Chickles Christmas Fem Poll!

[chickles_:)]

Hiya everyone!
Okay, here's the thing,
I just moved in with my b/f and his son and so this is really our first Christmas in the house together!
I'm finding it lots of fun but i'm kinda wondering about something...

My family tradition is a mix of East meets West, but at Christmas, mostly 'cuz my mum hated having to miss out on the company by doing a bunch of Christmas cooking ("I'm not making the same mistake your Grandmother made,,,yada yada yada" - i can still hear her voice!) i didn't grow up with my mum cooking the big roast beast!
Anyway, i digress...something i so rarely do

So our tradition went with dad's side and that meant going out for Dim Sum on Christmas day. And well, i'm kind of thinking i like that idea. My mum did have the right idea about spending the time with guests and friends and family rather than slaving forever in the kitchen on high holidays.

Buuuut my Ace-guy sort of has different ideas...
Don't worry, we'll sort it out. He'll see reason (ie do it my way) eventually (or he'll tickle me into trying an all new tradition )

Anyway, here's the question:
I'm wondering, which fem food preparation plan is most popular for the holidays?
Do you cook it all? Do you prepare it way in advance? Do you go out? Do you beg off the in-laws or your parents?
How do you organise your Christmas/holiday food at your place?

Many blessings,
Chickles :

 

[jaba]

hi Chicklish.....



usually the family kitchen of one of the relatives homes was the focal point of Christmas for most of the day, in many of my Christmas days growing up.......

when I was young (er ), I remember everybody in or around the kitchen helping with some aspect of food preparation, and sneaking little morsels of the food before dinner usually left me full before the "big meal".....

"serial snacking" in the kitchen usually got the guys banned from the area....and as "punishment" the guys usually got "banished" to the t v room to watch Christmas day football games.....

but I remember with fondness many of the ladies in the family buzzing like bees around the kitchen at Christmas, and gossiping, (usually about the guys in the family ).....

Christmas meal preparation was usually a family affair, and I have nice memories of that time.......




jaba bean

 

[steph]

Silly jaba~she said GIRLS!

Margee doll~long time no chat! OMG, you're moving in together, is this the same guy all along? How cool!

Well, to answer question, I love to cook and I'm good at it, but I can't stand the holidays. My folks split up when I was a kid and every year it was fighting over who got to have us over, screaming, etc., it was a nightmare. I learned early to view it as a day when people who supposedly "loved" each other got together and pretended they didn't treat each other like garbage the rest of the year. I try my best to avoid it all as much as I can. This year, I'm going to try and convince Mom to let me take her out some place nice. I have to be at work the day after, so that spares me from having to go out of town and do the whole go over to the house for hours thing and worry about being killed by a drunk driver on the way home.

PS~and where's the POLL sugarplum?
XOXO

 

[tickledorange]

We do a potluck thing, where everyone who comes over brings either an entree, a desert, or a side dish. All my parents do is cook the ham. My grandma and her family started this tradition years ago because no one wanted to cook everything.

 

[jaba]

the man from F E M?......

Silly jaba~she said GIRLS!

No, beautiful,....she said "F E M"....


Fantastically

Exciting

Male



And we ALL know who that is!.........








"silly jaba ribba"

 

[DannyMc]

I thought F E M meant " For Every Man "............ but potluck sounds good , then everyone can get together from both sides of the family , share and chow down ............

 

[steph]

LOL~maybe I misunderstood honey. and ya definitely rank in the top!
XOXO

No, beautiful,....she said "F E M"....


Fantastically

Exciting

Male



And we ALL know who that is!.........








"silly jaba ribba"

 

[chickles_:)]

Silly jaba~she said GIRLS!

Margee doll~long time no chat! OMG, you're moving in together, is this the same guy all along? How cool!

Well, to answer question, I love to cook and I'm good at it, but I can't stand the holidays. My folks split up when I was a kid and every year it was fighting over who got to have us over, screaming, etc., it was a nightmare. I learned early to view it as a day when people who supposedly "loved" each other got together and pretended they didn't treat each other like garbage the rest of the year. I try my best to avoid it all as much as I can. This year, I'm going to try and convince Mom to let me take her out some place nice. I have to be at work the day after, so that spares me from having to go out of town and do the whole go over to the house for hours thing and worry about being killed by a drunk driver on the way home.

PS~and where's the POLL sugarplum?
XOXO

Hiya Stephie!
So great to hear from you too, hon!
--to your pers Q,, Totally! : He's the same boy!! Definitely way cool!
OMG! What a nightmare indeed! I am sure you have moved on but still. Hugs to you girlfriend.
Your plan to get together with your mum over the holidays sounds like a good one. Hope it proves a wonderful Christmas for you.

And as for the poll?? I guess i meant it in the broader sense of - what do you all think? sorry for the confusion

Many blessings,
Chickles

 

[chickles_:)]

We do a potluck thing, where everyone who comes over brings either an entree, a desert, or a side dish. All my parents do is cook the ham. My grandma and her family started this tradition years ago because no one wanted to cook everything.

Hiya T'Orange,,
Hmm the whole potluck thing sounds pretty good, quite interesting really! So what do you tend to bring? Will you be doing the same thing this year?
Just curious, and don't mean to be nosey but I have a friend who does something a little bit like what you do. But with the addition of family by marriage some things have had to -er- adjust.
Has that been your experience too?

Many blessings,
Chickles

 

[chickles_:)]

No, beautiful,....she said "F E M"....


Fantastically

Exciting

Male



And we ALL know who that is!.........


"silly jaba ribba"

Hiya Jaba,,,
*sticks out tongue* Jab-ickle, You always make me laugh...

Many blessings,
Chickles

 

[tickledorange]

It's at our house, so I just help dad make the meat. Everyone in the family knows what they're supposed to bring, just so we end up with a variety. Since my brothers have gotten married and one even has a child, each family just brings something, but makes enough for everyone. Usually everyone brings a side and a dessert, but some people bring two sides and 2 desserts. My mom is into winging things, so somehow, everyone ends up happy.

 

[Patio-Daddyo]

Hi Chickles,

I'm the Chef at our house, so here's my plan:

Dec 23: Take care of last minute shopping, make pumpkin cheese cake.

Dec 24: Mix up an egg/sausage casserole for Christmas morning. Since we are having standing rib roast, I'll prep that sometime on the 24th along with the vegetables. Eggnog for Mama and I while we set out the presents.

Dec 25: Wake up and cook the breakfast casserole. Once the kids finally get up (teenagers ...) eat and open presents. Put the roast in around 11am and plan to eat lunch ~ 2pm. Eat again. Go see a movie while the dishwasher runs.

B^) -daddy

 

[EBunbury]

Hi Chickles,

I'm the family cook, and I basically do the same thing my mother did.

Christmas Eve's busy with church stuff (Three different churches involved, one with multiple services) so there's a pot of chili on the stove. Sometimes we're even home at the same time.

Christmas morning, a quick breakfast before opening packages.

Christmas afternoon, an early dinner. I cook, but we all end up in the kitchen helping. It's a fun family time together.

E. Bunbury

 

[steph]

Hi Babeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Ah, never mind all that old stuff in the past.
YAY for you though and boyfriend!

Hee hee, and no biggie about the post~sometimes things get lost in translation cross the pond yanno? Merry Christmas lovebugs!
XOXO

Hiya Stephie!
So great to hear from you too, hon!
--to your pers Q,, Totally! : He's the same boy!! Definitely way cool!
OMG! What a nightmare indeed! I am sure you have moved on but still. Hugs to you girlfriend.
Your plan to get together with your mum over the holidays sounds like a good one. Hope it proves a wonderful Christmas for you.

And as for the poll?? I guess i meant it in the broader sense of - what do you all think? sorry for the confusion

Many blessings,
Chickles

 

[Embraceabl]

Hiya everyone!
Okay, here's the thing,
I just moved in with my b/f and his son and so this is really our first Christmas in the house together!
I'm finding it lots of fun but i'm kinda wondering about something...

My family tradition is a mix of East meets West, but at Christmas, mostly 'cuz my mum hated having to miss out on the company by doing a bunch of Christmas cooking ("I'm not making the same mistake your Grandmother made,,,yada yada yada" - i can still hear her voice!) i didn't grow up with my mum cooking the big roast beast!
Anyway, i digress...something i so rarely do

So our tradition went with dad's side and that meant going out for Dim Sum on Christmas day. And well, i'm kind of thinking i like that idea. My mum did have the right idea about spending the time with guests and friends and family rather than slaving forever in the kitchen on high holidays.

Buuuut my Ace-guy sort of has different ideas...
Don't worry, we'll sort it out. He'll see reason (ie do it my way) eventually (or he'll tickle me into trying an all new tradition )

Anyway, here's the question:
I'm wondering, which fem food preparation plan is most popular for the holidays?
Do you cook it all? Do you prepare it way in advance? Do you go out? Do you beg off the in-laws or your parents?
How do you organise your Christmas/holiday food at your place?

Many blessings,
Chickles :

Good Morning Chickles and best wishes on your first Christmas with your b/f and his family.

What I learned when I moved to CT that first year, that no matter what you plan and whatever your vision of how things "should go" is; you will find that as often is the case, things will often vear in a different direction. The first Christmas with his whole family in attendance, the meal ended up being served on paper plates and everyone under the age of 55 sitting on the floor. A lot of time was spent in the kitchen cooking, opening wine and or pouring drinks. Mass chaos ensued and apparently a good time was had by all. At the end I thought, my God what did his family think of me? To my surprise they insist on us hosting Christmas every year.

Do what feels right, experement. You will learn, if you don't know this all ready, that it really is about being together with family and friends during this wonderful season. If cooking is your thing, your joy. . . then cook away! If slave to the kitchen isn't your style then pot luck is definitely the way to go. You do a main dish and an appetizer or two and create a list of those who are coming and what they are bringing. Do as much prep work on the weekend before as possible and then enjoy the time with family and friends when they arrive.

The first year together is for getting a feel of everything, then you can look back and figure out what you liked, what worked, what didn't and do the next big gathering differently. Ultimately, it really is about the people you bring into you life to share the holidays with and the memories you make with them.

Enjoy you first Christmas with them.
Nicole

 

[Illtcklu]

I know it said girls, but here's the low down I've always gotten from the gals. Prepare what you can before hand, you know stuff that will keep, then prepare the other stuff the morning of the holiday. That saves a lot of time in the kitchen, and will the stuff your storing you can prepare each item on a different day to economize your time.


I probably haven't been much help, which is what my g/f ususally says about my kitchen skills, ( don't ask, let's just say we used to have a hampster....) but I am trying to .......


ps Don't forget the Grey Poupon!