Though Thanksgiving may have stronger associations with food, the tastes and smells we associate with our own Christmas traditions are just as memorable.
For Christmas Eve, typically celebrated at my grandmother's house, we have a traditional meal of ham, dressing, sides and lots of finger foods like meatballs, sausage dip and Rotel dip. There's usually a selection of cakes and pies, along with homemade Christmas candy like Oreo balls, peanut butter balls, chocolate-dipped pretzels and fudge made in the days leading up to the holiday.
For as long as I can remember, my parents have hosted our extended family for breakfast on Christmas morning. The table is set with biscuits, homemade gravy, sausage, bacon, quiche, pigs in a blanket -- and for dessert, cinnamon and cream cheese crescent rolls.
When my wife and I celebrate Christmas together, typically a few days before Christmas Day, we've started our own tradition of having Pillsbury orange cinnamon rolls and bacon.
And when it comes time to check our stockings, there's one candy I always look forward to most -- a Terry's chocolate orange, the perfect mix of citrus and cocoa.
I hope your Christmas will be filled with people and food that bring back happy memories and create new ones!