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Christmas Dinner Planning Guide For The Ultimate Holiday Feast

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This is the Christmas dinner planning guide I wish I had read few years ago.

It was my first time making Christmas dinner for a large crowd and there were definitely a few things I forgot to do!

In the end, it all worked out, but the stress to get Christmas dinner right can be overwhelming.

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A Christmas Dinner Planning Guide

Trying to figure out how to plan Christmas dinner? If you’re worried about doing Christmas dinner this year, fear not!

In this beginner’s guide to Christmas dinner, I walk through all the steps you need to take to plan out and serve the perfect Christmas dinner feast.

A festive table setting with a red and black plaid tablecloth, candles, pinecones, and greenery. A sign reads "How to Plan Christmas Dinner" at theglossynest.com.

Planning Christmas dinner in advance is always a good idea. Stop feeling overwhelmed about Christmas meals and come to enjoy the process with this Christmas dinner planning guide!

FYI – these steps work well for Christmas Eve dinner too.

How to Plan Christmas Dinner

Step 1 – Figure Out How Many People You Will be Serving

Christmas meal planning starts with a count of who is coming.

If you’re having a large crowd, then more food will be needed than a gathering with just a few people. Also consider if you want to have lots of left overs.

Aerial view of various Thanksgiving meals in silver trays, including ham, turkey, salmon, stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, vegetables, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, and desserts with sauces. Text overlay reads "Essentials for Christmas Dinner Hosting".

Sometimes I like to have left overs around, but other times, I just want to get back to eating normal foods as quickly as possible!

Don’t forget to account for guests with special dietary needs such as gluten free, vegetarian, etc.

Step 2 – Brainstorm the Perfect Christmas Meal

Christmas menu planning can be as simple or complex as you like. After all, outside of Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner is usually the biggest meal of the year for most people.

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What makes a perfect Christmas dinner? Everyone has their own traditions and foods that they like to eat at the holidays. But in general, a traditional Christmas dinner will include the following foods:

  1. Appetizers
  2. Main dish (usually at least one kind of meat)
  3. Side dishes (cooked veggies, casseroles, etc.)
  4. Side salad
  5. Bread/rolls
  6. Dessert
  7. Drinks

So a typical menu for Christmas dinner will include at least one dish in each of those categories.

A festive table with various dishes, including a meat dish garnished with lemon, a casserole, bread rolls, and a colorful vegetable salad. A text overlay reads "Delicious Christmas Dinner Menu Ideas" with the website www.theglossynest.com.

What is the best menu for Christmas? That’s up to you and your family to decide!

Here are some examples of dishes you might serve in each different category to help you brainstorm Christmas menu ideas:

Appetizers

Christmas Appetizers

Main Dishes

Christmas Dinner Main Dishes

Side Dishes

Christmas Dinner Side Dishes

Side Salads

Bread & Dinner Rolls

Dessert

Christmas Dinner Desserts

Drinks

Traditional Christmas Foods

Don’t forget about some of the traditional “old world” Christmas foods!

A festive display of traditional Christmas dishes, including a glazed ham, pie, and casseroles. A sign reads "Traditional Christmas Dinner Menu Plan" with a website link below. Candles and holly add holiday charm.

Here is a brief list of foods that are often associated with Christmas:

Traditional Christmas Foods

At this point, make a Christmas dinner list of the food & drinks you would like to serve as part of planning a Christmas dinner party. Consider:

  • Favorite family recipes
  • New recipes you’ve been wanting to try from cookbooks, blogs, Pinterest, etc.
  • Premade food & drinks you can buy locally
  • Food & drinks that other people will bring

If you’re looking to try out new recipes, it’s always a good idea to try them ahead of time. That way you know if the recipe is good or if you need to try something else. Plan to try any new recipes during the early weeks of December.

Step 3 – Finalize your Christmas Day Menu

Once you have an idea of who will be coming to eat and the foods & drinks you want to serve, it’s time to finalize your meal plans for Christmas.

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Menu planning for Christmas dinner means asking yourself the right questions. What are your Christmas dinner must haves? Do you have enough foods for a well rounded meal? (main dish, sides, etc.)

Or do you maybe have too many sides or appetizers? Try to keep it balanced, but remember it is Christmas and for the most part, anything goes on your Christmas menu plans!

If money is tight, make a list of food & drink priorities to help you stay within your budget.

Prioritize a main dish and a few sides first, adding in extras as you go during your Christmas menu planning. Look for cheaper cuts of meat and recipes that can be made from scratch vs buying prepackaged items.

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Once you have finalized your menu, start to create a grocery list of the foods & drinks you will need to buy. Also create a list of the foods & drinks you need to order as part of your Christmas day meal planning.

For those that like to map things out using pen & paper, I’ve got a great set of Christmas meal planner printables in the Ultimate Christmas Planner.

Grab the Ultimate Christmas Planner printable HERE!

  • Ultimate Christmas planner printable pages

The Ultimate Christmas Planner includes grocery lists, recipe cards, baking schedules, cookie baking lists, meal schedule planner, prep & more! These Christmas dinner planning printables will help you streamline the process of planning Christmas dinner.

As you go, confirm with family & friends on the dishes they will be bringing so there is no confusion.

Finally, place any orders for food with your local bakery, butcher, etc. Note the time and date when you are expected to pickup the food before the holidays.

Don’t forget – you can order food online and have it delivered! Many places like Harry & David will ship premade holiday foods that can save you lots of time.

Step 4 – Check on Serveware, Cookware Items

A good Christmas dinner planning guide wouldn’t be complete without a reminder to check your serveware and cookware ahead of time.

A festive dining table set for Christmas, adorned with elegant glassware and decorative plates. A candle centerpiece and a framed title reading "How to Host Your First Christmas Dinner" with the website "www.theglossynest.com" are visible.

I remember going to make a pie for Thanksgiving one year and realizing that my pie dish had gotten lost in a recent move!

Stores will be busy during the holidays, so it’s a good idea to check on serveware and cookware before you start to cook or bake. Plan to buy anything you need during your Christmas shopping.

For making any of the Christmas dinner dishes, double check you have all of the cookware on hand that you’ll need for Christmas dinner preparation:

Christmas Cookware

Christmas Serveware

If you’re hosting Christmas dinner, then you’ll want to make sure you have everything on hand that you need to serve the meal:

Christmas Dinner Plates & Cups
Christmas Table Decorations
Christmas Serving Dishes & Platters

If you’re planning on having lots of left overs, don’t forget about food storage containers. Guests will appreciate having containers to use to take home extra food.

For some ideas on how to create a lovely Christmas table centerpiece, check out this post: 14 Beautiful Christmas Centerpiece Ideas With Candles

Step 5 – Pick Up Orders, Go Grocery Shopping

In the days leading up to Christmas, make to time shop for the food you will serve. Pickup any orders with local providers that you had placed earlier.

Festive dining table set for Christmas with elegant dishware, crystal glasses, and holiday decor. Overlaid text reads, "How to Make Christmas Dinner Special & Fun."

Don’t forget that most grocery stores are closed on Christmas Day. If you run out or forget something, Christmas Eve might be your last chance to buy it from the store!

Step 6 – Prep Christmas Dinner Foods Ahead of Time

It can be a lot of work to make a big meal, so you’ll probably want to do some Christmas dinner cooking in advance of the big day.

A festive holiday spread featuring roast beef, a cheesy casserole, a cake, and a chocolate dessert topped with cream and red berries. The image promotes "Stress Free Christmas Dinner Planning Tips" from theglossynest.com.

As you create a list of foods & drinks to serve, see what can be made ahead of time to help with Christmas dinner preparation.

For example, many types of Christmas cookies, desserts, bread & rolls will freeze very well and can be baked in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Christmas Cookies & Serving Plates

What can you prepare the day before Christmas dinner? Foods such as cooked side dishes & appetizers can be made a day or two ahead and kept in the fridge. For Christmas dinner, simply reheat the dish.

Still, some foods are best made fresh on Christmas day such as side salads, meat dishes, etc. Make sure to plan on the time needed to make these foods throughout the day.

For example, if you are going to roast a turkey, be sure to put it in the oven with enough time to cook before Christmas dinner.

Step 7 – Keep Foods Warm as You Get Ready to Serve

As dinnertime approaches, consider how you will heat, reheat and keep warm various foods. Some foods can be left in a low temp oven to stay warm. Consider how much oven space you will need.

plate of food for christmas dinner

Electric food warming trays are a great way to keep foods hot while you finish cooking the meal. Some warming trays are just a flat surface where you can place serving dishes.

Christmas Food Warming Trays

Others have different compartments to hold food. These are great to have on hand if you’re going to serve food buffet style.

Step 8 – Eat & Enjoy!

You worked hard to create the ultimate Christmas feast! Sit back, eat and enjoy one of the best parts of the holiday season.

Get organized for Christmas this year with this FREE printable Christmas planning checklist. Sign up below for an instant download!

Looking for additional printables to help with your Christmas planning? Check out my FULL Christmas Planner HERE!

Psst - Christmas is coming! Get organized for the Christmas holiday this year with our Ultimate Christmas Planner printable - instead of just winging it. The best Christmas planner combines 10 planners into 1 - Christmas activities & traditions, budget, gift, decor, cookies, dinner, meal, menu, recipe, vacation, cleaning, cards & parties. Over 100 pages including a cover sheet, checklists, calendars, grocery & to do lists & more! Get organized & stay on track with this Christmas planner binder.

More Christmas Planning Ideas

For more info on how to plan your best Christmas yet, check out these posts:

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