What is the traditional holiday menu item from your childhood that you have eliminated and don't miss it, not one little bit?

We don’t do cranberry sauce here either. I remember the canned stuff as a kid and my MIL used to have it when BIL was married to his first wife because she liked it.

No corn this year. Or last year. We’ve always had canned corn or corn on the cob but only when MIL hosted.

Jello with canned fruit cocktail was regularly served on holidays growing up. It’s a thing of the past now!

Greeks put a coin wrapped in foil in a filo pie and whoever gets that piece has good luck for a year.

Cranberry sauce only makes it to my table because Mom likes it. I make pumpkin pie because some family members like it and seem to think I make good ones even though I don't like them much either. I'm a basic farm cook so my green beans are only seasoned with ham and onions, corn with butter and a little salt, squash with butter and garlic, and the only casserole is the awesome broccoli cheddar. The gravy is thicken the old fashion way with flour, not cornstarch.

I hate the cranberry sauce that slides out of the can like jello.. my aunt still insists on it! My MIL made a jello salad with sliced celery and carrots.. just yuck! We do buy the cranberry relish that our local small town grocery makes,, I am pretty sure it has cherry jello, but no mayo.. but we only buy a small container, and its great on vanilla ice cream! And OK.. I have to fess up we all like green bean casserole, but we but good green beans and don't over cook it.. I don't miss the sweet potato casserole with marshmallows,, you may as well serve that with the desserts!

I don't miss the rice dish our foreign exchange student introduced to us when he came to live with us for a year,from Finland when I was 10 and we had it every Christmas from then on.It was rice that had raisins in it and a hidden almond and whoever got the almond was supposed to have a bunch of good luck in the New Year.The game was alright,but the raisins in the rice weren't good at all.

I agree with mincemeat. I put it in the category of fruitcake but I do like pumpkin pie. Speaking of the awful green bean casseroles does anybody remember tuna casseroles with potato chip toppings. It makes one wonder the appeal of vintage cookbooks.

Pies, Pumpkin, Mincemeat, I detest them.

Gladimhere,

"Crazy nonsense"?

Way back in my childhood, it was warmer at Thanksgiving time, and we did have corn on the cob in Southern California.

We also had the jello thing, but they put a can of fruit cocktail in the jello. I have never served that.

Green bean casserole is no longer at my table. Beans that lost their vibrant green in the can covered with gray mushroom soup just looked awful to me as a kid.
While you mention it, I don't even like pumpkin pie, gravy, stuffing or mashed potatoes but I serve those since it seems like it just would not be Thanksgiving if I served hamburgers, kale salad and brownies. I hope someone at my table likes it.

This will probably be the first Christmas we don’t have broccoli casserole. My mom always comes over early on Christmas Day and makes it but I’m pretty sure it’s gotten to be too much for her and honestly I don’t expect my folks to come over early this year anyway. I refuse to make it, it’s gross. It’s frozen chopped broccoli, cream of mushroom soup, mayo, cheddar cheese and breadcrumbs. I have a mayo aversion and I really can’t stand the smell of the casserole both raw and cooked! I won’t miss it at all but I know everyone else will!

Carrot pudding was (and still is in some families I imagine) very big where I grew up. The basic recipe couldn't be simpler - I cup each grated carrot and potatoes (oops, I almost forgot the apples), raisins (my grandmother used currants), flour, suet, brown sugar. The addition of nuts, candied fruits and spices varies. Steamed of course, and served with a brown sugar sauce (rum optional but delicious). All in all it's actually a pretty healthy dessert, but much too heavy after a large meal and not the first pick of anyone when there are so many other cakes, pies and cookies on offer.

green bean casserole - mushy green beans out of a can, mixed with cream of mushroom soup out of a can, and crunchy onions - a sticky mess

D R Y turkey - too large and in oven too long

mashed potatoes mad from Potato Buds instant potatoes - disgusting

gravy made with cornstarch

I make a Christmas stollen with the candied fruit. It is a egg bread, something mom used to make. It is actually quite good. Used to make a triple recipe and give loaves to all family members. Not ALL family members any longer.

My least favorite relative made corned beef aspic. Truly disgusting. We mashed it around on our plates to try to make it disappear.

Glad, no not kids and as time passed I don't think many of us could. Not only was it potent but so solid. Not very cake like. I think by the 1980's we thanked her and then tossed it.

A product of a creative chef. I don't know if it was developed as a result of Watergate, or just a creation of the hotel.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/08/03/746312155/watergate-salad-a-fluffy-green-bite-of-washington-d-c-s-past

Mom had it often and said it was Watergate salad because it is loaded with marshmallows, fruit and nuts. Pistachio pudding mix you know.

I had never heard of Watergate salad. Having read about it, I'm not sure why it exists?

CW, what kind of Christmas pudding? I made a steamed cranberry pudding that was served with hard sauce. That was a tradition of ex's family and actually quite good. Mom loved, loved, loved that dessert.

River, were the kids allowed to eat that fruitcake? I actually enjoy fruitcake but never had one quite that potent.

Corn on the cob? Really, Send? That is crazy nonsense.

Barb, I made the pearl onions once, I actually enjoyed them. That was a tradition of a SO from Long Island. Maybe a New York thing?

Carla, what is left? I understand the green bean casserole.

For me is is a cranberry jello salad. Cranberries were boiled until they cracked open and placed into waiting cherry jello. Sliced celery and pecans were also in the"salad". Then served with mayonnaise. Mom absolutely loved it. Me, just a big yucky.

What was it with our folks generation and jello salad? Remember Watergate salad?

Candied yams. Too sweet. Green bean casserole. Too gloppy. Creamed onions. Just not interesting enough to bother with. I sub in whole or whipped sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts with toasted pine nuts, and creamed leek casserole. Oh, and those dinner rolls you warm up in the oven? No. I use crusty little French rolls. Makes a wonderful little turkey sammich.

Creamed pearl onions. My mother used to slave over them each year, crying and muttering under her breath.

Corn on the cob.
Green bean casserole.

Fruitcake. Really who can eat that. I had an aunt who soaked it for weeks in bourbon. That was a cocktail in itself. Her other baked items were delicious.

The Christmas pudding. But I do miss it a little. Well, for a few seconds each year anyway.