Did your family or ancestors serve traditional dishes for the holidays? Was there one dish that was unusual?
My family generally ate what I would consider as traditional foods at our holiday meals. Christmas dinner usually included turkey or ham, salad, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, assorted vegetables and homemade bread or rolls. Dessert was often a variety of pies. While I was growing up we rotated holiday meals between my aunt and uncle's house and our house. I remember at our house always having to polish the special silverware before the meal. I don't remember any unusual Christmas meals. However, one Thanksgiving we had Japanese food prepared by several Japanese exchange students that were friends with one of my sisters. I'm not sure this was a big hit with most of the family, but it is certainly something I will always remember.
Today we have two Christmas meals. On Christmas Eve we go to my wife's parents house. This meal consists of many finger-type foods, such as shrimp with cocktail sauce, lil' smokies, veggies & dip, bugle snack chips, crackers & cheese, various holiday cookies, pies, etc. On Christmas day we go to my Dad's house for a more traditional mid-day meal.
My Mom always made a variety of Christmas cookies and sweet breads to distribute to neighbors and friends and of course for our own enjoyment. spritz cookies and pecan tassies were always my favorites.
© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell
Mmmm - pecan tassies sound wonderful right now!
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