Virginia Holiday Traditions – Serving Seafood
Seafood is a traditional food served during Virginia holiday meals, and is popular as a Christmas or other holiday gift. In places such as the Mid-Atlantic Coast, oysters and other shellfish are popular for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Other family dinners might include rich chowders made with clams, crab meat, scallops or other local seafood. Lobster is another item that is sometimes served during the holidays.
In the USA, coastal communities have always served seafood as part of family meals. Regional seafood dishes became a holiday tradition along much of the coast. After a few generations, coastal residents began to leave fishing towns to live elsewhere, creating a demand for seafood that could be shipped for the holiday season.
Fortunately the seafood industry has responded with a variety of solutions. A wide range of non-perishable products are available now for seafood enthusiasts and holiday shoppers. Items such as smoked salmon, canned oysters, pre-cooked seafood soups, chowders and stews are all offered in forms that do not require refrigeration.
For shoppers that want the highest possible quality, seafood is available fresh from the boat. Lobsters, crabs, shrimp, clams, oysters, scallops, mussels, fish and other seafood is all available online, ready to be shipped overnight in special chilled containers. Online stores also offer frozen seafood products, either uncooked or fully cooked meal entrees.
Gift baskets are another option when choosing a seafood-related gift for a loved one. Baskets are available that contain single types of products or a mixture of several items such as smoked salmon or other fish, canned smoked oysters, caviar, canned stews and other delicacies. Gift baskets are extremely popular for outdoorsmen as many come with combinations of seafood, wild game, cheeses, condiments and other treats.
Seafood cookbooks are a perennial favorite gift. These are available at local bookstores or via online specialty stores. Seafood collectibles are another popular gift idea. These include t-shirts, prints, photographs, calendars, coffee mugs, stickers and other gifts.
Seafood Gift Links