping our menu. It's the same thing every year, which I may continue. I'm just tired of it. On one hand, I hate to break tradition, but on the other hand all our occasions we serve pretty much the same things, just slightly different. And being my first year with PC, I'd love to try new things.

Christmas Eve: Ham, scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole (or green beans with butter and toasted slivered almonds), and rolls. Then we have a birthday cake for Baby Jesus. (when I was little, I asked my mom if we were going to have a birthday cake since it was His birthday--so my mom made a Chocolate Frosted Marble Bundt Cake every year.) The past couple years I make a 2 layer chocolate cake that has candy canes and chocolate crushed up and mixed in the batter, then Cool Whip as frosting with more crushed candy canes on top. My husband hates the crunchy stuff getting stuck in his teeth, so I might change the cake this year.

Christmas Day: My mom's house: Turkey, sliced to go on sandwiches. Hot ham, various appetizers, scalloped potatoes, etc.

 

[pkd09]

I absolutely love tradition! Since I was 11 years old (40+ years ago...giving away my age) we have had spaghetti on Christmas Eve. I am the only one in my family still doing it. All adult kids and grandkids still love the tradition. I also do the Garlic Bites, a salad, wine, and will probably do a Trifle for dessert. It is such a busy day and I can make the sauce in advance. So easy. Christmas Day is Ham, Cheesy Potatoes, veggies & dip, etc. Making the Cherry Torte for dessert and LOTS of munchies. I never know how many will show up for dinner for Christmas Day so if I have left overs, that is good.

 

[Kattyschack]

I too love traditions! For as long as I can remember, when all the other siblings went to bed on Christmas Eve (I am the oldest), my parents and I would stay up and wrap all the presents. My mom and I would sit in the family room and my dad would lock himself in the laundry room to wrap my mother and my gifts. It was a chance for my mom and I to bond. The youngest sibling is now 19, but we still do it. DH and I spend the night on Christmas Eve and he usually goes to bed while I stay up with my parents.
On Christmas Eve, we have my dad's family over. We are very Italian so we have mostaccioli with honey baked ham, bread, hashbrown casserole, and something my aunt makes (different every year).
Christmas Day:My father still has all the kids line up at the top of the stairs in age order, youngest goes first. He goes to the basement to set up the video camera to "capture our reactions". He tells us to come down and we have certain spots we all sit in every year. Dad makes breakfast, we go to church, and then we all go to my Uncle Steve's. There are 16 aunt and uncles, 45 grandkids, 15 great grandkids. We all pile into the family room to open gifts. The oldest of each family pass out the gifts. We count to 3 and we all start opening at the same time. Then the adults stay upstairs and the grandkids go to the basement for our annual beer pong tournament (not a typical Christmas game ). The great grandkids go to the play room to play video games.
This is my favorite holiday b/c there is so much tradition and family togetherness. Sorry it is so long.

 

[PamperChefCarol]

Chirstmas Eve is always lasagna.

Christmas day has been turkey and dressing, etc for as long as I have been alive. I did venture into new territory one year with crab cakes, twice baked potatoes, but that one was brief moment. And don't forget the Calder Brothers egg nog.

This year I am just going to do a turkey breast, but going to do this peach glaze that I saw on one of the food network shows. Looked yummy. Escalloped potatoes with gruyere and panko bread crumbs (this is a combination of recipes and ideas that I wanted to try) and then some sort of vegetable. Maybe a salad, haven't gotten to that yet. Dessert is a cranberry orange steamed pudding. Pretty traditional there, but we serve it with homemade ice cream.

Oh, and don't forget the wine!!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

We used to do fun appetizers and desserts on Christmas Eve, with DH's family, but then somehow that evolved into just pizza. Not good pizza either. My FIL goes to Little Caesars and gets the cheap pizza.:yuck:

DH and I keep trying to figure out how we can suggest something else.


Christmas Morning is Cinnamon Rolls w/ coffee and juice. After gifts and relaxing, we have Breakfast Casserole. This is my specialty, and I've made it for Christmas since I was in High School. I make it Christmas Eve day, and pop it in the oven after we open gifts Christmas Morning. We have it with a fresh fruit salad. It's the best!

 

[ChefPaulaB]

We have BBQ Ribs with choice of baked potatoes or baked sweet potatoes, with homemade bread and green salad on Christmas Eve at my parents house (Plus lot's of munchies and sweets!). On Christmas we go to my in-laws and she usually makes a Ham and scalloped potatoes and then usually either corn bake or green bean casserole and some sort of salad that I make and dessert that I make. Not sure what they're going to be this year. The dessert is usually easy but I have issues with deciding on the salad, never can find one that everyone likes. Any suggestions would be great!

 

[LeslieSGI]

The Pampered Chef Strawberry Spinach Salad - Super Yummy and very festive/special occasion worthy!​

 

[rennea]

When I was young and my grandparents were alive we would have Christmas Eve dinner at the stroke of midnight, which was ham and lots of bread stuff.

Christmas day was always Turkey.

When I was older and lived at home it was Chinese food on Christmas Eve.

Now DH and I have fondue on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day is ham and turkey, etc.

 

[christinaspc]

Our family loves tradition as well... On Christmas eve my aunt always brought some meat and cheese tray and we would all gather over there and help my mom with preparing the dinner. But the last few years my family goes over for a while then comes home cause I do all the baking of pies at thanksgiving I did 10. Me and my brother and my hubby and both of our kids will go out together and drive around town to see the christmas lights our parents used to do it with us and now we do it with our kids.

Christmas day we open presents with my kids and then my brother and I and our kids and hubby meets over at our parents and my passes out our stockings and then me and my brother passes out the presents and then we open up all at once there is 13 of us totally that morning. As for the dinner we have turkey and cranberrys and stuffing and all the traditional salads and such.

 

[chefann]

We used to do fun appetizers and desserts on Christmas Eve, with DH's family, but then somehow that evolved into just pizza. Not good pizza either. My FIL goes to Little Caesars and gets the cheap pizza.:yuck:

DH and I keep trying to figure out how we can suggest something else.

What? You don't like $5 Hot 'n Ready?


Maybe you should call someone and ask, "What appetizer can I bring that won't clash with what others are bringing?"

 

[chefann]

My dad's family gets together a Saturday before Christmas, since it's 3 generations and everyone has other gatherings to get to on Christmas Day. It's usually pot luck, with the host providing turkey and/or ham. One year, my cousin made a Turducken. One aunt usually makes a punch bowl of homemade egg nog with brandy in it.We usually end up with: ham and/or turkey
Polish hunter stew (roast pork, fresh kielbasa, potato cubes, mushrooms and sauerkraut)
salad
rolls
potatoes
cranberry relishThis year, I'm taking pierogi and onions (not homemade, though - I got the potato filled ones from Costco). Mom's making Golompki (stuffed cabbage).

 

[ChefBeckyD]

What? You don't like $5 Hot 'n Ready?


Maybe you should call someone and ask, "What appetizer can I bring that won't clash with what others are bringing?"

Well, it just doesn't say "Merry Christmas" to me.

AND - I have a very strange 4 yr old, who only likes spinach/veggie pizza - and that's not a Hot n Ready option.

DH told me to just make an appetizer sampler platter. If I make spinach artichoke dip, and crunchy whole grain chicken bites w/ ranch dip, and some veggies and dip, then at least I know my family will eat something. However, that was sort of what I was planning to make for Christmas Evening when it was just us three.

I'd make the Greek Cheese Torta, but I know that the 3 of us would, again, be the only ones to eat it. DH comes from a family of boring eaters. They have what I refer to as the "limited Dutch palate".

 

[raebates]

Christmas Day we do the following:Breakfast: Cranberry Twists, bacon, coffeeDinner: We do something fairly easy. I'll make Au Gratin Potatoes the day before so I can just throw them in the oven. We're having really easy Green Beans with Pine Nuts, and this year I'm brining and roasting a duck. (We've never had duck before.) Dessert is our tradition--Tiramisu. We also have a birthday cake for Baby Jesus. This year I'm doing the Ice Cream Sandwich Torte, using the Peppermint Oreos.

 

[kcjodih]

We used to do fun appetizers and desserts on Christmas Eve, with DH's family, but then somehow that evolved into just pizza. Not good pizza either. My FIL goes to Little Caesars and gets the cheap pizza.:yuck:

DH and I keep trying to figure out how we can suggest something else.


Christmas Morning is Cinnamon Rolls w/ coffee and juice. After gifts and relaxing, we have Breakfast Casserole. This is my specialty, and I've made it for Christmas since I was in High School. I make it Christmas Eve day, and pop it in the oven after we open gifts Christmas Morning. We have it with a fresh fruit salad. It's the best!

Becky this is EXACTLY what we do! Except mine is Pilsbury cin rolls and I've never made a fruit salad before and wouldn't know how. We have a strata after gifts that I make the night before. Would you be willing to share your recipes for fruit salad, cin rolls and the casserole? I'd love if more of my Christmas breakfast was homemade :thumbup:

 

[kcjodih]

My dad's family gets together a Saturday before Christmas, since it's 3 generations and everyone has other gatherings to get to on Christmas Day. It's usually pot luck, with the host providing turkey and/or ham. One year, my cousin made a Turducken. One aunt usually makes a punch bowl of homemade egg nog with brandy in it.

We usually end up with: ham and/or turkey
Polish hunter stew (roast pork, fresh kielbasa, potato cubes, mushrooms and sauerkraut)
salad
rolls
potatoes
cranberry relish

This year, I'm taking pierogi and onions (not homemade, though - I got the potato filled ones from Costco). Mom's making Golompki (stuffed cabbage).

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE pierogi and onions! I add fried bacon to mine; YUMMY!!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Becky this is EXACTLY what we do! Except mine is Pilsbury cin rolls and I've never made a fruit salad before and wouldn't know how. We have a strata after gifts that I make the night before. Would you be willing to share your recipes for fruit salad, cin rolls and the casserole? I'd love if more of my Christmas breakfast was homemade :thumbup:

I really hate to disappoint you with the cinnamon rolls Jodi, but I buy mine from Ida's Bakery (local bakery). They are so incredibly good!

For the fruit salad....hmmmm, lets see -

Usually, I cut up a pineapple, add some grapes, a red and green apple, and then either blueberries, or strawberries, and a couple bananas. (really, whatever fruit you want!)

I make a glaze by combining 1 cup of apricot nectar (or pineapple juice, or orange juice, if you can't find the apricot nectar) with 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 Tbls. corn starch. Bring to a boil, and then let cool and poor over the fruit - toss and serve.

Now - let me go get the recipe for Breakfast Casserole - I'll be right back!


Okay - I have to talk to my brother - I'll find it for you tomorrow morning!

 

[chefann]

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE pierogi and onions! I add fried bacon to mine; YUMMY!!

Ooh- that sounds good! I'm not adding bacon to it for Christmas, though. We've already got 4 types of meat on the menu. I am, however, taking a bowl of sour cream so people can add that on top of theirs.

I boil then pan-fry my pierogi so that they're a little crispy and golden brown. YUM!!

There's a family-owned pierogi shop near me that carries a couple dozen varieties of pierogi. Many are variations on potato, onion, cheese and bacon (P, P&C, PCB, C, P&B, POC, P&O, POB, etc.), but they also make some with mushrooms, sauerkraut, jalapeños. They have some breakfast ones (egg, cheese and bacon), and even make blueberry (although those are seasonal and sell out quickly).

 

[kcjodih]

Ooh- that sounds good! I'm not adding bacon to it for Christmas, though. We've already got 4 types of meat on the menu. I am, however, taking a bowl of sour cream so people can add that on top of theirs.

I boil then pan-fry my pierogi so that they're a little crispy and golden brown. YUM!!

There's a family-owned pierogi shop near me that carries a couple dozen varieties of pierogi. Many are variations on potato, onion, cheese and bacon (P, P&C, PCB, C, P&B, POC, P&O, POB, etc.), but they also make some with mushrooms, sauerkraut, jalapeños. They have some breakfast ones (egg, cheese and bacon), and even make blueberry (although those are seasonal and sell out quickly).

Exactly what I do! I cut my bacon into about one inch pieces and start frying them while the water comes to a boil. Add my pierogi and then when they're floating the bacon's done. I pour off most of the bacon grease but not all and then add chopped onion or chopped green onion, whichever I have on hand and the pierogi and fry them until lightly golden. Serve with LOTS of sour cream :thumbup::thumbup:

 

[Laura420]

We (my side) do a very traditional Italian Christmas... "La Vigilia" ... our emphasis is on Christmas Eve. We begin at 6 on Christmas Eve, eating and drinking all night featuring the 7 fishes theme... and add plenty more (cant have a holiday without antipasti and we do spiral ham w/all the fixings for the people who dont like fish)! We open/echange with extended family at Midnight.

Christmas Day ... Christmas morning we exchange gifts with just us, eat a nice breakfast of eggs, overnight french toast, bacon, sausage and the like... then I do homemade Manicotti for Christmas dinner...

If hubby isnt working we would travel to his Moms after breakfast in Northern NJ. This year he is working so we will have our Christmas morning and hang out till 2 when he leaves, then my parents will come by at 3 or so for dinner. We will go up to his Moms the Tuesday before Christmas as that is Day off thats closest to Christmas.

 

[wadesgirl]

Wow, I wish I did something more traditional listening to all you. All I remember from being young was opening presents Christmas morning then driving to grandma's with our favorite new present in the car with us.Now, well my family is traditionally non-traditional. Except for the last 5 years with DH, we always go to his parents on Christmas Eve, go to mass and then open presents. Otherwise, everything goes for us. This year we are doing Christmas with my dad on Christmas Day. Then there are the total of 5 Christmas' to go to!DH and I actually have nothing to do the actual day of Christmas so I think we are going to go see a movie. We've been wanting to see 4 Christmases.

 

[chefsteph07]

Christmas Eve my mom makes a big production...she has buffet warmers on the table and makes ham, chicken, cheesy potatoes, green bean casserole, etc. We start the festivities around 9pm...my 31 yr old sister has a bunch of her single friends come over and they get their drink on until about 2am doing karaoke...not MY cup of tea! LOL (This year I came up with the idea of midnight mass to get out of staying half the night!)

Christmas morning she gets the buffet warmers out again and we have a big brunch with everything...eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, etc (helps w/ the hangover!) Then we open gifts. We are done by about 1pm and that's it for the day...

This year for christmas evening I am going to make a turkey dinner, like Thanksgiving, just for the 4 of us.

 

[cookwithchris]

4 Christmas' was hilarious!

Everyone has their own special traditions it was great to see the diversity!

We do Christmas eve dinner Turkey with all the trimmings, turnip, garlic butter brussels, corn (for the pickies) mashed potatoes & GRAVY of course.
Go to my sister-in-law's for dessert & open one present each at midnight & sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. The rest of the presents are for Christmas morning along with our stockings. We have a wife saver breakfast/lunch and stay in our jammies all day!

Merry Christmas! :sing: