| Author | |
kbfsc
Forum Pro
Joined: Jan 26 2009
Location: Florida
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 216
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 8:45am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
Does anyone know of a traditional Christmas eve meal? We have planned Christmas day at my parents' home and all of the old Christmas day traditions in my family will be wonderful - but I would love to begin some Christmas eve traditions in our home... Thank you!
__________________
Kiera
happy mama of ds '02, dd '03, ds '06, dd '09 and little ones in heaven
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
VanessaVH
Forum Pro
Joined: July 26 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 224
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 9:54am | IP Logged
|
|
|
We have never been home for Christmas Eve, we usually eat at my grandma's, where the tradition is keilbasa, but I heard a great idea of making shepherds pie for Christmas Eve. We are actually going to have dinner at home on Christmas day this year so that is what I am making Zippy Shepherd's Pie minus the curry powder and I sub mixed veggies for the peppers and peas & carrots.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Michaela
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2052
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 10:37am | IP Logged
|
|
|
We will have a simple dinner of various German wurst (bratwurst, bockwurst...) with German potato salad.
__________________
Michaela
Momma to Nicholas 16, Nathan 13, Olivia 13, Teresa 6, & Anthony 3
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Paula in MN
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 25 2006
Location: Minnesota
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4064
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 11:24am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Growing up we always had Turkey, stuffing, the works. Now we celebrate Christmas Eve with my In-Laws, and their tradition is pizza rolls. Lots and lots of pizza rolls.
__________________
 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 12:37pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We go to my sister's for Christmas Eve and she is having taco soup this year.
But for a traditional meal.. I have a lovely polish cookbook that talks about the traditions that reach back to when it was a Catholic country. So the meal is meatless continuing the season of Advent until midnight when they used to be meatless for the whole season. It was traditional to do 12 main dishes but that's often replaced by a 12 fruit compote.. the book recommends a menu of
pickled beets
pickled herring in sour cream
noodles with poppy seed and raisins
borscht without meat
poppy seed rolls
cheese and sauerkraut filled peirogi
Christmas bread
northern pike polish style
light fruitcake from warsaw
fish in horshradish sauce
twelve-fruit compote
stewed sauerkraut with mushrooms
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
guitarnan
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10883
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 12:40pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We celebrate with our music group friends and we have the same menu every single year:
ham
cheesy potato casserole
broccoli casserole
green salad
rolls
trifle
cookies
Yum!
__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
stellamaris
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 26 2009
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2732
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 12:41pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Wow! That's a lot of cooking. We keep it simple. Our usual dish is salmon with brown rice and broccoli-nice but meatless and easy to make. No dessert!
__________________
In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 12:43pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
For our lunch/afternoon snacks.. we're decorating the house that day.. so I start a pot of a simple soup early in the day and have it set out in a crockpot and have a cheese ball and crackers.. some veggies with a dip maybe.. things we can munch on as we're busy plus the soup for those that want a bit more of a meal.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
ctrivette
Forum Pro
Joined: Nov 08 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 107
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 2:02pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Feast of the seven fishes. Only I don't know how to make 7 fish dishes that we could eat on one night so it is more like the feast of three fish (shrimp, crab, whitefish). All with pasta.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
stacykay
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 08 2006
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1858
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 2:09pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My dh's family is Polish, so we stick to the meatless Christmas Eve meal, usually with pierogis and appetizers using veggies, fish, and fruit. Usually shrimp cocktail or a crab meat dip, spinach dip and bread, cheese and crackers, and veg/fruit trays.
My sil's family is Italian, and they do the 7 fish dinner! It is usually a rather large affair, with many friends in attendance, so they don't have to worry about leftovers! I don't know how we would do it either, with just us.
In Christ,
Stacy in MI
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
organiclilac
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 30 2006
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 640
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 2:17pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We always go out for Chinese... mostly because we love the movie "A Christmas Story"! 
__________________
Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
KackyK
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 22 2007
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1811
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 3:31pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Tracy...hilarious!!!
We use to do a traditional type meal...turkey/ham/roast beef...then it just felt like Thanksgiving all over again.
Last year we were last minute with gifts (I was at Toysrus at 6pm on the 24th!) so I hit McDonald's on the way home. We all actually thought it was funny and liked it!
This I'm not sure what we are going to do.
On Christmas Day my parents have started a tradition of crockpot bbq ribs with twice baked potatoes...so so yummy!!!!!
I feel like in some ways you can do anything on Christmas and do what fits your family and their likes. I feel like there's a set pattern on Thanksgiving. KWIM?
__________________
KackyK
Mom to 8 - 3 dd, 5ds & 4 babes in heaven
Beginning With the Assumption
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
kbfsc
Forum Pro
Joined: Jan 26 2009
Location: Florida
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 216
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 4:41pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Wonderful ideas! I'm unfamiliar with the 7 fish tradition. Could anyone elaborate? 
__________________
Kiera
happy mama of ds '02, dd '03, ds '06, dd '09 and little ones in heaven
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
folklaur
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2816
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 5:32pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
In the Southwest, it is *extremely* common to have tamales as the traditional Christmas Eve meal.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
ctrivette
Forum Pro
Joined: Nov 08 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 107
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 5:59pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
folklaur wrote:
In the Southwest, it is *extremely* common to have tamales as the traditional Christmas Eve meal.
|
|
|
we just bought ours from the parish tamale sale:). We have them on Christmas Day for lunch though;)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mavmama
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 01 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 618
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 8:47pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I don't know the history of it, but my family has always had potato soup along with either chili OR oyster stew. There is always a big relish tray with crackers and cheese, and the usual veggies/dip. Dh's family didn't have a tradition, so we went with mine. I should ask my mom where this came from...
__________________
Liz
Blessed by 4 wonders
dd11, dd911, ds9, ds8
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
KackyK
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 22 2007
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1811
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 9:10pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Yeah, what is up with the oysters? My grandfather apparently would eat raw oysters for Christmas morning breakfast. No one joined him!
__________________
KackyK
Mom to 8 - 3 dd, 5ds & 4 babes in heaven
Beginning With the Assumption
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
guitarnan
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10883
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 9:41pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Could be worse...In Italy the traditional Christmas Eve meal is eels.
My dd used to love to go to the Italian supermercato to see the tank of live eels...not that she would ever consider eating them! 
__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
LLMom
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 19 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 995
|
| Posted: Dec 20 2010 at 9:59pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Back in the olden days, the Church law stated that Christmas eve was a day of fast and abstinence. That is where a lot of the traditional meals with oyster soup came from. We usually have shrimp gumbo, cornbread, and salad. Real southern food.
__________________
Lisa
For veteran & former homeschool moms
homeschooling ideas
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
stacykay
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 08 2006
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1858
|
| Posted: Dec 21 2010 at 7:55am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Here is a link that talks about the significance of the number seven for the seven fish dinner. This one also talks about the seven and the Church's previous tradition of abstinance before a feast.
Funny..even Rachel Ray has a blurb about her family's traditional 7 fish.
And here, Mario Batali talks about the eels.
It seems to be a more Southern Italy sort of thing, according to these articles. Pretty interesting!
In Christ,
Stacy in MI
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Forum Locked) 
4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: traditional Christmas eve meal?
