Ah Christmas, the season of family, tradition, gifts and good food. Your holidays may look or feel different this year, but you can still create a beautiful, memorable and delicious Christmas dinner for your loved ones. Whether you celebrate with a special meal on Christmas Eve or after a day of presents and fun, give your family the gift of an extra special dinner this season. From sparkling family friendly drinks, to festive appetizers, to hearty and beautiful main dishes, to decadent holiday desserts, we have gathered all of our favorite Christmas recipes for you right here. Scroll through to get some ideas for your holiday meal, and at the end of this post we’ve included the most fragrant, luscious ham recipe ever! We know you will love it. Happy holiday cooking!
Christmas Main Dishes
Let us first highlight the star of the show, the main dish of your Christmas dinner! Our favorite Christmas dinners usually include succulent ham (as found in the recipe below), juicy roast turkey, rich roast beef, pork loin, pork roast, pork chops, or savory cranberry chicken. Some years we’ve hosted dozens of guests and had some of everything on a large buffet. This year lends itself to smaller tables with fewer mouths to feed, so we will plan accordingly. You can adjust any of these main dish recipes for any number of people. Try one of these gorgeous main dishes for your holiday dinner:
Christmas Appetizers
Appetizers are just as important as the main dish when it comes to an extra special holiday meal. Plump shrimp cocktail, a savory cheese ball or a warm bowl of cheesy dip with sourdough bread adds an element of elegance to your Christmas dinner. ‘Tis the season to indulge!
The BEST Crockpot Ham
How to Cook a Turkey
Cranberry Chicken
Oven Roast Beef
Christmas Salads
Looking to add some gorgeous color to your Christmas table? These salads are bright, flavorful and full of crunch and texture. Beautiful greens topped with creamy cheeses, juicy fruit, and crunchy nuts. Or try a gelatin salad with cream cheese and layers of sweet fruit. The options are endless! Try a new salad or two for your Christmas dinner.
Christmas Charcuterie Board
How to Make Shrimp Cocktail
Baked Brie
Cranberry Almond Bacon Cheese Ball
Christmas Dinner Side Dishes
And now, for the fabulous side dishes! We have dozens of side dish recipes for you to choose from, but we’ve included a few of our very favorites below. Perfectly baked potatoes, cheesy potato casserole, roasted asparagus, creamed corn and fluffy dinner rolls; these side dishes will pair beautifully with any main dish that you choose.
Christmas Salad
Nuts About Berries Salad
Waldorf Salad
Blueberry Jello Salad
Potatoes
Vegetables
Breads
Christmas Drinks
No matter the size of our family gatherings, we always include a couple of beautiful and flavorful holiday drinks. I love to have a simmering pot of fragrant wassail prepared for Christmas Eve, something extra special for our family to sip while we wrap last minute gifts and prep things for the next morning. And nothing beats a cozy evening around the Christmas tree, a fire crackling in the fireplace, sipping on a mug of our rich and decadent peppermint hot chocolate. Check out all of our drink recipes or see our very favorite holiday drinks below.
Perfect Baked Potato
Cheesy Potato Casserole
Perfect Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potato Casserole
Green Bean Casserole
Crockpot Creamed Corn
The BEST Oven Roasted Asparagus
Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
Dinner Rolls
Cranberry Bread
Homemade Crescent Rolls
Easy Monkey Bread
Christmas Desserts
Christmas Eve and Christmas day should always end with something sweet. We have dessert recipes to satisfy any sweet tooth. Rich, crumbly apple pie with ice cream, creamy, luscious raspberry cheesecake or chocolatey peppermint parfaits are some of our family’s very favorite treats for the holiday. Indulge a little and enjoy every single bite of the sweetness of the season.
Holiday Punch
Homemade Sparkling Cider
Wassail Recipe
Starbucks Caramel Apple Spice
Sample Traditional Christmas Dinner Menu
Want to see our perfect Christmas dinner menu? Here’s the must-haves that we have on our Christmas dinner table [almost] every year:
Risalamande (Danish Rice Pudding)
Dutch Apple Pie
Raspberry Cheesecake
Danish Aebleskiver
Christmas Ham (recipe below)Shrimp cocktail (appetizer) Baked potatoes or Au Gratin PotatoesChristmas SaladRollsCorn or Green BeansSparkling CiderCheesecake
Christmas Dinner Presentation Ideas
Need some ideas to make those platters extra pretty? Some simple garnishes for your dishes will make a huge difference when presenting your food. Pomegranates make for beautiful centerpieces when paired with some evergreen greenery. Pomegranate seeds or fresh cranberries can also be scattered around your serving platters to add a bright red accent color. Fresh rosemary and thyme make for gorgeous garnishes on your savory dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Dinner
Read Next: Christmas Dessert Ideas
Merry Christmas!
Your family and loved ones will be so grateful to you for making Christmas dinner special this year. A little effort in the kitchen will no doubt bring smiles and comfort to those you love most. From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank YOU for making this year a little brighter, friendlier and happier for us. We enjoy sharing our love through treasured recipes and good food and hope that you have felt our appreciation for you through this difficult year. Wishing you and yours the happiest of holidays and a peaceful and prosperous new year.
Christmas Ham Recipe
This Christmas ham recipe is tender, juicy and the perfect centerpiece for a beautiful Christmas dinner. The cider reduction will make your house smell incredible! All those cinnamon sticks, spices and apple cider boil down and make your house smell just like Christmas. Better than any candle you can buy, I promise! You can reduce the glaze even further until it forms a syrup, which is mouthwateringly delicious when brushed onto the ham. Or serve warm ham slices with our homemade raspberry cranberry sauce, orange cranberry sauce, low-sugar cranberry sauce or store-bought cranberry sauce. Enjoy the delicious flavors in every sweet and savory bite! Share It on Instagram!
