Everything you need to know about pulling off a fabulous Christmas Dinner. With tips for planning and preparation, as well as ideas for every course, this collection has it all!
MORE COLLECTIONS: Christmas Appetizers, Christmas Cookies, Christmas Desserts, Mexican Christmas Food, Italian Christmas Food, Christmas Side Dishes
the Perfect Christmas Dinner menu
In my family, we always gather together to enjoy dinner on Christmas Eve (Mexican food is always on the docket). All my siblings gather and we have a fun night with games and good food.
Christmas day is a little different – usually fewer people, but always a traditional Christmas dinner with meat (usually ham or steak), potatoes, rolls and more.
I know everyone does things different, but today I’ve gathered together some of our traditional holiday recipes along with helpful dinner planning tips to help you out this season.
Christmas Dinner Tips
Here are some of our top tips:
PLAN YOUR MENU IN ADVANCE:
- How many courses do you want to serve?
- Decide how many dishes in each course you’ll need?
- You can mix store bought with homemade items
- Think about what dishes can be made ahead of time. What can be cooked on the stove or crock pot, and how many dishes can you realistically cook in the oven?
- Decide what dishes you would let guests bring should they offer.
- Don’t try NEW recipes the day of. Practice making them a couple of weeks before to work out any kinks.
Things to do ahead of time
Go shopping early: I once tried to buy ice the day before a holiday and had to go to 5, F-I-V-E, places! Use your menu as a shopping guide (be sure to print our the recipes in advance to help out with this).
Also, be sure to check your spice rack, and other ingredients you normally have on hand. You don’t want to find an empty container during the middle of a recipe.
Plan a cooking schedule: Work backwards from your intended serving time. Make sure you are realistic about how long each dish will take to prepare and cook.
- What order do the items need to be cooked?
- Can anything go in the oven at the same time?
- What can be cooked on the stove top? Crock pot?
- What can be made ahead of time? Will it need to be reheated?
Do as much prep work ahead of time as you can. Chop any produce that will be used. Don’t forget to thaw your meat (some larger cuts take several days to thaw in the fridge). Gather all your table setting items, dishes, tablecloths, centerpieces in one place.
If you can, go the extra step and set up your table the day before.
more christmas dinner tips
- For easier clean up use disposable baking dishes, or line pans with parchment paper or aluminum foil when possible.
- Ways to keep your food warm: crock pot set to low/warm, chafing dish, insulated cooler with a hot pad.
- Have a designated space for children to play in. If you can, have a spot set aside to accommodate babies and toddlers. A room with a pack n play for naps and a place to change diapers is very helpful for guests.
- Try not to stress when something doesn’t go right. Just remember the REASON for the party, whether it be religious or not, time with family and friends is a blessing. Also, having a secret stash of your favorite chocolate won’t hurt :o)
Here are some of our favorite Christmas Dinner dishes!
Each of our recipes has helpful information such as different cooking methods, making ahead of time, variations, and storage methods.
Also, there are links to similar recipes. If something listed here doesn’t wet your appetite, I know you’ll be able to find a recipe perfect for your Christmas dinner.
Christmas Ham Dinner
We know that Ham is a staple at many Christmas dinners, so we wanted to share with you the complete menu including appetizers, sides, salads, desserts and more to complete the ideal Christmas ham dinner.
We are including a few of each course for you to pick and choose from, including 2 ham recipes and a festive Christmas Tree Veggie Platter 😉
Brown Sugar Ham – This Crock Pot Ham Is Made Entirely In The Slow Cooker, Which Makes For Quick Prep Time And Minimal Effort. With A Deliciously Sweet Brown Sugar Glaze, It’s Our Favorite Way To Make A Holiday Ham!
Honey Glazed Ham – Our Favorite Recipe For A Holiday Ham. Simply Place A Spiral Cut Ham In The Crock Pot, Cover With A 5-Ingredient Glaze, And 4 Hours Later You’ll Have A Tender And Juicy Honey Glazed Ham!
Deviled Eggs – Nothing Better Than A Smooth Deviled Egg Appetizer! You’ll Be Surprised With How Easy These Are To Make. Tons Of Flavor, Super Delicious And Perfect For Parties And Holidays.
Spinach Artichoke Dip – This Is The BEST Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe, And The Ultimate Dip For Any Get Together! Filled With Spinach, Artichoke Hearts, Cheese, Sour Cream, Cream Cheese, And Mayo – This Dip Is Sooo Cheesy And Perfect For Any Gathering!
Tortellini Salad – Super YUMMY and easy Tortellini Salad filled with tortellini, salad, ranch, tomatoes and bacon bits – perfect for summer time!
Baked Potato Soup – This Disney copycat Baked Potato Soup is loaded with flavor and is filled with Russet and Red potatoes, carrots, bacon, cheese and more.
Tomato Basil Soup – Of All The Tomato Soups Out There, This Rich And Creamy Tomato Basil Soup Is At The Top Of My List! With Garlic, Basil, And Other Delicious Seasonings, This Soup Has A Bold Flavor That You’ll Quickly Fall In Love With.
Caesar Salad Dressing – Delicious Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing With Crispy Homemade Croutons. This Simple Salad Dressing Will Become Your New Go-To For Salads!
Glazed Carrots – If You Need A Go-To Side Dish, These Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots Are Perfect For You! This Recipe Makes The Most Tender And Tasty Baby Carrots. Best Of All, It Takes Less Than 10 Minutes To Make And Only Requires 4 Ingredients!
Best Mashed Potatoes – These Buttery Smooth Mashed Potatoes Are Our Go-To Potato Side Dish Recipe For Every Dinner And Holiday Get Together. They’re Everyone’s Favorite Potatoes!
Homemade Dinner Rolls – These Are Our ALL-TIME FAVORITE Dinner Rolls! They Are Soft, Butter-Y And Always The Hit For Any Dinner Or Holiday Get Together. It’s So Hard To Eat Just One!
Twice Baked Potatoes – After Having These Twice Baked Potatoes, You’ll Never Want Regular Baked Potatoes Again! These Super Easy Potatoes Are Loaded With Sour Cream, Cheese, Bacon, And Seasonings! For Being Such A Delicious Side, They Are SO Simple!
Baked Macaroni and Cheese – Baked Macaroni And Cheese Is A Deliciously Cheesy Meal, Perfect Any Night And One That The Whole Family Will Love And Devour In No Time!
Peppermint Ice Cream Dessert – Peppermint Ice Cream Dessert is a cool and refreshing holiday dessert stuffed with candy cane bits, all atop an Oreo crust.
Pistachio Dessert – A delicious Pistachio pudding dessert with layers of crushed Sandies Cookies, cream cheese/cheesecake layer, pistachio pudding layer and topped with whipped cream!
Just pick from these popular recipes to make your complete Christmas ham dinner menu!
MORE CHRISTMAS Main Dishes
Christmas Ham {RECIPE BELOW} – is a delicious and popular holiday dish, but really anything your family loves can be used. Just plan to serve 8-12 oz per person. Here are some other common main dishes served for Christmas Eve or day dinner.
Pot Roast – This Crock Pot Roast Recipe Is One Of Our Favorite Sunday Dinners. It Takes Only 3 Minutes Of Prep Time And Then The Slow Cooker Does The Rest! The Chuck Roast Ends Up Being SO Tender And Full Of Flavor From The Brown Gravy, Italian, And Ranch Dressing Mix!
Swiss Chicken Bake – Delicious Creamy Swiss Chicken Bake – A Simple And Delicious Dinner Recipe That Includes Swiss And Parmesan Cheeses And Baked To Perfection.
Roast Chicken – Simple and delicious roast chicken tastes like you spent all day cooking it! It is the the perfect go-to dinner recipe.
Smothered Pork Chops – This creamy Lemon & Thyme Smothered Pork Chops recipe always gets rave reviews. It’s flavorful and ready in 35 minutes or less.
Parmesan Crusted Porkchops – These Parmesan Pork Chops Are So Flavorful And Easy To Make. With Less Than 10 Minutes Of Prep Work, You Can Make The Most Delicious Baked Pork Chops That Everyone Will Love.
Swedish Meatballs – Swedish Meatballs Made From Both Pork And Beef, Cooked To Perfection, And Smothered In A Creamy Gravy. Served On Top Of Mashed Potatoes Or With Cooked Vegetables, It’s The Perfect Dish For Holiday Entertaining.
Oven Roast Turkey – How to Roast a Turkey – All the tips and tricks you’ll need to make a turkey full of flavor. It’s great for Thanksgiving but really for any holiday.
Best Steak Marinade – This Is Our All-Time Favorite Steak Marinade! It Requires Only Four Ingredients, And Makes Our Steak Taste SO Amazing! Everyone Always Asks For This Easy Steak Marinade Recipe Because It’s Just That Good!!
Prime Rib – Perfect Prime Rib, Seasoned With A Delicious Garlic Marinade And Cooked In The Oven. A Secret Trick Will Give You The Most Tender And Juicy Meat You’ve Ever Made!
We love all of these recipes for a main dish for Christmas and we think you will too!
MORE Soups + Salad options
When a soup or salad precedes a meal plan for about 1 cup per person.
Waldorf Salad – Everyone Loves This Waldorf Salad That Is Filled With Grapes, Apples, Celery, Walnuts, Cheese And Chicken. Toss It In A Homemade Poppyseed Dressing And This Salad Is Perfect For Any Lunch, Dinner Or Appetizer.
Tomato Mozzarella Salad – Fresh, Light, And Healthy Tomato Mozzarella Salad With Basil And Balsamic Glaze! Perfect For Lunches With Friends Or A Side Salad To Dinner!
Arugula Salad – Fresh Arugula Salad Is Loaded With Healthy Greens, Juicy Tomatoes, And Parmesan Shavings With Pine Nuts And Creamy Avocado On Top!
Brussel Sprout Salad – Brussel Sprout Salad Is As Pretty As It Is Tasty—Full Of Shredded Brussel Sprouts, Pomegranate Seeds, Sliced Almonds, And A Little Bit Of Shaved Parmesan.
Asparagus Salad – Filled With Mozzarella Cheese, And Cherry Tomatoes, Seasoned With Basil, And Covered In A Light Balsamic Vinaigrette, This Asparagus Salad Is Bursting With Flavor! Best Of All, It Comes Together In Less Than 10 Minutes!
Butternut Squash Soup – Buttery Smooth Butternut Squash Soup With Just A Hint Of Cinnamon And Nutmeg Makes For One Delicious Cozy Bowl Of Soup!
Chicken Dumpling Soup – Our All-Time Favorite Version Of One Of The Most Classic Soup Recipes – Chicken And Dumplings! This Simple, Delicious Soup Is Filled With Chunks Of Chicken And Pieces Of Biscuit, Along With Your Favorite Veggies!
Wedge Salad – This fresh wedge salad is a classic. It’s crisp and refreshing, smothered in creamy dressing and topped with crumbles of cheese and bacon.
Cheesy Potato Soup – You won’t find an easier Cheesy Potato Soup Recipe anywhere else! Just throw a small handful of ingredients in the crockpot, and a few hours later, you’ll have a creamy, delicious, CHEESY soup.
Spinach and Tortellini Salad – This Cold Tortellini Salad Is The Ultimate Side Dish For BBQ And Potlucks! With Tortellini, Spinach, Tomatoes, Olives, And Parmesan Tossed In Italian Dressing, This Tortellini Spinach Salad Is Packed With All The Best Flavors!
Our Go-To Christmas Ham
If you’re anything like us then you have a ham on Christmas Day.
It’s great because it’s typically simple, feeds a lot and is delicious!
We are sharing our go-to Honey Glazed Christmas Ham recipe because it’s a favorite and is the perfect dinner for the 25th. We hope you love as much as we do.
BEST Christmas Dinner Ideas + Christmas Ham Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 TB Dijon mustard
- 10 whole cloves
- 1 4-5 pound Sam’s Choice spiral cut ham (cooked)
Instructions
- Place cut ham slices into your crock pot.
- Add brown sugar, honey, water, Dijon mustard and cloves to a small pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove cloves from the glaze and pour over ham. Cook on LOW for 4 hours making sure to baste ham with the glaze every hour or so.
- Serve warm with the glaze poured over the top.
The Complete List
Here are the picture cards of ALL of the Christmas Dinner Recipes listed above.
Hopefully this list helps you plan a delicious meal this holiday season! Just remember, as long as you’re with the ones you love, anything you make will be perfect.
Be sure to check out all of our Christmas Recipes.
