Feliz Navidad From WAOD- Rocking Out to Johnny Mathis & Explosive Gumbo Roux

Well you know its the holidays when those special family-only ring tones start going off  in the middle of the day. I hope you are rocking out to some Johnny Mathis with your family and are reading this the day AFTER Christmas and not on Christmas day.

Well its Christmas Eve and I have just learned that our Christmas Eve Gumbo Fest is supposed to start a few hours earlier than I anticipated. Yes, I failed to read the detailed instructions from this year's Christmas host.

For those who have been with us for over a year, you know that in my family, the adults pull names and we play "Secret Santa" on Christmas morning. This year it is being called the Christmas Angel because the person in charge doesn't do the Santa thing anymore. Something about Satan, paganism, consumerism, so on and so forth.

In any case, its an elaborate enterprise trying to guess who pulled your name. The wrapping paper used to give a few of us away (I used to use newspaper and scotch tape- I'm cheap). Every year we set a gift amount limit and one of us supervises the name pulling and wish list distribution. The gifts themselves are inconsequential because we end up buying each other stuff we would have gotten for ourselves anyway, its more of a symbolic thing, but the tradition is fun. Here is a portion of my list verbatim:

1. Battery Charger w/spare battery for a Palm Treo 800w 4. Snow Globes [I collect them] 6.Some writeable DVD's 8. body creme from bath and body works/ victorias secret. I like the Jasmine Cherry Blossum, but surprise me - 10. Ikea  Fado table lamp (14.99) Knnubbig table lamp in white -11. A REAL food processor, not the chopper with a single blade, but shredding slicing etc. -12. Black gloves ( I like fleece)

We're big on holiday traditions. We eat gumbo on Christmas Eve. Let me correct that. IF my Mama cooks it, we eat gumbo. If one of my sisters cooks it... well its a crap shoot. I am just glad they gave up trying to make their roux from scratch and started buying their roux in a jar. Oops the secrets out.

I think they finally gave up trying to make their own roux when one of them set the oven on fire because she wanted to brown the flour without using oil. Did y'all know flour is extremely combustible? Well after they went through their oven-browned roux phase, they finally got hip to the jar. Luckily I learned how to make my own roux before all this store-bought foolishness began. For those of you who have no idea what the heck I am talking about, skip this paragraph and move on. It's a Texas-Louisiana thing, you wouldn't understand. Just like Zumos Party Time Sausage.

So what's in store for moi? Well this year our festivities are hosted by someone who I like to call "Martika Stewart", like Martha, just more organized. We actually received a schedule weeks ago and dad gummit, she's gonna make us stick to it! Per our Christmas Newsletter

HOLIDAY EVENTS
Christmas Eve
6 p.m. – Gumbo Fest, Stocking Decorating{This is new- yes we still do Christmas Stockings}, Christmas Taboo and Christmas Idol

Christmas Day
8 a.m. – Secret Santa Gift Exchange

2 p.m. – Christmas Dinner

6 p.m. – Ice Skating or Bowling{What? No after Christmas trip to the movies this year?BOO!}

She then goes on with a laundry list of instructions about the gift exchange and a bunch of other stuff I completely forgot about so now I have to run out to Wal-mart to get some stocking stuffers I forgot about. OOPs! I would re-post the entire thing, but I will share this final note from our Christmas host.

If you have any dietary restrictions, please let forward to the Christmas Angel as soon as possible. I will do my best to accommodate. {Oops I gave up refined sugar and flour two weeks ago. I guess I'll just starve :( -Y'all pray for me}

Wrapping supplies will be provided.

Moaning and groaning about the Christmas Activities WILL NOT be tolerated. This behavior will result in 1 demerit as a warning and a lump of coal in your stocking if the whining persists.{Well maybe she won't read this blog before Christmas :)}

Y'all have a Merry Christmas. Enjoy your family and friends. I know I will.

Comments

[Constance]

Thanks for sharing. My family isn't big on organizing and do planned events, but since I bought my house everyone comes to my home. and I'm real big on planning. So thanks for the schedule. I think i'll start doing things like this next year.

[deborah]

Have a blessed Christmas! Looking forward to reading more of your work in 2009.

[MrsMcG]

Hey girl, thanks for all your tireless research and work. We need you and we're happy to have you lookin' out for us; keep inspiring us to get and stay involved.
Good luck with the gumbo! I'm from NOLA (livin' on the west coast) so we'll be doing that too!
Enjoy your family and I wish you a loving and peaceful holiday season.

[miriam]

Your family is fun! Happy Holidays!

[Tiffany]

Merry Christmas

[Blues N Catfish]

Happy Holidays!

Thanks for this blog. it's wonderful. Also my family does some of the things you listed but i got a couple of tips from you including gumbo nite. they are from mississippi, so i think we're gonna have to make it catfish and hushpuppies nite though. peace and blessings to all

[Mahoganydymond]

Merry Christmas... My family just get together on Christmas (those that live in town)... We have a big breakfast and subs for dinner... This year I am not even in the Christmas Spirit...

[bayoucreole]

Oh my, making a roux with oil just flour? Store bought roux? Sheer sacrilege here in New Orleans..lol
Hope you and yours have a very, Merry Christmas.

[Yvonne C.]

When I read that you said you were having Gumbo on Christmas Eve. I said you must be from LA. I'm just learning some of the Louisiana traditions since returning.