American Christmas Dinner

[Jenny McClure]

OK, I know this might be a silly question and I should know this by now, but, what do you guys eat on Christmas Day? That is, what is the main focus. At home it is tradtionally turkey or goose with all the trimmings. This is what you seem to have for Thanksgiving, so what to you serve on Christmas Day?

My husband is from the States but from a Cuban family and they have their big feast on Christmas Eve and serve pig that has been cooked in a pit with rice & beans etc I know this is not the typical American Christmas dinner, so what is? Christmas Dinner is a big deal for us. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving. So what about the States, is Thanksgiving a bigger deal foodwise or is it equal but different traditions?

Help, I'm (as you can see ) a little confused.

Jenny

[Megan Blocker]

I do think that, food-wise, Thanksgiving is considered more important - or, at least, more steeped in nation-wide tradition - than Christmas. At Christmas, I've observed that people tend to eat along ethnic lines (a lot more Italian food, for instance) rather than along the turkey-apple pie line.

My family (I'm a European mutt mix on my mom's side, Russian and Polish Jewish on my dad's) generally eats red meat on Christmas, either rack of lamb or a standing rib roast. We're huge lamb fans, and my brother can't get enough beef, so it makes sense. We also usually have a chocolate dessert on Christmas, in contrast to the pumpkin and apple pies we eat every Thanksgiving.

We do more experimentation on Christmas, whereas if my mother tried to serve something other than her usual on Thanksgiving, my brother might try to disown her!

Edited December 8, 2005 by Megan Blocker (log)

[jgm]

Our Christmas dinner is often a repeat of our Thanksgiving dinner, right down to the pumpkin pie. Often a ton of candies and cookies is also around, but everybody is sick of them well before Christmas day.

Some years my mother has also done a ham. The word "also" is key here; the family expects a turkey, and if they don't get one, much sulking can be anticipated.

I know people who make Cornish hens, also, as a slight departure from the same old thing.

And I agree with Megan --the Christmas meal is often comprised of ethnic foods.

Which explains why we eat turkey; we have no idea when our family came over from wherever. My parents are from Missouri, and often our meals may have a Southern touch. Otherwise: meat and potatoes.

[Allura]

Our Thanksgiving rarely has Italian influences anymore, so it all comes out at Christmas. Traditionaly Italian Christmas Eve (fish & pasta), but Christmas Day is VERY variable. We always have pasta first (this year it's lasagna and/or tortellin at the moment, but that's subject to change), but the second course is usually different. Most often it's beef, though. This year I think it's going to be brisket and latkes, since my Dad's Jewish & Hanukkah starts the next day. That's a new one for us. Never turkey; I don't think any of us like it enough. Pork loin or crown roast are also possibilities. Not ham to often, I think - that's usually for Easter. Yeah, I think it really depends a lot on your ethnicity.

[Jenny McClure]

Thanks for the replies, that pretty much explains it for me. Just to explain what we do for Christmas Dinner. Our trational feast would be:

STARTER

Platter of cold seafoods like, poached salmon, prawns, smoked salmon & trout served with a marie rose sauce on side and lemon.

MAIN

Turkey (stuffed in cavity with breadcrumb & sage stuffing)

Ham with honey mustard glaze and cloves

Roasted and mashed potaotoes

Mashed Carrot & parsnips

Roasted brussel sprouts

Steamed baby carrots and brocoli

Cauliflour & cheese sauce

Cranberry sauce

Bread Sauce

Gravy

CHEESE

Main focus is the entire stilton my Dad buys every year. Passed around and is sccoped out with a spoon.

PUDDING

Plum pudding with brandy butter or custard

Pavlova

Some form of Crumble with custard or ice-cream.

Later, if your brave enough, we will have turkey & stuffing sandwiches and mince pies along with the ridiculous amount of chocolates we receive every year.

That pretty much is it, give or take a few variations.

Jenny

[rooftop1000]

Here its lasagna and....? Used to always be a canned ham with the cloves and the pineapple rings, usually meat balls, sausage and roasted chicken pieces too, then someone started getting a turkey as a christmas gift from work. He changed jobs and the family got smaller but we are back up to capacity and have been doing a stuffed pork loin.

I dont remember any apps growing up, it was arrive sit down and eat but husbands family always has them so now we do cheese and crudite platters, puff pastry goodies, and shrimp cocktail.

tracey

After is lots of cookies and maybe trifle and a cake.

Our newest additions is after dinner cordials... I think we cleaned out mom's bar last year though

[DTBarton]

I n many families I know, the English type tradition of rib roast and Yorkshire pudding is the Christmas dinner.

In my family it's usually a large roast, sometimes rib roast, sometimes pork shoulder or fresh ham.

Sides vary, much more open than Thanksgiving.

[goldie]

I almost always do beef for Christmas dinner. This year I'm doing the multi-faith dinner (husband and brother-in-law and sister are Jewish). My menu is currently crown rib roast, potato and zucchini latkes (two kinds, not mixed together), creamed spinach, cranberry horseradish sauce, and I'm fooling around with a stuffing for the middle with cubed sweet potatoes, cornbread, chestnuts, and dried fruit. For dessert we usually have leftover birthday cake because Christmas Eve is my mom's birthday.

[BarbaraY]

One year, when we had the whole family over, I did a crown roast of pork that I had brined. It got rave revues.

This year it will probably be my daughter and myself so I'm thinking of roasting a small beef tenderloin. Shrimp remoulade for appetizer. I haven't really thought about the rest of the meal yet.

I usually make a special cake from The Art of Fine Baking by Paula Peck. I doubt that I'll make it this year because once it's cut I can't leave it alone.

[ruthcooks]

Here's the Christmas menu I'm currently working on:

Potted Shrimp,

Corn Melba Toast or Crackers

*

Virginia Peanut Soup

*

Poche’s Pork Stuffed Boneless Chicken, Gravy

Glazed Ham

Tiny Cranberry Stuffing Balls

Green Beans and Whole Cauliflower with

Sauce Mornay & Buttered Crumbs

Raspberry Pretzel Salad

Whole Wheat and White Dinner Rolls

*

Chocolate Soufflé Roll

Eggnog Almond Pie

The stuffing balls are in the freezer, the whole wheat rolls ready to shape, and I'll be working on the rest as the countdown continues--If I ever get off this computer and get to work.