When the kids were small, Christmas tradition was you must eat breakfast before opening any presents up. This would absolutely make our children crazy when they were little. All they wanted to do was start opening their presents, without brushing their teeth and eating breakfast. Some Christmas morning my husband and I would make a big breakfast with pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausage just to watch them scrum in their seats. We loved watching them hurry up to finish all their breakfast and then run to our Christmas tree. Once all the gifts were open, the kids would go play with their new toys and my husband and I would just relax. Well our kids are grown now which mean we no longer can make them eat breakfast before opening presents, or watch them play with their new toys, but the relaxing part is still happening.
Our traditional Christmas dinner is always done the Spanish way. Our children are part Spanish from our previous marriages, so we try giving them some of their heritage. Christmas dinner is either a ham or a picnic ham which is called Lechon in Spanish. The Lechon takes most of the day to cook so that is put on first thing in the morning when we make that. For Lechon you want to cook it low and slow so it will come out moist and mouthwatering. The sides are normally the same each year which would be red rice and Gondules, potato salad, and then if we remembered we would buy some pasteles. This is always something my family looks forward to every Christmas.
Do you have any traditions that you would like to share?
