What do you serve for Christmas at your house?
Christmas Eve, after Midnight Mass, we will have Eggnog and Tourtiere. I’m trying to convince Pierre that we should eat *before* Mass and then go to bed immediately after Mass. Or just avoid the whole “out in the freezing cold at midnight on Christmas Eve” thing altogether. We’re still negotiating.
And no, I’m not Catholic. I am, however, happily married to a French Canadian. French Canadian and French Catholic are synonymous. “All English marrying a French Catholic will promise to attend Mass on Christmas Eve and Easter and give all children a saint’s name” – I’m sure it’s in the laws somewhere up here. Staying up way past midnight, eating incredibly rich food and drinking plentiful wine on Christmas Eve is a “French thing” that I have difficulty getting used to.
I’m English – we threaten kids that Santa doesn’t come until they’re asleep, spend Christmas Eve making last minute preparations, and get to bed early because we know the kids will be waking us up before dawn with “Santa came! Santa came!”
Christmas Morning, we will have Crepes, Bacon and copious amounts of Hot Chocolate while Papa* and mon oncle* help Baby Boy open presents. We’ve all decided that the baby gets the honour of opening everything this year. Mommy will sit and sip Hot Chocolate because the blending of French and English traditions makes for a sleepy Mommy in the morning.
We will then nibble on clementines and candy while the house fills with the smells of cooking.
Christmas Dinner will be …
Shrimp rings
Turkey
Gravy – Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Creamed Corn – Baby Carrots
Homemade Rolls
Coleslaw – Cottage Cheese – Pickles
Citrusy Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
Eggnog
Blueberry Pie
Coffee and Hot Chocolate
Pierre is perturbed that we’re not having “Pork Hog Stew” on Christmas Eve, but I’m just not up to making that in the same year that I attempt Tourtiere. I’m sure that we’ll have some leftover Pork Hock Stew at the home of some relative or another. The shrimp rings are an appetizer. I stared at my husband when we bought them, amazed that he can even think of needing an appetizer before this Feast of Gluttony and Plenty.
Plum Pudding would be traditional English dessert. Buche de Noel (Christmas Log) would be the traditional French dessert. Everyone, however, loves blueberry pie. Next year, I will plan a little better and make some oh-so-Canadian Butter Tarts and Shortbread.
*Papa is French for Daddy and Mon Oncle “My uncle” is what French Canadians call uncles, even if he is not your uncle. I would say to a child “Is mon oncle Jean coming over?” and I would mean the child’s Uncle Jean.
