I try to keep up at least a semblance of my ancestral Christmas tradition. Being of Polish heritage the main celebratory day is tonight, Christmas eve. The traditional meal was meatless but as the Catholic church eased it's dietary restrictions the menu included more and more meat dishes. Tonight we will be starting with a course of marinated herring then plates of polish sausage and Christmas ham served with rye bread and horseradish then a course of bigos, also known as hunter's stew, which is sauerkraut simmered with various smoked meats and sausage. For dessert we will have poppy seed strudel washed down with coffee and liquers.

Tomorrow we go to my sister's for a traditional North American dinner of turkey and trimmings. Enjoying the best of two worlds.