Kaitlin says she and Torben won’t cook anything special Christmas Day…there’s just the two of them and they’re not interested in a big dinner. They will take out the special Christmas Eve dinner at a local restaurant, which should be fun.
I told her,
I gave up on cooking something special for Christmas in Ithaca. I cooked a turkey with trimmings, but neither you nor Father were hungry because Christmas was candy day. Then for a long time our Christmas dinner was hot dogs.
(The tradition in Andy’s family was that was the one day of the year the kids could eat all the candy they wanted, and that was a tradition he wanted to keep. Hot dogs were Kaitlin’s favorite meal.)
Kaitlin wrote back,
Well, hot dogs still seems like the best holiday ever! What a smart family!!!
Yes, we did just fine as a family, and we still are.
December 13, 2020
sounds fun and fabulous and delicious!!! XOXOXO
Yes! 😀
Unique holiday tradition and traditions are important, especially this year.
Yes, although on the whole it was a good year for us here. Thanks to cameras, phone calls, and the internet.
Funny! Well, hot dogs are not good for you, so we never eat them. But Phil loves them! So it makes sense to have them one day a year! Turkey is so healthy, so it does not make a fun treat, does it?
We seldom eat hot dogs now. We don’t have an oven to cook a turkey but Kaitlin sends Andy some Omaha steaks for Christmas, so he usually has one of them. (I’m not much of a meat eater.)
When Kaitlin was young, over 40 years ago, the rule about hot dogs was to cook them well. That we did.
I think that is a splendid idea. I always cooked a ham for Christmas day until just a couple years ago. It’s only me here that day so I don’t want to make a fuss.
I can’t help wondering how many ended up with a stomach ache after being able to eat all the candy they wanted….lol
It is funny… when you can eat all the candy you want (I remembered it as eat anything you want – so blueberries and whipped cream were a hit), you tend to eat less. Probably the whole point?
Thanks for reminding me about blueberries and whipped cream, Kaitlin. A lot of great memories. 🙂
your family sounds a lot like Bob and me… we have had hot dogs on holidays and take out burgers also… also done the buffet thing in a resturant… I say eat what you love, candy and hotdogs, wow. bring it on
Yes, if you love traditional holiday dinners, go for it. But if you don’t, the options are limitless. 🙂
To each his own. Candy on Christmas I can understand, but hot dogs? Not me. But, whatever makes y’all happy is what counts!!
Kaitlin loved hot dogs. When she was 9 she started cooking dinner every Sunday evening. Hot dogs and corn. It was a fun tradition.
My hubby would love that. There’s never a bad time to start a new tradition! Love Kaitlin’s sense of humor. 🙂
Yes, she has a great sense of humor, she even had it when she was a teen.
Eat all the candy they wanted on Christmas! What a unique and cute tradition. I can see, why a big dinner, would be a total waste of energy. -smile-
I always feel, that each person/family do what suits them. There is no single perfect Christmas. Any more than there is one single perfect almost anything.
You lived in Ithaca! You were up here in “cold country,” for a time. -smile-
We were in Ithaca for 8 1/2 years. I was happy there, but I love the sunshine down here in the Southwest. We also don’t miss the hot, sticky summers.
I think whatever your traditions are, it is good. I would be perfectly happy with hamburgers off the grill if weather permitted. We do hand for both Thanksgiving and Christmas…that was always so special to us cause it was the only time we had ham…now we have whatever we want whenever we want.
That’s the thing… we can have whatever we want all the time. We don’t have to make a big deal of holiday food.
Bravo! I often think of a Shel Silverstein song that went “After you’ve had steak for awhile, beans taste fine!”
😀
One year Dave’s mother decided we would have a potluck. If you wanted to eat you had to bring something. You were not allowed to tell anyone else what you were bringing. We had lots of jellos and booze. So Dave’s mom went to the freezer and got hot dogs and we roasted them in the fireplace. It’s one of my favorite memories.
Good for her! She was prepared for anything, and it sounds like he had a great family.
Funny timing on your post. I just asked hubby last night what he wanted for Christmas Day dinner since we wouldn’t be able to have the whole gang over. He said he wanted a redo of Thanksgiving – that means turkey, stuffing, pie, and the whole deal:) Of course, I said, “Sure, dear.” 😉
That’s too bad, but at least he appreciates it. Andy likes very simple food…it was frustrating when we first got married, but it didn’t take me long to figure out what a blessing it was.
for many years, my friend and I (said friend not with me now) did whatever we wanted – to start with we would do the whole hog at a restaurant but then the cost and our consumption didn’t match up – so we started doing things on the “wing” which often meant we ended up with some type of takeaway – either eaten at said place or some place else. Once we went to the movies which was very interesting as many ethnic groups don’t celebrate Christmas… and we odd man/woman out but it was fun.
Then our lives changed and we went our separate ways – I always had an invite to my nieces but often I felt that it was both an obligation and charity. Last year on another invite went to a friends place where I didn’t know their extended family at all…
This year, I’ve already got a roast dinner in the freezer and plenty of other treats and truly as things stand here for me, would rather be alone….
I remember you writing about your friend and wondered what happened. The main thing is to have a good time. Much better than going to a dinner that isn’t fun.
that friend now lives in what is deemed “public housing” and finally found other friends at the complex. I think there are mix of 1 & 2 bedroom with singles/couples there – all told about 42 units. I do see him occasionally down in the village and we chat less and less on the phone…
Hotdogs and candy! Sounds perfect because everyone was happy.
This Christmas I’m going to my nieces house where she, her fiancé and my other niece will be masked and keep a social distance from me. I have no idea what dinner will be but it will be nice because of the company.
I’m glad you’ll have a chance to see them and do something special. 🙂
Well that’s an interesting tradition!!!
Yes, it was tailored to us, especially Kaitlin. 🙂
Hot dogs for Christmas dinner? That doesn’t sound very special!
It is if you’re a kid and hot dogs are your favorite food. And it saves the mother a heck of a lot of work so she can enjoy Christmas too. Definitely a win-win. 😀