Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food
  • Holidays & Entertaining
  • Home & Garden
  • Style & Culture
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • These Haircuts Are Going To Be Huge in 2021

      The trendy haircuts you’ll be seeing everywhere next year. Read More Next
    • How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Read More Next
    • The Right Way to Heat a Pre-Cooked Ham

      It's so easy, trust us. Read More Next
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food

    Lost Cakes of the South

    These simple and spectacular Southern cakes deserve a comeback
    • All Food
    • All Recipes
    • Holidays & Occasions
    • Quick Fix Suppers
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Casseroles
    • Healthy Recipes
  • Holidays & Entertaining

    Holidays & Entertaining

    See All Holidays & Entertaining

    70 Wedding Vow Examples That Will Melt Your Heart

    Fight writer's block and find ways to express your love with these romantic, funny, and short wedding vow examples.
    • Christmas
    • Entertaining
    • Thanksgiving
    • Southern Weddings
    • Easter
    • Kentucky Derby
    • Valentine's Day
    • 4th of July
    • Mother's Day
  • Home & Garden

    Home & Garden

    See All Home & Garden

    7 Paint Colors We’re Loving for Kitchen Cabinets in 2020

    ‘Tis the season to ditch your all-white palette in favor of something a little bolder and brighter.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Before & After
    • Inspired Communities
    • Curb Appeal
    • House Plans & Builders
    • The Grumpy Gardener
    • Plant Names A-Z
  • Style & Culture

    Style & Culture

    See All Style & Culture

    50 Books Everyone Should Read in Their Lifetime

    Curl up with a classic!
    • Southern Culture
    • Hair
    • Travel
    • Beauty
    • Pets
    • Southern Fashion
    • Healthy Living
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. food
  3. Holiday and Occasion Food
  4. Try One of Our Happiest Christmas Menus Ever

Try One of Our Happiest Christmas Menus Ever

Updated November 12, 2020
Skip gallery slides
Save FB Tweet
Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: William Smith

Plan a get-together for any occasion with these combinations of our favorite holiday foods. 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. Whether an opulent dinner or a sweet brunch, these Christmas menus are your new textbook for holiday meals. 

Start Slideshow

1 of 14

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

The Cocktail Party: A Festive Party for 10

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: William Smith

Recipe: Blue Cheese-and-Pecan Stuffed Cherry Peppers

Recipe: Prosciutto-and-Manchego Cheese Straws

Recipe: Crispy Pork Meatballs

Recipe: Garlic-Butter Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

Recipe: Spinach-and-Artichoke Bites

Recipe: Spiced Orange-Bourbon Punch

Recipe: Cranberry Sangría Punch

Recipe: DIY Deviled Egg Bar

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.

1 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 14

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Christmas Eve With All The Trimmings

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: William Smith

Recipe: Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Burgundy-Mushroom Sauce

Recipe: Cider-Glazed Carrots with Walnuts

Recipe: Herbed Potato Stacks

Recipe: Buttermilk Fantail Rolls

Recipe: Balsamic Green Beans with Pearl Onions

Recipe: Beet, Fennel, and Apple Salad

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.

2 of 14

3 of 14

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

A Merry Make-Ahead Brunch

Credit: 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: Christmas Sunrise

Recipe: Citrus Salad with Granola

Recipe: Sweet-and-Spicy Sheet Pan Bacon

Recipe: Romaine with Creamy Olive Dressing

Here's our gift to you: A memorable menu that won't steal any time away from family on December 25. Invite family and freinds 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.

3 of 14

Advertisement

4 of 14

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Fresh and Elegant Holiday Dinner

Credit: Jim Franco

Recipe: Cherry-Pecan Brie

Recipe: Tossed Greens-and-Grapes Salad

Recipe: Pancetta-Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with Whipped Horseradish Cream

Recipe: Crispy Potatoes with Fennel

Recipe: Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

Recipe: Easy Asiago-Olive Rolls

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.

4 of 14

5 of 14

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Sweet Christmas Brunch Menu

Credit: 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!

5 of 14

6 of 14

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Savory Christmas Brunch Menu

Credit: 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!

6 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 14

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

A Fun & Festive Cocktail Supper

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Perfect Beef Tenderloin

Recipe: Homemade Hot Mustard

Recipe: Horseradish Sauce

Recipe: Montgomery Punch

Recipe: Cheese Dreams

Recipe: Asparagus with Curry Dip

Recipe: Mini Corn Cakes with Smoked Salmon and Dill Crème Fraîche

Recipe: Lump Crab Mornay

Recipe: Roquefort-Cognac Cheese Spread

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.”

7 of 14

8 of 14

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Traditional Holiday Dinner

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Hot Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Recipe: Herbs-and-Greens Salad

Recipe: Spicy Fruit-Stuffed Pork Loin with Roasted Pears and Onions

Recipe: Wild Rice with Mushrooms

Recipe: Sour Cream Pocketbook Rolls

Recipe: Pumpkin-Pecan Cheesecake

This beautiful menu gives you everything you could need in a holiday supper—a yummy appetizer to tide everyone over, a light salad that won’t spoil their appetites, a filling and photo-worthy main dish, a healthy starch side, soft rolls to soak everything up, and a decadent but gorgeous dessert.

8 of 14

9 of 14

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Christmas Brunch

Credit: Photo: Luca Trovato

Recipe: Creamy Egg Strata

Recipe: Brown Sugar Bacon

Recipe: Citrus Salad

Recipe: Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

Recipe: Blueberry Muffins with Lemon-Cream Cheese Glaze

Recipe: Hot Cider Nog

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.”

9 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 14

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

A Festive Feast

Credit: 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: Pan Gravy with Sherry

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 up an incredible pan gravy with featherlight popovers.

10 of 14

11 of 14

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Carolina Christmas

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Sausage-Stuffed Honey Buns

Recipe: Stewed Tomato Shirred Eggs with Ham Chips

Recipe: Grits and Greens with Brown Butter Hot Sauce

Recipe: Ambrosia Breakfast

Recipe: Pecan-Chewy Pie 

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. A new take on egg casserole, sticky buns, a not-your-mama’s ambrosia recipe, and classic grits and greens star in this meal. To finish it off, the Howards go all out: “My mom never made just one pie, so this recipe is for two,” she said. You can also prepare it in your 13x9 pan and cut into bars for a more portable option.

11 of 14

12 of 14

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

The Holiday Hunt

Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Hot Bourbon-Orange Tea Toddy

Recipe: Spiced Wine

Recipe: Harvest Salad with Roasted Citrus Vinaigrette and Spiced Pecans

Recipe: Prosciutto-Wrapped Duck with Gumbo Gravy

Recipe: Braised Cabbage with Apple and Bacon

Recipe: Orange-Ginger-Chile-Glazed Carrots

Recipe: Acadian Syrup Cake with Roasted Pears and Caramel Sauce 

This Louisiana-inspired meal is full of rich ingredients that celebrate the season’s best ingredients. Welcome family with soothing drinks that will make them feel right at home. Cozy braised cabbage is made irresistible with apple and bacon, and colorful roasted carrots in a sweet glaze are unforgettable. Finish the meal with a Cajun classic spice cake (aka Gâteau au Sirop), which gets much of its sweet favor from a Southern staple, cane syrup.

12 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 14

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

The Baker’s Brunch

Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls

Recipe: Apple-Pecan Streusel Muffins

Recipe: Smoky Sausage-and-Grits Casserole

Recipe: Festive Fresh Fruit Salad with Mint-Lime Simple Syrup

Recipe: Cream Cheese Pastries

Recipe: Holiday Ham with Apricot Glaze

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, from the glazed ham to the grits casserole—except for the muffins, which she saves as a special activity to share with her grandkids. “Cooking with them during the holidays is my Christmas present.”

13 of 14

14 of 14

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Offer Guests Opulence

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Standing Rib Roast with Red Wine Mushrooms

Recipe: Sweet Potato Spoonbread

Recipe: Glazed Turnips and Parsnips

Recipe: Carrot-Cauliflower Salad

Recipe: Collard Greens Gratin

Recipe: Cranberry Dreamsicle Trifle

A stunning standing rib roast is the star of the show surrounded by beautiful, seasonal side dishes. Swap your usual mashed potatoes or buttermilk spoonbread for a fresh sweet potato riff, and trade cheesy broccoli casserole for a collard greens gratin that will become a family mainstay. Really wow guests when you bring out our oh-so-festive trifle. Make the trifle the day before you serve it—not only will it taste better, but it will save you time on Christmas.

14 of 14

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 14 The Cocktail Party: A Festive Party for 10
2 of 14 Christmas Eve With All The Trimmings
3 of 14 A Merry Make-Ahead Brunch
4 of 14 Fresh and Elegant Holiday Dinner
5 of 14 Sweet Christmas Brunch Menu
6 of 14 Savory Christmas Brunch Menu
7 of 14 A Fun & Festive Cocktail Supper
8 of 14 Traditional Holiday Dinner
9 of 14 Christmas Brunch
10 of 14 A Festive Feast
11 of 14 Carolina Christmas
12 of 14 The Holiday Hunt
13 of 14 The Baker’s Brunch
14 of 14 Offer Guests Opulence

Share options

Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Login

Southern Living

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Books from Southern Living
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Southern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Southern Living is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab All Rights Reserved. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.southernliving.com

View image

Try One of Our Happiest Christmas Menus Ever
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.