Christmas Day Plan

Parents know how hectic December can be, and December has been kicking my butt hard this year!! Christmas Day as a child was always very stressful for me as my parents were divorced and I was always going from place to place. Now that I have my own children, it’s very important to me that we stay warm and cozy inside — so we invite everyone over here so we don’t have to leave the house! We have a magical Christmas and we all look forward to it every year. It’s the perfect reward for a never-stop-moving December. My in-laws have a lovely and fancy Christmas Eve dinner where we get to dress up and eat on fine China — so Christmas Day we are very casual (I’m talking PJs all day casual!) and set food out for people to take as they please. We used to have the immediate grandparents over earlier and everyone else a bit later but that was a bit much on me. This year, I asked if everyone could come at the same time around 10 and thankfully everyone was ok with the new plan. That helps make meal-planning a bit easier as well since before I’d have breakfast food early and also lunch food later. I’m simplifying the menu a LOT this year and making basically everything ahead!

Breakfast

(just us)

  • Hardboiled eggs and/or bacon (made ahead)

  • Cinnamon rolls (not the BEST ingredients, but it’s Christmas!)

  • Hot chocolate with marshmallows (cheaper from target but I couldn’t find a link — we really like the “cocoa” flavor — the rest have been meh).

Brunch (heavy on the UNCH)

to be served around 11

  • Ham with mustard and homemade applesauce

    • Ham is so easy and festive — I will buy the jarred sauce, slather it on, and throw it in the oven!

    • Applesauce made this fall from apple picking and frozen, just thaw and throw in a bowl!

  • Spanakopita

    • Also frozen — freezing and baking instructions in recipe.

  • White velvet soup

    • Will make on Christmas Eve and reheat in crockpot and serve with mugs on this mug tree. Omitting the toppings. Fun side note — my kindergartener came home from school with an assignment to share a recipe for a class holiday cookbook and he chose this!!

  • Bread / rolls

  • Clementines in a bowl

  • Christmas cookies (I like this recipe) and make a simple frosting with powdered sugar and almond milk and a touch of almond extract.

  • Americas Test Kitchen chocolate mint cookies (THE BEST— I think that is the correct recipe)

  • Olive and cheese wreath

    • Rosemary to look like a wreath dotted with olives, whole grape tomatoes, and mozzarella balls

  • Veggies with white bean dip if I have time

Drinks

(to be out all morning / day)

  • orange juice

  • cranberry juice

  • champagne

  • egg nog

  • water

  • coffee with cream and sugar

I’m going to put the juices and egg nog in these adorable glass bottles in the awesome tub from IKEA! Will use snow instead of ice if we have a white Christmas this year!

Dinner

We are having beef on Christmas Eve and ham for brunch and wanted something EASY and different for dinner. This is what we came up with:

  • Salmon (a huge piece — will hopefully grill it if there’s not too much snow)

  • Cheesy orzo

  • Simple salad (goat cheese, candied nuts, balsamic vinaigrette)

For dessert I’m playing it by ear but the two options are this cake or making a cake from a box in my new Bundt pans (single large gingerbread house or mini gingerbread houses !!!!!!) and letting the kids sprinkle it with “snow” before eating with this!!

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