What do you eat for xmas/hanukkah/yule/kwanza/etc??

[mamadelbosque]

So, I'm sure most folks have a traditioanl meal that they eat most every year for xmas/yule/hanukkah/kwanza, and I'm just curious what it is!

For us, for several years now, we've done lobster tails & venison shish-ka-bobs. We order collossal lobster tails from LobsterAnywhere.com and split them, and make tons and tons of shish ka bobs, along with salad & french fries. Its a real treat, and I'm looking forward to it SO much already!!

[columbusmomma]

In the past our main dish has been a turkey or ham. However the last few years we've been enjoying beef tenderloin, slow roasted on the rotisserie. Sides include yorkshire pudding and a green salad or veggie. My Mom also makes special rolls that are sweet and frosted green and have cinnamon hots on them, picture christmas tree looking rolls. My Dad's birthday is the 24th so he always like pecan pie. And of course lots of Christmas cookies!

[velochic]

When we are in the US, on X-mas Day, we're at my aunt's (have been doing this for 40 years now) and it's a pitch-in, so different every year. When we're in Turkey, we do nothing, as would be obvious in a Muslim country (except about 10 years ago when Ramadan fell right around x-mas time and we had the Bayram that year when we were visiting).

On the Eve, though, for many years I have made a châteaubriand with béarnaise sauce as the main and this has become a tradition when we're in the US. I usually make a few hors d'oeuvres to eat during the evening. We really like vol-au-vent au homard (vol au vent with lobster in a sherry cream sauce) as one starter. Dd loves mussels, so we sometimes have those instead. Mostly any hors d'oeuvres are what in Turkey they call mezes and are eaten over a long period of time before a very late supper (sit down at perhaps 9:00). With the châteaubriand I always serve a rice pilaf of some sort and usually have asparagus and make the dinner rolls from scratch. We'll have a couple of different wine selections as well. The châteaubriand we buy is usually about 2 lbs., so if our neighbors invite themselves over at the last minute (as they have done before), we're ready for them.

[Magelet]

For channukah, of course latkes at least one night.

my mom's family does whatever the family who is cooking dinner likes to eat. Often we do rack of lamb or a turkey. My uncle usually does roast beef/prime rib. This year I think its tritip.

[tinybutterfly]

We do Christmas and have turkey or ham ( sometimes both) crescent rolls, stuffing, cranberry relish, a salad, brocolli, devilled eggs, sometimes a veg/relish tray, mashed potatoes, sometimes sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, red velvet cake...this is much less food than we used to have at my aunt's farm when I was a kid.

At her house there would be what was listed above AND homemade egg noodles, gravy, TWO kinds of stuffing, Waldorf salad, jello salad, green beans cooked with bacon and onions, various homemade candies, chocolate cake, cookies, her homecanned spiced peaches and I can't rememeber what all else.

THIS year we are having ham, mashed potatoes, salad, brocolli, whole wheat rolls ( I hope) apple pie, red velvet cake.

Next year I am staging a coup and serving beef tenderloin, wild rice, salad, brocolli, whole wheat rolls, apple pie and red velvet cake.

Do you see a pattern here? I am hoping my family will adjust without much of a fuss.

Everyone's meals sound delicious!

[witchypants]

For Yule we try to do something on the gamier side of life. This year it'll be a Goose for Yule. We've done duck, cornish game hens, and vension. But we almost always have a goose, so I'd say that's our 'tradition'.

[MidnightCommando]

Christmas eve dinner: homemade clam chowder, rolls, and salad

Christmas morning: various quiches, mimosas

Christmas dinner: roast leg of lamb with a balsamic caper reduction (FABULOUS!!), mashed sweet potatoes, and garlic sauteed green beans or some other veggies.

Good idea for a thread! I love reading everyone;s different traditions. Christmas eve dinner and breakfast have been traditions in my family since I was a child and the lamb dinner is one DH and I started about 4 years ago -it's our own special thing

[Ruthla]

We don't have one traditional Hanukkah meal. It's 8 days long, and it's not a major holiday (meaning we don't have restrictions on driving or computer use or have any reason to stop our normal busy lives during this week.)

We made latkes almost every night this week- some days latkes and applesauce and sour cream is the entire meal (although I'll usually open up a can of fish for myself those nights.) In theory, we could have had a meat meal with latkes (cooked in the meat frying pan instead of the dairy frying pan) and apple sauce only, but it didn't actually happen this year. And we have enough leftover latkes from last night for tonight's meal, so I don't plan to make any more. One night we made pizza (which is in our usual rotation of dinners.)

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

We don't have one traditional Hanukkah meal. It's 8 days long, and it's not a major holiday (meaning we don't have restrictions on driving or computer use or have any reason to stop our normal busy lives during this week.)

We made latkes almost every night this week- some days latkes and applesauce and sour cream is the entire meal (although I'll usually open up a can of fish for myself those nights.) In theory, we could have had a meat meal with latkes (cooked in the meat frying pan instead of the dairy frying pan) and apple sauce only, but it didn't actually happen this year. And we have enough leftover latkes from last night for tonight's meal, so I don't plan to make any more. One night we made pizza (which is in our usual rotation of dinners.)

Thank you! Yesterday at the supermarket I picked up a huge bag of potatoes, and another with apples, that had been marked for quick sale. I didn't have specific plans for them - beyond possibly potato soup and an apple crisp. You've just inspired me to make latkes (or rosti) and applesauce tonight for dinner!

We enjoy seafood on Christmas Eve. This year, I think it will be dukkah-coated prawns and grilled or roasted maple-glazed salmon. The dessert is a chocolate Buche de Noel.

Christmas day dinner is almost always a turkey. Last year, we had a glazed ham, because ds requested it. The obligatory side dish (there would be a family riot if it didn't appear) is a casserole of alternating layers of sliced sweet potato and sliced apples, with a little maple syrup or brown sugar. This year, for dessert, since we are home, we get to enjoy my Mom's famous pies - pumpkin, mincemeat and apple.

Other food traditions are pretty traditional too - mandarin oranges, shortbread and gingerbread, spiced nuts...

[babygrant]

My kids are learning about different holidays etc and we made Bunuelos which are eaten during Los Posadas. They were so good!