Food: The Christmas Meal

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The Christmas Meal
Monday, December 18, 2006

This year for Christmas, instead of the same old dishes, try something new! Many families get into the trap of having the same meals over and over for the holidays, but the truth is that no one is really enjoying the food. Everyone has the scalloped potatoes, but it is only because it is expected that they partake, not because they really want to.

Think about your own family gathering. Do you often throw away food after large meals? Now we are not talking leftovers after a week here. Do you toss entire dishes because no one except Aunt Betty likes the pate you served? If you do, then you should nix that meal from your menu. If you want, you can make some for Aunt Betty but explain that no one else ever eats it.

Think through your menu and decide what you could get rid of that most people would not even notice. When you cook food just for the tradition, you are wasting food that others could make. If you feel you just cannot get by without that green bean casserole, even though your family of meat eaters never touches it, take a casserole to a homeless shelter or to a nearby shut-in. Give the food to someone who will be able to appreciate it.

Then you can get started creating a new Christmas menu. Remember that a Christmas ham is just one of the traditional foods of Christmas. There is nothing saying you must have it. Instead think about having a turkey, roast, Cornish hens, or duck. These meats all work well with a variety of side dishes. In my immediate family, we have adopted the tradition of having a seafood dinner in our household. This year, we will be purchasing steamed shrimp, crab legs, and lobster tails for the meal. Because we are a small family, this fare is affordable for us. The shrimp will run us about $6 a pound while the crab legs will be closer to $12 a pound, and the lobster will be about $15 each. Our toddler eats only the shrimp, so the meal will not cost more than if we were to purchase a decent-sized ham.

Also think about trying out different types of hams. Instead of your traditional ham, you may want to get a honey ham or a sliced ham.

Another option would be to order the meal already made up. Many people feel they should slave over the stove for hours on end (sometimes days!) to make everything perfect. The end result of that plan is that the person who is cooking rarely enjoys the day because he or she is so busy trying to make everything for everyone else. If you are guilty of this type of martyrdom during the holidays, then you should think about scaling back. Enjoy the holidays yourself. Order the pies from a bakery or have the meat done for you. Ask others to help out while they are at your house or ask them to bring certain dishes.

Spicing up the Christmas dinner can be a great way to keep your family members on their toes instead of having them assume that you will be there to make everything for them every year. If you begin to look at the menu you are serving, you may find other ways to cut back on the labor involved in preparing Christmas dinner. Perhaps you can take shortcuts on some of the dishes, especially if you cook everything from scratch. Though you may do it with love, you may find that your family members do not mind or notice if you do not make everything by hand. In fact, because so many people eat processed foods, you may find that your family members enjoy the foods with the shortcuts more anyway.

Whatever you do, remember that while the food is important, the fellowship of the meal also is a big deal for families at the holidays. Make sure that you have the time to spend with your family despite the cooking and cleaning needs you will have. If everyone gets to sit back and talk, whatever food you have will be just fine.

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