Spinoff: Christmas Eve Dinner

[DisneyHardin]

Restaurants and bars are open Christmas Eve where you live? Most things close by 6 pm or so here. Maybe Tim Horton’s is open.

Some places close a little earlier than usual - like about 8 PM or so, but most everything is open Christmas Eve.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

Christmas Eve, we have heavy appetizers, including roasted shrimp cocktail, spinach artichoke dip, pepperoni rolls, deviled eggs, vegetable tray, cheese ball. For dinner this year, I’m making Italian sausage with peppers and onions, stuffed shells and rolls. For dessert, cheesecake, pumpkin roll and Christmas cookies.

 

[mjkacmom]

The only time we've ever eaten out on Christmas Eve it was a Chinese place. Cliched, I know. Nothing else of substance was open.

Frozen pierogi are ubiquitous in the grocery store freezer aisle here. Do you have to get them from a specialty place, or you just like to?
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We have a lot of fresh or frozen choices in the grocery store, but there is a town about 5 miles away that has a large polish population with a bunch of pierogi shops, H always brings some home if he’s in the area.

 

[dvcgirl67]

This year we’re doing a 7 fishes thing, cioppino with shrimp, cod, mussels, clams, calamari, a crab dip, and scungili salad.

That's a good way to accomplish the seven fishes thing.....with a good cioppino....knock out five one them in one shot! My husband's family never did the seven fishes deal.

 

[GAN]

I agree. Since I can no longer have dairy, I always make a Rhode Island style clam chowder now. Spouse likes it better without the dairy b/c it's more clam-my...

Facts. I never liked white anyway -do like red though.

 

[Moliphino]

When my paternal grandmother was alive, we'd go to her house on Christmas Eve and have tons of Polish food. Since she died in 2005 we haven't really made any traditions.

 

[ShelbyWagon]

A friend gave me a gift card to a great cheese shop in town so this year we're doing a cheese and charcuterie board. I picked up some interesting bottles of wine to taste as well. All while watching Christmas Vacation

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Christmas Eve we do tons of appetizers and then Meatball and sausage sandwiches with either vodka rigatoni or lasagna

 

[firefly_ris]

We never did feast of the seven fishes when I was growing up. My grandmother hosted Christmas Eve and then later on my mom did, usually it was either stuffed shells or baked ziti, with ham and other stuff. Nowadays we go to my husband's aunt's house and she does about 3 jillion appetizers.

 

[design_mom]

Appetizers -- We always have way too much food and we were trying to decide what to eliminate this year (partly so we could try some new things) and we couldn't come up with anything to eliminate because everything is SOMEONE's favorite.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Normally, it's catch-as-catch-can, as DH plays a number of services (trumpet). This year, it's only a single service, so I'm a little stymied. We used to go out to eat when the kids were little.

Thinking of getting a bunch of appetizers and making a cheese/cracker tray. Homemade eggnog, and we're done.

 

[fortwildernessishome]

We host a Christmas Eve party for my family. I plan lots of games and makes lots of desserts. We order pizza. This will be our 26th year hosting. It's the BEST night of the year!!

 

[Mle8308]

We go out for Mexican food with family and friends. We've had as many as 18-20 people, it usually averages about 15. It started as just my family, then it would come up in conversation and people would ask what we were doing. We'd say we were going out for Mexican food. The response was usually something like "that is a good idea" and we'd extend an invite. Over the past years its become a tradition, even during covid (one of our best turnouts ever). This year it will be a smaller group as one family is going skiing and another will only be joining us for drinks and apps before going to a family members house (they don't really want to go, but it's a specific family obligation this year). The restaurant is open their normal hours and we tip the server(s) very well!

 

[Owlpost23]

Our traditional meal on Christmas Eve is a boatload of Indian food.Can't wait for that!

 

[disney4us2002]

Typically we do either Chinese or Italian. This year I've selected to make lasagna rollups and garlic bread. We love going out to a fancy place for Chinese with our best friend couple but we don't live near them any more so we got together last weekend.

 

[Robber Baron]

Was planning on Italian, but I just made a change on the fly and made some enchiladas. Threw them in the freezer. I’ll also make some tacos in the crockpot. Mexican it is.

 

[RedAngie]

Frozen pierogi are ubiquitous in the grocery store freezer aisle here. Do you have to get them from a specialty place, or you just like to?
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Frozen or refrigerated pierogi are readily available in supermarkets near me. But almost all of them are potato filled, either plain or with cheese, onion, etc.

I prefer non-potato pierogi, so I buy them from Polish delis that have a larger variety.

By the way, those brands pictured that say “pierogies” are incorrect. Pierogi is already a plural word. The singular is pierog.

But who eats just one?

 

[RedAngie]

When my paternal grandmother was alive, we'd go to her house on Christmas Eve and have tons of Polish food. Since she died in 2005 we haven't really made any traditions.

Did your grandmother pass around oplatek (plural oplatki) on Christmas Eve?

A thin flavorless wafer, usually stamped with a Nativity or other religious scene.



The oldest present usually starts with a whole wafer, then each other person breaks off a small piece. Then others take turns breaking off pieces of everyone else’s wafer while offering good wishes.

 

[LuvOrlando]

So far I made Snowball Cookies (aka Tea Cakes) and Struffoli, things were going great until I realized someone ate all the Peanut Butter so the Blossom dough is 90% done :/ maybe I'll add pizzelle. Irked over the PB speedbump.

Seven Fish Feast for Christmas Eve as always. Costco surprised me with some nice looking lobster tails, wild shrimp and wild scallops so those three plus escargot which was a quest, finally found some cans at Fresh Market. Tomorrow, I am searching for crab cakes & stuffed clams with flounder to be picked up first thing Christmas Eve day. There will be baby broccoli from Trader Joes because it is pretty & they had Spanakopita for around $5 so I got some, boy are prepared apps pricey now. Also got some chestnuts which I love, I remember getting them from Dirty Water Dog guys on the corners when I was a kid, that smell is as good as a Portkey

Christmas Day will be a lasagne with meatballs & braciole, couldn't find brasciole already made so I guess I'm getting a flank steak and doing it myself.

There will be fresh bread and cocktails too, I was hoping for zero proof options too but there is always Sprite. Lately, I have been loving a Christmas Red Pomegranate Martini.

 

[Sweettears]

We are fortunate to have a seafood store close by (Chicago area) that is also a supplier to area restaurants. Wide selection of very fresh fish. Not too far from Ohare airport