What do you and your family eat for Christmas dinner?

LTC Stephen F. — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 11:23:42 -0500

We are approaching the holiday season. With all of the sales being offered the tendency can be towards competing for gifts tends to build up the tension. Those of us who did or who are buying for young people who may want the most highly demanded doll, toy, set, electronic device or mode of transportation from tricycle through car can be distracted by the chase.
Many of us have family traditions which were handed down to us and others of us have started our own traditions. I try to help my family members remember that Christmas is a time we remember that our Lord and Savior came to earth as a babe and fulfilled the prophecy by becoming Immanuel "God is with us."
Food tends to be a part of Christmas from early morning snacks through a meal later on.
I hope that each of my rallypoint friends, contacts and others I interact with has a wonderful and merry Christmas season.
Do you have a family meal tradition?

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Dec 14 at 2015 11:31 AM

LTC Stephen F. — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 11:31:02 -0500

When I as young my British parents who emigrated to this country took us from the Philadelphia area down US Route 1 to Bethesda, Maryland to spend Christmas with my mom's sister and her children/ Our requirement was to bring sufficient Habbersett sausages which were a family favorite. On Christmas teh young ones got up and ate whatever was in our stockings. We couldn't open the rest of our gifts until our oldest cousin woke up usually about noon. Later we sat down to a meal of Turkey, ham, sausages and breads and vegetables with a Christmas pudding and fruitcake.
In the military I ate Christmas at the mess hall until after I was married 13 years later. I merged some of my family traditions with my wife's traditions - that marriage ended in 1995. After remarrying in 1999 my wife and I started our own traditions. Sometimes we had turkey but since she is Cuban we had black beans and rice and some other dishes.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 14 at 2015 11:34 AM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 11:34:28 -0500

Turkey and cranberry sauce.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 14 at 2015 11:37 AM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 11:37:32 -0500

My famous Bourbon Orange-Marmalade Glazed Ham, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole. Chocolate Cake or Pecan Pie with vanilla ice cream.

The last three years on Christmas Day I've been sick and unable to eat, so I'm hoping this year will be different.

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Dec 14 at 2015 11:44 AM

Capt Mark Strobl — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 11:44:48 -0500

To conclude the Advent Season, we fast. For lunch on Christmas Eve, we break out the peanut butter & jelly. Nothing more 'til the more traditional ham for the first meal of Christ's birthday.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Dec 14 at 2015 11:47 AM

SCPO David Lockwood — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 11:47:39 -0500

We usually have ham, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, nothing too extravagant.

Response by SPC(P) Jay Heenan made Dec 14 at 2015 12:23 PM

SPC(P) Jay Heenan — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 12:23:06 -0500

We do surf and turf for Christmas dinner every year.
Shrimp and lobster, steak, sweet potato biscuits, veggie platter to munch on prior to dinner, squash, green beans, mashed potatoes (to make me happy).

Our real tradition happens on Christmas eve. The kids get to open one present (we pick it and it is always jammies), we load into the truck and drive around and look at the Christmas lights and then we go to service.

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Dec 14 at 2015 2:56 PM

Sgt Kelli Mays — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 14:56:42 -0500

Turkey I slow cook over night...Honey glazed Ham...Two kinds of dressing...regular dressing and oyster dressing, cranberries, green bean casserole, Mashed potatos and two kinds of gravy...country style creme gravy and a special brown gravy mixed with mushrooms, Grandma's Sour creamed raisin pie, and granny's banana nut bread and apple pie.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 14 at 2015 3:23 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 15:23:28 -0500

Even if we don't celebrate Christmas, we usually have a dinner with some nice French food, staring escargots (snails), foie gras with toasts and fig jelly, lox, then coq au vins.
Finally, some Lenotre foret noire (Black Forest) cake.

That's only when I'm home for the end of the year, otherwise it's just some college crappy food..

Response by Alan K. made Dec 14 at 2015 4:53 PM

Alan K. — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 16:53:14 -0500

Growing up "Boarder House Reach" my tradition has always been......A LOT ! Turkey, ham, sausage sage stuffing mashed potatoes with caramelized onions, brown sugar and maple squash, creamed Pearl onions, biscuits, glazed carrots

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2019 11:20 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 May 2019 11:20:10 -0400

With Paternal Grandparents and dad's side of the family:
Ham, Grandmaw's biscuits, orange cake, and tacos. Yeah, when we were young, she asked us cousins what we wanted, and we said "tacos!" "Why am I making all this traditional dinner if you want tacos?" So, we ate tacos. And now, it's our 20 year tradition!

With Maternal Grandparents and mom's side of the family:
Traditional Southern breakfast. Scrambled eggs, ham, grits, jelly biscuits, brown sugar biscuits, and chocolate cake.

With wife's dad's side:
turkey, ham, green beans, mac 'n cheese

With wife's mom's side:
Kalua pig, pineapple, sticky rice, traditional Hawaiian foods (that side of the fam is Hawaiian)

With everyone!:
BBQ, with school band fundraiser oranges, and fruitcake.

Thanksgiving is when we do the turkey, ham, green beans, mac and cheese, etc.

Response by SSG Donald H "Don" Bates made May 1 at 2019 2:48 PM

SSG Donald H "Don" Bates — Wed, 01 May 2019 14:48:57 -0400

I always bake a turkey in a paper bag, ALWAYS!!!

Response by Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen made May 1 at 2019 3:06 PM

Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen — Wed, 01 May 2019 15:06:23 -0400

Don't recall seeing this before. I voted other because our traditional Christmas dinner is standing rib roast, Yorkshire pudding and baby peas.

Response by PVT Mark Zehner made May 1 at 2019 3:15 PM

PVT Mark Zehner — Wed, 01 May 2019 15:15:16 -0400

Turkey!

Response by SSG William Jones made May 2 at 2019 12:16 AM

SSG William Jones — Thu, 02 May 2019 00:16:58 -0400

Our traditional Christmas Main Meal has been greatly altered by the passing of loved ones as well as familial expansion via new in-laws. Time to begin new traditions...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 2 at 2019 12:33 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 02 May 2019 00:33:44 -0400

We're from Guam so if you know anyone from Guam and had eaten some Chamorro BBQ, then you know! Red Rice, BBQ marinade ribs and chicken, kelaguen, pancit, potato salad. I'm drooling right now. :)

Response by SrA Ronald Moore made Dec 26 at 2019 1:01 PM

SrA Ronald Moore — Thu, 26 Dec 2019 13:01:31 -0500

(1)Traditional Turkey Dinner at work (2) Invited to a Turkey meal a few days earlier before Christmas by a local ministry,but At home I had Chicken Breast, tilapia, salad,