The Holidays are upon us. We are all thinking and planning out all of our menus and traditions. Some are creating brand new ones for their families.

I asked for some help from blogger groups on social media to share some traditions with y’all. I absolutely love learning about different cultural or regional traditions. I hope you enjoy reading these and I would love for you to share yours with me as well.

Due to food allergies and diet preferences, my family modified our Thanksgiving meal from the traditional to a vegan and gluten-free version 10 years ago. Instead of turkey, I made a lentil loaf or pan seared tofu cubes. Instead of tradition stuffing, I switched to a gluten-free stuffing but that was expensive so I switched again to wild rice. Instead of a green bean casserole, I make fresh green beans sauteed with onion and garlic. Instead of creamy sweet potatoes with marshmellows, I roast a whole bunch of vegetables. Sometimes I add butternut squash soup. This year may may do a butternut squash lasagna. By Jacquelyn Van Sant 

In my family, we really enjoy yams that have candied pecans and toasted coconut on top. No traditional marshmallows for us. By Amanda Davis 

We do a traditional thanksgiving (turkey, ham, dressing, sweet potato casserole, green beans, mashed potatoes, bread, etc.) but we do chocolate gravy + biscuits on Christmas morning and a fish fry at my grandma’s Christmas that we celebrate on New Year’s Eve 😊 By Whitney Eddy

In Texas, we do tamales with sides on Christmas Eve. Yum! Thanksgiving is traditional but simple, and Christmas Day I change up every year. I make cinnamon rolls and bacon on Christmas morning though. By Yvette Lewis 

My family is Polish Catholic.  We grew up with a traditional meatless Christmas Eve and passing around the blessed communion bread before our fish feast.  Then we always went to midnight mass💓  although I am no longer Catholic i still love this tradition! By Jamie Taylor 

We replicate my grandmother’s best cakes. She passed years ago when I was in high school, but she used to make wonderful cakes on Sundays. She would have my aunts do the work when she couldn’t get around easily anymore. If they weren’t right, she’d make them throw them out and start over. And she’d only used we’ll known brands. The mainstays we’re her German Chocolate, Carrot and her Butter Pound cakes. By Ria Sides 

Hm…we have a friendsgiving celebration because we live far from family. It’s become a little tradition of our own. By Eric Nevins 

Thanksgiving:DEEP-FRIED Turkey (if possible)Stove atop is a must-haveGreen bean casserole
“The Godfather” marathon plays on tv non-stop the way “A Christmas Story” is played repeatedly on Christmas. Once the Dallas Cowboys game starts, I’m told to stop making fun of them unless I want to watch the game from outside like when I first married into the family. My in-laws are funny.  By Jerry Dugan 

My family has roots in Minnesota, up by Leech Lake, where wild rice (not actually rice at all) grows, so that’s always been a staple of our Thanksgiving & Christmas meals.  My mom always makes a Bundt cake that never actually makes it to the dinner because everyone snacks on it throughout the day.  Deviled eggs are a must! And the canned jellied cranberry sauce.  One time, I tried to be awesome and make my own. You would’ve thought I ruined the whole dinner.  Lol.  By Magan Dotson Martin 

My family has always made chocolates to give to friends. Three of my sibs have always gathered in my mothers’ basement to make theirs–about 300 pounds all told. Since Mom hasn’t been involved for several years, they also make it for her gift list. They can’t do that this year because of COVID, but they have complicated plans to make certain things at their own  homes and somehow trade so everyone they give to will receive a somewhat normal assortment. By David Guion 

I cook with a fair amount of Bourbon and Craft Beer during the holidays. My Orange, Cranberry, Honey Bourbon Glazed Turkey and Craft Beer Crockpot Mac & Cheese are two of our family favorites. German Stollen, Glühwein and Jaegermeister are also holiday staples. I cook a pretty mean Portuguese-Style Roast (beef) too.
By Joe Chadburn

Now I will share my family traditions with y’all ♥️♥️♥️

Thanksgiving traditions for us are pretty traditional for this area. We usually are at my mom and dads. We have Turkey, cornbread dressing, scalloped potatoes, broccoli cheese casserole, mashed potatoes if we don’t have scalloped, chicken and noodles, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and whatever extra we do that day. We always eat about 1pm. Most of the time my brother and parents try to hunt that morning and that evening. We are not big football watchers so that is not a standard tradition around here for us lol. Growing up we put the Christmas tree up the next day. I use to do the same but now I put it up whenever I’m in the mood lol. It might be the first week of November or this year idk when. It’s been hard getting into the Holiday mood this year. I’m working on it. Yesterday I got all my Christmas decor out of storage. So today I will clean house and get ready for the mood to hit 🤪

Christmas traditions…growing up we always went to my Aunt Nonnies on Christmas Eve. Honestly I don’t remember much on the foods except my grandma nanny always made cheesecake for Holidays. It’s a jello cheesecake that is light and fluffy. Mmm I will add the recipe link below. My aunt passed away when I was 16 and that changed things up for us. My mom now has Christmas on Christmas Eve since we are grown with families. We get to continue on the traditions. So back to growing up!!! We would get up early Christmas morning and have muffins. We had blueberry 🫐 muffins fresh out of the oven. We always had our Christmas stockings and gifts. I think we also got to open a gift Christmas eve. Just one though. We would do our Christmas at home and then go to my grandparents house for a huge Gilman family Christmas.

Skipping a head to my own traditions for my family. The kids and I (after divorce) have our Christmas whenever was easiest for us. I always tried to work around other schedules so there was no stress. I still do the same now that they have their families. We do snack style foods. Little smokies, cheese ball, cheese, chips and cheese dip, fudge if I get it made lol, one time we made little pizzas…

Last year we did taco themed. I think they like the snack style better. We may mix it up and have small amount of other foods and snacks. Oh and I try to either fix blueberry muffins or cinnamon rolls. We always do 4 things that never change.

1. We always have communion with sparkly grape juice 🥤 or Christmas punch

2. We always read the Christmas story in Luke.

3. Each kid gets a movie for Christmas. When the kids were at home we did that the night before our Christmas. We would have a movie marathon and watch their movies that night. I miss that 😢. Treasure your traditions and memories.

4. Each kid gets a Christmas stocking. I mean grown kids and the little ones. 🎄♥️

Those are things we don’t waiver from. The day and the foods can always change up but it’s important to hold down traditions and memories to pass on to your children if they choose to use any of them. ♥️. There are things that absolutely have to change when your children begin to have families of their own. For example I can’t wake up at my moms and eat blueberry muffins that morning like I did as a kid ☹️😢😭. Life grows and changes and traditions can change and be passed down. 😍🥰.

I hope you have enjoyed this blog. Please send me some of your traditions.

Grandma Nannie’s Fluffy Cheesecake

https://crossgbackyardfarms.com/holiday-recipegrandma-nannies-fluffy-cheescake/

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Cassie