As I’m sure you will have gathered by now, I’m a dedicated advocate of starting the festive season early. I just love it. I love the indulgence. I love the excuse to eat so much your top button is pinged into next December. I love the sense of togetherness. I love the twinkling lights that pave your usual greyscale commute. One of the things I love most about Christmas though is that I get to have my little brother back home on UK soil for a week or two.
Jake lives in New Jersey and has done since setting off for university there almost 5 years ago. Sadly (and selfishly) for us but bloody brilliantly for him, he has since bagged himself a sassy señorita, his first step on that ladder to Wall Street success and even his very own set of wheels so it will come as no surprise if I tell you he’s having the time of his bloody life. Of course he is. Sure, the trips over the pond are one helluva silver lining too but it’ll definitely be nice to have him back in Blighty for a couple of weeks.
So with all of the above in mind, I thought I’d have a little look at how I could help our American Boy stay in touch with all things stateside over Christmas dinner and here’s what I found…
Don’t forget the Hickory Honey Ham!
With regards to the Christmas Day spread, it appears we have a bit of a we say Father Christmas, you say Santa Claus situation on our hands and US traditions don’t actually stray too far from home on the food front. However, if you do want to go full blown Christmas with the Kranks then consider swapping your turkey crown for honey roast ham or beef. After stuffing themselves silly with turkey over Thanksgiving, carnivorous ‘Muricans tend to shake things up a bit on December 25th.
Swap pudding for pie
As you’ll know from my festive foodie bucket list, Christmas fare ain’t my bag. Too much star anise and way, way too many raisins for my liking. That means Christmas pudding and mince pies are lost on me so I’m all for swapping our traditional pud for pecan pie, cherry pie or apple & cinnamon pie which are all customary seasonal desserts in the States. Custard, gingerbread and pumpkin pie are also popular choices if you want to serve up an edible nod to friends or family from across the pond.
Spice things up a bit
Believe it or not, Mexican delicacies such as tamales are also a regular feature on an American Christmas dinner table so if you’re looking for an edible winter warmer, don’t be afraid to invite some chilies to your festive feasts this year.
If, like me, you haven’t got time to think of anything but sipping festive cocktails, stuffing yourself into some brand spankin’ new Christmas PJs and opening a can of whoop ass on your favourite family board games this time of year, you need to hit up JD Parties. This year, these masterminds of Yuletide shindigs are bringing the big bright lights of New York City to Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool. With it comes a a whole host of festive fun, food and entertainment that the Big (spiced) Apple would be proud of, with all the decor to boot.
Obviously, spaces are filling up at lightening speed for the New York, New York Christmas bash so if you do fancy throwing on your glad rags and indulging in a night of utmost glamour before it’s hands-up-a-turkey’s-bum time, head on over to the JD Parties website and reserve your table.
If you do find yourself with a spot on that illustrious guestlist, don’t forget to share your snaps over social media using the hashtag #NYNYLiverpool and tagging @JDParties!
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