Christmas Anticipation & Keeping the Family Fed

Christmas preparations are in full swing with heightened anticipation every day. Cooking from the deep pantry, a different cookie coming out of the oven each afternoon, sneaking out amongst the crowds to grab a few more gifts, adding ribbons to the tree, taking an afternoon nap, anticipating the solstice light, wearing the cozy clothes and not minding the mess which is really just signs of life lived well and brimming productivity. This is when December becomes a verb. Decembering! I am really behind on gifts and wrapping, but at least all of my baking is done and in the freezer, ready to pull out for various cookie tins and goodie bags. Now I am trying to think through how to make Christmas week special and fun yet simple and not stressful.

I am going to roast a giant chicken and bake a local ham to eat off of all week. I’m going to make some mayo and use that for devilled eggs and chicken salad. I’ll use the carcass of the roast chicken to make a big batch of bone broth and soup for lunches. Fun evening snacks with Christmas movies will be the most anticipated— hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows, popcorn from our summer garden, cranberry salsa with sourdough crackers, and a good assortment of cookies to enjoy.

Tentative dinners for the week are BBQ chicken nachos, Italian sandwiches, ham and cheese sliders with potato soup. With a batch of yogurt in the instant pot and a sourdough sandwich loaf prepped this weekend, I should be able to pull together enough to keep us fed through all the Christmas festivities.

I am not sure I will have the time or creative energy to write again until the new year, as I feel that deep pull to privacy and hibernation that increases this time of year. So I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and may God’s blessings be upon your New Year. Thank you for all the ways you have supported Calico and Twine this year. We are so grateful for you.

Until next time,

Kaetlyn