As you all know, this is the best time of year!!! For religious and spiritual reasons, but also because we get to spend so much family time together!

I love to start Christmas festivities on Thanksgiving Day. While I am preparing the meal (most of which has been completed in the day or two prior), my daughters are decorating the Christmas tree and the entire house! The tree above is our 2022 Farmhouse Flocked tree (my daughter snow-sprayed everything not moving + her little sister and the dog!) The farmhouse is covered in pumpkins, gourds, pine, holly, pine cones, and lights!!! Simply beautiful ~

Of course, I've been Christmas shopping all year because I just love finding a great deal on a gist that my kids will love. Then, I start developing a menu. My kids want lots of the traditional meal, but I get a new item or two onto the table. Here is a helpful list for planning your holiday with family and friends.

In addition to the delicious food we will share, we also exchange traditional gifts on Christmas Eve while we enjoy our delicious Mexican recipes of  biscochos, champurrado, empanadas, and tamales. Click here for our Christmas Eve recipes! We play games, tell jokes, laugh, and simply love every moment. Then, we exchange gifts of books and pajamas ~ one of my favorite things to do is watch my kids open the books I have chosen for them each year. I do my best to find something they love and something that captures their new interests. I have a pretty good track record so far!

On Christmas Day, we wake up early and cannot wait to open gifts! Then, it's time for an:

Irish Breakfast: fried eggs, hash browns, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms, Irish bangers (sausage links), biscuits and fig marmalade ~ of course, plenty of coffee (maybe a bit too much whiskey in last night's festivities)!

I love to make snacks for the family to enjoy while playing this year's games ~ trivia, bingo, and (what I am most looking forward to) Yellowstone Monopoly! During the day, we all participate in the cooking. As you know, my son will prepare the turkey (no, he still has not shared his secret brine recipe!) while my daughters and I prepare the goose and ham. 

Snacks: One of my favorites is the cream cheese topped with Tabasco jelly. We serve this with Wheat Thins! This year, I am making a Fig, Pecan, & Brie bites. I also ordered Kimberley Biscuits on Amazon because we live in west Texas. I just adore Smoked Salmon & Marie Rose Sauce ~ this year, I am serving this on sea salt & cracked pepper kettle chips. I also sprinkle a few capers, chopped green onion, and fresh rosemary. Delicious! And for a bit of cool & fresh (plus it blends well with the smoked salmon) I make a melon ball dish of cantaloupe and honey dew. Festive & Tasty!

Spirits: Jamie & Ginger is a traditional drink here (or maybe just in my house, either way...) I prefer Jameson Black Barrel and Canada Dry ginger ale in a highball glass of ice. For a more festive twist, I add a cinnamon stick and a splash of cranberry juice.

Dinner: Roast Goose with Pecan Stuffing & Apricot Chutney, Fried Turkey & Cranberry Sauce (I buy the canned Ocean Spray whole berry then add the juice of 1 orange and a cinnamon stick, bring to a boil, then put in a nice serving dish), Plum & Star Anise Ham, Goose Fat Roasted Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Irish Buttered Carrots, & Soda Bread ~ don't forget the Christmas Crackers!

Dessert: Irish Christmas Cake with Brandy Butter, Kimberley Biscuits, Mince Pies,
Irish Sherry Trifle & Irish Coffee

We hope you enjoy these recipes as much and we do, and from our family to yours ~ Merry Christmas~

These might be the easiest favorite cookie to bake! They are great with Irish coffee & Santa loves them (hint, hint!).

This is also a great beginners recipe for your kiddoes! It's almost impossible to mess up... but it can happen so they need supervisions. We hope you enjoy this Farm to Table recipe!

One of our favorite traditions is baking cookies during Christmas week. We deliver them to our neighbors (out here on the ranch, our neighbors are miles away so we bake a few days then deliver for a few days). Of course, we bake fresh cookies on Christmas Eve just for Santa!

These are easy & delicious! Enjoy ~

If you prefer to roll out your dough and use cookie cutters, this recipe works well with just a few minor adjustments.

After mixing the dough until smooth, turn dough out on work surface. Cut dough in half and shape each portion into a compact disk. Wrap separately in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Unwrap 1 dough disk and roll on lightly-floured work surface to 1/4-inch thickness (lightly coat rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking). Cut into chosen shapes and place cookies 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Then, place the cookie sheet with the shaped cookies into the refrigerator for 8-10 minutes, then bake (follow the card to finish).