Food and Recipes Holiday and Occasion Food 11 Full Christmas Menus for Every Type of Celebration By Southern Living Editors Updated on July 29, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: William Smith The holidays are here, brimming with opportunities to gather around the table with loved ones and enjoy a delicious meal. To get a jumpstart on your holiday planning, check out this selection of creative and appealing holiday menus, where you will find ideas for cozy and casual meals, or formal and fancy traditional spreads. And because we enjoy a celebration meal anytime of day, we have included some holiday menus for breakfast or brunch. Holidays are busy, so to help you make the most of your time, within the menu ideas you will find helpful tips on which recipes can be made ahead and how to store them until time to bake and serve. We've got a cocktail party menu that will charm all your friends and a traditional Christmas dinner menu that the whole family will adore. Plan a get-together for any occasion with these combinations of our favorite holiday foods. Whether an opulent dinner or a sweet brunch, these Christmas menus are your new textbook for holiday meals. 01 of 11 The Cocktail Party: A Festive Party for 10 Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Stuffed Okra Poppers Recipe: Spicy Cheddar Cheese Straws Recipe: Slow-Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs Recipe: Bloody Mary Poached Shrimp Recipe: Spinach-and-Artichoke Bites Recipe: Spiced Orange-Bourbon Punch Recipe: Cranberry Sangría Punch Recipe: Fizzy Cider Punch This festive party for 10 features your best friends, sparkly and fun decor, and a menu that's full of finger foods and big-batch drinks. Toast the season with a menu of sophisticated (but easy!) appetizers and crowd-pleasing punches. 02 of 11 A Fun & Festive Cocktail Supper Iain Bagwell Recipe: Perfect Beef Tenderloin Recipe: Montgomery Punch Recipe: Cheese Dreams Recipe: Lump Crab Mornay Recipe: Buttery Toasted Pecans Recipe: Pecan Bourbon Balls Southern food and entertaining legend Julia Reed created this easy but elegant menu for a cocktail supper throwback that's an ode to her mother and grandmother. "It's the most forgiving of formats— for the guests as well as the hosts. the menu items are designed to be eaten easily and relatively neatly with your hands, which means that the real progress of a party—visiting, drinking, flirting, meeting new people, or making a quick escape—is not hindered by the pesky tasks of fixing a plate, juggling utensils, and finding a place to perch. As the host, your job is simple: keep the bar and the table replenished, and everything else— dancing, impromptu caroling, illicit sessions under real or imagined mistletoe—takes care of itself." 03 of 11 A Merry Make-Ahead Brunch Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: William Smith Recipe: Pancake Bake with Cinnamon Streusel Recipe: Sausage-and-Cheese Grits Quiche Recipe: Country Ham Hash Recipe: Sweet-and-Spicy Sheet Pan Bacon Here's our gift to you: A memorable menu that won't steal any time away from family on December 25. Invite family and friends over to enjoy a "help yourself" buffet of sweet and savory dishes. This entire brunch menu can be made or prepped in advance. Double recipes for a crowd, as needed. 04 of 11 Fresh and Elegant Holiday Dinner Jim Franco Recipe: Cherry-Pecan Brie Recipe: Pancetta-Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with Whipped Horseradish Cream Recipe: Smashed Baby Red Potatoes Recipe: Garlic Parmesan Green Beans Recipe: Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake This beef tenderloin menu inspires the creative cook in you while pleasing guests who love a traditional meal. From the start to its grand finish—Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake—this Christmas celebration will be one for the memory book. 05 of 11 Sweet Christmas Brunch Menu Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Pomegranate Mimosas Recipe: Our Best Ambrosia Ever Recipe: Cinnamon Roll Strata Serve a sweet and colorful Christmas brunch that can be made in advance. Here's your Test Kitchen-approved game plan: Two days before brunch, make the yogurt mixture for the ambrosia; cover and chill. The next day, prepare the mimosas (without the sparkling wine) and the strata (through Step 3), and chill. Then, slice the oranges and pineapple, and chill in an airtight container. Done, done, and done! 06 of 11 Savory Christmas Brunch Menu Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Bourbon Bloody Marys Recipe: Arugula Salad with Bacony Croutons and Sherry Vinaigrette Recipe: Eggs Benedict Casserole If you always order savory at brunch, we've made a Christmas brunch menu you'll love. We recreated classic eggs Benedict to a big-batch form for the whole family. Plus, hollandaise sauce has never been easier than with this recipe. To make this menu ahead, follow our Test Kitchen's plan: The day before brunch, assemble and chill the casserole (do not bake) and Bloody Mary mixer (without bourbon). Then, prepare the bacon and vinaigrette for the salad, and chill in separate airtight containers. Make the croutons, and store in an airtight container. Enjoy! 07 of 11 Classic Christmas Brunch Photo: Luca Trovato Recipe: Creamy Egg Strata Recipe: Citrus Salad Recipe: Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing Recipe: Bakeshop Blueberry Muffins Recipe: Big-Batch Mulled Cider This fun brunch spread finds the perfect balance of sweet and savory. A tip straight from Test Kitchen Professional Pam Lolley: "The butter you spread on the rolled-out cinnamon roll dough should be very soft so that the dough won't tear. Resist the temptation to soften butter in the microwave—it can melt too quickly and unevenly. The best way to soften butter is to let it sit at room temperature." 08 of 11 A Festive Feast Laurey W. Glenn Recipe: Sparkling Pomegranate Punch Recipe: Stuffed Endive with Herbed Goat Cheese Recipe: Baked Brie Bites Recipe: Peppercorn-Crusted Standing Rib Roast with Roasted Vegetables Recipe: Sautéed Mustard Greens with Garlic and Lemon Recipe: Baby Hasselback Potatoes with Blue Cheese and Bacon Recipe: Cornmeal Popovers The best part about this gorgeous dinner is that every aspect can be prepped in advance. You won't find a more impressive way to feed a crowd during the holidays than this standing rib roast. Start with a fizzy, fruity cocktail in a pretty punch bowl and end by sopping everything up with featherlight popovers. 09 of 11 Carolina Christmas Iain Bagwell Recipe: Sausage-Stuffed Honey Buns Recipe: Grits and Greens with Brown Butter Hot Sauce Recipe: Ambrosia Breakfast North Carolina Chef Vivian Howard invited us to her family farmhouse for a holiday brunch feast that will satisfy those craving something sweet or savory. Sticky buns, a not-your-mama's ambrosia recipe, and classic grits and greens star in this meal. 10 of 11 The Baker's Brunch Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls Recipe: Smoky Sausage-and-Grits Casserole Recipe: Blueberry-Citrus Rolls with Orange Glaze Recipe: Cream Cheese Pastries Recipe: Mini Chocolate Chess Tarts Our Test Kitchen baking extraordinaire Pam Lolley has been making Christmas brunches for decades, so you can trust that each of these recipes will become family traditions. Pam started her make-ahead Christmas brunch tradition when she was pregnant with her third child and wanted a stress-free way to feed a crowd. Today, she preps all of it in advance—except for the cinnamon rolls, which she saves as a special activity to share with her grandkids. "Cooking with them during the holidays is my Christmas present." 11 of 11 Christmas Eve With All The Trimmings Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: William Smith Recipe: Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Burgundy-Mushroom Sauce Recipe: Honey-Glazed Spiced Carrots Recipe: Herbed Potato Stacks Recipe: Balsamic Green Beans with Pearl Onions Recipe: Beet, Fennel, and Apple SaladRecipe: Buttery Yeast Rolls This elegant sit-down dinner is everything you want in a celebratory meal—and it's easy on the cook too. This sophisticated menu is satisfying without being too heavy. Bring together close family to enjoy beef tenderloin and seasonal sides. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit