What do you eat on Christmas Eve?

[lilia78]

We used to do the full 12 course traditional Ukrainian meal, with no meat on Christmas Eve. But without my Baba and Mom, isn’t just not the same. This year it’s just my husband and I with 3 of 4 of the kids (one opted to stay where they go to Uni as their numbers are high and they’d have to quarantine here and would be staying for less than 2 weeks so, not worth the risk). 1 extra boyfriend came too. We made chicken wings and egg noodles. I also made a batch of hot chocolate bombs so we had some tasty hot chocolate too.

 

[brockash]

What do you eat on Christmas Eve? Is it a family recipe, a traditional ethnic dish, a big/small family platter? Do you eat early or late at night? Just curious about Christmas Eve traditions.

We do our main Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve and then leftovers on Christmas. I think it just stems from tradition from my childhood.

My parents were divorced so Christmas Eve was kinda a big deal with my mom...we did our main dinner, went to church, came home and opened all presents except from Santa and went to bed. Christmas morning we'd get up open Santa presents and then went to my dads at noon.

My dh and I have been married almost 20 years with 3 kids and we've just always basically stuck to that...minus the kids leaving at noon on Christmas lol.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

We're usually with my family in NC on Christmas Eve. That wasn't possible this year, so we needed a new plan. Our adult DS drove us around the city to view Christmas lights, then bought us all Thai food for dinner.

 

[pens4821]

No traditional meals. Just a normal meal. We had cheesesteaks with jambalaya this year. Delicious!

 

[TLSnell1981]

Hor d'oeuvres, sweets and Champagne for Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day is brunch plus. Always a ham with an assortment of cheese, nuts, fruit and honey in the frame. Also casseroles, waffles...more sweets including Italian bread pudding and stollen bread. Always glühwein and champagne punch...apple cider or hot chocolate for the kiddies. We literally eat all day.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

This year we did salmon with bacon, peas and potatoes for Christmas Eve dinner.
https://www.mykitchenlove.com/salmon-potatoes-peas/During a normal year, we’d go to 4:00 Christmas Eve Mass and then have dinner at our local Japanese’s hibachi steakhouse. This year Mass was virtual.

For Christmas Day, we ordered Maggiano’s Christmas dinner bundle. Yum! For breakfast we had chocolate chip banana bread, sausage links, and fruit with mimosas, coffee with Baileys and eggnog with whiskey.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Besides the loved ones lost this year I missed Midnight Mass the most. Always one of my favorite services.

 

[Dznypal]

our christmas eve dinner was a flop this year--our adult kids and grandkids used to come on christmas eve and then the day was by my parents and siblings--we switched things last year--DH and me spend the eve alone--kids come on christmas day--last year though my mom was in an assisted living so we went to visit her and then the kids came over later--sadly she passed nov6 man I miss her

so on the eve wed make a speical dinner--this year was to be lobster--opened the shells and the lobsters looked pink--one even looked greenish--it was disgusting and gross to say the least
so our dinner was just some appitizers

looking forward to everyone coming over later

that will be CHristmas
Merry Christmas All

 

[Callie]

We usually cook a ham and sides for my mom, sister and I because Christmas day we go to my aunts on xmas day. This year we aren't so we made bbq nachos with some appetizers.

 

[RangerPooh]

It was a regular meal. I made grilled cheese.

 

[sasywtch]

When my oldest sister was alive, she'd have a party at her house with food/drinks since it was my bil's birthday but, no more. Now it's pretty much just getting ill from nibbling all the sweets we make for Christmas day. I honestly don't think any of us eat much for dinner other then sampling.

 

[tasha99]

Just a home cooked meal. This year it was sushi and miso soup. Last year if i remember right, it was seafood gumbo.

 

[monarchsfan16]

No traditions here. As a kid Christmas Eve was dad's, and depending on how recently he had arrived in the state from work travels, Christmas Eve took on many different appearances, with no food traditions. My husband and I are still in the phase of life where each Christmas Eve looks very different depending on work schedule and whether or not one or both of us was able to sneak in a pre-holiday see the decorations in some other part of the country trip.

This year we both were home. I spent the afternoon making Christmas cookies, and also a breakfast bread in case we lost power with the weather on Christmas day so I threw together a quick Cajun alfredo for dinner. Who knows what next year will bring!

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

Aw I loved reading through this thread and all of the traditions! The foodie in me is very happy hearing about all the delicious meals everyone ate.

When I was a kid, my grandmother made homemade lasagna on Christmas Eve. Then she moved to FL so I used to go to a friend’s party and eat their famous baked ziti.

After I graduated from college and had a little money in my pocket, I would go to my mother’s house on Christmas Eve and bring shrimp cocktail, her favorite. I would splurge on the jumbos and it was always a big hit. Now that she’s passed, DH and I like to have shrimp cocktail on NYE instead.

In a normal year, we would have gone to my cousin’s for a Christmas Eve party. They make kapusta and gumbo, plus my aunt makes Lipton’s spinach dip with pumpernickel bagels for dipping. Three foods I am missing a lot this year! Not to mention all the people we miss

We got pizza for Christmas Eve this year since we are social distancing and didn’t want to cook two big meals in a row just for ourselves. Christmas Day was ham, Brussels sprouts, green bean casserole, and Mac and cheese.

 

[Julia M]

"Stuffins" (stuffed rigatoni noodles), alfredo sauce with noodles (my dd is a vegetarian so we now serve a second pasta dish), Caesar salad, bread and a creme de menthe pie (we've been having this for dessert since the late 60's)