Since our son was born we've always have Christmas at our house, apart from one Christmas when we decided to eat Christmas dinner at a local hotel.
Needless to say the Christmas offering at the hotel wasn't great. The veggie option felt like it was added to the menu last minute because they had to have one and it was a real disappointment.
The meal started with a delicious butternut squash soup which was the highlight of the meal and it all went downhill after that. Having Christmas dinner at home is definitely the best option.
So every November I sit down and plan Christmas dinner. It always takes a fair bit of thought and planning. When you're vegetarian or vegan you really need to be creative to present something special. Once I've decided what I'm cooking I can set it aside and concentrate on all the other things that happen at Christmas, the shopping; wrapping gifts; decorating; baking and all the fun events.
Lets make Christmas dinner easy!
Let me take the stress out of Christmas for you this year.
I'll pulled together lots of easy recipes for you to try this Christmas. They've all been tested on my family and have photos and simple instructions, with no fancy ingredients.
There are a selection of both vegetarian and vegan dishes for starter; main course; sides; sauces & dressings; dessert; sweet treats; soft drinks and cocktails.
Just open the recipes you'd like to try and print them out to take into the kitchen this Christmas. If there are any you aren't sure about, try them out before Christmas day and remember I am always happy to help if you need any tips. You will find my email in my about me page under the banner.
Have yourself a Very Veggie Christmas from my home to yours.
Check out this Drinkaware Vegan Guide to make sure the spirits you are using a vegan.
Make a list. Add all the things you need to prepare and buy for Christmas. Tackle the list a little at a time.
Set a budget and try to stick to it. Over-spending will make you feel stressed.
Don't try to be perfect, just keep things simple and try to enjoy Christmas. It's all about spending time with family and friends.
Plan your Christmas dinner as soon as possible and try out anything you aren't sure about before Christmas Day.
Make things easy and plan Christmas dinner with a mixture of ready made dishes and homemade dishes. This way you'll have more time to spend with your guests on the day.
Have a look on Pinterest for table setting and decoration ideas.
Start a Christmas folder, either online or in a ring binder or box. Print out your recipes and save them in your folder with notes and any ideas you've collected.
Stock up on plenty of gift wrap, ribbons and sellotape in advance, so you don't have that last minute panic.
Build some fun things into your list. Take time out to visit seasonal displays and take part in fun Christmas activities, but have some time off from Christmas too. When it becomes too much, have a long bubble bath, read a book or watch a movie.
I hope my Christmas recipe guide has given you lots of inspiration for planning a veggie Christmas. My main Christmas dinner tip is to try and prepare as much as you can the day before so you just have to prepare the vegetables and gravy on the day while everything else just needs heated up.
I hope you have a really happy and food filled Christmas with some time to just sit back and relax too.
I will be adding to this guide as I create more Christmas recipes in the run up to the big day, so do bookmark or favourite this page to come back to for fresh ideas.