Hi friends! It’s the big week, are your menus ready? It always takes awhile for me to pull it all together. I like to be prepared and make as much as I can in advance so I can spend time hanging out with my guests and not in the kitchen. We have friends joining us for Christmas dinner and they’ll be wearing their pyjamas. I’m not sure if I’ve ever mentioned this before or not but one of our very favorite Christmas traditions we do each year is we stay in our new Christmas pyjamas (usually matching) all day on Christmas and yes even for dinner. Our guests have to as well if they want to come. Our friends joined us for the first time last year and enjoyed it so much they invited themselves back again this year 🙂 It’s absolutely the best! So relaxing and comfortable that is for sure.
I don’t actually do a lot of baking because in our house it’s all about the chips! We are all salty lovers and love our potato chips. I especially love it because those are easy to buy! I tried making peanut butter balls the other day just for something to do and the whole dipping them in chocolate was a hot mess for me. They looked awful, sheesh! I should just stick to the chips.
Oh and I told you I’d share a picture of our real tree so here it is. Like I said I’m not crazy about the warm white (blue tint) lights so I’ll be switching those out next year.
Menu Plan Monday Upcoming Date Changes:
Please note that there will be NO Menu Plan Monday next week as it is Christmas. The following week MPM will be published on Tuesday, January 2/18, a day later than normal due to the New Year holiday.
Helpful Holiday Tips:
I wanted to share a free PDF with you that will provide you with some practical tips for feeling less frazzled this Christmas. Dozens of top homemaking and meal planning experts share 55 of their best stress-reducing, sanity-saving kitchen, cooking and hosting tips, so you can breathe a little easier this year. Access your FREE pdf guide with all the tips HERE. Make this Christmas the one you remember for its simplicity and the refreshing time you spent with family and friends (and not stressing out about the kitchen chaos).
Here’s what we’ll be eating this week.
My Weekly Menu Plan:
We keep dinner pretty simple leading up to Christmas.
Monday: Chicken Burgers and Healthy Green Smoothies
Tuesday: Italian Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner
Wednesday: Easy Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken with potatoes and veggies
Thursday: Leftover buffet
Friday: Pizza Party Friday Night with 5 minute homemade pizza dough
Saturday: Keeping it simple with store bought Swiss Chalet Chicken Pot Pie with Caesar salad and garlic bread
Sunday: Christmas Eve Appetizer Party as follows:
Mozza Sticks (store bought)
Bacon Wrapped Chestnuts
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs
Fruit Tray
Pepper Cheese Ball served with crackers
Butter Tarts
Chip and Guacamole Bites
Shrimp Ring
Big Batch Holiday Party Punch
Monday: Christmas Dinner as follows:
Garlic Rosemary Turkey
Slow Cooker Stuffing
Paleo Stuffing (I’ll make this one the day before)
Dairy-Free Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Garlic Asparagus and Mushrooms
Bread Machine Golden Honey Pan Rolls
Paleo Dinner Rolls
Whipped Shortbread Cookies & my guests are bringing a Chocolate Yule Log
Gluten, Dairy and Egg-Free Chocolate Cupcakes for my son
Paleo Apple Pie Crumb Bars for me!
Have a wonderful week everyone and Merry Christmas!!
WHAT ARE YOU EATING THIS WEEK? SHARE RECIPES AND MENUS BELOW!
Menu Plan Guidelines, banner selections and recipe helpers are here.
More family favorite recipes here.
Don’t forget to join our growing Menu Plan Monday Facebook Page!!
My favorite menu planning resource:
- *Please note that affiliate links are included in this post to make it easier for you to find what is being referenced. A small commission is made should you purchase product using these links, but this is at no extra cost to you. As always, any and all opinions are genuinely my own – or the author, in the case of posts by my guest contributors. Thank you!*
Miz Helen says
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and thanks so much for the awesome parties!
Miz Helen
Barbi K. says
Have a very Merry and Blessed Christmas!
Laura Wittmann says
You too Barbi!!
Heather @CeliacFamily says
Enjoy the holiday with all your friends and family. Sounds like a fun and joyous time! Merry Christmas.
Laura Wittmann says
Thanks Heather! Merry Christmas to you as well 🙂