Yes, as Christmas draws nearer, I’m getting food on the brain! Not just cookies and candy canes, but the bonafide Christmas Feast.


…but wait… what IS a bonafide holiday meal? 


Thanksgiving is easy. Turkey, cranberries, sweet and mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing…
Easter usually entails a ham, some more potatoes, and spring veggies.
Even the Fourth of July brings to my mind barbecue, pasta salads, and grill roasted veggies.


Why can’t I think of a single food that is traditionally Christmas for me and my family? I can practically TASTE my  momma’s Christmas Cookies (yes, that’s supposed to be capitalized…), I know well the yummy yule log my aunt makes for us each year. I’m not forgetting about Tom and Jerry’s and marshmallow pie. Treats on Christmas are easy enough. What about the meal??


Well, part of the issue for me might be the incredible range of foods we’ve had as our “main” over the years. In more recent years this has had a lot to do with me, token vegetarian and often co-chef, wanting to do more experimenting so I get “fed.”


There was the year of the prime rib (maybe this was the last straw before I started designing the menu?), and the year of the two lasagnas (red sauce with meat and pesto based vegetarian). There was Christmas brunch two years ago with two varieties of strata and mimosas. There was one of my favorite years, when I was one of the only kids present at Christmas Eve, and my mama and I made a delicious all vegetable Shepherd’s Pie that the carnivores helped polish off. Last year we did fancy apps and stuffed our faces with shrimp and mini quiche.


I happen to love non-traditional holiday meal food. It sure fares better for me when the meal doesn’t revolve around a turkey, ham, or any other sort of “roast.” So why does it bother me so much that I can’t think up traditional Christmas food?


This year, I first thought it up when deciding what to bring to man-go-round’s family gathering as well as my own. I decided on a green bean/ cannellini bean/ sun dried tomato salad for his fete, and some broccoli apple slaw with greek yogurt and dried fruit and almonds for my fam (this is probably news to you guys- it’s going to be delicious!)


I might not rest until I uncover the truth about what a “traditional” Christmas meal means to people. Please, let me know. Inquiring minds want to know! Do you try new dishes each year like my family? Or do you have staples that must be made lest someone have a meltdown that there are, “NO CHEESY POTATOES!!!!”?


Well, for now I’ll continue to develop my own made-up recipes, wondering if they will be a Christmas tradition for my family one day!


Meri