A Change In Tradition

For the first time ever, we will be hosting Christmas Eve dinner tonight at our house! Every year of my entire life we have had an italian feast at my grandparents house on Christmas Eve. Not this year and for a few different reasons...

First, my grandmother and mom both work for a major airline and with all the cancelled flights and bad weather on the east coast, they have been on mandated over time and working non stop. So they have to work...which means no ones there to cook!

Secondly, I am on the verge of popping! Instead of loading up all the gifts and going there, and then loading up all the gifts and heading home they figured they would make it easy and come to me. Which is how it always should be in my opinion ; ) Usually on the way home, we are literally stuffed in the car like sardines with all of Kay's gifts bursting at the seems. I mean you can barely find the kid with all the toys and gifts in the car!

Take this photo from Christmas Eve circa 2007 when my parents bought Kay a HUGE talking, singing Dora doll. We had to make room for another passenger!

Oh and then she wanted to sleep with gigantic Dora when we got home that night...

(Okay lets pause for a second and talk about how scary this doll actually is. I mean this thing has scared the shit out of me for the past 2 years. Every time I walk into Kay's room I get startled thinking there was someone else in the room with her. Then if she starts singing when you walk by...forget about it!! I mean, this doll is around 4 feet tall with more hair on her head than me. Finally a few months ago, I put that monstrosity away in the closet!!)

So that means tonight 9 of my crazy family members will be heading to my house to feast, exchange our secret Santa gifts, and let Kay open they're gifts for her. Its going to be different, but I am excited to host our first Christmas dinner at my house!

Oh and P.S.

If your thinking well hosting and cooking for that many people is just as hard...I took some help and I am doing things super simple. This years menu is as follows:

For appetizers I have:

-Stuffed mushrooms and stuffed shrimp that my dad is making

-A veggie tray from the grocery store

-My friend Mya's super yummy and super easy cheese dip

And for the main course:

- Roasted turkey breast stuffed with cranberry stuffing topped with an orange glaze from Costco (this is where I took help)!

- Corn on the cob

-Sweet baby peas

-Mashed potatoes and gravy

-One of my big beautiful salads with baby greens, avocado, red onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes

And for dessert (all from the grocery store or Costco):

-A glazed cranberry cream cheese loaf

-Apple strussel

-Pumpkin pie