Anonymous wrote:Tamales are common for folks in California or Arizona.

I’m from Texas, and when i was a teen, my grandmother started adding enchiladas to the Thanksgiving/Christmas dinners (in addition to turkey and ham), simply because that’s what she wanted to eat.

You do what you want for any day of the year. If she thinks it's boring, than do something with and for her. Make it your own tradition. Make it the way you want.

Tamales are common for folks in California or Arizona.

Anonymous wrote:For both my grandmothers, Christmas dinner was basically a repeat of their large Thanksgiving feasts, although one set of grandparents added fudge, date nut loaf candy, eggnog, and mulled cider to the menu.

pp here- I guess the Christmas additions weren’t technically part of the dinner, but more festive treats to have as snacks. For the actual dinner itself, we would have stuck to the more traditional desserts.

For both my grandmothers, Christmas dinner was basically a repeat of their large Thanksgiving feasts, although one set of grandparents added fudge, date nut loaf candy, eggnog, and mulled cider to the menu.

Yes to Christmas dinner. We always have:

ham
raisin sauce (so fab)
scalloped potatoes
green beans
mashed butternut squash
for dessert: usually a fruit or chocolate trifle

Christmas eve dinner is variable depending on what's going on--sometimes it's a bit of a feast, other times it's take-out.

Christmas Eve was always the big night with friends and family. Christmas Day was grazing on leftovers with nuclear family.

Growing up in California we had fondue by the fire on Christmas Eve and then had Christmas Day dinner with extended family. There were some items that were always on the dinner menu (tamales -- because my dad's family is from New Mexico) as well as other things that were just experiments -- or whims really -- like the year my uncle roasted a whole pig in the backyard. My husband's family in Michigan had a dinner with ham and all the fixings on Christmas Day, ending with a rich chocolate cake and ice cream for dessert -- because it was also my FIL's birthday. Today we live far from extended family, so we've created our own holiday traditions. On Christmas Eve we go out for Mexican food and on Christmas Day we have a big brunch while still wearing our pj's. For dinner we used to do DH's family menu, but as our kids got older, they wanted to switch things up a bit, so in some years we've gone out to the movies in the afternoon and had takeout (usually Thai). This year we're making lasagna. The one thing we do every year on Christmas Day is have chocolate cake and ice cream. Works for us!

Yes, some examples of special Christmas dinners we had on rotation growing up:

Caramelized Ham
Roast Duck
Lasagna - three kinds
Turkey (if we had a big enough crowd)
Game Hens (3-6 depending on crowd size)
Lamb

With lots of side dishes, some appetizers, adults were offered champagne, and at least three dessert options

Yes and it was generally a bigger deal than thanksgiving. We like prime rib and crab legs. But we’ve done a ham or lobster before too. Italians do the 7 fishes (I think I have that right?)

I think it’s a divide on whether you eat the big meal on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. We chose chose Christmas Day this year because Christmas Eve is always a bit hectic and this will give us time to cook on Christmas Day.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I think your family was unusual.

Agree. And where you are from has nothing to do with it - fellow Midwesterner.

Growing up, we always had a ham for Christmas dinner because my mom’s company would give her a huge ham, lol. Last year we didn’t spend Christmas with my parents due o covid, so my household had prime rib.

We’ve always done Christmas dinner. We go out to a nice restaurant Christmas Eve and then do a dinner around lunchtime on Christmas. We always serve beef tenderloin.

Our tradition is waffles after Xmas gifts; generally a traditional dinner-stuffing; sweet potatoes, mac and cheese.......twice a year--TG and Xmas.

We never did anything special for Christmas dinner growing up but now we do something that’s a cut above regular dinner, it as much as Thanksgiving.