Traditions - and FOOD!
Isn't it weird how traditions start and evolve?
For example - I HATE turkey on Christmas. That was Thanksgiving! Stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin etc. That was so last month! For Christmas we usually do Ham. As a kid my aunt did Turkey, so that's what we usually ate. But I've also gone out to eat on Christmas too. Last year we had Lamb, it was excellent. This year we are doing Ham, cheesy potatoes, and asparagus (if I remember to get it from the store!) What I love on Christmas though is Hickory Farms cheeses and meats, we snack all day on that kind of stuff. For breakfast this year I think we're doing the Sasuage Balls - sausage, bisquick mix and cheese mixed up and rolled into balls, then baked. I want to do cinnamon rolls but am torn if I'm going to try and make them from scratch or pick up the Rhodes frozen ones.
Christmas Eve is going to be awesome though. We have a tradition of having Mexican food. As a kid, our housekeeper always gave us Tamales for Christmas. Then when I lived in Utah, my cousin always made enchiladas on Christmas Eve. Mostly because she loved them, and was sick of all the Turkey, Potatoes, Stuffing etc. that you have at Christmas and at every Church dinner. So they made those for a change in taste. Then moving to Arizona, Tamales are the big thing and I missed them from when I was a kid. One year we ordered Tamales, and now it's our family tradition to have Mexican food. We are having my husband's family come over. I'm making Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas, Green Chile Corn (made with cream cheese - we call it tasty corn!) and 7 layer dip. People are bringing Tamales, Rice, Chips, Guacamole, Veggies, etc. YUM YUM YUM! I'm getting all excited thinking about it!
I told a friend from Mexico that we do that, and he was surprised. He was also impressed that we take other cultures and blend them with our own. His family does homemade Tamales every year, maybe next year I'll try that. (Esp. since rockymento will live nearby, maybe she can teach me!)