Christmas Day Dinner..

[C.Ann]

To honor a request from another poster - yet another Christmas thread..

Does everyone here do a big, special dinner on Christmas Day (or go to dinner at a family members home) or do some do Christmas Eve instead?

As a kid, the huge Christmas Eve party was always held in the home I grew up in - with enough food to feed the neighborhood for a week.. So Christmas Day was a day to relax; play with our "toys" - young and old alike - ; and pig out on leftovers whenever the mood struck us.. Our big, special dinner would be on New Year's Day..

When my dad built their new home - and I purchased my childhood home - it only seemed natural that the Christmas Eve party remain there - and it did.. So again, tons of food, leftovers on Christmas Day, and a special dinner on New Year's Day..

Here at DD's it's the same - since she's no longer able to work.. Not a bunch of people on Christmas Eve (always the IL's though and whoever else drops by) - but again, that's the "food" night.. Christmas Day is relaxing (with the IL's again) and eating leftovers.. DD's MIL does a big dinner on New Year's Day..

What do you do?

 

[Angelhalo]

In the past we have done lasagna for Christmas dinner and have done it on Christmas Eve. Last year and this year we have gone to a big buffet of appetizers and finger foods. It's fun because you never know what all you'll end up with!

 

[PatsMom]

This year we are doing the traditional Christmas Eve at my husband's elderly aunt's house. She has hosted the Christmas Eve family gathering for over 50 years. I am getting to where I don't like travelling so far (about 150 miles) and staying up so late but we see his family very rarely so I put up with it. Their traditional Christmas Eve dish is called chop suey but bears no resemblance to most chop suey's. I personally hate it but the family loves it and will be so upset if she were to stop making it.

This year for the first time we are not going to my grandmother's for the traditional turkey dinner on Christmas day. My step daughter and her husband have had a falling out with his family and had no place to go for Christmas. So she asked if we would go to their house so that my grandson would have a family Christmas. My husband's ex-wife is going as well so he will have both grandmothers and his only grandfather there. And his aunt - my 19 year old daughter. My step daughter is not much on cooking but she has her mother's lasagna recipe which I understand is awesome. So that is our main dish for Christmas day.

 

[illuminationsfanatic]

We've always done appetizer/finger foods for Christmas eve and then a big dinner Christmas day

 

[wdwmom2]

For us, everyone goes to my BIL's home for Christmas dinner. Not everyone can make it, but they are invited and welcome to come.

I am doing my Christmas dinner for DH, our kids, grandchildren and me on January 2nd. Our 4 children are from previous marriages and they have enough stress being tugged in different directions, I refuse to add to their stress. Plus my stepDS is now married, and my DIL's parents are remarried. Can you imagine trying to fit in visiting all the family in one day? Tires me out just thinking about it.

 

[C.Ann]

In the past we have done lasagna for Christmas dinner and have done it on Christmas Eve. Last year and this year we have gone to a big buffet of appetizers and finger foods. It's fun because you never know what all you'll end up with!

OT, but did you see my compliments on the cookie thread regarding your snowman cookie? You put me to shame! Great job!!

This year we are doing the traditional Christmas Eve at my husband's elderly aunt's house. She has hosted the Christmas Eve family gathering for over 50 years. I am getting to where I don't like travelling so far (about 150 miles) and staying up so late but we see his family very rarely so I put up with it.

That's thoughtful and kind of you to go - even though you don't like the traveling.. I hope you have good weather for it this year..

My step daughter and her husband have had a falling out with his family and had no place to go for Christmas. So she asked if we would go to their house so that my grandson would have a family Christmas. My husband's ex-wife is going as well so he will have both grandmothers and his only grandfather there. And his aunt - my 19 year old daughter. My step daughter is not much on cooking but she has her mother's lasagna recipe which I understand is awesome. So that is our main dish for Christmas day.

Again - a very thoughtful, kind, and generous thing to do.. And I'm sure your grandson will love having all of his grandparents there together..

I'm sure the meal will be wonderful!

 

[Polyluvr]

We do a big Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve~ We are Italian; and I've never known it any other way LOL. I usually also do a big Christmas morning brunch; but this year my sister's husbands family has invited us to Christmas dinner~ they are serving prime rib; yummy

 

[KristiMc]

We will be going out to dinner on Christmas Eve with my dad and my sister and her family. We started this tradition last year after my mom passed away.

On Christmas Day we will stay home and just have a relaxing day. I have a Centerville Chicken Pie (Oprah's favorite things) to cook along with a very yummy squash casserole. We will end the day with chocolate fondue.

 

[Meriweather]

Christmas Eve tradition here is sandwiches from Subway or another sub place, chips, salad.
DD won't let us ever change it. She is so traditional
There will be the 5 of us playing games and watching Christmas movies.

Breakfast is baked omelet, cinnamon rolls and muffins. Cooked between stockings and gifts and eaten while opening.

Dinner is the big meal. It changes every year. This year we have 3 of DS's friends coming over.
Dinner will be:
roast beef
ham
potatoes
gravy
sweet potates
stuffing
green salad
rolls
lemon chiffon salad
relish tray
deviled eggs
broccoli casserole

dessert is lemon meringue pie, chocolate cheesecake cake, and of course, cookies

 

[momof1princess]

since DH and i married over 18 years ago, the tradition has always been to open presents on Christmas morning, then eat Christmas Day dinner with my family (big meal with all the trimmings), and supper with his family (yet another big meal with all the trimmings). this year, due to my grandmother's health (for some reason, she insists on doing most of the cooking, doesn't trust us, i guess, lol) and my brother's visit home with his family, we're all going out to dinner at Cracker Barrel on Christmas Eve, then, for the first time ever, DH, DD and i will be staying home on Christmas Day (YAY!), and having the big, traditional dinner and supper with my in-laws (who live next door-no, no friction there, i love them, they're wonderful).

 

[plutotek]

Growing up, we had Cornish Pasties on Christmas eve, whatever for breakfast, then turkey dinner w/all the trimmings.

After we got married, we went with DW's traditions, including snacks/cookies/candy on Christmas eve, DW's coffee cake during presents, then traditional dinner that night. We always rotated between MIL, SIL, and us as to who hosted what.

I do miss those pasties, though.

 

[MIGrandma]

The kids and grandkids always come here on Christmas Day. This year we are having two meals, brunch at 11:00 and then ham/turkey sandwiches and other things around 4-5:00. I don't know why I got talked into two meals. It won't be difficult to pull off though, and I plan to get as much as possible of the food ready the day before. I want to be done in the kitchen before 5:00 on Christmas Eve, as DH and I will be driving into town to pick up my Mom. We'll take her for a long ride through several towns to see the Christmas lights, then back to our house and she'll spend the night. I've done this for her since Dad passed away almost 3 years ago. I would hate for her to be alone on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day will be busy, but fun. Then they'll all probably be gone by 6:00 or so, and we usually have the guys help put the furniture all back the way it's supposed to be before everyone leaves. Run the vacuum cleaner, start the dishwasher and I'm done.

I always look forward to the day after Christmas too, it's my day to relax with a clean house and lots of leftovers in the frig.

 

[TimeforMe]

We do two HUGE dinners. I do Christmas Eve and my niece does Christmas Day. Christmas Eve is all seafood and lots of it and Christmas Day is usually either prime rib, crown pork roast or something similar. I think she mentioned she might be doing lamb this year. She has a 5-course dinner beginning with antipasto, then lobster bisque, stuffed artichokes and then the entree which everyone is usually too stuffed to eat. Can you tell my family is a bunch of foodies?

 

[C.Ann]

We do a big Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve~ We are Italian; and I've never known it any other way LOL.

May I ask what the "Seven Fishes" are?

Breakfast is baked omelet, cinnamon rolls and muffins. Cooked between stockings and gifts and eaten while opening.

Dinner is the big meal. It changes every year. This year we have 3 of DS's friends coming over.
Dinner will be:
roast beef
ham
potatoes
gravy
sweet potates
stuffing
green salad
rolls
lemon chiffon salad
relish tray
deviled eggs
broccoli casserole

dessert is lemon meringue pie, chocolate cheesecake cake, and of course, cookies

Sounds yummy! Do you do "Meals On Wheels"? LOL.. If so, I'll take some of everything - except the sweet potatoes..

 

[klacey1]

We do a dinner on Christmas Day, but the Christmas Eve dinner is the big, fancy one.

 

[charming23]

Christmas Eve dinner is always at our house. My mom started the tradition after she and my Dad got married. We used to do french onion soup, ham with hashbrown casserole, salad, some, kind of veggie and dessert, but it got to be too much. Now we make something different every year and this year we are having chicken and dumplings, caeser salad, and jello.

Christmas day dinner has always been at my Grandma's. I know this year she is making roast beef, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, corn pudding, and jello.

 

[Meriweather]

Sounds yummy! Do you do "Meals On Wheels"? LOL.. If so, I'll take some of everything - except the sweet potatoes..

Actually I do....kind of.
I cook for DS and DDIL......today was cooking day for that. 3 meals for the week.
I started doing it for them when we moved her. I like to cook, try new recipes and they are so busy, I know they are eating better now

I would love to send you food....or you could come here and join us. The weather is nice too.

 

[Mrs. Darcy]

C. Ann, this was always how our Christmas Day dinner was, just a relaxing day of pigging out on leftovers after a huge Christmas Eve meal. This year we're going to be in WDW for Christmas!

 

[mamacatnv]

I host Christmas Eve for an assortment of friends and family. I make the ham, scalloped potatoes and the carrot salad. Everyone else brings the other side dishes, desserts and appetizers. We have a white elephant style ornament exchange. This year we are having 24

For Christmas morning its just us and the kids. Sometimes My Bro and his wife are here then leave right after breakfast for her families home. Depending on weather, we live on opposite sides of the Sierra Nevada Mountains from each other.

We open family and Santa presents, have breakfast and then leave for a day at the movies. We go to 2 movies then our favorite chinese restaurant where we order all our favorites. We end the day driving around looking at decorated homes.

 

[C.Ann]

C. This year we're going to be in WDW for Christmas!

Brat!!

Just kidding.. I hope you have a great time, great weather, a safe trip to and from, and a very, very Merry Christmas!!!