Christmas Eve tradition? Early church, Chinese food, then watching "White Christmas," ignoring the groans of the kids as Mrs JB and I sing along to "Snow"
Rouladen. Now I have a hankering for some rouladen. I had heard of the name in the past (my 4 year of high school German may have exposed me to such cuisine) but had never actually eaten it. Now I am all about it. But only in the New Year. Christmas Eve is beef stew and Christmas Day is ham and scalloped potatoes (as decreed by my 83-year old Mother who may have gotten it from her parents).
Glad you made it over to SubStack, James. We’re of an age, and I’ve been following you online for ages.
A couple of thoughts:
“Swedish meatballs, which seem like something that answers the question “what if the telephone dial tone was a flavor?” For Thanksgiving this year, one of the dishes was Swedish meatballs. Made by an actual Swede, even (a delightful young lady who was an exchange student staying with my brother years ago). They were delicious.
As far as whether to open Christmas presents on Christmas or Christmas Eve, I have always taken the position that they are Christmas presents, not Christmas Eve presents.
We're doing meatloaf this year. It's just the two of us; I'm the primary cook; and y'know what? I *like* meatloaf! It's basically just a big hamburger. Easy to make, and provides good leftovers.
We will be spending Christmas Eve at my Aunt's house, it's been the designated Christmas gathering spot for the last 55 years. She'll serve the traditional Mac & Cheese, which she loathes but the family demands.
We have two sets of fondue forks in the "rarely used but you never know" drawer. Alas--and quite happily--we are no where near enough for James to just borrow them.
Christmas meal(s) traditions change from time to time. But New Year's Eve, same meal since I was in high school. Fried pork chops, Depression gravy, crepes stuffed with spinach and sausage covered with cheese sauce, black eyed peas. Cabbage comes and goes.
The revolution, er, evolution of traditions continues apace. I think we used to even have turkey when I was a little kid, somewhere along the line that evolved into lasagna, then meat pies, now a combination of meat pie (tortiere) and/or lasagna.
What's more concerning is the devolution of Christmas gifts themselves, since I no longer receive wicked cool toys like the Mobile Action Command stuff. Now, salty tears fall upon the dusty, decrepit Rescue Center, discarded and unwanted after years of Action that was highly Mobile and also Commanded.
Mobile Action Command! That brings back great memories. Until i got my Atari 2600 on Christmas '77. Then the rest of toys took a back seat. I was Generation Atari
The Mobile Action Command was really just a cover vehicle for what inevitably ended up as MAC Men vigorously punching and kicking each other, until their arms broke off and I had to bench them.
Tacos on Christmas Eve with the eldest child and her husband and two kids. That has been a tradition for about 25 years. Grilling rib eyes on Christmas day since it is just the two of us. New tradition perhaps?
I walked in the door yesterday with packaged au gratin potatoes and found myself in a 20-minute screaming session because how dare I think she would serve a packaged product for Christmas. Now comes a day of text messages demanding that I apologize for attempting to "control" her. I guess me saying "do whatever you want" eight times isn't enough.
A very Merry Christmas to the Lileks family, James.
Christmas Eve tradition? Early church, Chinese food, then watching "White Christmas," ignoring the groans of the kids as Mrs JB and I sing along to "Snow"
Rouladen. Now I have a hankering for some rouladen. I had heard of the name in the past (my 4 year of high school German may have exposed me to such cuisine) but had never actually eaten it. Now I am all about it. But only in the New Year. Christmas Eve is beef stew and Christmas Day is ham and scalloped potatoes (as decreed by my 83-year old Mother who may have gotten it from her parents).
Merry Christmas to all in Lileksland!
Glad you made it over to SubStack, James. We’re of an age, and I’ve been following you online for ages.
A couple of thoughts:
“Swedish meatballs, which seem like something that answers the question “what if the telephone dial tone was a flavor?” For Thanksgiving this year, one of the dishes was Swedish meatballs. Made by an actual Swede, even (a delightful young lady who was an exchange student staying with my brother years ago). They were delicious.
As far as whether to open Christmas presents on Christmas or Christmas Eve, I have always taken the position that they are Christmas presents, not Christmas Eve presents.
"Even harder to get them to knock the ash in the coffee-cup saucer." Snort!
We're doing meatloaf this year. It's just the two of us; I'm the primary cook; and y'know what? I *like* meatloaf! It's basically just a big hamburger. Easy to make, and provides good leftovers.
Replace the traditional Christmas dinner with fondue, but don't you dare use non-traditional forks? Some animals are more equal than others.
"Do NOT use fraudulent fondue forks!" - F. U.
;>
We will be spending Christmas Eve at my Aunt's house, it's been the designated Christmas gathering spot for the last 55 years. She'll serve the traditional Mac & Cheese, which she loathes but the family demands.
Viennese cooks slaving over a traditional roasted GOOSE are weeping over this post...
Delighted to find you on Substack!
We have two sets of fondue forks in the "rarely used but you never know" drawer. Alas--and quite happily--we are no where near enough for James to just borrow them.
Christmas meal(s) traditions change from time to time. But New Year's Eve, same meal since I was in high school. Fried pork chops, Depression gravy, crepes stuffed with spinach and sausage covered with cheese sauce, black eyed peas. Cabbage comes and goes.
The revolution, er, evolution of traditions continues apace. I think we used to even have turkey when I was a little kid, somewhere along the line that evolved into lasagna, then meat pies, now a combination of meat pie (tortiere) and/or lasagna.
What's more concerning is the devolution of Christmas gifts themselves, since I no longer receive wicked cool toys like the Mobile Action Command stuff. Now, salty tears fall upon the dusty, decrepit Rescue Center, discarded and unwanted after years of Action that was highly Mobile and also Commanded.
https://plaidstallions.com/reboot/1977-matchbox-mac-mobile-action-command-catalog/
Mobile Action Command! That brings back great memories. Until i got my Atari 2600 on Christmas '77. Then the rest of toys took a back seat. I was Generation Atari
The Mobile Action Command was really just a cover vehicle for what inevitably ended up as MAC Men vigorously punching and kicking each other, until their arms broke off and I had to bench them.
Tacos on Christmas Eve with the eldest child and her husband and two kids. That has been a tradition for about 25 years. Grilling rib eyes on Christmas day since it is just the two of us. New tradition perhaps?
I walked in the door yesterday with packaged au gratin potatoes and found myself in a 20-minute screaming session because how dare I think she would serve a packaged product for Christmas. Now comes a day of text messages demanding that I apologize for attempting to "control" her. I guess me saying "do whatever you want" eight times isn't enough.
Women.
Not all women.
Didn't mean to like my own comment. Sorry.