Recently, we started following the old French-Canadian tradition of tourtiere (basically pork and potato pie with as many variations as there are families in Quebec). We can make this ahead so it is easy on that night. We also have Christmas cookies and hot cocoa in front of the fire after dinner, something my now pre-teen kids still love to do and look forward to.

Christmas Eve Dinner is big for us, Prime Rib and lots of fancy sides...

We also do a large family sit down dinner on Christmas so the night before is light and easy. Apps around 3, followed by butternut squash soup, crusty bread and a roasted pear, Gorgonzola and pecan salad. Yum. Maybe I will make that this week!

Growing up, we usually had people over on Christmas Eve and basically had a bunch of hors d'ouerves for dinner, which was awesome since every other night of the year we had sit down meals. Grown ups would drink cocktails, we would have a fire going in the fire place, Christmas music, board games for the kids, and lots of delicious food to nosh on - baked Brie with crackers and apples, a small smoked turkey, veggies and dip, ready-made bite sized quiches, maybe my mom's seven layer dip if we were lucky. It was awesome, and I think could easily be scaled down to just a relaxing family night.

Now we do a big 7 fish feast with my Italian in-laws, which is also awesome but a lot more work.

We do pizza too . I had no idea anybody else would do it. We're always either travelling or hosting Christmas Day, so pizza is fun and easy the night before

We do Italian. Meatballs simmer all day, lasagna or stuffed shells made ahead and popped in the oven after Mass when the kids were small and now eaten earlier and we go to midnight Mass. It's easy to dress up with more salad and sides if we have guests.

German sausages, kraut and beer

Anonymous wrote:Chinese food. We're Jewish.

Chinese food. We're Jewish.

Anonymous wrote:We do homemade vegetable beef soup and shrimp cocktail. Years ago I used to drive 'home' on Christmas Eve, stopping to pick up my grandmother to spend Christmas at my mom's. My grandmother always made her veggie beef soup to bring along. And she loved shrimp cocktail, so we'd get a made up plate from the store. My grandmother is gone now, but we continue with the tradition. Either I or my mom makes the soup, always far ahead and frozen. Its a perfect Christmas Eve meal -- not to heavy, easy, warming.

So sweet.

Pizza and wings! Watch "It's A Wonderful Life". Admire the tree and decorations. Bask in the glow of our happy family.

Youngest kid puts the Christ Child in the manger in our Nativity scene before bed.

In our family, Christmas Eve is always a seafood dinner. We don't ever get all the way to 7 fishes, but we try. The entrée is always scallops. Usually served with cheesy potatoes, asparagus, and roasted cherry tomatoes. Dessert course varies but is usually something decadent and fruity. Lots of wine and after dinner drinks.

We grew up having some type of seafood for Christmas Eve dinner. In recent years, I have made seafood gumbo (easy to make the base ahead!) and served it with crusty bread and a salad.

We also go to children's mass, and then home for homemade pizza.

And then to bed so that Mom and Dad can finish assembling the %^&*&%(* toys (I'm looking at you, Jr. Trampoline of 2011).

We do homemade vegetable beef soup and shrimp cocktail. Years ago I used to drive 'home' on Christmas Eve, stopping to pick up my grandmother to spend Christmas at my mom's. My grandmother always made her veggie beef soup to bring along. And she loved shrimp cocktail, so we'd get a made up plate from the store. My grandmother is gone now, but we continue with the tradition. Either I or my mom makes the soup, always far ahead and frozen. Its a perfect Christmas Eve meal -- not to heavy, easy, warming.