# Whats for Dinner on Xmas Eve? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 22, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019 "2010-12-22T00:25:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/1 "2010-12-22T00:25:51Z")
Something formal and/or traditional? Something quick and easy? I think there will be a wide array of dishes, like pizza to a fancy sit-down dinner. I think a pork loin is on the menu at my Girlfriends house. Mashed Potatoes, gravy. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/2 "2010-12-22T00:30:03Z")
I believe we’ve settled on a turkey dinner and cheese cake. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/3 "2010-12-22T03:54:37Z")
Tamales. Shrimp. Loaded potato skins. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/4 "2010-12-22T04:11:57Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > Tamales. Shrimp. Loaded potato skins. Santa Like!! ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/5 "2010-12-22T04:15:27Z")
We’re having an open house, so nibble foods all day long. There’ll be a pot of soup and I’m hoping to have time to make a pastitsio to keep on hand just in case. Plus whatever people bring. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/6 "2010-12-22T05:44:00Z")
Chicken enchiladas for sure. Not a tradition or anything, just what I had planned already for that night. ---
**Author:** ![yola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/48db29/32.png) [@yola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yola)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/7 "2010-12-22T06:01:44Z")
Chicken Enchiladas sound really good. Do you make yours with green enchilada sauce? I do and I think you just gave me a good idea on what to make Christmas Eve. We’re having Prime Rib Christmas Day and Chicken Enchiladas will be perfect leftover for breakfast. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/8 "2010-12-22T06:17:07Z")
Chinese take-out. Tradition in our family. And Chinese take-out is a New Year’s Eve tradition where I grew up (and still live) ---
**Author:** ![VanillaGorilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@VanillaGorilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VanillaGorilla)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/9 "2010-12-22T07:49:08Z")
Oh, man. Probably something like this: Pickled herring Ham [Sillsallad](http://www.tasteline.com/recept/Mormor_Lillys_sillsallad) Smoked salmon sausages meatballs boiled potatoes ribs [Janssons frestelse](http://www.tasteline.com/Recept/janssons_frestelse) …and more. 🙂 We will most likely be drinking _julmust_ or beer. ---
**Author:** ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/10 "2010-12-22T12:00:36Z")
Lasagna is somewhat traditional for us. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/11 "2010-12-22T12:48:55Z")
Muffulettas and a bottle of Cab. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/12 "2010-12-22T13:14:12Z")
Traditionally we have a huge meal for 10-20 that me and my mom make, but this year for various reasons we’re toning down the festivities. Shrimp bisque and wine on Christmas eve for family and a friend or two. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/13 "2010-12-22T13:16:57Z")
We’re having lasagna too, and green salad. I’m making focaccia, and bringing a cheese tray and making a cake, probably with lemon filling and cream cheese frosting. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/14 "2010-12-22T14:32:51Z")
Whole beef tenderloin, asparagus, potato casserole. Stuff that will be delicious, but requires a minimum amount of preparation at the last minute. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/15 "2010-12-22T14:41:06Z")
We have a traditional Polish _Wigilia_ on Christmas Eve every year: > **[Wigilia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigilia)** > > Wigilia (Polish pronunciation: \[vʲiˈɡʲilja\]) is the traditional Christmas Eve vigil supper in Poland, held on December 24. The term is often applied to the whole of Christmas Eve, extending further to Pasterka—midnight Mass, held in Roman Catholic churches all over Poland and in Polish communities worldwide at or before midnight. The custom is sometimes referred to as "wieczerza" or "wieczerza wigilijna", in Old Polish meaning evening repast, linked to the late church service, Vespers from the ... It has to be a meatless meal, so we have fish, bread, soup, mashed potatoes, vegetables, pierogis and blinis, along with the ceremonial _oplatek_\*. The younger generation doesn’t like _barszcz_, and so we’ve finally outnumbered the oldsters enough to substitute chowder or onion soup. And _sledze_\* (herring and onions) is no longer served. \*Substitute some idiosyncratic polish consonants in here – I’m not going to look up the codes for them. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/16 "2010-12-22T14:47:26Z")
Reindeer steaks. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/17 "2010-12-22T15:27:04Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Reindeer steaks. Santa Don’t like. He will be bypassing **Zeldar** ’s house Friday Night. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/18 "2010-12-22T15:34:58Z")
Tourtière as the main dish; not sure what else I’ll put on the table to accompany it; likely shortbread and mincemeat for dessert. (It’s just me, Mrs Piper and the Piper Cub, so not a big spread.) ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/19 "2010-12-22T15:38:44Z")
My husband’s making spaetzle and chicken. I’m sauteeing some spinach with garlic. Lemon chess pie for dessert. Egg nog for afters. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019/20 "2010-12-22T16:24:49Z")
Christmas Eve in my family is pretty much left to my sisters’ spouses, so the clan won’t be together until late that night. I figure a restaurant or take-out is in the cards for me and the 'rents. Or possibly some quickie food from Trader Joe’s. I am planning on making hot buttered rums and eggnogs (brandy optional) for when the rest of the gang comes in from the cold, though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-on-xmas-eve/565019.md?page=2)