Before Christmas
Decorate the house
Decorate a tree
wrapped gifts go under the tree
recipes:
Surprise Cookies
Sugar Cookies
Short Bread
Christmas Eve
Traditions primarily dictated by Tomas’ family
No meat all day
Schedule:
late afternoon mass
Dinner
Christmas Concert
gifts around the tree (save some for Xmas morning, see below)
Read The Night Before Christmas (a tradition from Leesa’s family)
For young children, leave milk/cookies by the fireplace for Santa
Dinner should have 12 courses on the table
a tradition from Mocuite and Senalis, a Catholic tradition inspired by the 12 Disciples
can be as simple as different flavours of jello
e.g. bread, 3 types of shrimp, crab cakes, ketchup fish, wet smoked fish, dry smoked fish, peas, carrots, apple sauce, jello
a speech and a vodka toast at the start of dinner, thanks for our fortunes and remembrance of the dead
Different flavours of shrimp are a classic (a tradition from Mama to fit into the 12 courses)
very traditionally, the entire meal was eaten cold. Coupled with the lack of meat, the meal was considered one of the traditional Christian fasting days.
Recipes:
Needs to be prepared the day before
Boiled whole mushrooms
Prepared the day before and eaten cold
Christmas Day
Traditions primarily dictated by Leesa’s family
Schedule:
first thing in the morning, open gifts
Tomas’ mother always used to have full stockings for the kids, an orange in the stocking was a classic, Tomas’ family did Santa presents when the kids were young
gather with the extended family
Food:
No strong traditions
Leesa’s mother typically made a beef dish (beef roast or boeuf bourguignon)
Tomas’ extended family typically had a turkey and a potluck style meal
Recipes:
Boeuf Bourguignon (Leesa)
Roasted Turkey (Gverzdys Family)
Spicy Mango Noodles (Ai Ping)
Pot Luck (Gverzdys Family)
Boxing Day
traditions primarily dictated by Leesa’s family
a day to gather with extended family
no strong traditions
Leesa’s mother typically made a turkey
Recipes:
Roasted Turkey