A Hobbit-Style Christmas Day Menu and Other Menu Ideas

The way we will celebrate Christmas looks very different for most of us this year. Our family will not be gathering as usual at my parents and grandparents to have large meals and exchange gifts. Personally, I don’t relish the thought of making a large meal on Christmas Day for just the four of us like I did at Thanksgiving. So, this year, I will be revisiting a menu that I created in 2013 for Christmas Day.

In December 2013, Ryan and I found out that yet another pregnancy was going to end in miscarriage. After having lots of bloodwork and a couple of ultrasounds that gave us the answer that we were dreading, it was just a matter of waiting for nature to run its course. My heart was breaking and celebrating was far from my mind. Also, that year, my brothers were either traveling or working on Christmas Day so my family planned to gather on another day. Ryan suggested that he and I watch the extended version of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and eat like Hobbits all day. And so, I created the following menu plan that year, which I found and copied from an email that I sent to a friend back then:

Biscuits and jam in bed: my oatmeal/flax/cranberry biscuits

Second breakfast: fruit, eggs and bacon

Elevensies: potato soup

Lunch: finger sandwiches

Afternoon tea: scones and tea

Supper: veggies (sweet potato fries that Ryan loves! And asparagus)

Dinner: salad

Snack: popcorn

This year, I will be doing something similar, and am sharing some gluten-free recipe ideas with you below:

First breakfast: Toast and butter and jam or cinnamon rolls or baked oatmeal or muffins

Second breakfast: Sausage egg casserole or Quiche or hard-boiled eggs, and fruit

Elevensies: Creamy Potato Leek Soup or Curried Carrot Cauliflower Soup or Lemony Lentil Soup or Broccoli soup or Pumpkin Soup

Lunch: Tiny sandwiches filled with chicken salad, egg salad, or pimento cheese, put curried chicken salad on apple slices, or make cucumber sandwiches

Afternoon tea: Cookies and tea or scones and tea. Click here for gluten free scone recipe.

Supper: Roasted butternut squash and homemade chicken nuggets (or purchase these: Organic, Gluten Free Chicken Tenders)

Dinner: Salad

Snack: Popcorn

Another idea would be to do charcuterie trays:

Breakfast:

Baked goods, hardboiled eggs or muffin-cup frittatas, fresh fruit, yogurt, and nuts

Lunch:

An assortment of fresh vegetables and dips, cheeses, crackers

Dinner:

An assortment of sliced meats, olives, pickles, roasted veggies, fruits, and breads (and more cheese, if desired)

Dessert:

A cookie tray and hot tea, coffee, or cocoa

Of course, the goal is to get the prep done in advance so that on Christmas Day, you aren’t spending the day slaving away in the kitchen! So choose a couple of items to make if you want and buy the rest so that you are enjoying time with your family as you celebrate together.

If you try this idea, I would love to hear about it in the comments!