It’s about that time to start thinking about and planning out our holiday meal.

In recent years, I’ve noticed a few things concerning our Christmas Day meal. The main thing is that my kids are too excited about their new toys to eat!

I typically cook a huge feast, only to have the kids sit, take two bites and disappear to play with their toys.

I always get up early to put in the ham and spend the day slaving over the sides much the same as I do on Thanksgiving. But, unlike Thanksgiving, the meal at Christmas is far from the main attraction and so it falls by the wayside untouched, especially when entertaining primarily wee ones.

So, during dinner the other night, I asked the kids if they would be opposed to a NEW tradition. I always do this gently because they are SO painfully tradition-based for the holidays, even more so than I am, and that’s really saying something!

I proposed that I cook all day on Christmas Eve and we have our big dinner before we attend our Christmas Eve service that night. Then, with a quick reheat, we could eat those leftovers for Christmas lunch the next day.

The kids happily (and surprisingly!) agreed to this change in plan, mainly because they knew I wouldn’t be in the kitchen for hours on Christmas Day but rather, I’d be able to spend more time opening toys (I’ll spare more hurting ‘hiney’ discussions)!

The new plan makes me extra happy because I will get two meals out of one. What mom wouldn’t love that? Feeding leftovers means saving money, effort and time! Woo hoo!

So, I’m hoping that a minor tweak in tradition this year will make for a more enjoyable holiday for all. Certainly I can’t change the meal contents AND the day of the meal all in one year so I’ll stick to my standard dishes: crock-pot Christmas ham, candied sweet potatoes, pineapple casserole, baked beans, homemade bread and assorted pies (not sure which ones yet) - all on Christmas Eve day.

Now that that’s all settled, I’m off to the grocery store to shop for my ingredients. Happy Christmas meal making, everyone! And to all, a good meal!

A few other tips:

• Check your newspaper circulars for coupons to bring to the store. Make sure to check out CouponCabin’s printable grocery coupons page, too!

• If you are entertaining, make sure to take people up on their offer to bring something. It’s the season of giving and you shouldn’t have to take everything on yourself!

• Too busy to head out to the store or you don’t feel like battling the crowds at the grocery store? Give Peapod a try if it’s available in your area. If you’re a new customer, you’ll get $15 off your first order and your groceries are delivered right to your door!

- K8