Having a Merry but Budget Friendly Christmas Meal

The holidays are a time for family, friends, and great times. Everyone is in a great mood, laughing, and eating tons of food. It can also be a very stressful time of year with all the things to do and the money that gets spent. So how can you throw a holiday get together and not break the bank on the meal? In our house Christmas Eve is the biggest of the holidays filled with plenty of together time and a huge assortment of delicious food. It used to be an absolutely staggering blow to the bank account, but we've learned through the years to scale it back. You can still have a delicious and impressive meal without going broke. Here are a few ideas that have worked well in our family:

*Figure out your menu and stick to your list. It's easy to get carried away with way too many side dishes, appetizers, and cocktails. I remember one year having three kinds of meat, five appetizers, and far too many wine choices. It's not necessary! If you plan out your menu in advance and stick to the grocery list you put together you need not go broke over the Christmas Eve dinner. Don't get carried away with more choices than your guests possibly need. Stick with a couple of simple appetizers, one main dish, and a few side dishes. People will get full very easily and you don't have to go broke over trying to outdo last year's meal.

*Have people bring something. Everyone will ask and you might as well take them up on the offer to take the stress and financial burden off of you as the host. We divvy up the meal and turn it into a sort of potluck, it works well for everyone. Nobody spends too much money and everyone is happy that they contributed. Try making it a rule that the host supplies the main dish and cocktails and then divide up the appetizers, desserts, and side dishes amongst the other guests.

*Stock up on staple items in advance. You'd be amazed if you keep an eye out for the things you know you'll need (think crackers, cream cheese, wine, etc) that they will all go on sale at some point in time. If you wait until the last minute you will undoubtedly pay top price but if you space out your purchases and stock up on the sale items, you will be sure to get your Christmas Eve items on sale. This will mean you are prepared further in advance and saving yourself some serious money on the meal.

*Price comparison shop, it pays off! I used to think this concept sounded so cheap but it's worth the effort. If you look around a bit, you may find that filet that you want to serve for Christmas Eve on sale somewhere other than your usual store. Be aware throughout the year of stores that routinely put certain items on sale. If they do that from time to time, then they will likely run a sale right before Christmas Eve. We have a wonderful local produce store that puts filet on sale from time to time, and last year we found this high quality meat on a super sale right before the meal. It paid off to look around and do a little price comparisons!

*Try not to make yourself crazy! It's one meal and though Christmas Eve is a very special occasion, it doesn't have to be one that breaks the bank. Go for an old favorite like ham and potatoes or get a turkey around Thanksgiving and freeze it. Save yourself money because honestly nobody will likely remember what you had for Christmas Eve dinner the following year. It's not worth the stress! Spend your time putting nice touches on the table or in your decorations rather than creating a feast that most of your guests will likely forget the next day.

Christmas Eve need not break the bank! With a little planning you can have a delicious meal at a reasonable cost!