steff
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I'll sleep when I'm dead
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Post by steff on Nov 12, 2014 2:44:11 GMT -5
steff you are hilarious, I just adore you, lol Why thank you...thank you very much.
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Deleted
Joined: Oct 11, 2024 4:19:51 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2014 4:35:32 GMT -5
DH is Christian, I'm Jewish. DH is British, so he celebrates Boxing Day on 26 Dec. Celebrating Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day is too much for me. (The Brits don't do much for Christmas Eve but the French do, so it's a big deal here.) Since my older boys always went to their Dad's for Christmas Eve and for years DD went to her (former) boyfriend's house for Christmas Eve (he'd come to us for Christmas Day), about 6 years ago DH, DS3 and I started a new tradition: Jewish Christmas Eve, ie going out for Chinese food and a movie on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is a traditional English Christmas at our house. Boxing Day is always at other British friends' homes. We always watch NORAD Tracks Santa ... We still do, even though DS3 was 15 last Christmas. For those of you with younger kids, it's a great way to get them to go to bed on Christmas Eve! But this is the first year that DS1 and DD won't be here for Christmas, so I'm not sure what's going to happen this year.
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Nov 12, 2014 11:39:42 GMT -5
No, not happening, so Christmas Day will probably be a shrimp-, gator- or eggplant-stuffed, boneless chicken from the local Cajun market with an easy roasted veggie side like Brussels sprouts.
Gator stuffed chicken? As in stuffed with alligator meat? Do tell.
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kittensaver
Junior Associate
We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. - Mother Teresa
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Post by kittensaver on Nov 12, 2014 14:07:39 GMT -5
For Thanksgiving, we go to Disneyland. It's not "empty" by any stretch, but the lines are usually much shorter than usual. The longest we waited last year I think was around 15 minutes. Most of the lines were anywhere from walk-right-on to about 5 minutes. The next day when everyone is killing themselves at the mall we have our big family turkey dinner.
For Christmas, the tradition that never varies is New Jammies For Christmas Eve. Everyone gets them - it's almost a contest to see who can come up with the most unusual/most clever/most befitting to the personality of the individual. As far as food goes, it depends on where we are. If we are home (aka, I'm cooking), it's the Italian seven fish dinner. If we are with SIL it's tamales (traditional in Mexican American families). And we almost always go to midnight Mass (my once-a-year trek to church ).
We also like watching "Christmas movies" - even the ones that aren't specifically about Christmas but have the holiday tucked in there somewhere. My sentimental favorites in this category are Sleepless in Seattle, The Holiday and While You Were Sleeping. I think my favorite Christmas movie is The Muppets Christmas Carol.
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Deleted
Joined: Oct 11, 2024 4:19:51 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2014 14:09:14 GMT -5
My favorite tradition is not going to work AND getting paid for it!
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Nov 12, 2014 14:13:49 GMT -5
My favorite tradition is not going to work AND getting paid for it! Yeah, some of us miss that particular tradition... (I have to take an unpaid week off between Christmas and New Year's.)
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toomuchreality
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Favorite Drink: Sometimes I drink water... just to surprise my liver!
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Post by toomuchreality on Nov 16, 2014 2:16:58 GMT -5
My kids and I always get together on Christmas eve and do our thing. Since I divorced both of their dads, trying to get everyone everywhere on Christmas day, proved to be too much. I'd like to start going to look at lights every year too. Nice thread. I enjoy it!
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Ombud
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Post by Ombud on Nov 17, 2014 16:37:51 GMT -5
Thanksgiving: ♡ Turkey trot (5k) then ♡ Great leaf hunt (kids find what they consider the best leaves for the centerpiece. They always differ and this has taught them that beauty is in the eye of the beholder) then ♡ Football game in backyard (1/3 acre) then eat
Hanukkah: ♢ Latkes ♢ Homemade gifts - think cookie exchange (If there's anything we want we've bought it already)
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Ombud
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Post by Ombud on Nov 17, 2014 16:43:22 GMT -5
I started a new tradition: Jewish Christmas Eve, ie going out for Chinese food and a movie on Christmas Eve.
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NancysSummerSip
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Today's Mood: Full of piss and vinegar
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Post by NancysSummerSip on Nov 17, 2014 16:55:22 GMT -5
Many of our friends are from England and Australia, so we do Boxing Day as well. Typically, we pick a local English pub for dinner, because I am the only one working. But I have the day off, so now everyone is free that day. Maybe we need a new tradition, like lunch instead of dinner, or Boxing Day appetizers and beer flights?
I'd like to do appetizers for Christmas Eve this year, since the next day's meal is really big. Some of you have great ideas. I'm thinking a small selection of: shrimp steamed in Old Bay with cocktail sauce, mussels steamed in wine and butter, stone crabs with mustard dip and a mixed green salad would be enough for me. DH would find it strange without a carb, so maybe a nice rice pilaf?
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t-dog
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Post by t-dog on Nov 18, 2014 17:59:29 GMT -5
Since DS was diagnosed with Chron's last summer I having to redo all the food traditions How do you make Thanksgiving be grain, dairy and sugar free! Kid is just going to have to eat the pumpkin pie filling because I am not turning it into crustless pumpkin pudding substitute.
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Nov 18, 2014 18:05:16 GMT -5
Oh, t-dog, that's tough! Like I said, I just recently started learning to cook. I'm trying to do a lot of low-carb or carb-free recipes, so one cookbook that's been helping me a lot is Against All Grain by Danielle Walker. It's got lots of pictures (I hate cookbooks that don't have pictures). She has a blog also. Many of her recipes are also dairy and sugar free (or could be made that way with minor modifications).
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t-dog
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Post by t-dog on Nov 18, 2014 19:09:04 GMT -5
Thanks Fire.
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kittensaver
Junior Associate
We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. - Mother Teresa
Joined: Nov 22, 2011 16:16:36 GMT -5
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Post by kittensaver on Nov 18, 2014 19:15:19 GMT -5
I second the Danielle Walker cookbook recommendation.
If you Google 'gluten free Thanksgiving' you will get a head-spinning number of hits, including dairy-free pumpkin cheesecake (made with tofu), grain-free brownies and cookie bars, cranberry chutneys made with fruit and fruit juices (instead of sugar), stuffing made with gluten-free bread, etc.
Good luck to you!
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cronewitch
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I identify as a post-menopausal childless cat lady and I vote.
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Post by cronewitch on Nov 20, 2014 0:29:51 GMT -5
Since DS was diagnosed with Chron's last summer I having to redo all the food traditions How do you make Thanksgiving be grain, dairy and sugar free! Kid is just going to have to eat the pumpkin pie filling because I am not turning it into crustless pumpkin pudding substitute. Turkey, potatoes without butter in them, salad, side veggies, olives, pickles, diet jello with non dairy topping, deviled eggs, raw veggie platter seems like a child wouldn't starve without grain dairy and sugar, can you get diet candy for desert the pumpkin pie has canned milk. You could make him apple or cherry pie filling of some kind without real sugar.
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Sarcasm is my Superpower
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 16:09:58 GMT -5
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Today's Mood: Gen X ... so I'm sarcastic and annoyed
Location: Central California
Favorite Drink: Diet Mountain Dew
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Nov 20, 2014 1:02:49 GMT -5
FESTIVUS ~ airing of grievances ~ feats of strength
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Bob Ross
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Post by Bob Ross on Nov 20, 2014 10:20:56 GMT -5
At the Ross estate, we like to play "See Who can Drink the Most Whiskey and Inflict the Most Cigar Burns". Grandma usually wins.
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Nov 20, 2014 11:56:00 GMT -5
Since DS was diagnosed with Chron's last summer I having to redo all the food traditions How do you make Thanksgiving be grain, dairy and sugar free! Kid is just going to have to eat the pumpkin pie filling because I am not turning it into crustless pumpkin pudding substitute. Turkey, potatoes without butter in them, salad, side veggies, olives, pickles, diet jello with non dairy topping, deviled eggs, raw veggie platter seems like a child wouldn't starve without grain dairy and sugar, can you get diet candy for desert the pumpkin pie has canned milk. You could make him apple or cherry pie filling of some kind without real sugar. I used to make a nut loaf every year when I had veggie people come to dinner. I'm sure there is a vegan version (egg free). It's like a nutty meatloaf and quite tasty with mushrooms, etc. Just an idea.
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t-dog
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Post by t-dog on Nov 20, 2014 12:22:24 GMT -5
Crone - the sugar part is not a problem. The kid hates candy/dessert. He is a fantastic baker but just enjoys making the items, not eating them. The other part of the problem is he is 11.5 years old and weighs only 60 lbs. His doctor desperately wants him to gain weight. He doesn't like meat and really never has. Hard to get a kid to eat enough almonds and avocado to actually gain weight. His favorite food is corn and because of the level it has been genetically modified the doc recommended he eliminate that from diet as well.
I foresee his thanksgiving dinner being potatoes, salad and green beans.
We are making an apple pie so there is a non-dairy based pie for dessert. His will be more like a cobbler since he can't have the crust.
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The Home 6
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Location: Bourbon Country
Favorite Drink: Wine. With a wine chaser.
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Post by The Home 6 on Nov 20, 2014 13:55:23 GMT -5
This year several neighborhood wives are taking over the community center and are hosting Thanksgiving for the 'hood. We've invited the single soldiers and airmen who aren't going home (and it's expensive to fly home from Alaska) to come join us. I've got the artillery punch prepped already.
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t-dog
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Post by t-dog on Nov 20, 2014 14:07:02 GMT -5
Home that sounds like it will be fun.
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on Nov 20, 2014 14:18:39 GMT -5
For me, it's the baking.
I start baking Thanksgiving weekend. The kids help. I start the kids baking at age 2. Bars are awesome, because they require a bowl, a spoon, and pouring. All safe for little ones. It's amazing to see the pride when they get to move on to cutting butter and cracking eggs. Decorating cut out cookies is a huge thing.
Baking has such good memories. We talk about family recipes. We giggle over silly private jokes.
My kids also love decorating the tree. Even more than that, it's looking forward to getting an ornament. Every year, for Christmas, I get the kids an ornament that reflects something about that year..a like, an accomplishment, a milestone. We talk about the ornaments as they go up and get put away. The kids know these ornaments are theirs to take when they leave the house. The older two go nuts trying to help pick out an ornament for the littlest.
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swasat
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Post by swasat on Nov 20, 2014 14:26:42 GMT -5
We started a new tradition last year. If we are home during Thanksgiving (we usually go to other family memebers hosting) then TG dinner would be "each family member gets to pick whatever dish they want". Doesn't have to be TG related. Honestly, DH and DD hate turkey. no one except me loves the pies and the desserts, DH hates mashed potatoes....so too much "I don't like this" going on. So last year we all picked up our favorite dish, cooked it together and had a wonderful TG. It was a hodgepodge of variety DS chose Indian samosas, DD chose garlic bread, DH wanted sheperd's pie and I decided to go with greek style nachos. It was awesome!!!
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on Nov 20, 2014 17:58:37 GMT -5
I forgot to add that we also do St. Nick. I like the tradition. It's like a giant Christmas tease for the kids.
I make (knit) the girls wash cloths for either Easter or St. Nicks. That's also a thing in itself now. And it's also cheap.
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tskeeter
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Post by tskeeter on Nov 20, 2014 18:33:20 GMT -5
This year several neighborhood wives are taking over the community center and are hosting Thanksgiving for the 'hood. We've invited the single soldiers and airmen who aren't going home (and it's expensive to fly home from Alaska) to come join us. I've got the artillery punch prepped already. Way to take care of our folks in uniform!!!!
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cronewitch
Junior Associate
I identify as a post-menopausal childless cat lady and I vote.
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Post by cronewitch on Nov 20, 2014 18:58:14 GMT -5
We started a new tradition last year. If we are home during Thanksgiving (we usually go to other family memebers hosting) then TG dinner would be "each family member gets to pick whatever dish they want". Doesn't have to be TG related. Honestly, DH and DD hate turkey. no one except me loves the pies and the desserts, DH hates mashed potatoes....so too much "I don't like this" going on. So last year we all picked up our favorite dish, cooked it together and had a wonderful TG. It was a hodgepodge of variety DS chose Indian samosas, DD chose garlic bread, DH wanted sheperd's pie and I decided to go with greek style nachos. It was awesome!!! One Thanksgiving my ex and I were going to be alone for Thanksgiving and I didn't want to cook all the dishes for just two people. Thinking he would say turkey and mashed potatoes I could skip everything he didn't choose I asked what he wanted for Thanksgiving dinner. He said Meat Loaf. I never make meat loaf and he thought that would be special so I made none of the thanksgiving dishes, no turkey for us that year.
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