Christmas at the Kenny’s: Traditions & Val’s Famous Stuffing Balls

Every family has their own Christmas rituals - the charming ones, the chaotic ones, the ones that have no logical explanation but absolutely cannot be changed.

At the Kenny house, Christmas is a delicious mix of nostalgia, food, superstition, and a strong devotion to one particular dish: Val’s stuffing.

Not just any stuffing, legendary stuffing.
So legendary that years ago Mum had to start making an entire extra tray of stuffing balls because we’d all physically fight over them.

The extra stuffing balls?
Non-negotiable.
A founding pillar of Kenny Christmas.

But before we get to the recipe (you’re going to want it), here are a few of the traditions that make our version of Christmas beautifully ours.

🎁 The Wrapping Paper Incident of 1989 (…or maybe 1991?)
At some point, decades ago, an unwrapped present accidentally got mixed into the pile of discarded wrapping paper… and was thrown out.

Nobody remembers what the gift was.
But everyone remembers that it happened.

And so every year, without fail:
The wrapping paper box comes out.

Every scrap goes straight into the box the second the gift is opened.
Someone retells the story.
We nod gravely.
The system continues.

Some traditions are built on joy.
Some are built on unspeakable incidents. 
This one is both.

🧦 The Famous Christmas Stockings (a.k.a. Dad’s Socks)

While other families have matching monogrammed stockings…
We pin Dad’s (clean) socks to the sofa cushions.

They are filled after the “kids” go to bed, even though the youngest “child” in the house was 22 last year.

There is still:

• An orange (a treasured treat from Mum’s childhood)
• A plate left out for Santa
• Carrots for the reindeer
• A Christmas cake and a tipple

The magic is very much alive, even if we’re all technically adults.

🎄 Snatchy Santa (Highly Competitive Edition)

To avoid 47 random gifts nobody needs, we do Snatchy Santa with one well-chosen gift per adult.

Highlights over the years include:

• Scheming
• Alliances
• Betrayal
• Tears of laughter
• Overly dramatic hostage negotiations
• The year a fresh cooked crayfish became the most stolen item in the game’s history

A tradition built on love… and mild violence.

🍞 THE STAR OF THE SHOW: Val’s Stuffing (and Extra Stuffing Balls)

There are people who enjoy stuffing.
And then there are people who enjoy Val’s stuffing.

The difference is spiritual.

Here’s the recipe - lovingly passed down, tested, devoured, and fought over.

VAL’S CHRISTMAS STUFFING (& EXTRA STUFFING BALLS)

Breadcrumbs — approx. 8 cups
Mum always makes her own (no store-bought here!). Hoarded throughout the year and frozen for this exact purpose.

Mix together:

• 1 large onion (or 2 medium) - Diced finely.
• Fresh herbs:
  • Generous handfuls of:
    • Sage
    • Thyme
    • Parsley
    • Plus small amounts of mint, rosemary, oregano — whatever’s thriving in the garden. (Always freshly cut!)
• Salt & pepper — to taste
• Butter — approx. 70g - Chopped and rubbed through.
• Eggs — 3 or 4 - Mixed through by hand until the mixture becomes dough-like.

To Cook:

1. Stuff some mixture into the turkey or chicken.
2. Roll the rest into balls (tablespoon size), place in a greased oven dish and gently flatten.
3. Bake at 180°C for around 1 hour, until crispy and golden.

Insider tip: Cook them in the same dish as the turkey/chicken… or add duck fat for maximum glory.

The stuffing balls often outshine the actual roast.
Some years, chicken is added to the menu solely to provide juices for the stuffing balls.

And the best Boxing Day picnic?
Chicken and sliced stuffing-ball sammies.
Perfection.

❤️ A Kenny Christmas

It’s food and family.
Love and silliness.
Garden herbs and Dad’s socks.
Traditions that make no sense, but mean everything.

We hope this little peek into our home brings a smile, a memory, or a moment of warmth to yours.

From our whānau to yours - may your Christmas be full of connection, joy, and very, very good stuffing.