Tell Us Your Family’s Special Holiday Dish

My grammy Mae Plissey Carmichael made a jello, carrot, whipped cream and diced fruit dessert she called (for some reason probably known to older relatives but not to me) "Watergate Salad." She served it at just about every occasion. My mother Lois Carmichael Shaw made "Shrimp Pea Salad," which was well-chilled peas, shrimp and mayonnaise in precise amounts and at a specific level of coldness. The wrong combination made the side dish lose its magic and become only shrimp, peas and mayo rather than Mom's Shrimp Pea Salad that was a must at all holiday gatherings.

All of us likely have at least one dish that's so much a part of family meals we don't consider that the dish may be unusual, except when non-family members point it out and ask about it.

We'd like to know what your family's special holiday food or drink was (or still is).  It might be something concocted by an interesting family cook in a previous generation. It may be something passed down from one's ancestral heritage.

Post a reply below. Tell us your family's "Must Have At Holidays." You don't have to reveal secret recipes, unless you want to. We'll follow up with a story a little later on and feature several of the more interesting fare.  And, Grammy, I still don't know what Nixon has to do with Jello.