No turkey for Christmas here. We had pork tenderloins marinated overnight in a very spicy concoction which I made up as I went along and turned out terrific. Also had North Carolina pulled pork barbeque, which Madame learned to make from a wonderful lady of color, NC native, who cleaned for us years ago (she would do the first part of making the barbecue while she was cleaning and leave it in the oven to finish so it was done when we came home). We were going to have fresh asparagus and mac&cheese, but since only one of our sons could make it with wife and our granddaughters (the other 2 couldn't get out of northern Virginia and the DC suburbs because of heavy snowstorm), we didn't cook that and saved it for Saturday following Christmas when we had Christmas dinner all over again with everyone there, all 3 grandchildren, and a great time had by all. (Barbecued chicken and spareribs from the Amish market in Burtonsville MD replaced the Christmas Day burnt offerings).

What I really want to do some year when I have the time to do it is an Italian Christmas Eve dinner. In Italy, Christmas Eve is a fast day, so there is no meat. But they make up for it with very special foods of fish and seafood. Depending on what part of Italy you're in, there are either 7 or 12 fish dishes served. The two which are almost always included are Sarde in Saor - Sweet-Sour Sardines (fresh) and Baccalà con Polenta - Salted Cod with cornmeal mush. (That last one sounds horrible, -- almost as bad as Lutfisk -- but it's delicious, although it takes the best part of 2 days to make since you have to reconstitute the fish, changing the water frequently to get rid of the salt.) Eels are popular, as well as whatever fish is available, as are prawns, clams, etc. Despite the fact of it being a fast day, it's a real feast and fuels you up to attend midnight Mass.