Traditions…. Christmas/ Holiday Plans

Our family is the the midwest and Thanksgiving is our big family holiday. For Christmas, my husband and I stay in Seattle keep things pretty simple.

I am making a Southwest-inspired Christmas Eve dinner this year with fajita-marinated chicken and corn pudding. After Christmas Eve dinner, we always watch "A Christmas Carol" -- 1953 version with Alastair Sim. Then we go to candlight service.

I am still working on what we'll have for Christmas breakfast. I am leaning towards a ham and sweet potato hash (with poached eggs). We open presents, call family, get the house straightened up, and then, when it's dark we go on a "Christmas lights" walk. We generally eat Christmas dinner pretty late and completely by candlelight. This year we are having peppercorn rib roast, mashed potatoes, maple carrots, and roasted red onions. The dessert is always the same - my dried apricot and cashew "fruitcake."

- Heidi

Well I just got back from one of our traditions. My mothers side of the family always rotates every year of having Christmas eve. We go and have dinner and get to bring one gift to open. This year I got a new pivot plus cordless drill+. Usually I pick the present that has underware and socks. When we get home we now always watch National Lampoons Christmas vacation. We get up tomorrow after "Santa" came my mom still does santa and my youngest brother is 19, open presents and then have breakfast with just my immediate family. Its the only time of year we eat on my mothers china and we drink OJ out of crystal glasses. We then go to my grandmothers for Christmas lunch and ride around and look at Christmas lights.(And of course watch one or two of the 24 hour christmas story marathon) And now my friends and I all get together at the local pub for kind of a reunion because most of us have moved away and that is the only time we get to see each other.