Growing up, every Christmas Eve was spent at my aunt's home with all the family there. Recently, we have started to just stay at my parents for Christmas Eve...more kids got to be a bit much for my quite older aunt! So, for the past 3 years or so we just stay in and make an un-traditional Christmas Eve dinner and do some sort of small gift exchange. I need ideas for both!!! In the past, we've made our own mini-pizzas, only had appetizers and last years Indian food(yikes!). I need some unusual ideas for dinner this year!
Also, we like to do a gift exchange...one year, we exchanged ornaments and last year we did mugs(don't you love Christmas mugs!?). My mom and I have come up blank trying to come up with something for this year! Any ideas??
Thanks mamas!!!
Ok...I got so many great ideas that I wrote them all down so I can remember them for the years to come. But I just mentioned the As Seen on TV idea to my family and they loved it!! So, I think we are doing that this year! Thanks mamas!
I've had a roast for Christmas Eve my entire life. It's just what we eat - anything else seems strange. We also do fondu for dessert which is fun for everyone.
How about an "As Seen On TV" gift exchange. That may be fun.
Make Chinese food complete w/fortune cookies
Make cowboy dinner: steaks, baked potatoes, green salad & rolls
Sushi (diff kind of rolls, fried shrimp, fried veggies, rice, sashimi etc)
Italian nights: lasagna, garlic bread, pasta, some Italian dessert
Picnic food: fried chicken, potato salad, cookies on blanket on floor
Mex night: tacos, spanish rice, refried beans, margaritas
50's night: hamburgers (or mini ones), frieds, milk shakes & 50's music,
sock-hop style
Gift exchange:
something personalized: stationary, keychain, mugs, frames
pictures you take yourselves of something meaningful to the other
calendars
puzzles (no more than 50 pieces)
board games
We like to make a big pot of soup and give pajamas to open up after dinner.
Mom lives on the River Road in Louisiana, and it's tradition that everyone on the river (Gramercy, Lutcher, Convent, Reserve areas) has a big bonfire and cooks gumbo (well, some might have other stuff, but gumbo for us), with awesome flaky french bread. Chicken and sausage, or leftover fried turkey from Thanksgiving that you shred and freeze until the Christmas Eve gumbo (that one, I swear, will knock your socks off!), or a seafood gumbo, doesn't really matter. We'd make drinks and have our bonfire and then roam around to other fires down the way and visit with everyone, share drinks or food or whatever. It was very social and very fun. I always feel a little tinge and miss those days, but we're just too far away now.
The fires were to light the way along the curvy river for Papa Noel to ride along in his perouge (little canoe) led by 8 gators. He could get lost or crash if he doesn't have the way lit by bonfires, especially on a foggy night. And the gumbo is something you put together and let it cook a few hours while doing other holiday stuff, and will keep you warm while you're out.
You know, I think that's what we're gonna have to do this year. I'm homesick this time around.
I think it's very cool that you already have the predetermined gift exchange, that is a GREAT idea. How about calendars? Everyone needs a new calendar for 2012.
haha, Kate and I answered at the same time.
You could use many things as the gift exchange. How bout books, or board games, tea cups, tea, small wooden boxes....
I'm sure it's fun to anticipate what each person will bring knowing that everyone is bringing the same thing yet each will be different.
We always do new PJs for xmas eve! Makes for great xmas morning photos! ((And we usually don't get dressed on xmas until 3 or 4))
And it's probably not traditional in IA (although it's trad down south in certain areas)... how about Cajun/Creole?
Gumbo/Jambalaya
Étouffée
Hush Puppies
Collard Greens w/ Bacon
Or a "pie" theme?
pot pie
quiche
berry or squash (yuck. pumpking. eeew) or nut pie for dessert
Or BBQ? (or if it's too cold to grill -I love grilling in the snow, but it's usually raining here... Skewers in the broiler)
Shish ka bab
Fondue for aps and deserts? (hey the food is on a stick!)
I also once made "caesar salad on a stick" for a camping trip in the 90's. For the crutons, you just drip lemon juice in the center so you can stab them. Spray the whole thing down with salad dressing and sprinkle with cheese
Round Food
melon balls
meat balls
cous cous
ice cream balls
50s/60's party food
jell-o (oh god, the way jell-o was massacred during those decades)
wenies on a stick
celery with peanut butter
etc.
((We do lots of "theme" potlucks in my group of friends))
we make fried chicken and mashed potatoes.
How about calendars? You can make pretty good cheap ones on photo sites like Shutterfly.
My family used to do fondue...of course that started in the 70's. Haha! You can start with bread dipped in melted cheese, move on to meat cooked in hot oil or broth, then have fruit, marshmallows and cake dipped in chocolate for dessert. We thought it was so cool when we were kids, plus it keeps everyone at the table long enough to talk. You could even play a board game or cards while having dessert. Only downside is that you'll have to buy fondue equipment, if you don't already have it. (Note -- if you do cheese, make sure you look online for recommendations -- some types don't melt smooth.) I don't recommend this idea if you have toddlers or young/active kids, though, they could knock over the pots and get burned. My parents started this after we were at least 7 or 8 yrs. old.
I think you've got great ideas for gifts, so far. You could do "mixes in a jar" -- cookies, soup, spices, pancakes, etc... See this link for ideas: http://southernfood.about.com/cs/homemadegifts/a/gift_rec...
FONDUE!
There are many kinds.
It is super fun and tasty!
But you need to get a Fondue pot.
My kids and family, LOVE Fondue nights.
Fridge magnets
Socks... there are many kinds, even the ones with the toes.
Photos. Wallet size
Pot holders
Hand towels
I love this. We do the same things, but with my inlaws. We usually go to whoever has the youngest kids at the time. That way the kids can go to bed if they need to, since we usually stay out late on Christmas Eve. We have done the appetizer thing, soups, when we have everyone make a different crockpot of soup, we have done mexican, or just fajitas and enchiladas. Sometimes we get bbq, and make each family bring a certain amount, and the rule is nothing from the same bbq place. For gifts, sometimes the rule is to re-gift a gift. We have fun with that one. Or get a gift that is good for a male or female, then we draw #'s and put #'s on the gifts then you pick your # and that is your gift. We try to make a game out of it. Our rule is also no gift cards, period. Then when its all done we fight over the gifts to get which one we really want. It's a good time and we laugh a lot. Hope yours is great. Also wanted to add, that we have also drawn names, and got stockings and filled them with special things for whoever's name we drew. We had to decorate the stockings as well for that person.
I like the PJs idea but that can get pricey. What about Christmas socks? For dinner I like the idea of getting deli meats, a few salads, or soups, nice fresh bread and ice cream. Or just order a party platter from Subway.
Mexican food
puzzles
yard items, like bird feeders, wind chimes, bird baths, etc.
art supplies--and then create something all together as the night's activity
Christmas stockings
fridge magnets
interesting kitchen utensils
champagne
flip flops
I like to do just something simple like meat platter or sandwiches (leave the cooking for Christmas Dinner). One idea for the gift exchange is to let everyone draw names. Everone can be in one exchange or kids and adults can be done separately. My husband's family has also done an exchange where everyone brings a gift and then they draw names to see who goes first. People who draw aftewards can take an already opened gift or pick a different gift....so choosing last gives you the best pick! Another idea would be to have a family souvenir style gift (personalized or w/ photo) for everyone and just divy up the costs.
For dinner I would suggest something that won't keep you in the kitchen all evening. How about lasagna or a crock pot meal. You can make it ahead of time and have more time with family. Love the PJ and calendar ideas.
