Christmas Eve Meal

[Glynis]

Every year on Christmas Eve, my family goes to IHOP for breakfast. It's a tradition that my kids look forward to all year. DH likes to have a special meal on Christmas Eve, and then a large dinner on Christmas day. Going out to breakfast on Christmas Eve was my suggestion.

This year, for Christmas Eve dinner, I'd like to do small appetizer things that my kids can eat with their fingers (or off toothpicks). I know that I'll do a crockpot of meatballs and sauce, and a pan of Li'l Smokies in grape jelly and chili sauce, but what are some other things that kids (ages 2-13) would find fun and yummy?

Thanks for any input!

 

[minkydog]

devilled eggs, celery sticks stuffed with cheese, chicken wings with various dipping sauces, cheese ball and crackers, sliced apples with caramel, grapes & cheese cubes. raw veggies with ranch or blue cheese dressing.

 

[bijoli666]

Mini fruit skewers... mini marshmallows alternating w/ cherries or pineapple---whatever fruits the kids like. If they are around 4 or 5 yrs old, they can even make them for you

 

[Tinkermommy]

Chicken tenders, mini pizzas, mini quiche, cheese cubes.

Cookies of course, just leave a few for Santa.

 

[Minnie]

quesadias - either plain cheese, chicken, or taco.

DS loves these - these are even now available through Tyson anytizers

 

[Minnesota!]

taco dip (you can mix taco seasoning into sour cream, spread in a pan, top with shredded lettuce and cheese).

spinach dip with a loaf of Hawaiian bread

nachos

We do a big pasta dinner - every year is a differnt sauce. I think this year DH adn I will have bleu cheese and walnut stuffed ravioli with a sauce, and then the boys will have fettucine and alfredo. And then we have garlic bread, too. We started this tradition when first DS was 6 months old and now he is 6.5 years old!!! We all look forward to it!

 

[NMAmy]

I usually make the appetizer meal every year for New Year's Eve. This year, dd and her boyfriend will be here for Christmas but not NYE, so I've decided to move it up to Christmas Eve.

Here are our regular items:

Meatballs (of course!)
Chicken buffalo dip
Rueben dip with pumpernickel bread
Shrimp cocktail
devilled eggs
veggie tray
Queso and tortilla chips

I often get a selection of different frozen appetizers, too, like mini egg rolls, cheese sticks, spinach pockets, etc.

Obviously, for NYE, we don't eat all of this in one sitting but I bring different items out throughout the evening and friends stop by, as well. For Christmas Eve, I'll probably just do the big favorites.

 

[Glynis]

Great suggestions, everyone!!! Thanks so much!!!

I forgot deviled eggs! Those are my kids favorites!! A definite must!!!

I like the quesadilla idea, too! We'll have plates of cookies and candies, so it's nice to have some savory ideas, too.

Could I please get the recipe for the reuben dip? That sounds amazing!

Keep the good ideas coming!

 

[golfgal]

We made these last year and they were SO good:

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/recipes/r-penzeysChickenBaconPoppers.html

You can order the spices online if you need-all of their spices are great.

I think we are going to do fondue for Christmas Eve this year. I think we will have a cheese, oil and chocolate one. I think I will do the cheese and chocolate ones in my crock pot and the oils in our fondue pot. We ate at Melting Pot for DS18's birthday and everyone really enjoyed that.

 

[AustinTink]

We have tamales, it a family tradition. I'll have all the sides to go along... rice, beans, guacamole... the works!

 

[chamonix]

We have a few different traditions from different sides of the family. If it's just us here at home we usually have the traditional Jewish Christmas eve dinner: go out for Chinese!

Other branches of the family tree do standing rib roast and Yorkshire pudding. Btw, we're not Jewish, it's just nice not to cook on Christmas eve since we're usually tired from all the "getting ready" for Christmas day, and I'll be cooking a lot on Christmas day (breakfast and a big dinner that we eat in the afternoon...)

This year we are flying back home on Christmas eve and won't arrive until almost 8pm. It's definitely going to be takeout Chinese this year!

Luckily we have neighbors that bring the red tamales over on Christmas eve, yum!

 

[Genie 410]

Does wine count as a food item?

 

[Geoff_M]

We have a tradition that started in my family when we had a Norwegian exchange student when I was in high school... hot rice porridge with sugar and cinnamon. A nut is randomly hidden in one of the kids' bowls and they get a prize when it's found.

 

[si-am]

We always do fondue for Christmas Eve. (Steak and cheese cubes cooked in oil). For sides, we have green bean casserole, chips and dip, and smoked oysters and crackers. Kind of weird, but just a tradition.

An idea for a fun appetizer-like meal would be a box of Hickory Farms or Swiss Colony cheese, sausage and crackers. Their petit fours are a must for dessert!

 

[luvsJack]

Christmas Eve for us always = two meals. A big meal at mil's and an appetizer meal at dh's grandmother's. The second one is always the favorite.

The kids always go for the meatballs, sausages, rotel dip, apples and cream cheese fruit dip, candied pecans, ham dip and crackers, cheese ball and crackers.

 

[Tinijocaro]

I told MIL I wanted to do an appetizer dinner for christmas day and I'm pretty sure she thought I was nuts, although she had the good sense to not tell me that. I made a huge pan of gawumpkis, a veggie lasagna, and we'll have a bunch of appetizers. Sounds like a great meal to me!

 

[ThisIsJason]

My parents always took my sister and I to McDonald's for Christmas Eve. Only reason was because back in 1996 we lost power early in the afternoon, every year after that, its what we did. My wife and I do it too.

 

[NMAmy]

Could I please get the recipe for the reuben dip? That sounds amazing!

Sure! I just made this at Thanksgiving--everyone begs for it.

1 lb corned beef chopped roughly
(I use canned corned beef--I have a friend who gets a chunk from the deli and either way is fine)

1 16 oz can sauer kraut rinsed and drained
1 cup 1000 Island dressing
1 1/2 cups shreeded swiss cheese
3 oz package cream cheese cut into pieces
1 tbs prepared horseradish

Combine all ingredients in a small Crockpot. Cover and cook 2.5 to 3 hours. Serve with pumpernickel or rye bread cut into chunks.

 

[golfgal]

Sure! I just made this at Thanksgiving--everyone begs for it.

1 lb corned beef chopped roughly
(I use canned corned beef--I have a friend who gets a chunk from the deli and either way is fine)

1 16 oz can sauer kraut rinsed and drained
1 cup 1000 Island dressing
1 1/2 cups shreeded swiss cheese
3 oz package cream cheese cut into pieces
1 tbs prepared horseradish

Combine all ingredients in a small Crockpot. Cover and cook 2.5 to 3 hours. Serve with pumpernickel or rye bread cut into chunks.

I might have to make this. My MIL LOVES Reuben's's.

 

[luvmythree]

We do Swiss Cheese fondue with a sourdough bread, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, carrots etc for the "main" dish along with the lil' smokies, sweet and sour meatballs, cheese ball, crackers and pepperoni etc....and then we do chocolate fondue for dessert dipping pound cake/angel food cake, bananas, strawberries etc. It's a tradition I started after my divorce 10 years ago and my kids LOVE it!!!!