Turkey or what else in place of it?

[shootingstar]

Oddly, our Christmas food tends to start with "P" I swear I didn't plan it that way, but. . .

Pizza: My SIL calls long-distance to order a Pizza from a local joint for us on Christmas Eve.

Paella: For Christmas dinner. My daughter learned of this rice, saffron and seafood dish when she was in Spain and somehow it became our traditional Christmas dinner. (Turkey is for T-giving only around here.)

Pizzels and Potica: Pizzels are kind of a really thin, sweet waffle baked in a fancy iron. Potica is a rolled sweet bread full of walnuts, honey, butter, eggs and other good stuff. It's served in thin slices, the better to show off the spirals.

Good stuff, Maynard.

SIL must know the beloved pizza flavours for your family. Neat idea.

I love paella and we have done it for special occasion meals. Can't remember if Christmas was one of them.

I've enjoyed pizzelles. Haven't had homemade ones yet.

[Crankin]

I love pizelles.
Like AZfiddle, we usually do the traditional Jewish XMas of Chinese food, but we do it on XMas Eve, with the same group of friends for about 15 years. This year however, my oldest son is getting married on XMas, with just us and her parents at their apartment. When I reminded him that nothing except Asian restaurants would be open for us to go to, after the ceremony, he was like, hey, that's what we do anyway. I am lobbying for Japanese, but it's up to them. I may end of having Chinese food 2 days in a row.

[spokewench]

This year for Christmas it is Ham which is my husband's choice. My parents usually have prime rib - Yuck! My husband has put up with prime rib for a couple of years now so it is his choice and ham it is.

[PamNY]

I'll be doing some variant of Jewish Christmas -- I hope in an interesting neighborhood with interesting stores that are open on Christmas day.

One year we did Korean food and bowling for Thanksgiving (my favorite) but I'm not sure if I can find a bowling alley that's open on Christmas.

[Crankin]

The best meal I've ever had on XMas was when we took an impromtu (the only) vacation to Miami in 1994. Wwe flew down on XMas Eve, and had Chinese upon arrival. The next day, we went to South Beach, where everything was open, there was a carnival-like atmosphere, and we ate at a lovely outdoor bistro, where we were able to have nice salads and sandwiches. It was the only time I didn't feel branded as different on that day.

[skhill]

Don't know how it happened, but Hoppin' John has become our traditional Christmas meal. It's more traditional for New Year's day, but we have it a week early. For those of y'all who aren't Southern, it's basically black-eyed peas and rice. It's my turn to make it this year, and it's going to be more a hoppin' juan, with chorizo and cilantro and hot peppers...

With all the clergy and choir members in my extended family, Christmas day is mainly about catching up on sleep; no one has the energy to cook a big or extravagant meal. Something that can sit bubbling away on the back of the stove while folks nap is totally our style!

[emily_in_nc]

Don't know how it happened, but Hoppin' John has become our traditional Christmas meal. It's more traditional for New Year's day, but we have it a week early. For those of y'all who aren't Southern, it's basically black-eyed peas and rice. It's my turn to make it this year, and it's going to be more a hoppin' juan, with chorizo and cilantro and hot peppers...

Oh, that sounds great! Love Hoppin' John, and Hoppin' Juan sounds even better! Great idea - maybe I'll do that for NY's.

[surgtech1956]

skihill - Hoppy John sounds wonderful - recipe please........ always looking for a different dish. Its just myself and DGF, she mentioned marinated turkey breast, not set in stone yet. I'm the cook, but with the broken ankle, she's had to take over the job.

[kjay]

I just saw a list of all the different Christmas dinners one can order from Whole Foods, and one includes pork pumpkin tamales. Mmmmmm, does that ever sound good. :-)

[PamNY]

Skhill, your post brought back memories. My father was a pastor so of course holidays were a busy time.

Once, as an adult, I had to miss traveling to my parents' for Christmas because of work. My dad, by then retired, grumbled a bit until my mom gently reminded him that working during the holidays wasn't exactly unheard of in our family.

MomOnBike, your food sounds great.