What are you supposed to do on Christmas Eve?

Here are suggest from Pioneer Woman.com

If you're Italian, you eat seven fishes.

We have dinner. I'm making stuffed peppers, mashed potatoes, green beans with almonds. Desserts. Then we open gifts and play games. Then tomorrow we have Christmas dinner. By that time we're all wore out. I'm wore out now, lol. Merry Christmas everyone!🎄🍾🙏

Smoke copious amounts of pot silly!!

Having an old female friend over while my bf spends time with his family for the next two days. I go to a lunch/dinner with my family tomorrow.

Later this evening I’ll relax with my fave classic Xmas movies on TCM. My all-time faves are on one after another late afternoon into the night.

Merry Christmas 🎄

Always a family dinner that still rotates between my parents hosting and my uncle’s family. It’s lovely, actually. We all get along and the food is top notch. I know I’m fortunate it works out this way. Years ago, my Jewish husband was skeptical of all of the togetherness but he’s on board. My generation of siblings and cousins all moved away to various places so it’s a nice reunion each year.

Look for reasons to live

Masturbate.

That's for OP and R7.

When I was growing up we did all our celebrating on Christmas Eve. My oldest siblings had kids of their own, and I got over the Santa thing very early, so it was the most practical thing for everyone. Mom would make a huge dinner and their friends would come over to eat and drink. The older kids and the grandchildren would pop in and out. The stereo would be thumping and everyone got wasted and had a great time. For a few years we kids had to wait until midnight to open our gifts so it was officially Christmas morning, but eventually that got old and we did it whenever. The party lasted until the wee hours, and one legendary year it was still going after sunrise. I only vaguely remember the gifts I received, but I remember the annual party affectionately.

Netflex

I volunteer at the local homeless shelter, passing out plates of food. I always bring a big batch of my special chocolate brownies. The secret ingredient is Ex-lax.

Good times.

In Spain, nochebuena is a big midnight family dinner, often with visiting guests brought along or neighbors dropping in. The meal is mostly of seafood, mostly shellfish: shrimp, langostinos, cigalas, oysters, razor clams, sometimes sea urchins and bacalao, tiny clams in broth, scallops, whatever looks best in the market. Secondarily, plates of jamón ibérico de bellota, the best of the hams, and other cured meats, and plates of olives and artichokes and tomatoes. And caldo or broth between course at some point (though favored by children) And desserts of almost equal variety and loads of wine. It's an hours long thing, more or less repeated on nochevieja (New Years Eve.)

Xmas day is nothing programmed: casual entertainments as you find them. You might divide your time between family and friends and wandering around the city having drinks with friends you encounter in the streets.

Aside from Xmas Eve and and New Years Eve, the 3rd big day is 6 January, the 3 Kings Day where a few presents are exchanged (for children, really) in the morning among family and maybe watch a parade in the afternoon.

Playing Santa at Macy’s all day. Then home to husband and dog. He’ll make dinner and then we’ll watch Arthur Christmas because it takes place on Christmas Eve. Then records on the jukebox, leave cookies for Santa, and go to sleep. Once husband is asleep, I’m going down to lobby to wrap a couple of his presents. I’ll bring them upstairs and go back to sleep.

I'm from Argentina, and like most of latam and european catholic countries, Christmas Eve is the main event. We eat dinner (and yes it's summer here, usually sweltering) and at 12 we have a toast, and then we open gifts, which are usually reserved for the children of the family. Meanwhile we eat turron and candies and pannetone and continue drinking.

The 25th we all get together for a late lunch, hungover, and eat the leftovers.

Everything for us has always been geared towards Xmas Day. Opening presents, the big dinner, and visiting. Xmas Eve has always been just a prep day.

According to Hallmark, you're supposed to finally realize that your corporate job in the big city is not worth the money and all your happiness resides with the hot boy who still lives in your picturesque hometown where your mom owns the bookstore.

Holiday fleshlight

Or a restaurant, R16. See A Taste of Love, filmed where we live.

With my boyfriend, we’re preparing our feast.

Mass in the evening, then drinking a bottle of wine with my husband as we wrap gifts and watch It’s a Wonderful Life

Friends always have an open house starting around 3 pm on Christmas Eve and stretching to midnight. They serve posole and cocktail meatballs (a tradition). They're Disney freaks and the backyard is strung with a million lights in the style of the Main Street Electrical Parade, and there's a Christmas tree in every room.

I could never live that way, but it is extremely festive.

I go to Walgreens and buy the frozen pizza with the most dents on the box. It makes me feel humble.

Then I make the feast of the dozen fish sticks.

EAT MEAT

For me, Christmas is a 7-10 day event.. I enjoy AFTER Christmas far more than Christmas itself- The pressure is off, it is still the holidays, and then I have fun. I even save some of my presents to open later. (And I am not into this Tuesday/Weds holiday stuff) I do not drink alcohol on weekdays- so its no fun anyway!

Merry Chrysler

What R24 said.

Christmas Eve we have a family gathering with 3-4 generations attending. Lots of cocktails, beef tenderloins, everyone dresses up. Children are running around. We start at 5 and wrap up by 9. Then everyone spends Christmas morning with their individual families. Then my brother throws a big party Christmas evening. Friends and family. Huge spread. Same traditions forever. Never have drama. Everyone plays nice. We are lucky. But we were also raised right.

About a dozen friends are going to be up in the Hollywood Hills doing a vegan Christmas Eve, prepared by the one of us who's a master chef and, well, it's going to be way more food than we can eat. Christmas will be spent eating the leftovers. Then the next day as well. Maybe even the next.

R27- That sounds wonderful--

I am relatively young to say this, but most of my family has passed away- however I was really lucky as a kid, as we had similar holidays--

My family had NO drama- it was weird- Aunts/Uncles/Cousins (I was an only child)

But our holidays were really peaceful and nice- with similar schedule to yours!

We never celebrated Christmas growing up and I still don't. I used to go to the movies on Christmas Day, but I don't really enjoy doing that anymore. I don't do anything really.

I see my parents on Christmas Eve and then do my own thing on Christmas. Then back to work on Thursday and Friday. It’s not that big of a deal to me.

I cuddle my husband frequently and tell the rest of the world to fuck off for a few days in various locations. We see our parents and family in the run-up to Christmas.

I slap people's faces with impunity

R9 – we must be related! This is so much like my family's Christmas traditions.

My family is Brazilian Catholic, and as others have mentioned, Christmas Eve is the big celebration in most of the Latin world. The first time I took my then-boyfriend (now husband) to my mom's for Christmas Eve, he was overwhelmed by the caipirinha drinking and merrymaking. He couldn’t believe we were eating dinner at 10 p.m. - at his mom's they ate at 5 p.m.

With bossa nova playing, people were dancing, and one of my aunts asked him to dance. He was stunned, but I told him to just go with it, no need to worry about doing it ‘right.’ After a little stumbling, he was samba-ing with my 75-year-old aunt, relaxing and starting to enjoy himself. Later, he told me it was the first time he'd ever 'touch danced.' The dinner was massive, mostly featuring traditional Portuguese dishes. He loved everything, except the bacalhau (salted dry cod). At midnight, the kids tore into their presents while the adults ate 12 grapes for good luck in the new year.

Over the years, he and my mom became the best of friends, she became the mom he didn’t know he needed, and I was so happy to see their relationship grow. During the pandemic, we temporarily moved in with her as she could no longer live alone, which gave her a chance to introduce him to those 'exotic' Christmas Eve foods. My mom passed a few years ago, and now there’s no one in my family more inspired to keep the traditional Brazilian Christmas Eve alive than my husband. We inherited her good china and other tableware, which he brings out every Christmas to honor her memory and the traditions she passed down. He makes all the dishes my mom used to, and the bacalhau is always excellent. But, to this day, he still doesn’t like it.

My husband and I are establishing new traditions after both being obligated to our respective families for the 20+years we've been together. We're calling it A MERRY FAT FUCK CHRISTMAS.

Tonight we're going to the bar room at The Beekman (nyc) for drinks then to our favorite trattoria (il posto accanto GO!) for dinner.

Tomorrow morning, we open presents, sip Xmas mimosas made with fresh tangerine juice and cranberry then have brunch. This year it's cinnamon rolls from Winner Bakery and a breakfast casserole using the Times' recipe. We'll watch movies (Heretic HA), walk the dog, call family, etc. , in the afternoon.

Before dinner, we're having our next door neighbors over for a little cocktail hour with: cheese board, sliced jamon, grapes, duck fat nuts, olives, crackers, homemade crab dip, crudite and hummus. We're making White Negronis.

Later that evening, I'm whipping up a steak au poivre with veggie puree and garlicky green beans. Cookies and tarts from Winner bakery and Mille-feuille for dessert.

Hope everybody has a lovely, chill, non-annoying, easy holiday!

Oops - I got the 12 grape tradition mixed up with New Year Eve traditions.

As a family, we would have a light dinner and watch a movie. If I celebrate with friends, it’s the same thing with a couple bottles of wine and charcuterie.

But ah the fun of getting older. I’m catching a late plane to see my father.. He’s in nursing care and deteriorating quickly. I’ll visit him in the morning. Tonight I’m celebrating Christmas Eve on United with a late Hampton Inn check-in.

If you are an adult without any family obligations, you can do whatever the fuck you want.

My partner and I have been to five Christmas gatherings over the past two weeks, and are invited to one tonight, but we’ve decided to stay in, get Mexican takeout, watch Charlie Brown Christmas, and go to bed early. We have three gatherings to make tomorrow (his family, my family, and a friend’s gathering) and we just want to chill tonight.

We watch Santa Claus via MST3K. It’s one of the best they’ve ever done and the movie itself is insane.

My family has always come together to eat and exchange presents on Xmas eve. All the siblings go to their spouses’ houses for Xmas Day

One Christmas Eve, early I shopped at B. Altman's, NYC .... fun watching last-minute gad-abouts, Once I had people in, for grilled-cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. There have been invitations, I'm single, but mostly I like being alone at home, with Christmas music, many candles, new pajamas, lots of warmth. You make your own happiness.

I love reading all of these! They make me smile and cry for days long past.

My family has had a tradition dating back before I was born.

My parents would get together with one of my dad’s Korean War Army buddies and his wife on Christmas Eve. When we kids came, we kept that tradition.

We’d have some charcuterie, drinks and play cards for a while. It was so fun.

Over the years, everyone else has died off or moved out of state and now it’s just me and my aunt that get together.

Tonight is the first night we won’t be able to visit. My kitty had to stay overnight at the ER and I have to pick him up later.

I love reading about everyone's traditions or plans. Whatever it is you are doing tonight, I wish all you DL bitches a safe and happy Christmas Eve. Later tonight, I'll be right back here to read the details of drunken relatives and burned dinners. Sippy poo in hand, natch.

R37 you're a good son. Merry Christmas to you and your dad.

R40 hurray for Santi-Claus!

Chinese food for the win.

My husband and I always do cheese fondue and open one present .

When I was a kid, on Christmas Eve we got to open one gift. We also got to open the mushy package, which was invariably pajamas.

Throw away the repulsive gift I get from Bee every year.

You’re supposed to go to midnight services.

Christmas eve is more important than Christmas day for my family--- maybe it is a catholic thing? We open presents at midnight. We eat desert and drink wine. I prefer midnight opening of presents-- one year we did the Christmas morning thing but not as fun. I like the ambiance of night and Christmas lights as we open gifts. We weren't religious so we didn't do christmas midnight mass, but that is what a lot of catholics do.

Just smoke copious amounts of pot, silly.

What are duck fat nuts? And do I want them in me? Deeply? In my mouth?

Maybe going to church.

Otherwise, SSDD

A more important question: whom are you supposed to do on Christmas Eve?

[Quote] Just smoke copious amounts of pot, silly

How does today differ from any other day of the year for you? It doesn’t.

Being the children of Italian immigrants, my sister and I both keep up the tradition of seafood dinners. My sister and her husband have been celebrating with friends of theirs that have a big family since most of the family is now gone. My older son also keeps up the tradition. He and his wife have their friends over for the fish dinner, too.. My younger son is celebrating with his fiancee and her parents and sister.

I'm celebrating with my partner. I go a little overboard with the fish thing I've been busy in the kitchen all day. I'm going to shower and start cooking. First round is fried calamari with aioli. Then smoked salmon/cream cheese/chives on toasted baguette. Crab cakes, baked stuffed clams, lobster bisque, linguine alle vongole, and steamed lobster tail with butter, and sauteed broccoli rabe. It's a lot, but the portions won't be huge and we'll eat over several hours.

Topping it off with Christmas cookies, struffoli, and espresso.

Stuff your mouth

[quote] First round is fried calamari with aioli. Then smoked salmon/cream cheese/chives on toasted baguette. Crab cakes, baked stuffed clams, lobster bisque, linguine alle vongole, and steamed lobster tail with butter, and sauteed broccoli rabe. It's a lot, but the portions won't be huge and we'll eat over several hours.

Jesus Fucking Christ

Bitch at family and friends

R58

Wow. Wish I knew you. Sounds wonderful. And just like it used to be. I miss that.

Thanks for that. Merry Christmas.

That dies sound great, R58, and while I like lots of things it's rare that I hear a menu where everything sounds good (if too many dishes!)

*That does

Those of you whose family opened gifts at midnight Christmas Eve, were you told the Santa Claus myth? How to explain why the presents weren't there when you woke up?

Merry Christmas to all of you DL bitches here. I'll be offline tomorrow, having a vegetarian holiday with family. Jealous of r58 's feast. Kisses to r37 for his care for his Dad.

R29 I'm in the same place this year. Where did they all go?

R65 I actually didn't and Santa Claus was never as huge as in the US but but he is a bit more with kids now in Argentina at least. If it's necessary we usually just say he left them the night of the 23rd/early morning of the 24th.

R67 here. I think I may cry.

I love Xmas eve! My mother in law died on Monday, so we’re not having one this year, but if we were….

I planned a fantastic dinner starring beef Wellington, a cranberry upside down cake and homemade peppermint ice cream! One tradition carried over from childhood is to give a book to everyone on Xmas eve. That’s the present that I spend the most time on. I really try to find the most meaningful book for each person and then you have to inscribe it with Christmas and the year! I’ve got all the books my parents inscribed for me since babyhood.

But my MIL selfishly chose to exit life yesterday! So Xmas is cancelled! we’re at an Airbnb in Michigan to manage the funeral and ordering pizza tonight. (I loved my MIL. She was a good egg. Gladly skipping Xmas eve in her honor.) hope you all have a nice holiday!

We used to have oyster stew which was like squiggly things in hot buttered milk. I made my mom add corn cuz I never eat weird things. Later it was genuine Swedish meatballs which are wonderful. Not those balls in grape jelly. Eggnog with a lotta booze. One present opened.

As the one surviving member of my immediate family I carry on. I still love Christmas and it has little to do with my missing immediate family.

I didn’t see “Holiday Inn” 1942 on TCM? It’s recently colonized and beautiful you guys would love it.

Oops, I forgot the cod/fennel/orange salad. It sounds like a lot but I'm managing the portions. We're splitting the tail of a 2lb lobster. Probably only 60 or 70 grams of pasta each. Neither of us want to be groaning. The fried calamari came really good (ATK recipe) as did the smoked salmon appetizer.

Thanks for the compliments.

You mean COLORIZED R73 though people do live at Holiday Inn.

I have no living family other than my dog so tonight I will venture into watching Black Doves on Netflix. I quite like Keira Knightly so that is my plan.

Are there specific fishes for this Italian fish dinner thing, or will any ole fish do?

I volunteered packing Christmas hampers for a local charity yesterday. Last night sank a few beers and wrapped presents.

Had my traditional Christmas Day surf this morning. Now watching on as my amazing sister conjures up lunch (seafood and salads) before the extended family arrives for lunch.

I’ve never been a huge fan of Christmas (expectations vs reality) but this is going pretty well.

R30 reminded me ..... Bette: "We didn't celebrate Christmas when I was a child." Joan: "Jesus wasn't born when you were a child."

I put my clown makeup on and cry

Track Santa on NORAD

r58 apparently the seven fishes thing is more of an italian american thing, and not really a thing in italy. Or maybe is is a sicilian thing only.

You are supposed to feed the needy.

OP Whatever you want to do as long as you cause no harm.

[quote] Track Santa on NORAD

NORAD's Santa Tracker says he's in Savannah, Georgia right now. But Google's Santa Tracker says he's in Barbados. Somebody is lying!

Scruff, Grindr, edibles

Watch Alastair Sims’s 1951 film “Scrooge,” wait up for Santa and light his pipe, and karaoke to Charo’s “¿Mamacita, dónde está Santa Claus?”

Masturbate furiously until you have the perfect nacreous layer of permacum for your guests to admire.. Hurry up toots! There's not much time left.

Alastair Sims’s 1951 film was A Christmas Carol. Scrooge was Albert Finney in 1970.

I've had several glasses of red wine and I'll probably suffer tomorrow for my festive attitude.

"apparently the seven fishes thing is more of an italian american thing, and not really a thing in italy. Or maybe is is a sicilian"

Yes all the seafood heavy cuisines of northern Italy, Rose!!!

r91 Point is seven fishes is still not really an italian thing (even in the south), but a US italian thing.

We go out our get our Christmas tree. Doesn't everybody get their tree late on Christmas eve?