My mom does 2 big dinners, a Ukrainian Christmas dinner on the 24th with 12 (give or take) meatless dishes and a turkey dinner on the 25th.  She always does a bunch of great side dishes on the 25th plus there's the leftovers from the day before.  When we were younger, sometimes it was the 4 of us, sometimes relatives would travel to visit us.  There were also the years when we would travel, then Christmas eve was cooked by my grandma with my mom helping and Christmas day would be the other grandparents if they stayed in the city or sometimes other relatives and it would be rare when we would just stick at my mom's parents.

Now Christmas eve is at my parent's, Christmas day at my fiance's parent's.  Sometimes we would have a lot of people staying at my parent's house, but Christmas day is always louder at my fiance's.  The wine is free-flowing all night long and the conversations get loud.  It's a lot of fun, but the first year I found it a little overwhelming.  The food is good, but just never tastes as awesome as my mom's and there's less side dishes.  Someday I'm sure it will feel traditional to me, but it still feels a little different.

I dread the year when I have to do the dinner.  I am not a cook.  I think that's many years away, luckily because between our parents and my sister I think we'll go elsewhere.  I might do a dish or 2, but I think we'll be doing the traveling instead of the hosting for some years to come!

Get practicing on the 12 meatless dishes, chemgal. They are awesome.

Likely a mixture.

The standard turkey, etc. mixed with the cabbage rolls.  Mother is coming into the city from Vinterpeg.  I just stand quietly and trim the back of the cabbage leaves down.

IT

Russ

Since my mom sold her house we have dinner at one of my brother's homes.  Turkey with the trimmings.  I feel kind of bad that I live in an apartment and can't host the dinner (if you believe that I have a slightly used bridge for sale you might be interested in purchasing).  I've taken over bringing mom's Newfoundland pudding.  I don't know if there is an official name for the pudding, that's what we call it.  It's kind of a biscuity thing used to sop up gravy.  I'm the only one trusted with the secret ingredient.  I haven't quite perfected it yet but soon.  There will be 11 of us at dinner this year.

We go to my stepmother's every year on Christmas eve for a get together.  The hightlight of that meal is fish pie.  Absolutely amazing.  I'm very popular there because I'm not a huge fan of lobster and I'm willing to trade my chunks of it for chunks of salmon.  It is a big gathering of her family and my father's.  Lots of teenagers and kids.  My son usually disappears upstairs to play an antique hockey game with the other kids within seconds, only reappearing for short bursts of eating until it is time to go home.

Christmas turkey supper at my house . . . 4 of us . . . will probably have supper around late afternoon - turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, brocolli salad, bean salad, and pistachio salad and buns.

 Our christmas day has traditonally been a big group....this year will be small at 10.. i had 25 one year.

Traditional items are:  turkey, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, buns, butter, bread n butter pickles, olives, gherkins,  corn, brussel sprouts, carrots,  coleslaw.   New items are sweet potato casserole,   Often items include: jellied salad, green salad, different vegetables, and a ham.

Dessert is a traditional dish of mom's...which I do not like lol...with dreamwhip, strawberries & pineapple...and then, I need to think of something else, maybe a pie?  Often trifle.

This year I have requests for a roast, a ham and a turkey...lol  .  Good thing the turkey is done on the bbq.

Dinner will be about 4pm...

This year dinner will be at the church on Christmas Day. Last year we had about 35 people. I'm on the planning team and am in charge of decorations. We will be having turkey, ham and tofurkey - plus whatever people bring with them (it's a potluck). There will also be carolling and a devotional time. I am really looking forward to it.

 you know, somegal..that sounds wonderful

Last year it really was wonderful and I am sure it will be again. The UCCan University of Victoria chaplain is a member of our congregation and he has put forth an invitation to a number of international students who will be staying on campus during Christmas Break. I think it will be really neat to introduce them to a Canadian Christmas, and I hope I will learn something about their Christmas traditions.

I used to go up north to my parents' house for Christmas, but once Rachel was born they started coming here (usually on Boxing Day and they stay for a few days.)  Our current "tradition" is to go to my father-in-law's place on Christmas Day.  I suspect this is going to be our long term tradition, but it's only happened twice so far (I think).  They have a huge house and they go all out with tons of family invited, so it's nice.  It also means that I've never had to cook for a crowd!  Woohoo!

Plans as of now:

Christmas Eve - 7:00 family service.  Granddaughter is reading - scripture, I think, or maybe a prayer.  We hope that Ronald's niece will also come with us, and go home with Seelergirl for the night.  Mr. Seeler and I back to our house - we may open our stockings before bed since there will be no kids around to wait for Santa to come in the night.

Christmas day - up early to open a few gifts and have breakfast.  Then out to Seelergirl's to see their tree and, if we arrive early enough, watch them open their gifts as well as those we bring with us.  Home before lunch, bringing niece back with us, so that we can have a rest.  But mainly in hopes that Seelergirl will get a opportunity to lie down before he husband goes out to pick up his daughter (her teenage stepdaughter).

Christmas dinner - we all, including Mr. Seeler's niece, will be going out to Seelergirl's inlaws for dinner.  I'm taking a contribution towards dessert - my famous cranberry coffee cake, which will serve as Mr. Seeler's birthday cake.  Oh, I must not forget to take his birthday present out with us.  

There will be a few of people missing at the table:  Seelerboy will be sunning himself in the Philipines, and sil's brother and family are now living in Alberta.

Christmas dinner late Boxing Day at my parents.  We will have turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, turnip, carrots, peas and of course gravy.  I'm planning on making washington pie for dessert.

Bought my turkey on the way home from work today-for zchristmas day-probably just me and my 3 young adults but you never know.

Also picked up ribs for Christmas eve-they'll be a dozen or so of us. So ribs in the slow cooker after the 6pm service.

Question: What should I serve with the ribs?

hmmm...baked potatoes with assorted toppings...and a salad.

or rice . . . and a Japanese coleslaw salad (coleslaw mix, package of Ichiban noodles - use the sauce from the Ichiban noodles for the dressing which also contains oil, vinegar, sugar, and pepper).

I love reading about how others celebrate Christmas.  Tabitha - cole slaw is always good with ribs too!

When everyone was around, we'd have dinner on Boxing Day.  I refused to cook on Christmas and always had lots of cold cuts and cheeses and buns for whenever someone wanted to eat.  It saved a lot of running around when it was so busy.  The 26th was always much quieter.

This year, however, I'll be alone.  I won't be going anywhere or visiting anyone till the 26th and maybe a trip to Ancaster to visit the inlaws later in the week.  I'll be attending the 8pm candlelight service at the little church here.  Maybe I'll cook my little turkey on friday then munch on sandwiches during the day on saturday. 

Usually I have a small turkey with my favourite dressing/stuffing, veggies, potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce and something for dessert.  I'll probably do that anyway just for me.  I've got lots of movies to watch so I'll be okay.  (At least I like being alone and can tolerate myself for some extended time.)

traditional turkey dinner here with all the fixens

I have cooked the turkey in the past and again this year it is my turn.

On one of my first attempts I set the oven on fire when the turkey juices overflowed onto the oven element.    The smoke detector sang Christmas Carols as I and my daughters cleared the blue haze from the house.    I still get reminded of that one LOL.   Ah well ...how the proud are humbled!    Iron Chef I am not ..... but I did make it to Carbon Chef LOL....

This year ..... traditional turkey dinner with a nice white wine..... and don't worry ... I have progressed beyond the flambe turkey stage

......and duct tape...... so I don't get stretch marks!

Hugs

Rita

We went to Christmas dinner at my mom's sunday. we visit musicdads family on Chrismtas day. Musicdad cooked the turkey at home before we left on the bbq rotissery. he made a citrus gravy witht he drippings (because the cavities of the bird were filled with lemons and oranges.) mashed potatoes bean salad and stuffing finished it off. The turkey was so moist even the breast.

Of course the best part was the opening of presents and the fellowship with family.

It will just be the four of us for the 25th, turkey and all that goes with it.  Smallilsh turkey this year I think.

When the kids were little we used to go to my parents or inlaws, kind of alternating but now they are all gone.

I expect on the 23/24th I will spend some time doing cookies and cakes and stuff so we have lots to nibble, not that we really need it but it just seems like what you do.

Pastry chef-I'm a little suprised you aren't spending the holidays with your nieces-but I expect they are going to the other side of the family.

We used to have big family gatherings. Lots of food. Turkey and often ham (if a grandmother was involved). Of course, more than one dessert. Way too much food all day. Of course chocolate would be involved.

We have had quieter Christmasses of late. This year we are joining friends at their house. It will be nice. Sometime during the holidays I plan to cook a bone-in ham in the crock pot. Yum!

Christmas Day will be quiet - our son will come by for the day - starting with our traditional home-made sticky buns fresh from the oven on Xmas morn, accompanied by champaigne, onward to gift opening; neighbours will likely come by for a bit, then  just three of us for dinner - so we're going Italian - lasagne & cesar salad!  Then on boxing day my extended family comes by -  there will be 11 of us for the afternoon with 8 staying for dinner - prime rib, since most will have already have had their fill of turkey!

Ham in the crock pot sounds interesting northwind - I've never done it that way.

I'm more excited for Christmas this year after being gone last, it's nice  being back for our traditions. On the 25th we open presents first thing in the morning and around 11 my mom's family from town comes for brunch. I think this year there will be three cousins and their significant others, aunt and uncle and stepgrandma, mom, dad brother and I. We usually have two egg casserols, meat balls, those little appetizer things, cheese, fruit, salad and cookies. People usually stay until about 2 and head home for a nap.

My dad always grew up having roast beef for Christmas so we do too. Turkey is even more sepecial when you only get it once a year at thanksgiving! So our Christmas supper is roast beef, yorkshire pudding, colliflowerand cheese sauce, beans, salad, buns, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, roasted onions, pickles and of course desserts at the end! For supper I think it will only be one cousin and his wife, aunt and uncle, mom, dad, brother and me. My other cousins will be heading to their other half of their families.

It is really good. I usually put carrots in the bottom, and then the ham. I usually put about a cup of OJ, some garlic, onions and maybe another veggie. It makes a very tasty meal! Bone-in ham of course. Then DH takes the bone and makes a good soup with it.

- that's what family memories are made of - thanks for sharing RitaTG

is it the lemons and oranges that make it moist?  Where do you put the stuffing?

i will have 15 for xmas day dinner - turkey and the works.

Here is a dessert I am making.

Whatever size pan you want.

Line with icecream bars

layer of cool whip or dream whip

crushed skoor bars ( or crispy crunch etc.)

Do the three layers again = ice cream bars, dream whip, crushed bars.

Freeze for 24 hours.

oooooh, that sounds delish!

Crazy Heart...A guy from my church in Oakville used to make this for all our functions.  He called it his "Chocolate Lasagna".  It never lasted and he always took a clean dish home.  It's a great dessert!

We do our dressing in the crock pot ... turns out perfect every time. We tried prime rib one year, but just didn't seem like Christmas without the turkey!

I cooked a turkey last year for the first time.  That was at the group home that I worked in.

My sister will be cooking dinner.  My mom used to and we would all gather at my parents' place.   Now the tradition has moved to my sister's house.  I am going to stay at her place starting tomorrow.  I would have gone today but I have to work tomorrow.

It will be my sister's kids, her husband, their grandson, and myself.  So not really that big.

Apparently, before I was born all the aunts and uncles and cousins would go to my grandparents' house for Christmas Eve.  So about every 36 years or so the tradition gets changed.

There will be 16 of us (parents/ adult kids/partners/grandkids) for Christmas dinner - turkey, potatoes, salad, brussels sprouts, peas, carrots, gravy and cranberry sauce.  We'll share the cooking - well - the men peel the potatoes and carrots.

double post - sorry

I could add - the men help with dishes too - and deal with chasing the kids outside to play when they get too noisy and silly.

Well, my wife, daughter and I will be at Great Wolf Lodge for Christmas, so we'll be eating whatever they will be serving. We will be at my brother and sister-in-law's house on Christmas eve. Turkey with all the jazz. AND two kinds of pie.

Does anybody have a different recipe for turnip other than just mashing it up with butter and nutmeg?

Yes. Throw liberally into a Glad garbage bag.

Cute tyson, LOL!

 love turnip.  I have put turnip with mashed potatoes, but my kids complained that I ruined the potatoes.

Yeah Tyson!!!!  My thoughts exactly!

Waterfall, try some maple syrup.  My Mom does it that way but I still won't eat it!!  I would try a small amount of the mashed turnip with the maple syrup in case you don't like it. 

Thanks everyone, I will give it a shot. I love turnip, but some just like it a little sweeter. Hadn't thought of maple syrup.

That's what mine said too. They like the turkey gravey poured all over the potatoes.

Personally I call turnip "turndown" because that's what I do. My family prefers sweet potato.

Now I thought you would have loved a nice "turnip pie" MorningCalm!

I'm enjoying reading this thread and learning of people's various traditions.

Generally we have a full on turkey meal Christmas day - whether at home (my partner loves preparing the meal) or away visiting with family. This year, however, we decided that since it will just be the three of us here and myst child doesn't eat turkey (or much in the way of meat or fish either) that we will have a cheese fondue (with steamed broccoli and cauliflower, apples, gerkins and bread) and chocolate fondue (with fruit and shortbread). Fondue has been a special meal for the 3 of us over the years, so it's fitting to have it for our Christmas dinner.

carolla, we talked about having pasta for our dinner - another obvious for us, we're doing that on boxing day. And we will also have warm cinnamon buns Christmas morning - my partner is baking right now.

I can think of worse foods.

We usually have traditional turkey feast (big bird, stuffing, mashed potatoes, etc.) with my family. Some years we also include my aunt's family and then we get killer desserts since she's married to a Swiss pastry chef. This year that's been postponed to New Year's Day so we're getting together with my wife's cousin in Richmond Hill. Not sure what we'll eat, but hopefully home-cooked Chinese. I've lost my taste for turkey in recent years.

Mendalla

Turnip is awesome! It is too late to go shopping for tomorrow now probably. Turnip mashed with carrots is good too. I imagine a bit of maple syrup in that would not hurt either.

I bought a meatloaf made by the owner of my favourite meat store. I am cooking it for supper for tonight and will have sweet potato with it too. Not sure what else, maybe some broccoli.

Church is at 7:00.