A Different Christmas Dinner

[leehljp]

Our 3 girls, all grown and our 10 grandkids and two son-in-laws will be here for Christmas. One family of 7 will come just before lunch (dinner). For the past umpteen years, both in the USA and in Japan, I smoked a turkey. I have tried to get out of smoking the turkey since I have been back, either at Thanksgiving or Christmas, but the girls always insisted on a smoked turkey.

This year, our independent (single) daughter came to her senses and convinced her sisters rather quickly to do the same. She said at Thanksgiving -
"We always have so much left overs and half of the specialties are made for one or two persons and later thrown out. Why don't we cook something that EVERYONE will eat so there are no left overs. Boiled CAJUN Shrimp with potatoes and corn!"
(LOML is a native of New Orleans and grew up cooking that delicious food!)

SO, for Christmas, we will have about 25 pounds of boiled cajun shrimp with potatoes and corn on the cob. And 4 kids are under 8! The oldest grandson doesn't like seafood but does like ham and we have plenty of that. About 2 pounds of headless shrimp for each of us. That won't last long!

[atgcpaul]

That is the way to do it! That sounds yummy.

When my family (mom, dad aunts, uncles, cousins, grandkids) get together there are about 40 people for Thanksgiving and Christmas. As far back as I can remember, we have always done the traditional Thanksgiving meal--turkey, mashed potatoes, etc. We are all pretty good cooks so the food is always tasty but it's not the food we were raised on and what we consider to be comfort food.

More and more in recent history (and this Christmas, too) we are doing Curry Christmas which the "younger" generation like myself don't eat every day but all crave. Our spouses even enjoy it more than the typical holiday food. I can't wait!

I hope you all post pics of your Christmas meals.

[Black walnut]

Once when I was growing up our Mother cooked a ham for Christmas. She only did it once. We all loved ham but not for Christmas.

I've long since not celebrated Christmas with my Mother. This year since my youngest is a 4H pig farmer and we butchered and cured our own LOML volunteered to bring a ham to her parents Christmas dinner. I must say I'll probably have more ham than turkey.

I think I'd rather have dinner at Hank's!

[capncarl]

We rotate our main course around. Last year it was a smoked Boston butt, this year its a smoked beef brisket. Everyone likes whatever comes off the Big Green Egg so satisfying everyone is not a problem. One Christmas everyone requested fried fish! Mother objected but the crowd ruled so she and daddy brought the fish cooker and plenty of bream and bass and we enjoyed the 72 degree cookout on the patio! I think it was the last Christmas with everyone together so it is the one everyone remembers.

[cwsmith]

When I was a kid I can't particularly remember having anything specific, or perhaps I should say anything like a 'traditional' for Christmas. Sometimes a ham, sometimes turkey, and I do remember on at least one occasion having a goose. Mostly I remember Christmas as being all too tulmotuous as there was most always one argument or another with my parents.

But when I got engaged in 1966, everything changed for the better. I came into an Italian family and was welcomed like a long-lost son! I married the oldest daughter, and the first of that generation in the whole family. The tradition was to celebrate on Christmas Eve and all the Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins would gather in the late afternoon and early evening at Patty's Grandparents home. Everybody would be there, including some neighbors and close family friends and if one of the Priests could find a way, they'd show up too.

There would be all kinds of Italian pastry and pasta served with sauce laden with kalimari, shrimp, and other seafood delicacies. Wedding soup, fresh oven-baked bread, and wine of course.

I had never witnessed such good cheer with family and the religious embellishments that Christmas warrants. It was like I had been welcomed into a whole new world, for which I was immensely grateful.

The following year when we were married, my new FIL added to the tradition where we'd go to Momone's (Grandmothers) first and then retire to the inlaws afterwards around 8:00 and commence with our own dinner. Shrimp, lobster, steak from the grill, and added Polish traditions from my Mother-in-Laws side of the family. When dinner was ready, we'd each receive "the wafer", give our individual thanks for the blessing of the year and for the family and then we'd join hands while Dad said Grace. After that late dinner we'd gather around the Christmas tree and exchange gifts; then we'd all head off to MIdnight Mass. I'm not Catholic, but that even I appreciated that particular tradition of Christmas.

Today, most of the family has passed and the generations are widely dispersed; but, we still carry on the tradition of Christmas Eve dinner. For all those that we can gather together, the kitchen is crowded with everyone having a hand in preparation. As the lobster is finally under the broiler, all us guys head out to the garage where we hoover over the NY Strip Steaks on the grill, each of us either grilling of offering advice of whoever's turn it is to be the grill master.

We easily go through four pounds of shrimp, with other appetizers like my wife's bacon wrapped crab and a variety of other good things. Dinner is served with baked potato, Brussel sprouts and whatever other side dishes that others bring. For desert, there's usually a variety of pastry to go with the coffee.

Then in the family tradition we exchange gifts and head off to Mass.

Christmas dinner often changes, but it's mostly been ham over the years (Thanksgiving is still too close for Turkey again). But in the last couple years we've found that everyone really likes a standing-rib roast with mashed potatoes and gravy and a simple salad of lettuce, cucumber, and tomato with cheese cake for desert.

This year our son is in Iowa on a new job, one grandson in Syracuse, and the other here in Binghamton. It appears that even our small family is too dispersed. But we're all coming together none the less. Just praying that our son will have good weather for almost two day drive.

CWS

[Pappy]

Hank, that sounds very close to what is called Frogmore Stew or Low Country Boil. (shrimp, corn on the cob, potatoes, and sausage) We have had that the last 2 years and the wife is trying to come up with something different this year. My personal vote is enchiladas and tamales but she is leaning toward steak. I agree it is too close to Thanksgiving for turkey again and ham with black eyed peas is a southern tradition for New Years Day.

[capncarl]

One of my most merorable Christmas Eve dinners was at the inllaws. This year they all wanted steaks on the grill. I'm the only one that wants mine well/med well, and they all make fun of me eating mine burnt. Theirs are practically raw, just warmed on the outside. We agreed that they would cook theirs however they wanted it, and then I would cook mine any way I wanted it after theirs were done. After too much Christmas cheer they put theirs on the grill, it had already gotten dark and was cold outside so the cooks hurried back inside. Somewhere between the drinks and whatever was happening inside they forgot about the 15 or so steaks on the grill and they all burnt to a crisp, inedible even for me. I braved the cold and dark and cooked mine like I wanted it, while they ate baked potatoes and salad. They never bothered me about my well done steak, and I never let them forget "the burning of the steaks"

[atgcpaul]

But when I got engaged in 1966, everything changed for the better. I came into an Italian family and was welcomed like a long-lost son! I married the oldest daughter, and the first of that generation in the whole family. The tradition was to celebrate on Christmas Eve and all the Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins would gather in the late afternoon and early evening at Patty's Grandparents home. Everybody would be there, including some neighbors and close family friends and if one of the Priests could find a way, they'd show up too.


CWS

My sister married into an Italian family and they've been doing the feast of 7 fishes for the past few years. We haven't been able to make it yet, but I really want to experience it!

[cwsmith]

"The feast of seven fishes"... I don't recall the family actually putting a name to it, and perhaps what we do is only an offshoot of that, I simply don't know. What I do know is that it was very special and our celebration of the holiday today though delightful, is not nearly as impressive as those once very large family gatherings used to be.

Edit:

So... I asked my wife at dinner tonight about "seven fishes" and her reply was "Yes, that's what the family referred to it as, why do you ask?" I had never heard that; must have been too busy being enchanted by all that good cheer (and maybe a little bit of the wine)

[leehljp]

Once when I was growing up our Mother cooked a ham for Christmas. She only did it once. We all loved ham but not for Christmas.

I've long since not celebrated Christmas with my Mother. This year since my youngest is a 4H pig farmer and we butchered and cured our own LOML volunteered to bring a ham to her parents Christmas dinner. I must say I'll probably have more ham than turkey.

I think I'd rather have dinner at Hank's!

Come on and have some! I'll save a shrimp or two for you.

[twistsol]

My wife's family makes oyster stew every Christmas Eve, and it has created a house divided. Those who eat it and those who don't. We're split about 50/50 now and the rest of us order Pizza

I'm in the Pizza faction

[capncarl]

twistsol, I understand the pizza faction. The separation over the food was like that with my mothers family, to the point that a number of the family just stopped coming. I never figured out why they didn't just bring what they could eat but they were a butt headed bunch anyway. My mother was disturbed by this hard line practice so after her family finally died off and she was the matriarch, she always made sure that there was always something there for everyone to eat.

[Condoman44]

Most of us Americans are not crazy about the putrefied shark (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A1karl) served by our Icelandic Son-in-law tonight.

[TB Roye]

We are Scandinavian so we do the Swedish Smorgasbord on Christmas Eve Christmas day at my brother in laws it's Tri tip and other great food. This year since my sister and I found out we are 2% Jewish(long story 40K years ago) we hare going celebrate Hanukkah. We bought Menorah and some Kosher Food and Wine. We have done some research which will share with the family before lighting the first candle. The we will share the story of Jesus birth and the Scandinavian side. We have told members of family we are not making fun of the religion but will show it respect it deserves and still have a little fun. We are now Jewishdinavian. Good old 23andme. My niece found out when she had her DNA done and did some research, I then did mine and found out more. Bad thing is I am 75% Swede and other ancient species but I am .9% Finn OMG now I can't give my Finnish wife grief

[leehljp]

We are Scandinavian so we do the Swedish Smorgasbord on Christmas Eve Christmas day at my brother in laws it's Tri tip and other great food. This year since my sister and I found out we are 2% Jewish(long story 40K years ago) we hare going celebrate Hanukkah. We bought Menorah and some Kosher Food and Wine. We have done some research which will share with the family before lighting the first candle. The we will share the story of Jesus birth and the Scandinavian side. We have told members of family we are not making fun of the religion but will show it respect it deserves and still have a little fun. We are now Jewishdinavian. Good old 23andme. My niece found out when she had her DNA done and did some research, I then did mine and found out more. Bad thing is I am 75% Swede and other ancient species but I am .9% Finn OMG now I can't give my Finnish wife grief

I have been thinking of getting LOML's and my DNA test done also. That is a great idea - to celebrate with food and festivities related to our heritage. I know LOML's short term heritage is a few generations through New Orleans, ergo - Cajun shrimp this Christmas. We lived in the Houma - Thibodaux area for 5 years before going to Japan and the men in the area made sure I knew how to cook cajun chicken sausage gumbo with both file' or with okra. They schooled me on that and I most certainly did not object!.