Celebrating Christmas with Friends

Article: A Santa Theme Christmas Luncheon

With the holidays almost upon us, I like to give my girlfriends a little time off. So I invite them all over for a little holiday luncheon that is a fun way to take a break from all the baking and Christmas shopping. This was quick and easy and I was able to join in the fun because all the food can be made ahead of time and cooked the day of the party.

Since my house is already decorated for the holidays, all I really need to worry about is decorating the table. I have straight back chairs for my dining room table so I made big Santa Hats to go over the backs of the chairs a few years ago. I made them out of felt. I measured the back of my chairs and then took the width and brought it up to a point at the top. Now I don't sew so I glued these together with fabric glue, leaving the bottom open so it would slip over my chairs. I then added a strip of white felt at the bottom on one side, (I did not do both sides as you will really only see one) and added a big ball on the end which I made with my pompom and tassel maker. The instructions are on ThriftyFun for this little gem.

Then I made a silk flower arrangement of red poinsettias low to the table and stuck a small stuffed Santa in it. For place mats, I crocheted red triangles and edged them with white and metallic yarn. My Christmas china is white with holly and berries. I bought at the dollar store a bunch of those small Christmas stockings and used them as a pouch to hold the silverware laid on a small white napkin. I collect silverplated silverware so I made sure it was all polished and ready to go. I used a white table cloth, it was beautiful.

I also made a menu card on my computer and laid it on each plate. All I did to make the menu cards was to go into Word and opened a new document. Then I formatted it so that it had a column down the center and then I typed out my menu one time and then cut and pasted it so that I had four to a sheet. I used a pretty curly girly font and made it large so it took up a lot of the page so I did not need to use a graphic. But if you are a graphic-holic like me and want to use a graphic, go ahead.

For the food, I served vegetable lasagna and had a relish tray for my friends to nibble on. I pulled out my silver plated platter and filled it with cheese and crackers and dips. I also made a tray with different cookies bought at the store. I served my very favorite Holiday punch which can be made as an alcoholic beverage or as non-alcoholic.Here are the recipes that I used:

Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 jar of Alfredo Sauce
• 1 package lasagna noodles
• 1 pound of mozzarella cheese
• 1 carton low fat cottage cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 package of California Style frozen vegetables

Directions

Precook lasagna noodles until just soft. Precook frozen vegetables until they are half way cooked. Combine mozzarella cheese leaving some to sprinkle on top with cottage cheese and egg mixing well. Now you are ready for assembly.

In a 8 by 8 baking dish assembly as follows: Precooked lasagna noodles, some of the sauce, about half the cheese, vegetables and another layer of noodles then the cheese then the vegetables ending with sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake in 350 degree F oven until top is golden and cheese is melted.

Holiday Crab Dip

Ingredients

• 1 block of Cream cheese room temperature
• 1 can of crab
• 2 tablespoons of seafood cocktail sauce
• Salt and pepper and garlic to taste

Directions

Stir drained crab into the cream cheese. Add the 2 tablespoons of seafood cocktail sauce. Season to taste.

Holiday Mushroom Dip

Ingredients

• 1 block of cream cheese at room temperature
• 2 small cans of mushroom stems and pieces
• Salt pepper and garlic to taste

Directions

Stir mushrooms into cream cheese and seasoned to your own taste.

Deb's Favorite Holiday Punch

Ingredients

• 1 bottle of cranberry juice
• 1 can of frozen limeade concentrate
• 1 carton of lime sherbet
• 1 bottle of rum

Directions

Mix the cranberry juice and thawed limeade concentrate together in punch bowl. Right before guests arrive add scoops of lime sherbet. You can make this drink with or without the rum. If you are making it with the rum, about a shot of liquor goes in each glass.

Editor's Note: Here are the instructions for the Pom Pom Maker for the Santa Hats:

• Homemade Adjustable Pom Pom/Tassel Maker