For most of us, Christmas is the first or second biggest family event of the year, especially in the cooking and baking department.
Some people prefer turkey, some prefer ham, and others (like me) prefer beef.
My family will be at my house, so I am doing the planning and most of the shopping and cooking. A rib roast is pricey, but the market drops the price for the holiday so that it is more affordable. I will also pick up some fresh Kielbasa.
Normally, since I have a small group on Christmas Eve, I splurge and get the rib roast, and prepare a few side dishes to complement this yummy main course. There’s a special rich potato and Gruyère cheese casserole, usually a salad and a simple green vegetable, although I have added other things, including a vegetarian entree of some sort. Last year the veggie entree was a creamy mushroom pasta, which was enjoyed by everyone. [This one!]
On Christmas Day I usually don’t cook anything, other than breakfast, and munch on leftovers when I get hungry.
I know that some ethnic groups have special dishes and meals that are prepared for Christmas. For instance, Italians traditionally have a fish and seafood meal on Christmas Eve. Polish families often have dishes like fresh kielbasa, stuffed cabbage, and pierogi.
What do you (or your family) usually prepare for Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day dinner?
Stella's Place 
When my boys were growing up, but old enough to be up late, we used to go to Midnight Mass, come home and open presents, and then have an enormous breakfast of biscuits and gravy, ham and eggs, sometimes potatoes or a little pan of grits, at about 3 in the morning. My husband and sons loved it, this was the center point of our celebration before later in the day being off to the grandparents.
Of course, when wives and grandchildren came along, that had to be reluctantly set aside, although the menfolk were not happy.
This year I wanted a little nostalgia. We’re having Christmas dinner at 4, like we usually do, but I’m doing a full on breakfast just like we used to. We’ll have venison sausage and backstrap, my son will smoke a ham, and I have to have my bacon for the gravy. The daughters in law are willing to indulge me, and the guys could not be happier!
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All my life until Czar I ate turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, Waldorf Salad, peas and carrots, and pumpkin pie. We started eating on Christmas Eve to not interfere with Daddy’s ball games. Lounged around all day Christmas and ate leftovers.
Czar cooked crazy menus, and invited friends who brought their families’ foods.
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Also, my family ended the meal with Store bought eggnog which my father put rum in.
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Can I just get an invite to your houses? I’m a single gal, sole caretaker for severely disabled and mentally damaged sister. I am so burnt out that I am NOT making any Holiday plans or food or anything – might just sleep the whole day instead. SHE…might notice peripherally, so no great loss there.
Merry Christmas to all of you!
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I’m sorry to hear that you are so burnt out. I was sick at Thanksgiving, and my grandsons did the cooking for me. I hope that you can find an easy way to celebrate the holiday. Maybe a premade dinner from your local market?
I found a list of some easier dinner options:
A one-pot beef stew is a hearty, comforting choice that requires minimal effort—just combine beef, vegetables, and seasoning, then let it simmer until tender.
A slow cooker turkey breast can be prepared by seasoning the meat and letting it cook for a few hours, resulting in a juicy, tender meal without needing to monitor the oven.
Sheet pan roasted vegetables and sausage is another simple option, where sausage links and vegetables are tossed together, seasoned, and roasted on a single tray, with cleanup being easy.
A really delicious, quick and easy entree is a pork tenderloin, and it isn’t very expensive. Coat with a spice mix, brown in a skillet, then roast for 15 or 20 minutes. Microwave some baked potatoes, and steam a nice veggie, like fresh broccoli.
A pre-cooked honey glazed ham, enhanced with a glaze made from honey, brown sugar, and mustard or pineapple juice, is a quick option that only requires baking to warm through.
Some markets have prepared cooked shrimp and cocktail sauce, which is quite festive.
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