We have been getting together with our cousins here in the Bay Area for Christmas Holiday dinner for more than ten years. It’s not always right before Christmas as synching our schedules is tough so we work with what works for all – but it’s always in December. Sometimes early December, sometimes mid-December, sometimes on a Friday night, sometimes on a Saturday night, but always over the holidays and to celebrate Christmas. We never miss this dinner – we always make it happen. Last year we met in early December on Dec. 4th.
We even exchange presents – we do it more for the kids.
But we thought “Hey, adults like a little something too including grandma 🛍 😊”
Every Christmas dinner we have a global vegetarian menu. Last year we had Mexican vegetarian cuisine, the year before it was Thai vegetarian, one year it was North-African vegetarian, one year we even had vegetarian French cuisine with ratatouille!
This year we decided to go for what we are comfortable cooking – South Indian Tamil Vegetarian. My cousin Meera suggested maybe doing Western Indian Gujarati cuisine – but I pointed out to her “How authentic can a bunch of South Indian Tamilians make Gujarati food?” I think Hitesh would have had a good laugh at our attempt 😬! So we stuck with what we know best – our Tamil vegetarian cuisine. Here is a look at what was on our menu.
Christmas Vegetarian Menu at Meera and Mahesh’s
Dahi Vada – lentil fritters in yogurt sauce
Potato Curry
Green Beans Usli – Green beans and lentil curry
Eggplant curry
More Quaimbu – yogurt and squash soup
Sambhar – Lentil and vegetable stew
Rasam – lentil water and tomato soup
Corn and Carrot Salad
Yogurt rice
Plain rice
Pappadum
Carrot Cake
Christmas Fruit Cake
Payasam – vermicelli and milk pudding
This year our schedules were aligned so we could meet for dinner closer to Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 23rd. My cousin had a surprise for us this year- he texted a couple of days before the party saying he had rented a karaoke machine. We were to come prepared to sing! Oh the pressure!! Hitesh and I can’t sing a tune for the life of us 😀!
Here are a few pics from our annual holiday dinner with the cousins
Fun times 😀😄
Can’t wait to dig into our food 😋
Karaoke time!
This is everyone’s reaction to the singing 😂😃😀
Our cousins had a bet that Hitesh wouldn’t sing. He proved them wrong! Meera had to give him a high-five.
Kids Karaoke
Dessert time!
Little ones couldn’t wait to hand out presents
A few presents for the adults too
Selfie time!
Cherished moments with the family
Meera and Mahesh, thank you for hosting an outstanding holiday dinner. We had the most fun night!! It couldn’t have been any better. Food was delicious, karaoke a blast, company amazing. Absolutely loved everything about last night. Have a wonderful Christmas. Thank you for hosting yet another fabulous family holiday gathering! Love you all ❤️!
Happy Holidays!
I would sing all the time just to see the kids laughing their heads off :-).
Meera – your turn next time!
That’s so funny! Everytime I see the kids laughing faces watching the adults sing, it makes me laugh 😀
Hi Dolly, I enjoyed the pictures, your narration and interesring blogs!
It’s nice to know Hitesh Karoking!
Thanks Dad! Glad you enjoyed! I am sure you would have done a great job singing as well 😀!
Yup .. feeling so blessed to have such loving families around .. Merry Xmas and very happy new year to all!
Looking forward to many more such family gathering , laughter and cheer!
Love you all!!
Feeling the same Uma!
So true Dolly.. thank you all – Dolly, Uma, Hitesh, Nandu, all the kids, for coming and creating such lovely memories. Enjoyed the Karaoke and thank you so much everyone for being such a sport.. we had so much fun and laughed so much.
May the years to come be filled with such love and laughter for all of us. Thank you all being there for us. Warmest wishes! 🤗
Nice pictures.. thanks for sharing.. 👍
Thank you for hositng our annual holiday party every year and for always making it so festive!!! Wouldnt miss it for the world 🥰😍😘!!
Wonderful photos! Thanks for sharing your lovely post. Wish you a wonderful New Year my friend 🙂
Thank you for stopping by! Happy New Year to you as well 🍾!
Such a beautiful and lovely pics❤ love this Christmas festiveness 🎄 hope u had a wonderful Christmas 🎄 and happy Holidays ❣
Thank you. In a couple of days all the festivites come to an end and the start of a new year. Happy holidays to you and family!
How beautiful and festive! Thanks for sharing, Kalpana, what an outstanding tradition! I love all the photos and it looked like the karaoke was a hit!
Happy holidays and a peaceful, healthy and prosperous 2018!
We always have an amazing time with our Bay Area cousins! So blessed to have them in the same town! Karaoke was a lot of fun.
Have a healthy, happy New Year!❤️