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Today I am sharing our 2020 Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dinner Menu. This year’s holiday menu focuses on the traditional recipes my family loves most, but includes a few new ones too. Our dinners are complete with cocktails, appetizers, sides, mains, and, of course, sweet desserts too. Bonus? I decided to share what we’ll be having for breakfast too…there’s certainly never too much food at Christmastime!
I’m very late to the game with this year’s menu. However, I figured I should still share what I’m planning to make this year…just in case there are any last-minute people out there like me! As always, I’m keeping things on the simple side since it’s just my immediate family for Christmas. But everyone in my family loves simple and traditional.
Cooking Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners are always my two favorite dinners of the year to cook. Unlike Thanksgiving, there is zero pressure to make multiple dishes and desserts. Instead, I just serve what my family really loves most…along with plenty of cocktails…and desserts too. I just have fun in the kitchen, and this year Asher is planning to help me!
I’m so excited!
So with that, here is this year’s menu. Hope this helps to inspire some of your holiday menus! Excited to see what you all put together!
Christmas Eve dinner menu
Cocktails
I usually make one or two drinks on Christmas Eve…sometimes more if requested.
The Spicy Sweet Grinch Cocktail
Nightcap: The North Pole Cocktail…for a sweet Christmas Eve.
Or…my Vanilla Espresso Martini. Take your pick!
Appetizers
I make Chex Mix early in the day for everyone to snack on. Then I serve one to two appetizers before dinner.
Cranberry Brie Pull-Apart Bread
Sweet and Savory Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry Twists
Dinner
I always do beef tenderloin as our main, but I also include a nice vegetarian option as well!
Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Mushrooms and White Wine Cream Sauce
Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Vegetable Soup
Roasted Bacon Brussels Sprouts with Salted Honey
Winter Pomegranate Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts
Dessert
All the cookies! Tis’ the season! Serve the leftovers on Christmas Day!
Easy Hot Chocolate Lace Cookies
Salted Caramel Pretzel Snickerdoodles
Christmas Day dinner menu
Cocktails
Again, I make one to two cocktails, more as requested by the fam.
Nightcap: Creamy Coconut White Russian
Appetizers
I always do a cheese board, but I’ll be adding some bacon-wrapped dates and seasoned crackers this year!
Goat Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates with Honey
Seasoned Crackers (new and coming soon)
Dinner
Excited to make my chicken marsala this year, but I’m including some vegetarian options too!
Creamy Balsamic Mushroom Chicken Marsala
Spicy Pesto Pasta Alla Vodka (vegetarian option)
OR something more traditional…Herb Butter Roasted Turkey with White Wine Pan Gravy
Slow Cooker Cheesy Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes
Shredded Brussels Sprout Bacon Salad (or Tomato Herb Salad)
Pull-Apart Garlic Butter Bread Wreath
OR I LOVE to make lasagnas on Christmas. Below are my favorites!
4 Cheese Sage Pesto Florentine Lasagna
Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash 4 Cheese Pesto Lasagna
Dessert
All the chocolate for dessert!
Breakfast
For Breakfast, I like to make dishes that I can have baking in the oven while we open gifts. No need to spend the morning in the kitchen. Relax and enjoy the time with family!
Breakfast
Christmas Eve Morning: Baked Cinnamon Crème Brûlée French Toast with Raspberry Preserves
Christmas Morning: Easy Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls
Lastly, if you make any of these dishes from our 2020 Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dinner Menu be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Thanks for sharing! Random question: could you share where you picked up the white plates in the feature photo at the top of your post? I’m in the market for a new set and just love these.
Hey Robbin,
Those are from Anthropologie but I got them a few years ago! Merry Christmas! xTieghan
OMG everything looks yummy. What is the brand of the beautiful white scalloped plates in the December 21st post? Thanks.
Hey Leslie,
Thanks so much! Those plates are old from Anthropologie. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Great menus and thank you for sharing. Funnily enough I have ear marked the cinnamon rolls and the baked French toast recipes for breakfasts over the festive break also, mainly because I wanted to do something different. In the past we’ve had a full English breakfast, so a change is as good as a rest, plus I adore cinnamon rolls. Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year.
Thanks so much Colleen! Merry Christmas! xTieghan
Such a lovely festive menu! Just felt good to go through this ❤️ Merry Christmas to you and your fam!
Thanks so much Nandita! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Tonight was Frosted Mistletoe Margaritas and carne asada tacos followed up by Molten Chocolate Pie…oh my! Happy 30th birthday to our son. Earlier this week we made the chicken and mushroom Marsala…possibly my favorite dish so far! Merry Christmas ?♥️♥️
Hey Robin,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Love these wrap up posts! Great place to get a bunch of ideas. looking forward to my HBH Christmas!
Thanks so much for reading along Ashley! xTieghan
Everything looks spectacular! Does anyone help you out with this? It looks like an enormous task for anyone to handle alone, even with make ahead, Just the ingredient shopping alone would do me in.
Hey Tricia,
Thank you so much! I do it all:) but that’s because I enjoy doing it! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I cannot find the recipe for the lovely white iced cake , I also dont know how to find it on Instagram
Hey Vera,
Is this the cake you are looking for? https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/white-christmas-cranberry-layer-cake/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Do you have any mocktail recipes to share?
Hey Emily,
Most of the cocktails you can just omit the alcohol and add some sparkling water or ginger beer. I hope you love the recipes! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I was introduced to you by a close friend during the early quarantine days when we were all scrambling to elevate our game in the kitchen. I cannot tell you how much my entire family, who all have very different taste preferences, have loved your recipes. My 18 year old daughter recently said to me, “Mom, does this woman know that she has changed our lives?!”. Keep em coming, you are amazing.
Hey Kristine,
Thank you so much for your super kind message and following along! I am so glad you have been enjoying the recipes:) Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hey Kristine,
Thank you so much for your super kind message and following along:) Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Your recipes are delicious sounding and gorgeous! I have to be gluten free, but there are so many I can make or easily convert. Thank you and merry Christmas!
Thanks so much Alene! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
GREAT! What time is dinner?? We’ll be there!
Thanks so much Christine! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I look forward to your menus every year. Happy holidays to your family from mine and we can’t wait to eat all these! We’ve been making all the cookies for our cookie gift boxes so the savory stuff looks AMAZING!
Thank you so much Rachel! I hope you have a wonderful holiday! xTieghan
WOW! All of these menu items look spectacular! Your posts always encourage me to up my cocktail-making game… most of the time I do alcohol + another beverage = cocktail. Simple but not always complex enough to be truly delicious. All your appetizers also look just as tempting as the main courses! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Hey Kelly,
Thanks so much for your kind message and checking out the menu! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas! xTieghan
I adore this menu. saying I’t delicious is not enough !
Miki x
https://littletasteofbeauty.com/
Thanks so much Miki! xTieghan