Oliver’s Complete Guide to the Holidays

The air is crisp, the lights are hung and the tree is up – Christmas is just around the corner. Between the hustle and bustle of pictures with Santa, finding a tree, decorating the house and hopping from one party to the next, many times the details of Christmas Day celebrations are forgotten or rushed at the end. Despite your obligations early in the month, your guests are coming, the kids are excited, and you have one more “party” to plan. We here at Oliver’s know that the holiday season pulls us all in every direction so we’ve come up with the perfect menu plan for the BIG DAY so you don’t have to stress about what to serve and when. So sit back, pour yourself a hot cup of locally brewed coffee and let us do the planning for you.

Here you’ll find a full menu for Christmas Day – from breakfast to dessert and all the fun snacks and drinks between. Have a cousin who’s vegan? Need fun and festive drinks for the kids? It’s all here!

Some say breakfast is the most important part of the day, and why should Christmas Day be any different? The cornerstone of our favorite Christmas breakfast actually starts the night before, on Christmas Eve – we love the idea of less food to cook while the kids are itching to rip open their presents! Before going to bed on Christmas Eve, put together this Make-Ahead Potato Bacon Breakfast Bake. It sits in the fridge overnight and is ready to go in the oven while you enjoy a cup of locally made coffee or tea. Speaking of coffee and tea, make sure to pick up some local Bella Rosa Coffee or some locally made tea. After your Breakfast Bake comes out of the oven, serve it with something sweet, like Oliver’s Own Almond Ring Coffee Cake! Finally, cap off your breakfast with some orange juice and sparkling wine or Prosecco for a Mimosa! If that’s not the perfect start to Christmas Day, we don’t know what is!

Breakfast is long gone, the presents have been opened and all is right in the world. But extended family and friends are on their way and will be hungry for some snacks before dinner. Get out a candy bowl (you know, that one that Grandma gave you?) and fill it with our favorite – Oliver’s Own Candied Walnuts – you might want to grab two bags because they will go quick! Another quick appetizer, but one that will make an impact is Pepper Jelly with Cream Cheese & Crackers. We have the kids covered too, grab some Casa Sanchez Chips for an easy snack that will keep everybody happy. Finally, finish off your appetizer spread with a snack that will have everyone exclaiming, “I dip. You dip. We dip!”, by making Shrimp Cocktails – try serving in martini glasses for an added element of glam.

Breakfast? Check. Snacks? Check. Are you ready to plan the Main Event? The Oliver’s Meat Department has you covered for any main dish protein you might want to serve. We’ve taken the guesswork out of how to get your favorite meat on the table, so here you’ll find cooking instructions for ­Standing Rib Roast, Rack of Lamb¸ and Frenched Cut Pork Loin Roast. Do you have a guest who’s vegan or vegetarian? Don’t leave them crunching on carrots grab a Field Roast Vegan Celebration Roast and make Marinated Celebration Roast with Roasted Onions. Ok, so you’ve got a plan for a main dish, ready for some side dishes? Take advantage of the wonderful winter produce we have on sale and make a Fresh Green Bean Casserole, Roasted Lemony Fingerling Potatoes, or Satsuma and Pomegranate Winter Salad.

You and your guests will need something to wash down all of that delicious food. Round out your Christmas spread with some delicious drinks that will have people sipping sweetly! This recipe for Non-Alcoholic Apple Cider Sangria is the perfect drink for kids and adults alike. If you want to serve something that has a bit more “punch”, make something that will warm your spirits like Prat Hot Buttered Rum. And of course you could (or dare we say should) have a pot of hot mulled apple cider on the stove – just grab some of Oliver’s Own Organic Apple Juice and Martinelli’s Organic Mulling Spices when you come shopping at your neighborhood Oliver’s Market.

Are you ready for dessert yet? We are! Make sure to pick up an Oliver’s Own Yule Log made from scratch in our Bakery Department. Our whimsical Yule Logs will be sure to mesmerize the children and delight the adults, you can’t go wrong! If you still have energy to make some dessert by hand, try this recipe for Gingerbread Men Cookies – they’ll go perfectly with the Tuaca Toddies!

Finally, we can’t help but offer up some of our favorite gift suggestions. You can’t go wrong with something that comes in a bottle, like Gerard Bertrand Corbiers, Evan Williams Eggnog or a delicious bottle of  Redwood Empire Pipe Dreams Bourbon or Lost Monarch Whiskey. We have a great selection of local and non-local gifts alike, so you’re sure to find something for your mom, brother, aunt or grandma! And don’t forget the gift that fits in any stocking, an Oliver’s Gift Card! These are great for anyone on your holiday gift list, like your favorite wine or scotch lover, or even the gourmet cheese enthusiast in your life! Maybe even pick up a few extra to keep on hand for those times you need a gift but come empty handed!

You made it through our Christmas Day menu plan! We hope this takes some of the stress out of planning yet another party. Thank you for shopping at Oliver’s Market. We wish you a happy and festive Sonoma County Christmas!

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  1. What will Cotati’s hours be for NY eve, and NY day?

    Comment by Mary on December 15, 2021 at 10:52 am

  2. Hi! New Year’s Eve hours will be 7am-9pm. New Year’s Day we are open 9am-9pm. Happy Holidays!

    Comment by Aubrey Ballinger on December 15, 2021 at 11:22 am

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