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How many for Christmas dinner?

nonothing

Well-known member
How many folks will be sitting down for Dinner with you this Christmas.?...

Are you doing the cooking or do you potluck with other family members?

Any ideas on how to cut costs around the Christmas Dinner table?

What is your families favorite dish on this day?

do any of you remember when you were a kid having to sit at the kids table?

Things I remember about dinner?
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we will have about 18 adults and 7 kids for Christmas Dinner..This year it is at my brothers home..

My bro and I buy but dont cook the food..we cant be trusted with the old butterball.... :)

No idea how to cut cost,other then wondering if Mcdonalds will start making the Mcturkey burger ..... :lol:

Oh yes i sat at the kids table as a young feller....is was an old black card table and we ran out of chairs every year so me and my bro sat on old milk bins.... :)

What i remember from the big dinner is.the constant sound of chatter and laughter.and the hot almost humid kitchen i used to have to run plates of food out to the table from...
 

the_jersey_lilly_2000

Well-known member
How many folks will be sitting down for Dinner with you this Christmas.?...
10 for the actual Christmas Day Dinner, but we are having Christmas dinner parties at 2 other friends houses and I have no idea how many will be at those.

Are you doing the cooking or do you potluck with other family members?
I'm doin the cooking this year, but taking all the food over to the inlaws for the actual eatin part.

Any ideas on how to cut costs around the Christmas Dinner table?
Best way I know of is find a grocery store that if you buy a ham, you get a free turkey. Or some special like that. Then use ALL of the turkey up. Leftovers can go along ways. Turkey meat makes excellant Chicken and Dumplins, pot pies, and sandwiches. So you've got more than 1 meal outta the deal. As for the rest of the stuff, I buy store brand everything just about.

What is your families favorite dish on this day?
Dressin and gravy, hands down, there's never enuff leftovers of that.

do any of you remember when you were a kid having to sit at the kids table?
Yeap we had a kids table at Grandma's. It was in the utility room off the kitchen. Had one of them old formica top chrome tables, with them old wooden fold chairs. We never had enuff chairs either, couple of the old metal milk crates. But the big deal was to be the one that got to sit up on top of that big ole chest type deepfreezer.

Things I remember about dinner?
Mama makin pies. She'd make 25 pies. I asked one time why 25 and she said, well that's how many pie crusts the recipe she used made. I remember her mixin up the flour and stuff in a big huge Tupperware deal that was about the size of a small foot tub. Pecan, coconut with merangue (sprinkled with coconut), chocolate with merangue and chocolate chips sprinkled on top before toastin the merangue in the oven,(made it easy to tell the pies apart) apple, pumpkin, and cherry. sometimes a lemon cream. These pies traveled in the trunk of the car, in the back window of the car, they were everywhere LOL We as kids always got to eat first. That way the adults could sit down and enjoy their meal without lil kids havin to have more of this or more of that. After we were thru eatin (kids) we went outside to play.
 

ranchwife

Well-known member
God willing, there will be 7 of us here.....working christmas eve day, so will miss out on the in-laws :wink: :wink: , but hope to have the oldest son and his girlfriend here with us!!

When I have dinner here, it is usually a mix of ME doing the cooking, but someone else ALWAYS brings extra goodies like rolls, eggs, pickles, etc!

Having a potluck is always a good way to cut down on the cost of Christmas dinner....have each guest bring their own personal "favorite" extra side dish!!!

My kids love the yams and marshmallows (cowboyup turns green when he sees this come outta the oven).....hubby loves the taters and gravy!!

Yes, I do remember having to sit at the kids' table...only when we went to my grandmother's house....back then, it was not unusual for her to have 50 or so folks over for Christmas dinner...and have us "girls" do the dishes afterward!! :roll: :wink:
 

nonothing

Well-known member
ranchwife said:
God willing, there will be 7 of us here.....working christmas eve day, so will miss out on the in-laws :wink: :wink: , but hope to have the oldest son and his girlfriend here with us!!

When I have dinner here, it is usually a mix of ME doing the cooking, but someone else ALWAYS brings extra goodies like rolls, eggs, pickles, etc!

Having a potluck is always a good way to cut down on the cost of Christmas dinner....have each guest bring their own personal "favorite" extra side dish!!!

My kids love the yams and marshmallows (cowboyup turns green when he sees this come outta the oven).....hubby loves the taters and gravy!!

Yes, I do remember having to sit at the kids' table...only when we went to my grandmother's house....back then, it was not unusual for her to have 50 or so folks over for Christmas dinner...and have us "girls" do the dishes afterward!! :roll: :wink:


Oh ya I forgot about all those dishes... :shock: :lol:
 

Faster horses

Well-known member
We will only have 5 for Christmas dinner. We plan to go to Wyoming
to our daughter's and her family.

OHHHHHHH, do I ever remember sitting at a seperate table with the
kids. My folks family were from Iowa and Missouri so we were one
place or the other for Christmas. This particular time it was Iowa,
my grandfather's house. Lots of relatives and lots of kids. Two brothers,
that were my cousins, were incorrigible. We had soup first and
us kids had sat down at our table to eat. Lo and behold one of those
brothers stands up, unzippes his pants and pees in his soup!
I couldn't believe it and ran crying into where the grown-ups
were!!! Of course, he got in trouble, big time!! But dinner was ruined
for everyone.

For some reason, that's the only family dinner I really remember
as a child!!!

I hope everyone is getting a chuckle out of this, that was
my intention in relating it!!!!!!!
 

IL Rancher

Well-known member
we are really hoping it will just be the 4 of us o Chiristma eve this year as we wll not be traveling anywhere for Christmas. We have gone laces forevery holiday it seems and sometime sit justseams as if nough is enough.. Of course, on Christmas day we will be going to my uncles who has a big pary every year that we have ben absent fom for 5 or 6 years. ( The hard part is having so myrelatives in close proximity and each one wants every holiday and you have to be here fr hours o someone gets their feelings hurt. The 2.5 hour drive in and 2.5 hour drive bac kind of takes a bit of the holiday enjoymnt especially when you realize you will be doing it the next day or three...

Ay my unclesthere was always the kdis table and I reember siting at it ad than being bumped to the adult table as more and more litle kdis showed up.. M cousin's husband onth otherhand, who was20 years older than me never go bumped up.. He was designated nanny bt I think he was the one who needed a bbysiter.
 

nonothing

Well-known member
ranchwife said:
God willing, there will be 7 of us here.....working christmas eve day, so will miss out on the in-laws :wink: :wink: , but hope to have the oldest son and his girlfriend here with us!!

When I have dinner here, it is usually a mix of ME doing the cooking, but someone else ALWAYS brings extra goodies like rolls, eggs, pickles, etc!

Having a potluck is always a good way to cut down on the cost of Christmas dinner....have each guest bring their own personal "favorite" extra side dish!!!

My kids love the yams and marshmallows (cowboyup turns green when he sees this come outta the oven).....hubby loves the taters and gravy!!

Yes, I do remember having to sit at the kids' table...only when we went to my grandmother's house....back then, it was not unusual for her to have 50 or so folks over for Christmas dinner...and have us "girls" do the dishes afterward!! :roll: :wink:


ok got to ask....yams in marshmellows?
 

Mrs.Greg

Well-known member
I'm really not sure of the number yet,seven for sure more like 12 in the end.And thats a real nice number,for years I cooked for 30+,until gregs family grew too big,now we rent a hall and bowling alley the second weekend in Dec. Sixty-four people last weekend and it was GREAT,18 of them kids. Because we had Ham and Turkey and all the trimmings last weekend,this year I'm doing Prime Rib for Xmas Day. Greg and the boys are VERY happy,not bird fans at all.

Our Xmas Eve is fun,my BIL pulls a lowboy with bales for seats,gas fire pit,baileys and coffee,Roast wieners. Our kids, my sis four boys and girlfriend of the day, BIL's family,pick kids and friends up around town,look at the lights and fireworks. LOTs of laughs and absolutely HORRIBLE singing of carols.'s
 

Judith

Well-known member
You guys are total amateurs! There are about 96 of us who do Christmas eve. (Yes Norse's breed like rabbits) Quite frankly I think there are a few people I don't know that manage to sneak in, but heck it's the season :) We have no choice but to do a buffett type of thing.
 

Mrs.Greg

Well-known member
Judith said:
You guys are total amateurs! There are about 96 of us who do Christmas eve. (Yes Norse's breed like rabbits) Quite frankly I think there are a few people I don't know that manage to sneak in, but heck it's the season :) We have no choice but to do a buffett type of thing.
All in one house? :shock: Boy that Lutefisk must make one frisky :lol: I thought 64 was more then enough....lol
 

jigs

Well-known member
big family gatherings are a part of my life. we try to just have a quiet Christmas here at home because each of my parents have 10 brothers & sisters.....on moms side, just her brothers and sisters plus their kids, grandkids, and great grandkids there are 168 of us. no kidding! on dads side there are only 41 of us, but mom is the youngest and dad the oldest in their families so, that may be the difference.
 

Judith

Well-known member
Yup, We all head out to Kelowna for a shindig. At aunties they have a huge barn and we all pile in there. Before my uncle passed away they converted it into a meetin hall type building :) There will be no Lutefisk in attendance :) 96 is nothing, there are a few more buns in the oven :) Seems when one passes in our family another 6 are born, no way to get rid of us it seems :)
 

Mrs.Greg

Well-known member
Ha,ha,you guys when I said 64 I'm talking gregs immediate family,brothers,sis and families . Now you want to talk gregs moms family,168 is a pitence,theres literally hundreds,No I'm not joking,Nine in gregs moms family,then gregs mom had the least amount of kids six,lots have nine ,ten kids,then spouces and thier kids,now grandkids getting married and havin kids{like I said 18 little guys in our immediate family}.

One of gregs cousins and I are talking about getting brave enough to have a family reunion,and ya a HUGE hall and campground will be rented...Na Na beat ya...Oh forgot to mention gregs mom was a catholic girl,explains everything huh :lol:
 

Kato

Well-known member
My husband comes from a big family like that. He is one of eight. His mother was one of twelve, and her mother was one of 18. The family is beyond counting! :shock: I think there were six or seven hundred at the last reunion. Luckily they don't all come for Christmas. :wink:

As for Christmas question...

How many folks will be sitting down for Dinner with you this Christmas.?...

At least 15. :D Christmas dinner is at my Uncle's and Aunt's this year.

Are you doing the cooking or do you potluck with other family members?

My Aunt is cooking, but I'm bringing a bunch of goodies to add to the meal. Not sure what yet, maybe perogies and some goodies for dessert.

Any ideas on how to cut costs around the Christmas Dinner table?

Lots of garden vegetables. Homemade pickles (yum!), buns, desserts.

What is your families favorite dish on this day?

Turkey, stuffing, homemade buns, perogies, cabbage rolls, butter tarts and shortbread.

do any of you remember when you were a kid having to sit at the kids table?

Oh yea. That was where the action was. :D :D

Things I remember about dinner?

One year I raised turkeys, and left one Tom alive until almost Christmas. This bird was 35 pounds .... AFTER... we dressed him! :shock: I cooked that bird for over 8 hours, and it took two loaves of bread to make enough stuffing to fill him. I had to get two strong men to take him out of the oven. It was hilarious. You should have seen the size of the drumsticks! I fed 35 of my husbands relatives on Christmas Day, and 17 of my own on Boxing Day, and we still had leftovers. What a bird that was. :lol: :lol: I also didn't do that again. :D
 

OldDog/NewTricks

Well-known member
Boy this is going to be a Book

A only child –it was Mom/Dad/Me – Every 5 years or so Mother would host her family – all her brothers were cooks so they and I did Dinner and Dishs. (NO women in Kitchen)

5 year married – Played with kids and Horses while wife did dinner at her mothers place

20 years of the single life –
You-all-come to my house (BYOB) (about 35+) – I cooked – (paper plates)
Singles, Drunks. Cast-offs, (Cowboys & Cowgirls in general)
Several trips to the Hospital for those that tried to ride my horse.

19 years of doing Xmas for V_Key

Now everyone does Xmas AM’s @ Home THEN 75/100 miles to the Duck Club - Pot Luck and BBQ’d Turkey & Ham for 45 to 50 hunters, wife’s, children, friends
 

Neil Waugh

Well-known member
Big Ukrainian do for me. I married into Perogy Power. Christms Eve, fast till the first star. Then let the di borga's begin. At least 12 dishes but it always ends up being 20. Only time of the year I get to eat pickled herring. It's a diet designed for peasant farming in the Old Country so the calorie count is astronomical.
Too many around to sit at a table so it's catch as catch can.
Then it's get up on Christmas Day, open the presents and the turkey goes in the oven for an "English" Christmas. Since some of the family is Othodox it's repeat-after-me in 13 days.
After a couple go rounds of this you're about ready to take a no ride.
 

Turkey Track Bar

Well-known member
How many folks will be sitting down for Dinner with you this Christmas.?...

Lazy Ace and I are hosting Christmas Eve evening meal (dinner for some, supper for others!) If my count is correct there will be between 17 and 20 of family and friends with us.

Are you doing the cooking or do you potluck with other family members?

We'll (Lazy Ace, my Mom and I) do the majority of the cooking, but veggies and salads will come potluck.

Any ideas on how to cut costs around the Christmas Dinner table?

Shop earlier in the year for meat bargains and freeze, grow and make your own veggies and baked goods.

Do the potluck thing! It might not make the total cost less, but will spread the cost and work around to others!

Another trick is to substitute an equal quality but cheaper cut of meat. For example instead of prime rib, you can easily use the same muscle that the flat iron steaks come out of and it'll be equally as good and about a quarter of the cost! You can also make a nice sirloin tri tip roast and it'll be as good. Lazy Ace and I have fixed brisket in the past, and are leaning toward doing that again.

What is your families favorite dish on this day?
Depends who you ask in this crew...my is the meat, the green beans with french fried onions, and chocolate pecan pie! Probably my folks favorite is the sweet spuds (yuk!) and for Lazy Ace it's the bread, meat, strawberry pretzel salad and chocolate pecan pie!

do any of you remember when you were a kid having to sit at the kids table?

Yep, and in my family the youngins still sit at the kids table. At my Grandma's the kids sat in the kitchen while the adults sat in the dining room at Grandma BIG table!

Things I remember about dinner?

My Grandpa liked some different stuff, like about anything pickled, pearl onions, and cauliflower, so we always had that. I also remember the womenfolk getting up early to the bird in the oven and the girls doing dishes. My paternal grandma was 1000% swede so that meant there was at least one jello with fruit and veggie dish.

I also remember that there was always the stories of days past of folks that I'll never know because they'd long since passed on, but feel like I know because of the vivid stories. There were generally at least one Basque character in these stories---my Dad grew up in a mixed community that had a lot of Basque sheepmen.

Afterward there was always a big pitch tournament that was generally pretty competitive among my folks and aunts and uncles, and my Dad's cousins. During this time Grandpa always took us out sledding or tubing.

This has kinda gone by the wayside since my Grandma and Grandpa passed away, and all of us cousins are grown with our own families. We still getting together with my Dad's brother's family about every fourth year. I wish we could go back to those days!

All this reminiscing makes me miss Grandma and Grandpa, especially this time of year. Lazy Ace still has 3 of his 4 Grandparents, and really doesn't truly understand how lucky he is. But I feel lucky to have them!

Christmas Cheers---Hanukkah cheers to reader (and the other Jewish folks) too

TTB :wink:
 
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