What are your Christmas plans?

I'm off work at noon on Christmas Eve. I'm going to clear off the grill, shovel a path to it (we got 14 inches of snow over the past 48 hours) and I'm making dinner for a few friends. Grilled marinated beef tenderloin, roasted Yukon Gold potatoes, my own mushroom and onion steak topping, steamed carrots and broccoli and pecan pie for dessert. This year I'm not serving any alcoholic beverages. Tea, coffee or soda.

Midnight Mass at 1130 PM on Christmas Eve night then its home for some sleep. Christmas Day I'll take the dogs for a couple of walks. They love playing in snow. I tend to spend Christmas Day quietly reflecting on the holiday and giving thanks for what I have.

Tell us, how will you spend the Christmas holiday?

And Merry Christamas and God Bless in 2013 to all of you! Let's hope for a peaceful and prosperous 2013.

 

Party with my mom's side of the family on Christmas Eve and then politely visit with my dad's side of the family Christmas Day...because my mom's family is kickass cool and fun and my dad's family is an old, traditional bore.

 

I avoid Midnight Mass like the plague...it's mainly the C & E type of Catholic that attends. You know, folks who go to mass twice a year, Christmas and Easter. More interested in fashion that worship...it's the mass "to be seen" in.

Plans...hmmmm, let's see depends on the weather.

 

Go to Mcdonalds for brunch, having a meal with my dad for supper microwavable turkey and dressing and some fixings.

 

My, my. I go to Mass weekly.

Hey, have a great holiday.

 

How can you still believe, with the job you do...

 

a man after my own heart, im fixing to try the new mcrib on christmas. they'll be open until 8pm

 

Having our traditional steak and shrimp Christmas dinner with the family. Consuming alcohol and exchanging gifts.

 

Faith. It's what keeps me going. That and my dogs.

 

I've had a couple. McD's hit a home run with the McRib. It's excellent.

 

A quiet reflection, remembering the reason and the wonderful gift bestowed on us. No celebration of any kind, no elaborate meals, decorations or gift giving. Just giving thanks, quietly.

 

For whatever reason I can't view the second page of this thread.

 

Very well said. The true spirit of Christmas. My best for a happy and healthy 2013.

 

To hell with going to your house for Christmas dinner.

Oh all right, I apologise, the sentiment is worthy of the true spirit of Christmas.

As long as you're happy in your world.

Bingo.

We're having a quiet time. The older generations passed away years ago and my in-laws are on the other side of the world, so no more high pressure 20 for dinner scenes as we had in the past. My siblings don't get along and if you go to one, the other falls out with you, so after years of trying to moderate that and allowing it to upset me, I gave up and stayed home with just my own family. We enjoyed that so much, it's become the tradition and all invites are normally politely declined.

However, my son's girlfriend is insisting on stealing him this year and he is working Christmas Night, so we will see him a.m. and take him up there for the p.m. and then it will be just us unless a sibling appears later on. Boxing Day we go to a friend's for afternoon tea (don't worry, there will be wine involved into the night).

 

Try this... Its too good for words.

Coffee Brined Steak

Brine:
2 cups warm water
1/2 cup kosher salt
2 cups brewed French roast coffee

Let it marinate in the frig at least 12 hours.

 

Today I'm going to my aunt's house after my Commandery's Christmas Observance, tomorrow I'll go to my other aunts house for Christmas Eve, and then I'll be at my parents for Christmas Day.

 

As little as is humanly possible and not slip into a coma.

No dinner/lunch plans, no gift exchange, haven't put up any decorations.

I do have several "Hardcore Pawn" episodes set to tape.....so, you know, mindless, absolutely no redeeming value TV.
(oooh! Maybe I will achieve that coma after all!)

 

Thanks! Unfortunately I've already made a Chicago Chop House style marinade. What kind of cuts does your marinade go with? I usually make a beef roast on New Years Day. Would your marinade go with a roast?

 

My son is gonna open up his very first BB gun, than we are gonna head out and shoot some bottles and targets. The crazy Argentinian Father in law is in town, my mom will be over and it will be a nice laid back affair. A present each for the grown ups, a litany of toys for the kid, BB gun, Legos, and some books on science experiments. Nothing too grand, but a nice day nonetheless.

 

I'm gonna watch it snow. I might slide down the hill. But I'm not gonna think about the things that suck. Merry Christmas!

 

You get snow?!
In just the last seven (7) days, we've had temperatures that have ranged from mid 70's to mid 20's!!!!!
And I've not even left the area code!!!!

That's just insane.....I'm pretty sure Mother Nature is on crack, LSD or perhaps a combination.

Just something so very wrong about having to use the heater one day and the A/C later in the very same day!
(We don't have very many windows and surely not enough in the right place for a cross breeze)

 

A few days ago we got 14 inches. I've had it with snow. And it's only December.

Merry Christmas!

 

Snow stealers!!!! *harrumph*

 

I like winter. I like to hear the roaring wind as it rattles and whistles about the house. It can send shivers down the spine. I like it when it's snowing a blizzard of fine, dry crystals, and the wind is swishing them against the windows. I like the muffled quietness as it gets deeper and deeper. But I also like the sound that wind driven snow crystals make when hitting the surface of previously fallen snow. It's kind of a nice, hissing sound. Goes well with the stinging of your cheeks and the biting and numbing of your ears and fingers.

 

Snow? What's that?

We had loads of the stuff last year and the year before, but this year it's a return to the norm of snow that lands about once a year and temperatures above freezing with plenty of rain. There are large swathes of UK under flood water, but not here. So I'm going to the gym now, then into town for some material to recover my dining chairs because a new table is coming, then back here to wrap presents and...ahhhh relax with family and Christmas tv, visitors appearing with gifts will receive warming mulled wine/pannetone/this:



Glayva Hot Chocolate.

8 floz milk
1 tblsp caster sugar
2 tsp brown sugar
1 oz chopped dark chocolate
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 floz Glayva

Heat the milk, sugar and chocolate in a pan until it the chocolate has melted. Pour half of the mixture into a blender and mix until frothy, return it to the pan and add the vanilla and Glayva, pour into a big mug, stir and drink.

Yum!