How was your Christmas? Whom did you celebrate with? What food was served?
Most families have their little Christmas traditions, little things they repeat every year. Some of these traditions only exist within the family, others apply to a whole nation, region or religion.
My boyfriend and I were quite lucky. He is British and celebrates Christmas on the 25th. I am German and my Christmas is the evening on the 24th. Therefore we can celebrate both Christmases together and with our families.
German Christmas
German Christmas is my Christmas. All shops close at 2pm and people go home to celebrate with their loved ones. Sometime between 4 and 8pm the Bescherung (=gift giving on Christmas Eve) happens. When there are small children around, sometimes a neighbour or friend will dress up as Father Christmas and give the presents directly to the children. Some families have dinner beforehand, others afterwards.
Since Christmas is a Christian holiday and used to be linked to fastening, people used to have something small and unspectacular, usually with fish. Past midnight, however, they’d feast on potatoe salad, sausages and other not-so-lean stuff.
Nowadays hardly anyone engages in fasting anymore so there is no need for a past-midnight-feast. Nevertheless, most families do not have a big meal on Christmas Eve but stick with sausages or fish. Instead, they serve duck, goose or wild animals like boars or deer.
We tried deer a few years back but it felt wrong … eating Rudolph’s cousin on Christmas is not cool ;) Instead we came up with our won little tradition:
Pork filet wrapped in savoy cabbage and bacon with croquettes, Brussels sprouts, cranberries and truffles gravy
This year we also had liver pâté for a starter. Here are a few pictures of last year’s Christmas Eve:
So how about you? What is your Christmas Dinner?
