My Italian Christmas Eve Dinner
This year is going to be so strange for the tight-knit Italian family that I married into. None of us be celebrating Christmas Eve together but that doesn’t stop us from having our own Italian Christmas Eve dinner with our immediate families.
I am very fortunate to have married into an Italian family who celebrates the holidays with lots of great Italian food!
The evening will begin with appetizers, Christmas adult beverages, and gifts being opened.
This year we won’t be having Santa visit us in Park City. It was a long-standing tradition in our family to have Santa deliver presents to the little ones. It was always fun to see which adult male would volunteer to be Santa. Steven’s father for years was Santa then the men started taking turns wearing the suit after partaking in a few Christmas adult beverages. Laughter quickly came when Skinny Santa came ringing his bell at the front door! Perhaps I will order a Santa suit for next year!
Below is our nephew Dan dressed up as Santa two years ago with Livie Lee as a baby.
We also dress up for Christmas Eve. This outfit from Chico’s Traveler’s Collection is over 3 years old. It’s my favorite holiday outfit because the palazzo pants have an elastic waistband which is WONDERFUL when eating a very large dinner. The faux silk jacket has a retro 60’s look that reminded me of Jackie O. I love the chartreuse green and navy color combination.
Italian Christmas Eve Dinner
My menu will not be as extensive as what was served in New Jersey for Christmas Eve. I am only having 9 for dinner, not the usual 21 plus drop-ins.
Antipasti
The heart of the Christmas Eve dinner is the appetizers. This year we will have 3 types of pizza, Baked stuffed Clams, seafood salad, fried calamari, and Eggplant Caponata.
Homemade Supreme Pizza
Pepperoni Pizza
Gluten-Free Pizza Crust
Sammy and others in my family have enjoyed being gluten-free these last couple of years and I found a really great gluten-free pizza crust recipe I thought I would share with you. Many stored are carrying frozen cauliflower pizza crust if you don’t want to make this recipe.
Insalata di Mare (Italian Seafood Salad)
I have looked all over the internet for someone who has the same recipe but the recipe that is linked was the closest to my mother in law’s recipe except no fennel, onion, celery, or olives in her recipe. Lots of garlic and you can add any seafood to the salad.
Our recipe is made with 1 pound of lobster, 2 pounds of shrimp, 2 pounds of sea scallops, calamari, crab meat, clams, 2 cups of garlic, juice of 10 lemons, olive oil, and 2 bunches of Italian parsley. Just poach the seafood and toss with the rest.
Baked Stuffed Clams
Steven’s mother served these on Christmas Eve but it was dropped after she had passed away. I am bringing the clams back this year. Bread crumb, olive oil, parmesan cheese, and garlic are important to have in your pantry in your Italian kitchen!
Fried Calamari
Eggplant Caponata
We have this every Christmas Eve at the LaMonte’s and it’s very simliar to ratouliile.
Primi
Seafood Pasta with White Wine Butter Sauce
Add any seafood to this basic white wine and butter sauce.
Dolce
Ricciarelli (Italian Almond Cookies)
This soft chewy Italian almond cookie is going to make an appearance for the first time at our home this year. Made with ground almond so it’s naturally gluten-free! Sammy and I will be baking up the cookies next week before the rest of the children arrive for the holidays!
More Cookies!!
Glazed Vanilla- Almond Cutout Cookies
Thick and Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
I hope you enjoyed reading about our Italian Christmas Eve dinner.
This has been a year we all pray will never happen again. Not being together for the holidays with friends and family has been so difficult. Let us pray for a better 2021!
Happy holidays from my house to yours,
Yes, I knew you would love this post Nancy!
Holidays are always focused on large quantities of Italian food.
We start having appetizers at 4:00 and end up with dessert by 9:00.
Five hours of non stop food!
Merry Christmas to you and your family Nancy!
You have lots to celebrate this Christmas!
Wow, what a feast! And what great traditions your family has for celebrating Christmas Eve … thank you for sharing the fun here. And yes indeed, let us pray for a much healthier, happier 2021. Merry Christmas, Robin!
I am so glad you enjoyed the post!
I love making traditional Italian recipes for the holidays!
Passing down family recipes and holiday traditions are so important to me.
Merry Christmas Lauren!
Is it too late to make a reservation? Even for next year? What a delicious, fabulous looking meal!! And Robin, you look stunning. Merry Christmas!
It’s never too late to set another plate at my table Gwen!
Merry Christmas!
Oh Robin! This is so fabulous!! We Italians have so many great dishes for Christmas Eve! I love it that you also follow the seafood tradition!! It’s going to be so delicious- and- you look amazing in this elegant top xx
Lucy,
I just love all the family Italian recipes passed down from generations.
My husband’s grandmother always did the 7 fishes for Christmas Eve but we’ve edited out recipes for our small gathering.
Merry Christmas!
These are all my favorite foods! The stuffed clams and seafood pasta look amazing!
I love Christmas Eve but my family always complains it’s too much food!
Holidays are the only time I indulge in cooking way too much food!
Happy holidays!
You had me at Italian. These are all the same wonderful dishes we enjoy too! Our family is very passionate about food, and large quantities of it too. There’s always more than needed but that keeps everyone around the table longer.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
OMG! Does this all look and sound so delicious!
The holidays bring so many happy memories of times past and the excitement of good times on the way.
I wish you and your family the happiest of holidays in your new PC home.
Remember, now you are making the memories and traditions for the next generation and your special little ones, Nana!
Love and hugs💕
Rosemary
Thank you so much Rosemary!
We are looking forward to creating new holiday traditions in our home in Park City!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Hugs!
Robin
No one does Christmas Eve better than the Italians! My mother is a NJ Italian and we grew up with very large seafood based parties. Always loud and lots of fun! we still continue with some of her traditions, but I wish we were back in Jersey with all the peeps and the bakeries!
xo,
Kellyann
I come from a large, close knit Italian family……my grandparents immigrated 100 years ago from near Rome….and all your food is similiar to what we serve. Then on Christmas Day it is turkey, ham and all the fixings! After a few adult beverages we all loudly join in with the singing of Dominick the Italian Donkey….the kids love it and it would not be Christmas without it! Thank you for all the beauty you bring to your blog. Merry Christmas!
Mmmmm! I’d love to be coming to your house. That is quite a large batch of Insalata di Mare! Now you have me tumbling down a ricciarelli rabbit hole… I’m trying to find a recipe for chocolate ricciarelli. I’ll have to create my own my combining two. Wishing you and yours a most blessed Christmas and a wonderful new year!