The Everything Christmas Thread 2012/13

[ledboots]

We just lit the luminaries in front of the house. I love this neighborhood at Christmas ; the streets are lined with luminaries tonight, and everyone walks and drives around with their families and dogs. It is a beautiful, mild evening.

It will be our last Christmas in this house and this neighborhood. Peace on earth, goodwill towards men.

 

[KLS52]

What do you do to sweet potatoes to make them candied? I often hear about that dish on US shows but I'm never sure what it means.

I have already made the stuffing balls ready to reheat and have roasted the potatoes slightly to cook them tomorrow too. We are just staying at home instead of going over to in-laws and I want it to be as stress-free as possible.

I hope everyone on here has a lovely time tomorrow.

I pre-bake them...peel, slice them up, arrange in a pan and pour melted vegan margarine and brown sugar over them...the more brown sugar you use the more "candied" they become. Sometimes I add a little maple syrup but not too much because I don't want them to taste really maple-y. It's ok if you like that sort of thing. Then for the last ten minutes or so you can add vegan marshmallows...I just so happen to have placed an online order last week so I have Dandies marshmallows. I have a terrible sweet tooth so this is my favorite side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas, lol.

A stress-free quiet holiday sounds lovely...I hope you enjoy your day, too!

 

[KLS52]

We just lit the luminaries in front of the house. I love this neighborhood at Christmas ; the streets are lined with luminaries tonight, and everyone walks and drives around with their families and dogs. It is a beautiful, mild evening.

It will be our last Christmas in this house and this neighborhood. Peace on earth, goodwill towards men.

This sounds wonderful! Enjoy your holiday!

 

[Spang]

I've got some Gardein Chick'n Strips for tomorrow's meal. Is there any special way I should cook them? Can they be marinated?

 

[KLS52]

I don't see why not. I usually buy the ones that are breaded, so I bake them nice and crispy. I imagine you could marinade the strips and then stir fry them, maybe with some veggies?

 

[shyvas]

I made a chesnut, bs and mushroom pie with roast potatoes, roast bs,sweet potatoes, fennel, glazed carrots; served with a rocket/aragula salad.
A sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce for dessert but will have mine tonight.

 

[FortyTwo]

Merry Christmas, everyone!

I got a crap ton of stuff. Daleks, sonic screwdriver, even an autographed photo of David Tennant!

Oh, and a Furby, one of the new ones. It won't shut up.

 

[Spang]

I sautéed the strips, and they were good.

 

[ledboots]

If you don't have a fireplace, here's a 3-hour fireplace video.

 

[KLS52]

 

[sallyomally]

Merry Merry Christmas! It's been an absolutely lovely Christmas spent with family and I hope yours has been wonderful as well. I got lots of restaurant and movie theater gift cards,perfume, a gorgeous purse, nice things for the bath and a beautiful purple scarf,but the best gift of all has been spending time with my big brother and the best family anyone could ask for.

 

[thefadedone]

I've got some Gardein Chick'n Strips for tomorrow's meal. Is there any special way I should cook them? Can they be marinated?

I ended up having these as well since our dinner plans changed at the last minute.

I've had them several times before but for this dinner I baked them in small baking dish with vegan gravy. I've also stir fried them, sauteed them, and baked them after marinating them in wing sauce.

My Christmas was really good. I feel extremely lucky and fortunate to have a wonderful family and to have the things I do have.

 

[KLS52]

My Christmas was really good. I feel extremely lucky and fortunate to have a wonderful family and to have the things I do have.

I'm so glad you had a nice Christmas!
I, too, am very fortunate and grateful.
Today is usually very difficult for me...the whole "Christmas is over letdown" thing. But I decided not to mope around feeling sad. Instead, I'm going to keep this thread alive for 11 more days since the 12 days of Christmas starts on 12/25 and ends on 1/6!! lol
This will help me considerably...sadly, at the expense of VV..

ETA: Actually, I just googled 12 days of Christmas, since when I counted from December 25 to January 6 I got 13 days... so apparently the 12 days of Christmas starts today, the 26th. Whatever...my plan remains the same!

Happy Boxing Day!!!!

 

[KLS52]

Some of the presents I got from my children: Josh and Lydia 2013 calendar, Cats and Kittens daily calendar, purse from Alternative Outfitters, kitty socks, Amazon GC, salad chopper, first season of Parenthood (hoping to have at least ONE day where I'm snowed in...saving it for then), Vegetarian Low Carb Diet book (hoping it has vegan options), and quite a gaudy necklace that might just have to be returned...I haven't decided yet, lol.

 

[thefadedone]

I'm so glad you had a nice Christmas!
I, too, am very fortunate and grateful.
Today is usually very difficult for me...the whole "Christmas is over letdown" thing. But I decided not to mope around feeling sad. Instead, I'm going to keep this thread alive for 11 more days since the 12 days of Christmas starts on 12/25 and ends on 1/6!! lol
This will help me considerably...sadly, at the expense of VV..

ETA: Actually, I just googled 12 days of Christmas, since when I counted from December 25 to January 6 I got 13 days... so apparently the 12 days of Christmas starts today, the 26th. Whatever...my plan remains the same!

Happy Boxing Day!!!!

Thanks. Glad yours was good also.

I got a salad chopper too! I also got the first season of Homeland on dvd, Under Armor socks, Bath & Body Works lotions, Aeropostale hoodie, socks, box of Holiday Chai tea, and other stuff that I can't remember at the moment since I put everything away already.

Unfortunately I do have to return some clothes that I got and I'm not looking forward to that. I am going to try to wait till next week to do it . Hopefully the lines won't be as crazy then.

Although I put my gifts away as soon as possible, I am not one of those people that takes decorations down right after Christmas. Hell I don't even take them down after New Year's. I leave my tree and decorations up until the end of January sometimes until the beginning of February.

 

[KLS52]

Although I put my gifts away as soon as possible, I am not one of those people that takes decorations down right after Christmas. Hell I don't even take them down after New Year's. I leave my tree and decorations up until the end of January sometimes until the beginning of February.

 

[KLS52]

Some fun (and not so fun ) Boxing Day traditions.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/boxing-day-history.html

 

[shyvas]

Some of the presents I got from my children: Josh and Lydia 2013 calendar, Cats and Kittens daily calendar, purse from Alternative Outfitters, kitty socks, Amazon GC, salad chopper, first season of Parenthood (hoping to have at least ONE day where I'm snowed in...saving it for then), Vegetarian Low Carb Diet book (hoping it has vegan options), and quite a gaudy necklace that might just have to be returned...I haven't decided yet, lol.

View attachment 1377

I also have the book. There are quite a few tofu and seitan recipes however she does use eggs and cheese in some of the recipes. I'm going to have to follow some of her recipes, as I'm suffering with a carb overload which doesn't make me feel too good.

 

[ledboots]

Some of the presents I got from my children: Josh and Lydia 2013 calendar, Cats and Kittens daily calendar, purse from Alternative Outfitters, kitty socks, Amazon GC, salad chopper, first season of Parenthood (hoping to have at least ONE day where I'm snowed in...saving it for then), Vegetarian Low Carb Diet book (hoping it has vegan options), and quite a gaudy necklace that might just have to be returned...I haven't decided yet, lol.

View attachment 1377

Nice gifts! I have that same type salad chopper, and I really like it. I'm a knife person more than a gadget person. I have a cool wooden cutting board with a round depression in it that makes it easy to rock the chopper.

 

[KLS52]

I have a cool wooden cutting board with a round depression in it that makes it easy to rock the chopper.

Aha! I have a birthday coming up in February...will have to check out that cutting board!