Christmas Dinner: To Cook Or Not To Cook

Christmas dinner is traditionally a time for families to get together and share the cooking duties to serve an amazing feast to celebrate the holiday. But lately, more and more families are choosing to pre-order Christmas dinner, or sometimes, dine out.

What does your family prefer? I must admit, when I was growing up New York City, there were some Christmas Days where we hosted a big feast for our extended family, or we would head to my Uncle's house in Northern New Jersey for Christmas dinner. There were other years where we would all meet up in Manhattan and enjoy Christmas dinner at one of the great restaurants in the city. I guess even back then, cooking for all those people every year seemed like a monumental task for my Mom or my Aunt. Even though my Dad co-owned and managed a steak house in Greenwich Village, he certainly never shared in the holiday cooking duties.

It seems like many families are so busy all year long nowadays taking their kids from one activity to another. Add in jobs for both parents, and a Christmas Day spent preparing a traditional main course and side dishes in a hot kitchen seems like more of a chore than a pleasure. I certainly understand why many families decide to pre-order meals or dine out, just so that they can spend some quality time enjoying each other's company for a change.

I also understand how many families feel those Christmas meal preparation traditions are what brings their families closer. Sharing a meal together at the dinner table has become a lost art in the modern American family. Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day might be the only opportunities where the entire extended family all sits down together to catch up, laugh, cry, or just comment on how good (or bad) the meal is. If everyone shares in the meal preparation, whether it be in the same kitchen or each member of the family bringing a dish to a pot luck buffet, getting everyone together around the dinner table is what Christmas is all about.

Not matter whether you decide to cook, or not to cook, we certainly hope you and your family share some lasting memories and a delicious meal together for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or "Festivus" (classic Seinfeld episode). Happy Holidays!

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Larry Martino is the long-time Afternoon Drive personality on 96.3 KKLZ. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of Larry Martino and not necessarily those of Beasley Media Group, LLC.

Hanukkah is approaching, and some Las Vegas restaurants are offering special menus for the holiday. But first, some history. This is one interpretation of why Hanukkah is celebrated. There are others. This one comes from the Talmud, a central text in Judaism, courtesy of history.com.

Hanukkah is celebrated this time every year to remember a turbulent time in Jewish history. It started around 200 B.C. in Judea (AKA The Land of Israel), when King Antiochus III took control. He was the King of Syria who allowed the Jewish people to remain in their land and practice their religion.

Antiochus III's son, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, was not as nice as his dad. When he took over, he outlawed the Jewish religion and demanded that the Jewish people worship Greek gods. His soldiers invaded Jerusalem in 168 B.C. They massacred many Jews and destroyed their city's holy Second Temple. They sacrificed pigs within the sacred walls of the temple and put up an alter to the Greek god Zeus.

By about 164 B.C., the Syrians had been driven out of Jerusalem by a rebellion led by the Jewish priest Mattathias. The Second Temple was cleansed, it's alter rebuilt, and its menorah lit. The menorah was meant to be kept burning every night. But there was only enough oil to last a single night. Hanukkah, which is Hebrew for "dedication", lasts eight nights because of a miracle witnessed during this time.

The story comes from the men at the rededication of the Second Temple. They saw the menorah candles stay lit for eight nights on a single night's worth of oil. Believing this to be a miracle, the Jewish sages proclaimed a yearly eight-day festival. And thus, Hanukkah was born (history.com).

Hanukkah this year goes from the evening of December 18th and ends the evening of December 26. Here's where you can go in Las Vegas for a special Hanukkah menu around that time. –Wendy Rush

This looks so good, we might just stop by when it's not Hanukkah. They are a Jewish deli, so they're a good choice for your Hanukkah menu. They're offering a takeout menu that includes per-person options and family feast option. They will also have about two dozen ala carte menu items for takeout.

From their website, 138 Degrees in Henderson is offering a Hanukkah menu for 6, dine in or take out, for $199. The family-style menu includes:

Matzoh ball soup, heirloom carrots, chicken schmaltz, duck cracklings, Potato latkes , Granny Smith fermented apple sauce , cultured sour creme

Perigo farms brisket, wood grilled root vegetables , wild honey gastrique, Egg noodle kugel , dark chocolate, roasted zucchini, Oaxaca cheese

Fried donuts, wild berry preserves, and spiced caramel drizzle.

Available every day of Hanukkah, Hearthstone has a full menu of tasty choices. Some traditional, some with a spin.

Stop by the first two days of Hanukkah to enjoy their special menu.

Grab a Hanukkah dinner to go. They include matzo ball soup and choice of a whole roast chicken or a one pound brisket with gravy. Sides include potato pancakes with applesauce, fresh vegetables, two challah rolls and two jelly doughnuts. Latkes, blintzes and kugels are also available from the ala carte menu.

Stop by any day during Hanukkah for a menu that includes Long Island Duck Breast with potato rösti and a butternut squash purée. 

If you're looking for a quicker, more fun way to celebrate Hanukkah with food, stop by Pinkbox. They'll have Hanukkah Rings, Hanukkah Jellies, and Hanukkah Pee Weez, all decorated for the holiday.

The El Cortez Hotel website says the Hanukkah menu at Siegel's 1941 includes chopped chicken livers, matzo ball soup, green salad, beef brisket, roasted apricot chicken, and sweet raisin kugel for dessert.