Christmas Lunch + Traditions
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Forum Name: General Chat
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12504
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Topic: Christmas Lunch + Traditions
Posted By: aimeejoy
Subject: Christmas Lunch + Traditions
Date Posted: 24 November 2007 at 8:06pm
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So we are having family Xmas lunch here this year and it will be the first time I have ever hosted. Just wondering what you all make for lunch. Our family usual is ham on the bone, few other cooked meats, a couple of salads, spuds, bread etc. Then pav and maybe another dessert. There will be me, DH, Hannah, mum and dad, my bro and SIL with their 3 schoolage kids.
I am quite keen to start up our own traditions. Like maybe a BBQ lunch, but still have ham and pav. Opening presents one person at time (one person picks a present for someone else to open, then that person has to get the next one before opening theirs and so on....) instead of the mad frenzy it normally is. I just want a relaxed, no stress day to hang out with the family. So what do you do for lunch? And what are your Xmas day traditions? ------------- Aimee Hannah 22/10/05 Greer 11/02/08 |
Replies:
Posted By: baalamb
Date Posted: 24 November 2007 at 8:19pm
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DH wants to do a Christmas meal at our place too. I'm thinking a green salad, another type of salad, potatoes, ham, roast chicken and a couple of desserts. I love the idea of a BBQ. It sounds less stressful!!!
We don't really have a tradition! My parents were divorced, so we'd alternate Christmas eve each year so we spent equal time waking up on Christmas morning with each parent. Then at about midday we'd swap to the other parent's house. It was always different and so much fun. I guess now is the time to start traditions in our little family! |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 24 November 2007 at 8:19pm
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lunch here is roast pork, potatoes, kumara, pumpkin...apple sauce, peas, ham, maybe a chicken depending on numbers... then theres dessert, pav definitely and i have made that my job to make the pav to my nanas recipe, custard, xmas pudd, trifle mmmmmm, lots of cream, jelly...
hubbys family do turkey for xmas lunch and ham etc... pressies there is usually one person who plays "santa" and passes them out... but the kids are too young yet to help themselves so thats okay... we've tried bbq's for xmas lunch but it never seemed to feel the same... and last year i wanted a flash bbq like with salmon steaks and shrimp cocktails etc but that never eventuated. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 24 November 2007 at 8:25pm
| My side of the family changes every year depending on whose house it is. If its at my parents place they have ham, all types of salads (hot and cold) and bbq. everyone brings something along and a dessert as well. There's always tons of food if everyone brings a plate |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 24 November 2007 at 8:28pm
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We always do the super traditional thing coz Mum is English, which is kind of ridiculous considering they live in Sydney and most years it gets close to 40 degrees on Xmas day so no one really wants a sit down roast dinner!
We have seafood as an entree, fresh from the Sydney fishmarkets on Xmas morn, then ham (which Mum buys raw and cooks herself), turkey, roast vege, cauliflower cheese and a vegetarian option (my sister is veg) for the main, then Xmas pudding, trifle, custard, cream etc. for dessert. The whole meal usually takes around 3-4 hours, these days mum and my oldest brother, who is a chef, argue over who's cooking coz Mum really enjoys doing it and it's like her 'thing' but John can do fancy, impressive stuffings etc. Then we all eat trifle and Xmas pud for breakfast on Boxing Day. -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 24 November 2007 at 8:30pm
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i remember one year when we were younger and the neighbours had their hangi down in our yard. because the men were too eager it was down too early and out too early and we had a late brekkie over there of wild hangi pork and all the trimmings then the roast port was ready at our place about half an hour later so we just ate bits of that then had dessert. a memorable xmas lunch that one! ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 24 November 2007 at 8:33pm
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We use to do the traditional English thing when in England and I did the whole roast turkey with all the trimmings the first year we were out here but it just wasn't right, so each year since we have gone to a friends for a BBQ and this year they are coming to us and that's what we will do.
As for traditions one my mum and dad did which I really like and will do when Spencer is a bit older is that they would sneak in and put a small pressy on our beds, we were allowed to open that but then had to wait until everyone was up and had breakfast before we could open the rest. My brother use to make us all watch the Queens speech as well  ------------- 
 
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Posted By: Lissy
Date Posted: 24 November 2007 at 8:35pm
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We always have lunch with my family. One year it is my turn, then the next my auntie, then my mum. This year it is my mums turn....... We open presents with DH, and kids in the morning, then when we get together with my family for lunch and open more presents. We have chicken, ham, pork, turkey, along with new pots, peas, carrots, cauli and gravey and of course the best of all is my nana's stuffing!!! Hope you all enjoy.... ------------- Harlan Drew DOB: 06.12.06 & Stepmum to Ethan & Christian, DOB: 25.02.99 |
Posted By: aimeejoy
Date Posted: 24 November 2007 at 8:36pm
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I like that about waiting to open pressies - Hannah has a santa sack (tradition from DHs side), so may just let her have that, then wait til lunchtime to open the rest. ------------- Aimee Hannah 22/10/05 Greer 11/02/08 |
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 24 November 2007 at 8:39pm
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Yeah Mum and Dad would always make that first present something that could keep us occupied for a while. Like colouring books or board game etc. I think it was just their way of not having us wake them up at 5am wanting to open pressies, and because there was 4 of us we all got to play/fight with each others toys which kept us busy for quite a while.
As kids we had our own tradition which was to sing "why are we waiting" until we got the rest of the pressies  -------------
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Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 24 November 2007 at 8:52pm
| christmas eve we take photos as the kids hang their stockings, leave out milk for santa (my nephew tells me off for leaving beer - drinking and driving apparently), and carrots for the reindeer. then we read xmas stories. We put them to bed and after they are in bed we wrap the presents and put them under the tree - usually we would do this earlier but boys have a tendency to sneak in and unwrap if we put them under any earlier. |
Posted By: james
Date Posted: 24 November 2007 at 10:17pm
we are going home for xmas this year we have ham and chicken, seafood my grandad has cought salads and spuds ummm and pudd is triffle,pav icecream ect umm i cant wait ------------- <a href="http://lilypie.com"><img src="http://b4.lilypie.com/nLJ5p13.png" alt="Lilypie 4th Birthday Ticker" border="0" /></a> |
Posted By: Bombshell
Date Posted: 24 November 2007 at 10:21pm
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we dont really have a tradition...have been xmas days where i have been overseas, or just mum and I, or our really small family....BUT if i could start a tradition (would require me to be a good cook tho ROFL!!!)
we (until last year) had a n annual xmas party for about80 close friends...where they bought presents that we donated to kids in need charities...and had house decorated all in lights inside and out!!! and staircase all garlanded out....wws very very cool - then got preggers and could not be fagged last yearr!!!! then for xmas day.... Turkey in oven, Lamb roasting on weber grill, potatoes, peas, baked veges (for those who eat them - not me!), salad, gravy, yorkie puds, then trifle, pavlova, strawberries and choccy strawberries, and brandy snaps, and steam pd with brandy cream - to take what you want from the selection not eat ALL of course...LOL Then vege around a pool for rest of day watchingkids play with their new toys, rest in arvo, and watch a xmas movie - probably the Polar express OR Love actually (and all by myself watch my fave "everytime a bell rings an angel gets its wings" - its a wonderful life - the original one!!!!....I cry and cry and cry!!!) then sleep - wake up and attack the left over brandy snaps that have gone soggy, and the trifle that has soaked up well....and have our open home as we always used to each boxing day where everyone going out of town etc would pop in or stop for a while whenever during the day.... new tradition we WILL start....to share the day as our family unit!!! It all starts this year!
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 24 November 2007 at 10:54pm
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I think we're still 'finding' ours!! LOL
When I was a kid, we used to wake up to stockings on the end of our beds with little things to play with - $2 shop type items and a few choc's etc. We wouldn't do much in the morning but it was a mutton roast at lunchtime, then opening presents one by one until 4pm  then dessert for 'dinner' (because we were so stuffed at lunchtime haha). Pretty much was ice-cream, ambrosia, pav, or variation.
DH's side goes like this: the minute someone wakes up, everyone is awake. 5 minutes later all the presents are opened and you're still trying to get your head around what you opened and who it was from cause it happened so fast!!! Then bum around with movies and nuts and chippies etc until lunch. Usually some roast with all the trimmings plus salad but there have been a couple of bbq's thrown in for good measure. Everyone is expected to contribute towards the meal. (While this is helpful for someone who is starting out or on a smallish budget, it doesn't open the way easily for someone new to try hosting because they feel that they have never had a 'break' from doing Christmas lunch... IMO.) We used to try to do DH's family in the morning and my family in the afternoon (since they live 5mins apart) but that became stressful and overwhelming with little kids. So now the idea is that we spend Christmas morning here, opening presents in relaxed fashion  and giving the kids some time to play/rest etc before going to one set of parents for lunch/afternoon tea and dinner. Then we go to the other set for New Year's day (which is basically like Christmas all over again incl with that side of the family's gifts). We decided to spread them out so far since it was all a bit much with DH's bday on 23 Dec and DD1's bday on 27 Dec LOL
For the sake of practicality... - pressies are wrapped before Christmas but not under the tree until Christmas Eve after bedtime - smelly nappies and pj's are changed before pressies (photos) - usually breakfast is done first as well so that the youngest doesn't 'die' of hunger ------------- |
Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 25 November 2007 at 8:21am
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Last year we had two christmases - we had one on Christmas Eve at Cornwall Park, with all of my dad's family - just had bbq and then did secret santa presents.. we played cricket, swing ball etc...it was a lot of fun.
The next day we went to mum and dads and had roast veges, and lamb steak on the bbq with salads, cold roast chicken and trifle, brandy snap etc for dessert. Christmas morning we stay at home and had lollies and champagne & OJ and either bagels or crumpets for breakfast, the kids open their presents from us & santa and then once we get to mum and dads, we have nibbles and then do presents before lunch which is normally around 1pm...then we all normally leave by 3 and go and visit our friends. ------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3) 
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Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 25 November 2007 at 8:23am
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We have a big family and our tradition has changed as the family has grown. We usually have Santa presents and breakfast at home. Our family do lunch and everyone brings food. Typically ham, turkey and other meats, salad and/or veges and loads of deserts. Pressies are either before or after lunch. We've set cost limits, only bought for the children, only bought for our own families. This year we'll do a secret Santa so everyone buys and receives one gift for the extended family.
Mid to late afternoon everyone disapears - either to another meal with the in-laws, to drop the children of split families to their other parent, or to just go home. One of my brothers has an 'orphans' dinner for friends without kids/partners that don't do anything much on Xmas night. Sometimes we go there so the cousins can play a bit longer. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Bombshell
Date Posted: 25 November 2007 at 8:53am
| LOL Teresa - BSDHs family is the same...all get handed pressies at once and no idea where things come from...we were alays taught to open one at a time too! |