Ah, what kind of soup to make before a rousing holiday meal?  Some prefer a light broth, many choose a classic variation on a squash soup or pumpkin soup.  If the meal to follow isn't overwhelming, a good chowder can satisfy the holiday taste buds. 

Whatever you pick, whether soup, chowder or broth, it sets the tone for the rest of the meal.  If you have a Thanksgiving turkey stuffing that is Italian in flavor, don't opt for a chile-filled southwestern style soup.  this is the dish that awakens the palate, so choose carefully.   If you cook a Christmas roast beef, choose a light soup.

Recipes for Holiday Soup - Thanksgiving and Christmas

• turkey giblet stock and gravy
• apple and parsnip soup - from Ireland
• carrot - curried carrot soup
• carrot and tart apple soup
• carrot bisque
• carrot and fennel veloute
• cherokee pepperpot soup 
• corn - zippy corn chowder
• clam - manhattan clam chowder
• crab - Maryland crab soup 
• chestnut - roasted chestnut soup  - from Mark Bittman
• Curried squash and apple soup
• curried cauliflower soup
• hazelnut soup - native american
• lobster and roast corn chowder  
• Mexican corn soup - sopa de elote, a classic
• tex-mex corn soup - diabetic acceptable
• mushroom - wild mushroom soup
• mushroom - spicy mushroom soup
• oyster soup
• oyster-spinach soup
• oyster - creole oyster chowder   
• parsnip and leek soup
• peas - English pea soup - diabetic acceptable
• pea - pea and fennel soup
• pea - pea pod soup (use the peas elsewhere)  
• pumpkin bisque
• pumpkin - spicy pumkin soup
• pumpkin turnip soup
• pumpkin almond soup
• pumpkin pear soup
• pumpkin soup with nutmeg
• The Pumpkin tureen (soup cooked in the pumpkin itself) from Mollie Katzen
• scallop - scallop soup
• scallop - scallop and bacon chowder
• shrimp - shrimp bisque 
• spinach - creamed spnach soup
• sweet potato - santa fe sweet potato soup
• tortellini soup (Italian)
• watercress-leek soup
• yam soup