Turkey? Or the centrepiece dish?

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Originally Posted by shootingstar

My family views Christmas a great reason for yet another mega-family get together with multi-course, special foods, etc. and celebrate family bonding.

I must sound awfully simplistic. But as the years march along, memories of this become more precious and I confess, nostalgia grows especially when people are still healthy and alive.

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You sound like someone who loves her family and is worried about her dad's health...seems pretty reasonable to me. I hope you guys have a wonderful day no matter what you eat! :)

A traditional Jewish dinner might include roast chicken or a brisket, tsimms; challah, but for Hanukkah, laktes. Lots of latkes. (potato pankcakes)

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Originally Posted by shootingstar

Honest, I've never done dim sum as a Christmas meal in Chinatown /wherever. Usually 1-2 items if someone brings them for potluck dinner, they are side dishes, not centrepiece dishes. Though mind you, real homemade dim sum, takes time and abit of care, especially for several different types. Like making a ton of different cookies. :)

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we have dim sum for brunch, I doubt any restaurant will serve it as an evening meal. If you're ever tempted, the best restaurants serving dim sum are not in Chinatown but in Richmond or East Vancouver/Burnaby.

I think most Asian cuisine rarely have a "centerpiece" dish (for any meal), they're usually a bunch of dishes that compliment and not eclipse each other and meant to be shared. My brother and my Taiwanese sister in law usually host Christmas dinner, and it's usually a collection of this that and the other. One year we had Indian curry take out along with cheeses and cold cuts...

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Originally Posted by salsabike

Dungeness crab and steamer clams. We do the Christmas dinner for my husband's family here, and that's what we do every year. Big hit.

There is no Hanukkah dinner that I have ever heard of, unless individuals have started their own unique tradition. It's actually a pretty minor holiday. The main Jewish holiday is Passover, and that does have a dinner with a variety of dishes that have symbolic importance.

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correct. The traditional food for Hannukah is laktes. It's a very minor Jewish holiday, but has to compete with Christmas.

We always had a big-ish Christmas dinner growing up, but nothing specific was served every year. We opted for something special that we wouldn't have on a regular day though. Rarely turkey (turkey was reserved for Thanksgiving in our household), but we often did Prime Rib or some other such expensive cut of beef. Kringle and eggs for Christmas breakfast (always) and there is the random assortment of fancy cheeses and a Honeybaked Ham out to munch on all day....

My mom is the ultimate collector of random guests (we have a small family), so Christmas was always about meeting new people and laughing with others (often strangers) while we all stuffed our faces full of good food. ;)

This year, it'll be just myself and my husband...so I have no idea what we'll do (except we will have Kringle and eggs for breakfast). It might be time to start creating our own traditions.

What is Kringle?

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Originally Posted by tulip

What is Kringle?

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Kind of like danish (it's also a Danish pastry)...flaky, sweet, goopy with icing and fruit topping. Man, I miss it. I grew up in WI and am of mostly Scandinavian descent (my kid is even named Dane).

If we have a gathering for Christmas, we usually have some kind of barbeque, and I'll brine and roast a turkey. Didn't do it last year though, coz I was here in the US, but now I'll be home for christmas, but I doubt it, since i only arrive christmas eve 10pm and there won't be time. Hopefully next year. :D
People miss my turkey more than they miss me :p

I had about ten for Chanukah last Sunday. Besides the latkes, I did make a turkey, but it was mostly because it's easy; pop it in the oven and let it cook. My DH carves it and does most of the cooking when turkey is involved. I also had a kugel (noodle pudding) and others brought fruit salad and regular salad.
A lot of the time, we just make the latkes and have sort of a dairy dinner, with tuna salad, kugel, and fruit.

Latkes can hold their own against any holiday food!


I'd love to do a goose--but when we looked at them at the store it was $70 for about a normal sized one. Duck about the same size is under $20.

Brewer loves cooking duck anyway. The meat is incidental (but very tasty!), but he uses the fat and the stock for weeks afterward.

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Originally Posted by zoom-zoom

Kind of like danish (it's also a Danish pastry)...flaky, sweet, goopy with icing and fruit topping. Man, I miss it. I grew up in WI and am of mostly Scandinavian descent (my kid is even named Dane).

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We spent a few years in the Milwaukee area when I was growing up and that's where we discovered Kringle and added it to our traditions. Every year, Kringles from O&H bakery (in Racine) go out to all the members of our family all over the country so that we all are 'sharing' Christmas breakfast even if we can't be in the same place. :)

http://www.ohdanishbakery.com/eric/o...M_220_LPIC.JPG

http://www.ohdanishbakery.com/

Most of the time, it is prime rib for Christmas with twice baked potatoes. Occasionally, a duck or a goose. with twice baked potatoes and weird jello dessert.

My husband's family favors ham and scalloped potatoes, etc.

I am not a fan of Christmas dinner - these meals are just too heavy for me!

Well, call me lazy, but I want to take Christmas day off too. So, I usually do a breakfast casserole that I can make the night before. I also cut up fresh fruit and serve mimosas.