I'm curious: do you have the same menu of dishes for each Thanksgiving and then Christmas? Of course each event dinner might have a different menu. But does that menu per dinner, change in your household?

I'm amazed from knowing some people personally, who have the SAME menu every year for every Thanksgiving or Christmas. In our family, part of the enjoyable fun is looking forward to some new dishes on the menu or at least dishes different from previous year. But for some folks it's..roast turkey, roast or mashed potatoes, same stuffing, cranberry sauce, etc.

Last year I swore it was the last time I baked a turkey. No one likes turkey in our family. No matter how full of butter and sauce...my turkey was always too dry. This year we are going out to eat, and everyone orders what they want. whew.

But we do have our traditional Christmas dinner, and that for the last 25 yrs. or so. We have a fondue with different salads, garlic bread, and about 15 different sauces to dunk the filet pieces in. OMG, I just drooled over the key board.

Fondue is yummers! What do you have for dessert at Christmas? Something different each year?

As for turkey, I can count on 2 hands for the total number of times during my 50 yr. lifespan so far, of having turkey for either thxgiving or Christmas. I've had some good turkey but I don't cook it myself at home when it has been my turn to host/entertain at my home for everyone else.

Too many other good centrepiece entree recipes in this world if turkey doesn't work /isn't enjoyed much by family.

We had turkey every Christmas and Thanksgiving for my entire life, until I married hubby. Neither he or any of his family like turkey very much, so every year it was a major pain to have to fight to have my turkey dinner. Finally I gave up after Gary died and haven't had a good turkey dinner in about 3 years. Now we have fondue for Christmas dinner, which admittedly is much easier and requires a lot less time in the kitchen...which the grandchildren prefer. My granddaughter told me a few weeks ago that she doesn't like it when we have to be in the kitchen the whole time they're visiting...she prefers it when we can get down on the floor and play with them. So we try to do suppers that can be done mostly ahead of time, so that on Christmas Day itself, we can spend most of the time with the children.

But I do miss my turkey. It's no good doing one just for hubby and me, especially since he doesn't much like it. So we'll sometimes do a big roast chicken with all the trimmings, it's almost the same (and juicier).

I have my own pet memories of certain family dishes which I have not yet mastered. And perhaps some dishes will always remain memories. I do execute some dishes that are specifically my mother's invention. That has greater meaning to me than a turkey.

But also there are some new dishes that have become our home specialty since I began to know my partner. Such dishes are not aligned with any holiday celebration dinner. They are each our own inventions and hence, this becomes "special" for us. I might post some pics later on.

Glad you have found the fondue is something the grandchildren look forward to for Christmas.

Eagle you might try just buying and roasting one turkey breast, all white meat and enough left over for sandwiches or salad. This way you get your turkey and everyone else is happy too. Plus they sell turkey breast all year long so it can be eaten anytime... I do that for myself because I like having it around for sandwiches and can't abide that pressed crap sold in most deli's.

I posted a dessert for Chocolate Trifle right before this one if anyone is interested in a scrumptous and easy holiday dessert.

Oop's almost forgot the question asked. Orchid for Thanksgiving it's always a free range turkey, no preservatives or triptofan. Then for Christmas it's either a leg of lamb or prime rib roast with all the trimmings. Then on New Years Eve I make a huge spagetti and meat ball and italian sausage dinner, with italian salad and garlic bread. It's Spumoni ice cream over biscotti's for dessert. I think I just gained a pound writing this out...

That's a good idea, Chatty. I'm hoping that my stepdaughter will come sometime before Christmas...she loves a good Turkey dinner with all the trimmings, so we could have one when she comes and then split the leftovers with her.

Years ago when the whole family used to come for the week between Christmas and New Year's, we used to have two Christmas meals...the 25th was always turkey, the 26th (when my brother and his family were arriving but never knew exactly when) we'd have a big pot of spaghetti (which everyone loved) and then we'd have a big spiral ham dinner on the 27th as our second Christmas. Then when everyone left, usually on the 31st in the afternoon, we just had leftovers of everything for the next week so that we didn't have to cook!

I'm getting hungry reading this post and I just ate breakfast not too long ago.

Our Thanksgiving has turned into a Huge Family Cook-Off.

The count is now 26 people and all are aged 21 and over, except for one grand-niece who is four.

This is our third year with everyone bringing something. It has quickly become a competition with the 20 and 30-somethings finding recipes online, etc. There will be five prizes this year. Never done prizes before, but thought it would be fun to have everyone vote.

I make the traditional turkey and a few typical side dishes, but everything else is a free for all.

We have a big family email list with everyone signing up for, and commenting on everyone's else's dishes. Wwo's going to vote for whom, etc. It's a hoot.

One email was from my 23 year-old niece who doesn't cook. How can you be 23 and not cook? Anyway said, "You all know I don't cook:... so she's making pumpkin shooters dipped in graham cracker crumbs - her own recipe. Anything goes.

My oldest son, who loves to cook sent this email:

"I'll make either beef or pork tenderloin to offset the usually dry turkey."

I could have reached through the computer screen and smacked him, but it was all for my benefit because I always make the dry turkey that gets covered in gravy and cranberry sauce. Everyone thought it was hysterical and then there were comments about Aunt Dotsie's turkey not being dry. I heard they were called kiss-ups!

It's all been great fun.

One nephew is a big fisherman. Last year he made sauteed rock fish bites that were yummy. Never had them before. He's talking about making crab soup this year. Another one made Bang Bang Shrimp from BoneFish Grill restaurant. He got the recipe online.

I guess the best part of this is that we've broken tradition and it's turned out to be the best tradition breaker ever.

Hoping everyone has someone they love to spend the holiday with. If not, you can come here.

Dotsie, this sounds like out of a story book. I bet your film maker son will be taking some great videos. Hey! maybe he can post them in You-Tube!

Oh,...and it made me very happy to read that you have a dry turkey too! These turkey's need Di's cocunut cream!

EW, the sad part of the whole holiday is that my filmmaker son will not be able to make it. He's touring the country with a band until December 7th doing behind the scenes video for a documentary. The band, techs and he are all off, but not one of them is going home. Wah! He'll be between Minneapolis MN and Milwaukee, WI.

I have a feeling it will be a fun one for him too.
Can you imagine spending Thanksgiving dinner with three bands, their managers, techs, etc? The band he is with is touring with two other bands so I'm sure they'll do something memorable.