The Christmas spirit is at an all-time high, with the holiday only two days away. Mariah Carey has been fully awakened from her slumber, and we can almost taste the delicious meals at the festive dinner table. Your stomach growled at you, even at the thought of it.
A juicy turkey, delicious sides, sweet pecan pies, and freshly baked gingerbread cookies are the foods we usually save for Christmas and savor during the holidays.
But if you haven’t planned your meals or might feel overwhelmed wondering what to serve this year, don’t worry; We are here to help!
We’ve compiled a list of some of the most stunning Christmas dishes that creative cooks have whipped up in their kitchens. So kick back and feast on the mouth-watering meals below that might inspire you for your festive table.
01. Here’s The Completed Snow Globe Cake. A White Chocolate Chiffon Fresh Cream Drip Cake, Butter Cookie Decorations, And A Crystal Sugar Dome That Took Years Off My Life. Merry Christmas
02. Gingerbread Imperial Star Destroyer
03. This Christmas, Focaccia Was Not A Waste Of Thyme, Sage Or Rosemary
Usually, our Christmas table is full of meals that we enjoy the most, making each one of them unique. But the festive dinner isn’t the same without traditional staples like a roasted bird, Brussels sprouts, mash with gravy, or gingerbread cookies.
For example, in the UK, people eat over ten million turkeys at Christmas, and even though someone always complains about the meat being dry or bland, it’s a fan favorite across the country.
04. I Made A Van Gogh Gingerbread House
05. First Attempt Ever At Royal Icing And Flooding. Not Perfect, So I Think The Melted Snowman Cookies Were The Right Choice For A First Project. They’re Authentic Looking
06. My Attempt At A Cupcake Wreath For My Son’s Preschool Staff
But have we ever stopped to think about the origins of the dishes we put on our tables every year? The turkey, for example, initially started as a goose. People avoided slaughtering cows for meat, as they produced milk all year round, while chickens produced eggs, which were quite expensive. Geese only lay eggs seasonally, which makes them the perfect candidates for the Christmas table.
This holiday dish quickly became a staple in many households. However, the bird wasn’t enough to feed more prominent families, and eventually, imported turkeys replaced them by the mid-twentieth century.
07. Snowy Chocolate Pinecones
08. I Also Made An Apple Pie For Christmas. And Wanted Someone To See It
09. I Baked This Book Stack Chocolate Christmas Cake. It Is 100% Edible.
Gingerbread is also a classic during the holidays, but did you know that the tradition of building and decorating it as a house began in Germany? Food historians say that this activity started with the Brothers Grimm publishing their book of fairy tales in the 1800s. The story of Hansel and Gretel, two children who found a house made of bread and sugar decorations, circulated throughout the country and inspired German bakers to create their versions.
Today, the edible structures have become vastly more extensive and more intricate, like this Downton Abbey one.
10. I Made A Gingerbread House From Scratch. All Edible
11. Christmas Tree Canapés. I’m So Ready For All Things Festive
12. Happy December Everyone. I Made This Charcuterie Wreath
Besides, we must thank Germany for coming up with our beloved candy canes. The popular legend says that they date back to 1670 when the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral handed out sugar sticks to the younger singers to quiet them down during the Living Creche ceremony. People complained that sweets weren’t appropriate at church, so he bent them into shepherd’s hooks in honor of Christmas.
There’s another less fun version that says that it’s possible that Germans angled candy canes to hang them from trees alongside other decorations like cookies and fruits.
13. Vanilla Cupcake Wreaths With Chocolate Peppermint Ganache
14. “Up” Gingerbread House
15. A Simple Definition Of Christmas
Additionally, it’s expected that during the holidays, most avid bakers and cooks pull out spices like cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger from their cupboards. Afterward, they appear in all sorts of dishes, and it’s all because of some soldiers who fought in the Crusades (a religious war). They were the ones who brought back the spices and the style of combining them with dried fruit and meat. At first, they were so valuable that they were saved for the most important celebrations, particularly Christmas. They are easily accessible and can be found in pies, cookies, and chicken dishes.
16. Christmas Rubik’s Cube
17. Christmas Cake With Something Cute
18. Ordered Some Sprinkles On Etsy And Made These Door Cookies With Wreaths
19. I Used Pomegranate Arils To Make Christmas Trees On The Side Of This White Chocolate Pomegranate Cake, And It Turned Out So Cute
The famous Yule log, or rolled chocolate sponge, goes back to Scandinavian paganism when the ancient Norse burned round firewood to celebrate the sun’s return at the winter solstice. After Christianity swept the UK, the tradition continued by scorching them in fireplaces. But as homes got smaller, it became harder to fit large logs. Instead, someone decided to bake a cake as a reminder of it, and the Yule log was born. In the 19th century, it became popular across Europe when Parisian bakeries started making and embellishing them to place on their displays.
20. My Grandma’s Christmas Cookies
21. Christmas Cake With Festive Decor
22. Christmas-Themed Macarons. I Hope Santa Likes It
23. Festive Salmon In Puff Pastry
As we know today, eggnog is a concoction of eggs, milk, and sugar spiked with rum or bourbon. While its lineage can’t be accurately traced back, most historians agree that it originated from the medieval British drink “posset.” It was made with hot milk curdled with wine or ale and flavored with spices. The ingredients were the food of the wealthy, so eggnog was often used in toasts for prosperity and good health. It was tied to the holiday when the drink reached America. George Washington shared his eggnog recipe that was very alcohol-heavy, with four different types of booze included in it. What a fun guy!
24. We Have A Running Joke With My Friends That I Only Cook Hotdogs. I Hope They Enjoy Their Christmas Cookies
25. I’ve Been Thinking What To Cook For Christmas This Year
26. A Cheese & Olive Christmas Tree
27. I Made Santa Macarons Today. Filled With Nutella Buttercream
As we can see, we’ve come a long way before we ended up with unique dishes like the ones on the list. If you lack the confidence to try the creative Christmas foods you see in the pictures, you may return to the traditional ones; no one will judge you!
And those of you who have planned your Christmas menu, let us know in the comments what whimsical treats you’ll be surprising your loved ones with.
For more holiday-inspired foods, check out our earlier publication here.
Lastly, we wish you delicious upcoming holidays and happy cooking!
28. Santa’s Bag
29. When Your Santa Sugar Cookies Come Out Looking Like SouthPark
30. I Got A Mandolin For Christmas, So I Made Ratatouille
31. Since You Guys Loved The Wreaths, Here’s Another Simple Royal Icing Technique
32. Speculaas Is A Biscuit Full Of Herbs And Spices. Traditionally Baked On Or Just Before St Nicholas’ Day In The Netherlands (5th December) And Around Christmas In Germany And Austria.
33. Christmas Recipes: Rabanada (Brazilian French Toast) Stuffed With Salted Caramel
34. Homemade Chocolate And Raspberry Christmas Trunk Cake
35. Cinnamon Rolls, Made By My Brother For Christmas
36. Some Santa Hat Whipped Cream Cupcakes I Made Today
37. Christmas Pound Cake
38. Homemade Christmas Beef Wellington
39. I Couldn’t Make My Pumpkin Pie For Thanksgiving, So I Gave It A Christmas Glow Up
40. Get Ready To Be The Talk Of The Party When You Bring This Board To Your Grinchmas Celebrations. If It Weren’t Filled With So Many Delicious Treats You Might Feel Naughty Eating It
41. Vegetable Quiche With Chestnut Mushrooms, Spinach And Cheese. Isn’t This A Nice Christmas Dish?
You can use it as a vegetable course with a good piece of meat, but it is also super delicious as a main meal.
42. Santa Bread
43. Every Christmas Eve, I Make Julia Child’s Queen Of Sheba Cake With Chocolate Almond Pine Cones
44. Christmas Tree Snack Board
45. Christmas Strawberry Santa’s
46. If You’re Anything Like Me, The Lead-Up To Christmas Is Already Too Busy, But As A Parent, You Want To Add As Much Magic To The Season As You Can, Am I Right?
47. Who’s Doing A Ham On Christmas Day? Here’s My Jam And Whiskey Glazed Ham
48. Homemade Christmas Charcuterie Board
49. Here Are 2 Festive Edible Tips To Make For Christmas. I Made The Sausage Tray A Few Years Ago For The Sit-In Night And The Fruit Tray As A Snack For The Kids
50. Reindeer Bento Stuffed With Green Pepper Meat: It’s Great For Christmas, And It’s Fun To Make
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