Every family has that one holiday ritual that feels like the heartbeat of the season—and for us, it’s Christmas Eve. It’s the night where the house glows a little warmer, the food tastes a little better, and everyone seems to breathe deeper as the rush of December finally quiets into something slower and easier.
And the best part? It’s beautifully simple.
A Make-Ahead Feast (Bless You, Ina Garten)
Christmas Eve is famously busy in our home, and over the years we’ve learned to embrace what’s easy and delicious. Enter Ina Garten’s baked Fontina—one of the greatest gifts to cozy holiday cooking. It’s rich, melty, savory, herby… and wildly simple to pull off.
I prep everything earlier in the day, before we head to Christmas Eve Mass: cubes of Fontina tossed with garlic, a drizzle of olive oil, plenty of fresh thyme and rosemary, and a couple grinds of black pepper. It all waits patiently in a cast iron skillet on the counter, ready for its moment.
When we get home—still glowing from candlelight and Christmas carols—we pop the skillet into the oven and under the broiler. Then we race to put on our cozy, comfy clothes. When my kids were little, this was always the best time of the day - when we were "in for the night". We could relax, put on our snuggliest clothes and leave the world behind, together. In the short time it takes to get changed, the cheese bubbles into a gorgeous, golden, irresistible feast.
We pull up chairs, grab warm, crusty bread and tear off pieces to dip straight into the skillet. Bubbly is poured, the night feels festive, and suddenly the holiday officially begins.
Link to Ina's delicious recipe can be found here.
Let's get into some details to make your Christmas Eve easy - by getting everything into the house ahead of time. No festivities are complete without a little bubbly. The crispness of Prosecco or Champagne is the perfect partner to the gooey and delicious baked cheese. Your bubbly even looks extra festive in my favorite ice bucket, with its smart, stitched leather cuff around it.
Grab a few extra smart cocktail napkins, as the Fontina can get a little messy. We always have a few extra at the ready.
Dominoes by the Fire
Once we’re cozy, the games begin. Dominoes is our Christmas Eve classic—simple enough for everyone to join in, competitive enough to keep it lively, and quiet enough to feel peaceful next to the fire. The sound of tiles clicking, the glow of the fireplace, the laughter over a dramatic draw… it’s one of those moments you wish you could bottle.
Capping the Night With a Christmas Classic
No Christmas Eve is complete without curling up to watch It’s a Wonderful Life. Every single time, it gets us. The message, the nostalgia, the reminder of what truly matters—it’s the perfect way to anchor the night in gratitude and wonder.
We cozy up together under beautiful wool throws - the natural fibers are incredibly durable and very beautiful.
There’s nothing quite like sitting shoulder to shoulder with the people you love, wrapped in blankets, watching George Bailey learn what a gift his life really is. It’s the holiday spirit distilled into two hours of black-and-white magic. Even though we know every word, we mist up every, single time.
Why We Love This Tradition
It’s simple.
It’s cozy.
It’s timeless.
And every year, it reminds us what we’re really celebrating—a home filled with warmth, food shared with people we love, and the joy of slowing down long enough to take it all in.
If you’re looking to create your own Christmas Eve ritual, consider this your nudge: keep it simple, make it cozy, and choose something that makes your whole house feel like a hug. That’s the secret.
Merry Christmas, friends. May your home be full of light, love, and laughter this season—and maybe a little melted Fontina, too.