It’s time to start your Christmas kitchen preparations! Barbara, Catherine, and Jack are here to help you decorate and cook.
Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday are behind us, so I think it’s the perfect time to start talking about Christmas. To be precise, I want to talk about the Christmas kitchen!
Christmas Kitchen
What attributes define the ideal Christmas kitchen? How should I style it? What to cook? What gimmicks might be employed to enhance the charm of this holiday?
As you can see, I want to discuss a lot of important things, thus I’m not writing this post alone. It’s a team effort, and Catherine and Jack are both here to provide their insightful knowledge to this special Christmas cooking guide.
They can’t help but get drawn into the magic, despite Jack’s incessant complaints that it’s too early to get into the holiday spirit (such a Grinch, am I right? ), while Catherine’s mood swings between ecstatic enthusiasm and “I detest snow.” In addition to noticing the twinkle in their eyes and Jack’s covert singing of “Jingle Bells,” I also noticed that Catherine has a new décor idea every day.
Enough chit-chat, for now, we have a lot to cover, so let’s dive right in.
Catherine will give you her expert opinion on Christmas kitchen decorations, while Jack will make sure that your Christmas breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts are both healthy, aesthetic, and yummy. At last, I’ll tuck a few aces up your sleeve so that everything goes smoothly.
Let’s begin! 🙂
How to Decorate your Kitchen for Christmas? – Catherine’s Favorites
Every year, as Christmas approaches, my biggest dilemma is the following – is it possible to overdo Christmas decorations?
Well, of course, it is. If you end up setting your house on fire or cutting off the power of your whole neighborhood, you should consider scaling down.
However, if your house is visible from outer space once you turn on all of your Christmas decorations, but you don’t do any damage, I say go with it.
Seriously, I love decorating my house for the holidays, and my favorite part is decorating the kitchen. There are so many tiny details and subtle changes that you can implement to make it beautiful. As you know, magic is hidden in details.
I’ll tell you a bit more about my favorite Christmas kitchen décor pieces and why I consider them to be the “must-haves” in every festive household.
So, let’s begin!
1. Christmas Kitchen Curtains and Rugs
When I’m decorating my kitchen, I start with the largest surfaces, that is windows (curtains) and floors (rugs). As I know I’ll be throwing a lot of Santa Claus, Snowman, and deer-themed details everywhere around, I try to keep my kitchen rugs and curtains as simple as possible.
Remember, buying a lot of decorations is excellent, but you don’t want it to look kitsch.
First off, you need to decide on your preferred color combination. If you want sparkles, then red and gold or blue and silver are advised.
If not, red, green, and white is an excellent combination for a Christmas kitchen, but you can make it even simpler and go for red and green, red and white or perhaps a blue and white combination if you like. Of course, there are other, less traditional options as well, for example, I love how my friend Maria uses dark purple instead of red to make her kitchen look festive and elegant at the same time.
This is entirely up to you, choose the color combination you like the most and let your imagination make decisions instead of you.
- As I said, I prefer to keep it simple with Christmas curtains for kitchen windows, and then go crazy with the rest of the decoration. For example, I would recommend this adorable deep red curtain – NICETOWN Burgundy Tie-Up Shade Curtain – Window Treatment Balloon Valance Drape for Kitchen Window on Christmas Day.
- If this is not Christmasy enough for you, or you don’t like such dark shades, this is my second pick – White 63 inch Long Sheer Curtains with Snowflake Design. These curtains are elegant, and their snowflake pattern is subtle yet very festive.
When it comes to choosing the perfect Christmas kitchen rug, I have only one piece of advice. Try to coordinate the style of your curtain and your rug. If that’s not doable and you want to keep your Christmas kitchen decoration as minimalistic as possible, the right carpet can do miracles.
- Take a look at the LEO BON Christmas Theme, Geometric Abstract Christmas Tree Non-Slip Rubber Floor Rug, for example. It is modern, yet really effective. It will wake up your Christmas spirit no matter how much you try to keep your kitchen Christmas-free.
2. Christmas Tablecloths and Table Runners
In many houses, the dining table is the kitchen’s center furniture piece. Of course, you will be eating your Christmas meal right there, so it is better to be well decorated.
Don’t worry, no matter the size or the shape of your table, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. Over the years I realized that it’s best if I use both tablecloth and table runner. I usually place my Christmas table runner on my kitchen table, two or three weeks before the actual holiday and it helps me get into the spirit.
However, I use my Christmas tablecloth only for that one special dinner on Christmas Eve. First of all, that tablecloth is much more festive than the table runners I use on all of the other days. At the same time, I give my favorite for that evening to be as unique as possible. Lastly, I want my special tablecloth to remain clean and intact for Christmas Eve, which is why I turn to table runners on other days instead.
- When choosing table runners, I prefer them to be jolly and colorful, with an interesting print. There are simpler options, like Embroidered White Snowflake Holiday Christmas Red Table Runner, and a bit more colorful, cuter ones, like Snowman Tapestry Collection Table Runner. Table runners won’t cover the whole surface of your kitchen table so you can coordinate them with the color of your Christmas kitchen curtains and rugs.
- However, when it comes to Christmas tablecloths, this is an excellent chance to make a contrast. For example, if my kitchen curtains are red, I would go with white tablecloths like this one – Benson Mills Believe Snowman Engineered Printed Tablecloth for Winter and Christmas. Too much red color can make your kitchen a bit dark and dull, so make sure you bring in some light, combining it with white or golden details.
3. Christmas Chair Covers
Let’s talk about Christmas chair covers for your kitchen.
Not many people use them, but they make a tremendous difference when it comes to Christmas decorations. Of course, I like to put them out only on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, not before that, and you’ll see why. However, this depends on your personal preference.
If you want to purchase Christmas chair covers for your kitchen, you have to keep in mind how many chairs do you have, and what are their dimensions. I know many people who made an impulsive shopping decision to buy chair covers and ended up returning them because they were too small.
- The most common design that you’ll come across is chair covers in the shape of Santa’s hat, like this one AMFOCUS Christmas Chair Back Cover Santa Claus Hat Slipcovers Decoration. I have the same, and that’s the reason why I put them out only when Santa’s coming. However, if you want your kitchen to welcome not only Santa but also his deer and Mr. Snowman, you can take a look at something like this – Homecube Chair Back Cover, Christmas Snowman Santa Claus, and Santa Deer Chair Back Covers for Dining Room Home Holiday Party.
4. Christmas Dish Towels
Ooo, Christmas Dish Towels are my favorite. I love them so much that I get sad if they get dirty, even though that is the whole point of kitchen towels after all.
The reason why I love them so much is that they allow you to go crazy with Christmas decorations and the choices are endless. Of course, I wouldn’t advise you to buy blue-silver towels if you already decided to go with the red-green-white combination for the rest of the kitchen, but who am I to forbid you anything? Do as your heart wants, it is Christmas after all.
However, don’t forget that the towels are supposed to serve their purpose and not just look beautiful. Make sure they are made of high-quality materials such as linen, cotton, and microfiber.
I have to admit that I have many Christmas dishtowels sitting in the back of my closet because there are just too cute not to buy. So, I picked out a few different towels for you too!
- If you want to go retro, you’ll love Kay Dee Designs Night Before Christmas Printed Kitchen Towels.
- On the other hand, if you want something goofy and out of the ordinary, you should choose The Big One Christmas Dogs Kitchen Towels or DII Cotton Christmas Holiday Dish Towels. Christmas Holiday Kitchen Towels Dish Cloth by the Linnen Bazaar is too cute not to be mentioned!
Another advantage of Christmas dish towels is that they make an excellent Christmas gift! So, even if you buy a few more than you need, you can always give it to someone who would love them just as much as you do!
5. Christmas Kitchen Utensil Ornaments and Holders
So many Christmas kitchen decoration pieces can fall into this category! All of the previous decorations were here just to set the terrain for Christmas utensil ornaments and holders.
Curtains, rugs, and tablecloths make your kitchen look elegant and classy for Christmas. On the other hand, utensil ornaments and holders, just as well as dish towels, are here to bring out the cuteness.
You can buy as many of them as you want and there’s still no way you will overdo it. Here are my personal favorites:
- these too-cute-to-handle silverware holders – Tinksky 6pcs Kitchen Suit Silverware Holders;
- these ornaments that will make your kitchen ten times merrier – Hallmark Keepsake Christmas Ornament;
- these kitchen utensil ornaments that you can place on your kitchen Christmas tree – Gingerbread Chef and Kitchen Utensils;
- and, an absolute must-have in my Christmas kitchen – iEnjoyware Snowman Kitchen Appliance Handle Covers, which you can place on your fridge or microwave door handles.
Once you gather all of these key elements for the perfect Christmas kitchen decoration, all you need is to throw in some lights (Quntis LED String Decorative Lights – 82.5ft Warm White Fairy Lights) and maybe a small Christmas tree (National Tree 24 Inch Majestic Fir Christmas Tree) if your kitchen is big enough, and you are ready to go!
5 Best Meals to Cook this Christmas – Jack’s Friendly Advice
Hi guys, Jack’s here! I hear you are already eager to plan what you’ll be cooking for Christmas.
At first, I thought: “they can’t be serious, they ALREADY want advice on Christmas dinner? It’s too soon!” But, then I thought of annoying shopping crowds and how they grow bigger and crazier as Christmas approaches, and I realized that every year I try to get all of the necessary ingredients for holidays during the first week of December, just to avoid that fuss.
Of course, to make the list of ingredients that you’ll need, you have to have all of the recipes ready and to have recipes ready, you’ll need the advice of your nutritionist. So, here I am, to help you have the tastiest and healthiest Christmas Eve dinner or Christmas Day lunch possible.
Let’s begin!
1. Delicious Honey and Rye Glazed Ham
Here’s the list of ingredients that you’ll need to make this savory, succulent dish:
- 1 12 to 14-lb. cured smoked bone-in ham (preferably with removed skin)
- 2 cups of water
- 1 3/4 cup of rye whiskey, bourbon, or some other whiskey you can find
- 3/4 cup of honey
- 1/4 cup of mild-flavored molasses
- 1 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes
- 3/4 tsp. of coarsely ground black pepper
You can find detailed instructions on how to prepare this honey and rye glazed ham here. This is my go-to dish for Christmas Day because it’s pretty simple and it can be done in less than two hours. Also, if you make too much, you can always freeze it to use later, with my tips.
In order to make this dish, you will need one large roasting pan like this one – Calphalon Contemporary 16-Inch Stainless Steel Roasting Pan with Rack, but if you have a roaster oven (Oster CKSTRS23-SB Roaster Oven) things will be even simpler.
Roasting brush (OXO Good Grips Silicone Basting & Pastry Brush is my absolute favorite), meat thermometer (ThermoPro TP03A Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer is my go-to) and cutting board (why not this Christmas-themed one – Personalized Holiday Cutting Board) will also come in handy.
However, some of you want to pick the finest cutting board on the market instead of limiting your choice to Christmas-themed ones. Read this guide and Barbara will teach you how to pick the high-quality cutting board that suits your needs.
2. Soft, Roasted Squash with Cinnamon and Brown Butter
Moving on to side dishes. As you know, both squash and cinnamon have fantastic health benefits, so why not combine them into perfect vegetarian, gluten-free Christmas dinner side-dish?
Here’s the list of ingredients that you’ll need:
- 3 lbs. butternut squash (washed and peeled)
- 6 lbs. unsalted butter
- 1 1 to the 2-inch knob of fresh ginger (peeled and finely grated)
- 3/4 fresh orange
- 3 tbsp. of molasses
- 2 tbsp. of dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp. of ground ginger
- 3/4 tsp. of ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. of ground cloves
- Freshly ground black pepper and Kosher salt
You’ll also need baking sheets and one small saucepan. These are the products that I swear by, guaranteed to provide you with a perfectly cooked and healthy meal:
- Rachael Ray Cucina Nonstick Bakeware 10-Piece Set,
- Circulon Symmetry Chocolate Hard-Anodized Nonstick 4.5-Qt. Chef Pan.
Find out whether the pudding is gluten-free or not with Barb! Many of us turn to different kinds of pudding, as a simple yet delicious dessert for Christmas Day. However, is pudding gluten-free or not? Can you eat it without worrying? Read Barb’s guide and find out!
3. Cranberry Christmas Cake
Making the perfect Christmas cranberry cake for the whole family is not an easy task, especially when your grandma knows the best. However, this detailed recipe should lead you through the whole process painlessly and give perfect results.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 12 oz. of fresh cranberries
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups of sugar
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour (or gluten-free alternative)
- 3/4 cup of butter (softened)
- 1 tsp. of vanilla
To make this cake, you’ll also need an electric mixer, such as this one – Breville BHM800SIL Hand Mixer, and a high-quality non-stick pan.
4. Healthy, Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without Gingerbread cookies. But, can we make them gluten-free? Of course, we can! Just follow the recipe I gave you, and they will be done before you can blink!
Here’s what you’ll need for the cookies and icing:
- 1 egg
- 1 egg white (at room temperature, for glaze)
- 2 cups of confectioner’s sugar (for icing)
- 1 3/4 cups of white rice flour
- 3/4 cup of potato starch
- 3/4 cup of shortening
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 3/4 cup of molasses
- 3/4 cup of tapioca starch
- 2-3 tsp. of fresh lime juice (for icing)
- 1 3/4 tsp. of cinnamon
- 1 tsp. of baking powder
- 1 tsp. of kosher salt
- 1 tsp. of ground ginger
- 3/4 tsp. of baking soda
- 1/8 tsp. of nutmeg
- Pinch of cloves
- Pinch of salt (for icing)
A hand mixer will come in handy with this recipe, too. Cookie sheets are also necessary, but I already covered that topic. Don’t forget to get some parchment paper as well!
On the other hand, if you are Earth-conscious, you probably avoid using parchment paper, and I support that decision. In that case, you will need a more eco-friendly alternative. So, I recommend you to read this article and learn how to pick a good silicone baking mat with Catherine!
5. Christmas Buttered Rum And Cider
I love Christmas and everything that goes with it, but I am a bit tired of eggnog. I know this is an unpopular opinion, but why not change the tradition from time to time and bring something new into your Christmas kitchen game? That’s why I decided to recommend you this delicious buttered rum and apple cider.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- A few sliced apples for serving
- 10 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks (and a few more for serving)
- 3 cups of spiced apple cider
- 3/4 cup of dark spiced rum
- 2 tbsp. chilled unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup of water
- 1/8 tsp. of freshly grated nutmeg
- pinch of salt
The favorite thing about this yummy Christmas beverage is that it can be done in less than 30 minutes. All you need is a medium saucepan (like this one Cuisinart 719-16 Chef’s Classic Stainless Saucepan with Cover), and some beautiful Christmas-themed mugs (Certified International”Santa, Snowman, Penguin & Bear” 3D Figural Mugs are a great idea) for serving!
Barbara’s 5 Tips & Tricks to Make your Christmas Kitchen Magical
Now that you know how to decorate your kitchen for this Christmas and what to cook, I have a few words to add before we say farewell for today.
Follow these tips and tricks and both your kitchen and your holiday will be perfect!
1. Make sure your Christmas tree is perky
- If you decide to place your Christmas tree in the kitchen, make sure to keep it away from any source of heating – radiators, oven, fireplace even your dishwasher. Find the coldest spot in your kitchen and place the tree right there. This way, your tree will shed needles, and it will look fresh for a longer time.
2. Delegate duties
- Once Christmas comes, you might find yourself in a situation where you have a big turkey or ham already in your oven, but you still have to roast squash as well, and you’d like all of these things to be ready at the same time.
- This might sound like a mission impossible, but it is not. Just make sure that you don’t cram everything in the same oven because such a maneuver can cause a disaster. Either you will burn something, or it won’t be ready in time.
- So, getting that roaster oven that Jack mentioned previously, might be a really good idea. Read our guide and you will find the perfect roaster oven for yourself in no time!
Learn how to select oven mitts right now! Another thing to pay attention to is your safety. No matter how great Christmas is, the fact is that all of the preparations for the celebration can be quite stressful. Thousands of thoughts are rushing through our heads and we become clumsy and negligent. That’s why I advise you to be careful and protect your hands by wearing oven mitts at all times. Read this article and I will help you select the oven mitts on the market! They can be cute and Christmas-themed as well.
3. Make your roasties crispier
- If you decide to cook roasties, and you want them to be as crispy as possible, add just a half teaspoon of baking soda to the water in which you are planning to cook them. This way creating higher pH will break the pectin down more quickly. As a result, you will get delicious roasties with fluffier edges.
4. Store your ornaments wisely
- Once the time comes to take off the Christmas decorations, you’ll face the problem of storing them. How to store them safely without breaking any of your precious ornaments? Well, the solution to all of your problems is hidden in your kitchen. Use leftover egg cartons to pack up your Christmas ornaments – it’s simple, efficient, and cheap.
5. Make chocolate peels quickly
- You will probably make a lot of desserts that need a chocolate garnish. You can make this process much easier for yourself by using a potato peeler, such as OXO 20081 Peeler to peel the chocolate. Yes, I know it sounds silly, but you’ll thank me later!
Conclusion
We believe you are now well equipped to handle this Christmas season like a pro. Christmas kitchen won’t be a burden to you on any front. All you have to do is follow our advice, and enjoy the holiday spirit!
If you have any creative suggestions for Christmas kitchen decorations or cooking ideas, we would love to learn about them!
Leave us a comment; we are especially happy to hear about some DIY Christmas projects!