I absolutely love holiday food traditions. Through the years my wife and I have tried our best to stay true to our unique set of sacred holiday traditions with our children. They have developed from what we experienced as kids, what we have borrowed from family friends and recent ones from new family members — a perfect mishmash that always starts the year with Hoppin’ John, then Italian meat pie, corned beef and cabbage, summertime trough mussels, beach food and drink, oysters for every occasion, our TG smoked turkey and finally December.

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day hold a special place in our family’s heart and stomachs. We do not take lightly the fact that we have money to spend on food and drink for the holidays or take for granted our family and traditions. We have taken a good look at the past 20 months and realize how precious life is and that we all can make effective and positive change out there in the world!!!

Being Scotch-Irish/Italian, great food and a well-made drink go a long way in making our holidays bright. Starting with Christmas Eve, we prepare The Seven Fishes with plenty of fine libation. Honestly, it usually turns into a lot more then seven, especially now that we are On Cape where there is an abundant flow of local ocean goodness. We just collected oysters ourselves this morning on the Brewster flats in 25 mph NE winds. When we go to several local markets in just a bit, we always have an idea of what we want. And, we are certainly up for buying a nice surprise of fresh octopus, sushi-grade tuna and incredible fresh day boat scallops or whatever just came in! Although the Seven Fishes Feast is based on Roman Catholic traditions, I have to confess we are not religious. We do this because it’s what my family did growing up as far back as I can remember.

We always start Christmas Day with fresh bagels, capers, red onion, smoked salmon and mimosas. This year we were having a slow-cooked, locally raised, standing rib roast with garlic custard potatoes, caramelized Brussel sprouts, Eastham turnips, bitter greens salad with L.C. goat cheese and pomegranate, my wife’s flourless chocolate tart, and obviously … plenty more cocktails. However, our kids have responsibly canceled their travel plans due to having and being exposed to COVID. So — deep breath — we are in the process of tweaking all the above.

We also have done glazed hams, lasagna, fresh pasta with our garden roasted tomatoes and crown roasts, all with a wide array of fixings.

Which brings us to Boxing Day, a traditional day in England where the lord of the house would have all the leftovers from his feast on Christmas boxed up for the staff. For almost 20 years we had our main meal on Boxing Day because we were the help! Being in the restaurant and catering business, we always worked 80-hour weeks for months leading up to Christmas Eve. I must say, they were the good ol' days and I’m exhausted just thinking about them! Now our Boxing Days are filled with leftovers.

We are looking forward to including new traditions as all our children’s sweethearts share their own foods and upbringing. Foie gras and escargot from Normandy, tamales and pozole from Mexico City, Yorkshire pudding from Charleston and Cape Cod and cioppino from Petaluma! The future is so full of promise and we have to believe next year will be different and have a house full of people hugging and laughing. We are blessed to have those goals!

Kate and I will still be dancing in the kitchen as we cook whatever we decide on. Our Christmas wish to all is peace of mind, good health and the joy of family and friends. Please step up y’all: Let’s not only write those checks but actually do good deeds all year long! Be grateful, be mindful of your fellow humans and animals. Have a blessed holiday season.

Please share your “must have” for the December Holiday that you celebrate!

Stay safe, and as always, Live Well. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Sharing holiday traditions

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