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Christmas Eve and Christmas Traditions and menus?

tokanm

By tokanm
in 2011

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tokanm

tokanm

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Here we usually get Pizza or Chinese Christmas Eve. We each open 1 gift. We watch a Christmas movie too.

We also put up our tree, usually on the morning of the 24th

Christmas Day we get up, eat monkey bread, then open our gifts and relax or clean up the mess. We then eat a late lunch of ham, broccoli/cheese casserole, loaded potatoes, salad, veggie plate, rolls and various pastry but always cheesecake. Everyone grazes throughout the day.

.

On Christmas night about 8pm we open our stockings. I started this with the kids as it seemed that the day was over to the kids just too soon and saving the stockings till night gave them something to look forward too. I try to put a nicer gift in each stocking (ie watch or gift card, small but nice lol) now that they are adults I do a few scratch tickets too.

 

So what are your traditions?

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biomajor

biomajor

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My kids are older now (19, 22) so they have evolved a little bit. On Christmas, I make lasagna with all the normal sides, and the kids open all of their gifts that night. On Christmas morning they open their stockings and we head the 3 hours to my family to celebrate with them. This is the first Christmas without my mother, so I'm not sure how it will be.
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Elmck

Elmck

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Since most of mine are grown now we are changing things but still keeping some of the old. My main concern is just having time with us all together (or as many as possible) We usually do my in laws Christmas Eve, but my FIL is sick and not up to it so we will move the get together till after Christmas. My kids favorites are Christmas breakfast and stockings (yes most of them are grown:) ) So we are doing both of those on Monday this year and that is when we will open presents too. DD8 will wake up to an extra stocking Christmas morning and her computer. I think she is going to be so excited that there will be no problem waiting for the rest. I am so thankful to have most of my kids with me this year!!!
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tokanm

tokanm

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We do NOTHING Christmas related on Christmas Eve - its my birthday and if everyone else gets a whole day for their birthday so do I! Lol

Well Happy Birthday PackerGurl and you are right the birthday person does deserve their own special day:fluffy:

 

Christmas is my Aunts b-day too and she had 1 son on her 25th birthday, then had twin boys on her 40th birthday (SURPRISE). They have 8 boys btw, lol. No girls at all.

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leefamily23

leefamily23

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We got to my aunt & uncles on Christmas Eve to celebrate with my dad's side of the family. There is usually 50-60 people there, all immediate family. We've been doing this since I was born, and I couldn't imagine not doing it. I usually go to church with my parents during the afternoon on Christmas Eve too (depending on when it falls during the week and if I'm home from work in time). Menu is good old pizza and wings between church and the family gathering.

 

Christmas morning we open gifts, and my son usually heads out to his dad's in the early afternoon. The only tradition with opening gifts is that my son usually does his stocking while my husband starts the coffee. Oh, and my son is going to be 19 in a few weeks (my only baby and he plays into my making Christmas morning a big deal still), anyhow I have woken my son and husband up every year to open gifts except one. There was one year my husband beat me to it. When I was a kid, my sister and I were up at the crack of dawn taking turns sneaking past the tree to see "what we could see" until 7am (the time my parents set for us to be allowed to wake them up). For some reason my son has NEVER gotten up earlier than me Christmas. Even as an adult, I'm still up early w/ excitement but I usually let them sleep until between 8-9am now.

 

Once my son heads off, my husband and I go to his families celebration. They have more of a potluck style meal, and the menu items change year to year. The last few years I have thrown roast beef in the crockpot before we leave so that we can have sandwiches when we get home.

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persse3

persse3

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We always open a gift and just hang out together, movie, cookies or whatever. This year I am so sad, my little one is 5 1/2 and my oldest 14 1/2! The time seems to have just flown by so we are starting a new one this year. I got poster board and paint and every year the kids are going to put the hands in paint and onto board. They bring home stuff like that when they are little but I think it will be fun in a few years to see just how much they have grown. My oldest thinks its silly but when hes grown and sees just how difference there is I think it will be fun to look back at!
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SuggaD

SuggaD

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On Christmas Eve we go to see the Nutcracker, Prairie Lights (a huge drive-through Christmas lights display) and dinner at Olive Garden. On Christmas day we get up, have breakfast, then open presents, then the rest of the day is relaxing -- movies, video games, new Christmas presents. Finger foods throughout the day. In the evening we have Christmas dinner and then go to the movies or rent a few to watch at home in the media room.
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SuggaD

SuggaD

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We do NOTHING Christmas related on Christmas Eve - its my birthday and if everyone else gets a whole day for their birthday so do I! Lol

Happy Birthday! My mom is a Christmas baby, so she gets pampered on Christmas. This year she is 60, so Christmas will be extra special for her.

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momof3luvs1

momof3luvs1

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Christmas eve I cook a big traditional greek dinner and add a bunch of seafood since my dh is catholic and thats his tradition. This year for the first time we are changing things up a bit. We are going to open all the presents from everyone else on Christmas eve and santa gifts Christmas day. Since we moved everyone mails their gifts to us and between all the gifts it was complete chaos Christmas morning so Im hoping to break it up a bit so its less overwhelming. We will see how it goes. My bff comes over and we all watch Polar Express, Track santa and then put kids to bed. Then Santa comes =)

In the morning I make a quick breakfast and the kids have us up early and we open all the santa gifts. Then I make a big feast for Christmas dinner which we usually have early (around 3). We also do stockings at night to break up the fun! I cant wait for it all to begin!!!!!!!!

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floridasun5

floridasun5

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Not doing anything for Christmas Eve this year. Usually we go to a friends house for a dirty santa gift swap and party, but my boyfriend has his kids this year so we can't do it. My day today will be a super clean of my house and prepping all the food for tomorrow, so I might be too tired tonight anyway to do anything.

 

Christmas morning will be my dd (18) opening her presents when she gets up. Parents, grandparents, boyfriend, kids, will be over mid day for opening presents, dinner at 2ish and after dessert and clean-up the rest of the night is adult relax time with egg nog, cocktails, and movies. Making a huge menu this year so a lot to do today:

 

Turkey

Steak Roulade

Smashed Potato Gratin

Cranberry, Apple and Sausage Stuffing

Corn

Brussels, Asparagus and Leek Saute

Rolls

Beets

Poinsetta Cocktail

Red Velvet Cheesecake

Pumpkin Pie

Shrimp Cocktail and Cheese Try for appetizers

 

Geez, just writing it all out is exhausting...I better get off this computer and get started! LOL

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booga12345

booga12345

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Going to the inlaws tonight. They always have a huge party. The menu always consist of tamales, Chile, posole, menudo and tostadas. Christmas morning I'm sure the kids will wake me by 6 to open gifts. We are having dinner later than Normal Christmas day, at 5 pm. I'm actually thinking its gonna work out better, well see.
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Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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Reverse order of what I prefer to do, but since we ate out as the kitchen is really not in any condition for festive meal cooking, I had rib roast for Eve and seafood for Day.

 

Eve was the bone-in 24+ oz rib roast at Cody's Roadhouse with their house salad with Bistro/Chipotle ranch. The servers call it different things; it is the dressing served with their fried green tomatoes and is not usually a salad dressing offering. But we find both their regular ranch and their blue cheese way too...mellow? Not sure why we don't care for either of those, but the bistro ranch works great. Also had a sweet potato with cinnamon butter, and a couple of rolls, also with cinnamon butter. The four of us (hyperception's dad is visiting) shared an onion ring stack to start. They are some of the best onion rings I've had.

 

Server rumor, which was told to us at the same time as the rumor about TooJay's closing by two servers at two different establishments and turned out to be true about TooJay's, is that Cody's will soon be closing here in Gator Town. With the tough football season the Gators had this year, I can understand if they do, but we will hope they pull through, both for all the employees who work there, and for our own enjoyment.

 

Day was spent at Amelia's Cucina Casalinga, where I was really tempted by one of the holiday specials of the braised large lamb shank:

 

http://www.ameliasgainesville.com/images/menu_images/LambShank.jpg

 

But, I wasn't in the mood for braised meat, and after the rib roast the day before, was in the mood for seafood. While not on the menu, I did see that they did a sauteed calamari dish and they did a shrimp fra diavolo, so I asked if a calamari fra diavolo was possible. Our server inquired if I wanted especially spicy, and when I nodded he ordered it as calamari arabiatta. I am not sure if the terms are interchangeable, but I do think of them as the same thing most of the time. One of the best versions of the dish, ever. The calamari was the most tender I ever had.

 

I started with a bowl of Zuppa di Escarola, and the meal came with a house salad served with a house vinaigrette and bread bowl. Iced tea, of course.

 

Overall, two lovely meals in good company.

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dmtiern

dmtiern

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Late to reply but since I'm not ready for Christmas to be over here goes;) -

Christmas Eve day, extended family gathers at someones house (rotates each year) This year is was at my sis's home in Deltona.

Her menu (c/p from email):

 

Appetizers

Sun-Dried Tomato & Feta Cheese Ball (Tastefully Simple)

Ay, Caramba! Cheese Ball (Tastefully Simple)

Summer sausage, assorted cheeses and crackers

Raw veggies

Spinach Dip Tastefully Simple

Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip (Schwan's)

 

Main Course

Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets - LOTS!

Nancy’s Deli Spirals (BJ’s) mini sandwiches includes club sandwich, salami & jack and turkey, bacon ranch

Smokey Bagel Wraps (Schwan’s) mini hot dogs wrapped in bagel

Artichoke and Spinach Bread Bowls (Schwan’s)

Vegetarian casserole (baked ziti using penne pasta)

Pasta and sauce (red sauce and Alfredo sauce) in my new triple crock pots

 

Salad

Sister Shubert Pretzel Rolls

 

Desserts

White Chocolate Cherry Cheese Ball

Lemon Cheesecake Cheese Ball

Cheese Cake Variety (school fundraiser)

 

Cookies (homemade)

Carrot Cake (homemade)

Chocolate Christmas Tree Cake (school fundraiser)

 

All of the kids get gifts & the adults do an ornament exchange. This year we switched it up & did a gift exchange. $20 limit, can be anything. Only 9 of us participated but it was fun! I think we'll continue as we all have too many ornaments! This year there was a bonus wall-mountable stuffed moose-head (not a real one! plush stuffed!) that I think will make an appearance each year from now on!

 

Christmas eve night we ordered pizza & had a few cocktails:yup:

I made an egg/bacon/cheese casserole ahead to bake in the morn. Christmas morn I baked the casserole & monkey bread <<<a tradition! -waited for the "kids" to wake up (23/20/17 y/o) They were all up around 9:30 - opened all the gifts & stockings, cleaned up, ate, chilled.

 

I made Christmas dinner around 6 - my fam & DD's boyfriend, his sis & their mom.

Ham, shrimp & cocktail sauce, stuffing, mashed taters, candied sweet taters, gravy, corn, green beans, carrots, peas, rolls. Pumpkin pie/cool whip (still not touched, we were all too full!) Ate, had eggnog & wine. Chilled again, lol!

 

Today I'm eating Christmas cookies & drinking some lovely coffe my DD bought me. Merry Christmas ya'll!

Edited by dmtiern
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