How are you celebrating Christmas this year?

[Warden]

How are you planning to celebrate Christmas this year?

I had this idea of having a traditional 1940s Christmas this year, but my plans are already in trouble.

I planned to make wartime Christmas cards from blackout paper and was looking forward to making the Christmas tree decorations from pine cones and tissue paper with Maisie (my daughter). I even planned to use the coloured paper and sweet wrappers I have been hoarding for the past month to embellish our decorations. Our front door was to have a garland fashioned from newspapers and holly, dusted with Epsom salts to add a sparkle.

I am even having a problem making my extended family taste the wartime Christmas foods we planned.

Mrs W has found a recipe for a wartime Christmas cake and gingerbread men made with alternative ingredients. For example cold tea will replace the milk in cakes and that kind of thing.

But my parents and sister must have been in secret league with each other as although they are all coming to our house over the Christmas period, my mother said she will bring the Christmas dinner and my sister is bring the dessert to “make it easier on you now you have a baby in the house”. So it looks like we will not get to eat mock goose for Christmas lunch after all.

Pip pip

Warden Harry D

 

[olive bleu]

Gosh darn those pesky familieslol lol

I dare say yours is not the first yuletide to be foiled by well meaning family members.MIne will stop at nothing to get the Christmas they want.If i invite my family and i am not planning on serving what they have in mind, they think nothing of showing up with their own casserole or pie under their arm

This year , my christmas will be spent in utter chaos. We are in the middle of moving and had planned on moving jan. 1st.Now, I have learned that the house will be vacant before that and i have the option of moving in earlier( as in the 18th of DEcember)So my choices are: A.) Spend Xmas in the old house surrounded by boxes or B.) Spend Xmas in the NEW House surrounded by boxes.AS for Dinner..SWanson's makes a TUrkey Dinner don't they?

 

[Elaina]

I'll probably go see my brother the 24th, offer to bring my mom's stuffing (of which I'm the only one aside from my mom that can, that is also my bro's favortie holiday thing), get called back 2 days before and told "*sigh* No my wife's going to make it. She says you can bring all the desserts" (How NICE. There's me and my husband and kid, hubby will work, kid will be with his dad, and her family are all overweight piggies. Of which there is over 20. One person bringing dessert for everybody. )

Then we'll stay home, wake the hubby up at 5 so he can shower, kid will slowly wake up and realize "OMG it's Christmas!!" Open presents, take the hubby to work (and on years he HAS to work, kid and I go out for breakfast, even when I don't have him) come home, start dinner, take a nap, check on dinner, go pick spouse up, stopping for hot chocolate, come home, eat, then drop dead.

Necessity makes the holidays.

 

[scotrace]

Mock Goose

True goose is ghastly enough.

We're working out a Dickensian Christmas. My eldest daughter has been reading Dickens and we thought she would like it. Must find a good plumb pudding recipe.
Of course, it'll not be all that Dickensian. The tree will still have Mickey & Donald on it somewhere.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Actual christmas day is family..



but what -I- am doing for christmas...is attempting to decorate my new wee bungalow in a classy but somehow miraculously cheap fashion....

i think paper chains and snowflakes are in order...and tissue paper fluffs...etc....

and I shall change the duvet cover to the red flannel one.....

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

Actual christmas day is family..



but what -I- am doing for christmas...is attempting to decorate my new wee bungalow in a classy but somehow miraculously cheap fashion....

i think paper chains and snowflakes are in order...and tissue paper fluffs...etc....

and I shall change the duvet cover to the red flannel one.....

Christmas in your new place, that sounds wonderful!! I'm delighted for you. After the pictures you showed me, I can tell anything you do to it will be great! It's so cozy, and vintage!

Well, I don't celebrate Christmas. I celebrate Hannukkah! Which is, in fact, coming in a few weeks. Hannukkah in my family was always a very big deal. We too, decorated the house. We had our candle lighting ceremonies, and for eight nights we ripped into presents. Now that I'm older, it's really not like that anymore. But, with a 2 year old nephew, we are trying to get back into the spirit. The first night, my mom will cook potato latkes and serve them with applesauce. We'll drink spiced cider and sit around by the fire and reminisce about all the fun Hannukkah's we had as kids. Then we'll pass out presents. Since we are only celebrating one night together, we get to open all of our gifts on the first night. Traditionally, at least in my family, the smallest gift was given on the first night, then night after night the gifts would get bigger. Hannukkah really is a great holiday. I know it's not the most important Jewish holiday, but it's one of celebration. And we Jewish people don't have too many celebratory holiday's! It's a great time for family to get together. I just love the feelings that the holiday season brings.

As for Christmas, I do celebrate this with Hem. The last few years he joined my family for some travels, so he wasn't with his family. This year I was going to go to his families in New Jersey. Everyone in my area will be gone, and I didn't want to be stuck here alone. So Hem was gracious enough to ask me to join him. It will be a lovely time. And even though they know I don't celebrate the holiday, they really include me in everything, even the gift giving. Haven't been to Philly in such a long time, looking forward to going to some museums and seeing some sites.
So, lucky me, it looks like I'm gonna have an all around great holiday, with great people. My best friend Karen lives in NJ, and since I was sick this past year, I haven't seen her in over a year. I even missed her wedding Well, I am making plans to get together with her while I'm down visiting with Hem's family. It's sure seeming like my holiday season might just be quite good!
Well, whatever it is that you celebrate, I hope you all have a magnificent holiday season!

 

[GOK]

I must admit to being a bit of a Christmas humbug. [huh] I don't decorate my home because it would look tacky and cluttered, and just vex me! I used to when my children were young and for their sake, we'd have all the associated rituals. After their father and I split up in '97, he'd have them over Christmas, so I was freed from the horror of the decorations! (I should also mention that I am allergic to pine needles.) It also meant I could go to Shelter to cook dinner for the homeless on Christmas day. I used to cook for them once a week anyway but at Christmas, the other volunteers quite naturally, wanted to be with their families. Luckily, a local restaurateur came to help me.

I've met some genuinely interesting and lovely people this way - I find it quite grounding too.

This year however, I have to do the sociable thing with the in-laws. Because they are lovely people, I don't mind too much but it is really for them and not me. I don't mind, everything should be about give and take and I generally get to do whatever I want the rest of the year!

Scott, I do like your idea of the Dickensian Christmas. Have you looked here for a recipe?

http://www.victoriana.com/christmas/plum-99.htm

Warden - I'm very interested in your WWII recipes. I suspect that since eggs and dairy were rationed, there might be several recipes that might be suitable for me, maybe requiring a little adaptation but still quite vegan friendly. I'm thinking mainly of cakes and suchlike. Any thoughts?

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Celebrated Greek Christmas last year

I am decorating with all of the beautiful porcelain and crystal items I received for my wedding. My dad never liked them so they stayed in the basement and attic for 2 years, things like a cookie jar, candleholders, a creche. I'll probably put the cellophane tree on the piano again but no messy tinsel (thank you, hubby, I'm still vaccuuming it up from two years ago) and just ornaments I like. One pug and I are driving to Central Florida to spend 10 days or so with my mom. I usually go for Bike Week but once I made Christmas dinner and am invited back every year; they all remember the good food, and the lovely gown I wore, so since I won't have to be here for hubby this is the year I will go.

If my mom remembers anything they did or did without back then, I'll see if we can incorporate that at her house. She already doesn't decorate a tree....Now deciding which gowns to pack...

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

I am decorating with all of the beautiful porcelain and crystal items I received for my wedding. My dad never liked them so they stayed in the basement and attic for 2 years, things like a cookie jar, candleholders, a creche. I'll probably put the cellophane tree on the piano again but no messy tinsel (thank you, hubby, I'm still vaccuuming it up from two years ago) and just ornaments I like. One pug and I are driving to Central Florida to spend 10 days or so with my mom. I usually go for Bike Week but once I made Christmas dinner and am invited back every year; they all remember the good food, and the lovely gown I wore, so since I won't have to be here for hubby this is the year I will go.

If my mom remembers anything they did or did without back then, I'll see if we can incorporate that at her house. She already doesn't decorate a tree....Now deciding which gowns to pack...

That sounds like a lovely time! Have a safe journey. It's great that your pug will be traveling with you, how sweet.
This is the first year that I won't be traveling for Christmas. Every year, my entire family takes a vacation together. We even bring Hem with us. Growing up we had a house on Captiva Island on the west coast of Florida. It was so fun spending the holiday's there. I have so many fond memories of great friends, the beach, really good weather, and trying to travel with all of our holiday presents! This year will be great too. I'm a bit sad that we aren't having a family vacation this year. But, my parents opted to go away alone in January, rather than spend money on us kids!!! Hey, they work hard, and nobody deserves it more. But, I love the feeling of spending the holiday's in a tropical place. It's fun to see little tikki huts decked out in Christmas lights and displays of Santa sitting in a beach chair in the sand with a Pina Colada in his hand. Oh, well, I'm pretty much travelled out at the moment anyway. But, there is still time. I wonder if I could convince my parents that a family get together some place warm would do us all a lot of good!
Well, soak up some sun for those of us in cold New England. Well, today it's in the 60's, so I guess I shouldn't complain. But, if I'm gonna spend the Holiday's in the north east, I hope the weather gets more holiday-ish. Nothing is more perfect than to wake up on a cold Christmas morning, put on a soft robe, go downstairs and curl up next to the fireplace with a cup of cocoa with marshmallows, soft music playing, while watching the snow fall freshly on the ground. That, to me, is a perfect winter morning, that is until the snow falls to 2 feet, and you can't get out of your apartment!!

 

[Avalon]

We do a Italian Christmas Eve at my house. After Nanny died, my mother took over the dinner, which traditionally consists of 13 types of fish (in reality, we make three or four). The family sticks around until midnight, when we all open our gifts to each other. This actually reminds me - I have to put up my little Befana tonight.

Christmas Day is a lot more casual, usually a lasagna at my aunt's house.

 

[scotrace]

Scott, I do like your idea of the Dickensian Christmas. Have you looked here for a recipe?

http://www.victoriana.com/christmas/plum-99.htm

Exactly what I needed - thanks!

 

[olive bleu]

AS i mentioned, i will be in the middle of moving, but i don't want to give you the impression that Christmas is unimportant, and that we won't be celebrating in our own way. Truth is, the pots will be the last thing to go into boxes & the first thing to come out. I also have 2 young boys and I will make sure they have the usual Holiday fare.WE usually have SEafood Chowder & Chocolate FOndue( LOts & lots of wine) on Christmas eve, followed by a midnight service @ church. Christmas morning we dig through our stockings and eat whatever Christmas cake I have prepared the night before. Sometimes it is a sourcream,cranberry coffee cake and sometimes Stollen.Then we toddle off to church again, come home and have assorted appetizers & goodies( that usually includes Rum & eggnog)Presents are opened, Turkey dinner with all the trimings will be cooked and all will be topped off with heapings of traditional English Trifile .

This will be followed by a long winters nap...

 

[GOK]

Exactly what I needed - thanks!

You're most welcome, Scott.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I don't do any decorating at home -- I live alone, and just don't get into it anymore. But we've done up the theatre lobby very nicely with a tree swathed in popcorn and a tree-topper star made from a cut-up-and-folded popcorn box. I also contributed my '50s-vintage illuminated plastic Santa head, which hangs behind the concession counter glowing out at the patrons.

I'll spend Christmas eve with my best friend down in New Hampshire, most likely -- and then on Christmas morning I'll make a frantic four-hour drive back up to Maine to my mother's house in time for presents and a roast-pork dinner. (If you're northbound on I-95 on the 25th and are passed by a frantically-speeding dirty Corolla, that would be me. Ma won't stand for anyone being late!)

 

[olive bleu]

True goose is ghastly enough.

We're working out a Dickensian Christmas. My eldest daughter has been reading Dickens and we thought she would like it. Must find a good plumb pudding recipe.
Of course, it'll not be all that Dickensian. The tree will still have Mickey & Donald on it somewhere.

Your Christmas will not be complete without a Wassail bowl!

 

[Elaina]

Not my family traditions...

We try not to do the Greek Christmas. There is SO much drama. I like staying home and sleeping, not listening to Aunt Helena cry and wail about her dead Yaya; Yaya whine and complain that the boys NEVER marry good greek girls (with the nasty look at ME since, greek or not, I'm the only one under 50 that can cook, PERIOD, not to mention I can actually cook greek food just as well as they can), and Papo complaining that I'd be perfect if I was greek (but then loudly telling me it's okay, I'm greek by injection *wink, wink*).

My family's just as bad. My dad whines and complains about that "greek she married who doesn't like football" my mom whining and complaining my husband is gay, getting screamed and yelled at because I'm there, my little sister throwing a fit and stomping off in tears because no one understands her, the fistfight that will ensue between me and said sister for her mouth, the fistfight I get into with my older sister because she's a retard, the thwap to the back of the nephews head when I get called an atamonically male part name, the screaming match that develops between my son and sister, the screaming that goes on with my mom and husband.

And people wonder why I spend the holidays with my ex and current hubby. We have a no screaming tradition. Period. Other then that, I could care less what's on the tree, what's in the windows, that my cat got decorated by the 7 year old with ribbons and ornaments hanging from his long hair, or he wrapped the kitten in paper who we can't find because she's asleep somewhere under the tree and the boy can't remember what package she's in, or that my son invited the town crazy homeless guy to dinner. As long as there's no screaming, I'm good.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

I shouldn't a'said Greek specifically

Also known as Orthodox Christmas and Ukrainian Christmas. I just did it because it comes later in the year and I always need more time it seems.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

The Williams-Sonoma catalog I picked up when I was in last week had an English pudding mold, which of course I now can't find on their website and the catalog's in Paul's car up at school today. I will TRY to remember to look it up.

If you haven't tried making it before, it's a steamed pudding and you have to hang it in a big pot of steaming water in a mold or another covered pan while it cooks. Can't be touching the boiling water either as I recall, so for the couple of hours it's "in the sauna" you have to check the water level periodically. And by pudding - we're not talking something like what we call pudding today. It's more like a moist, soft cake.

I've got an old pudding mold with the clamp-on lid and since we haven't made it in probably 7-8 years, I'm thinking about it this year. It's pretty simple and REALLY good. I put an upside-down metal colander in the stock pot to sit the mold on - tying twine to the ring in the middle of the lid of the mold and then suspending it over the water...no. IMHO - a culinary disappointment just waiting to occur. :eusa_doh:

Another tip - dim the lights, put it in the middle of the table and THEN light it. If you try carrying it more than about 3' after lighting, it won't stay lit and the alcohol's all burned off. That is, of course, if you pour warm rum or brandy over it for the traditional "display."

And a personal tip - it's a good idea if the cook frequently samples said rum or brandy periodically while the pudding's steaming those couple of hours just to make sure the liquor doesn't go bad...

Bon Apetite!

 

[fortworthgal]

We have our house decorated with a small tree and lights out front, and a wreath on the porch. My husband and I have a Christmas Eve tradition - we go to evening church services, then we stop and get coffee or hot chocolate somewhere, and drive around the neighborhoods looking at Christmas lights and listening to Christmas music.

Not too sure what the plans are for Christmas Day, yet!

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Christmas Island

That sounds like a lovely time! Have a safe journey. It's great that your pug will be traveling with you, how sweet.
This is the first year that I won't be traveling for Christmas. Every year, my entire family takes a vacation together. We even bring Hem with us. Growing up we had a house on Captiva Island on the west coast of Florida. It was so fun spending the holiday's there. I have so many fond memories of great friends, the beach, really good weather, and trying to travel with all of our holiday presents! This year will be great too. I'm a bit sad that we aren't having a family vacation this year. But, my parents opted to go away alone in January, rather than spend money on us kids!!! Hey, they work hard, and nobody deserves it more. But, I love the feeling of spending the holiday's in a tropical place. It's fun to see little tikki huts decked out in Christmas lights and displays of Santa sitting in a beach chair in the sand with a Pina Colada in his hand. Oh, well, I'm pretty much travelled out at the moment anyway. But, there is still time. I wonder if I could convince my parents that a family get together some place warm would do us all a lot of good!
Well, soak up some sun for those of us in cold New England. Well, today it's in the 60's, so I guess I shouldn't complain. But, if I'm gonna spend the Holiday's in the north east, I hope the weather gets more holiday-ish. Nothing is more perfect than to wake up on a cold Christmas morning, put on a soft robe, go downstairs and curl up next to the fireplace with a cup of cocoa with marshmallows, soft music playing, while watching the snow fall freshly on the ground. That, to me, is a perfect winter morning, that is until the snow falls to 2 feet, and you can't get out of your apartment!!

Thank you for the kind wishes. It is a little difficult deciding which of the 3 pugs will go. I already bought 2 muumuus at the Salvation Army! (Never worn, gee I wonder why not in New York?)