How to have the perfect Christmas dinner in the mountains

Spending Christmas time in the mountains can be a magical experience. It brings us back to when we were children and dreamt of Santa coming to visit on the 25th night. Small mountain villages covered in snow, cosy evenings spent by the fireplace with your family, glittering lights and a festive atmosphere all around makes the event even better. Planning a great escape to the mountains also means a holiday, the perfect opportunity to escape the buzz of the city and its stressful lifestyle as well as the chance to finally breathe in some fresh clean air.

So, if you’re dreaming of fluffy snowflakes whilst having a blast with your friends or family, we’d like to give you some ideas to plan a perfect Christmas dinner in the mountains.  Whether you want to host a traditional dinner or you feel more adventurous and want to have one outdoors, we’ve got you covered with some handy tips...

Outdoor Christmas Dinner

If you love the mountains, there’s nothing better than the view of snow-covered peaks in the distance as you enjoy some warm comfort food and a glass of mulled wine. Not to mention that you wouldn't have to worry about fancy decorations and a sophisticated menu! Instead, relax in the simplistic, natural beauty of the wilderness and let nature be your decorations.

Maybe plan a getaway trip with your friends and choose to stay in a mountain cabin for a couple of days as a wooden cabin is the perfect Christmas day set up. A fire should always be first on the to do list to create that cosy and warm atmosphere - plus it’s perfect for roasting those marshmallows! We fully believe in your camping and cooking skills however, just to be on the safe side, consider bringing an electric stove to reheat or cook your food should you have any problems lighting a fire.

While being active is crucial to avoid feeling cold, it would be difficult to have dinner standing all the time. If you're going al fresco, have some blankets or rugs to put on the ground or where you plan to sit and think about getting a tent for those who can't keep up with outside mountain temperatures. Of course, it goes without saying that you’ll need to wear many layer of clothes, with an insulated or down jacket being an essential part of your winter wardrobe to keep your body warm even in the coldest weather.  As it is Christmas why not make it something glamorous like this womens Goldbergh Nivola jacket in gold - a jacket that is guaranteed to get admiring looks from your dinner guests. 

Once you’ve taken care of the location and its setting, you can finally think about the fun part! Forget about fresh cocktails and prepare some traditional Christmas drinks that will make you feel like it’s actually warm outside! Mulled wine is the perfect winter drink to warm you up, but if you want to try something new, we suggest a steaming hot Italian bombardino to serve along with dessert. Popular in ski resorts, its name comes from an exclamation made by a skier noting its warm temperature and content of alcohol - “it’s like a bomb!”

Traditional Dinner In

Feeling less daring and prefer to admire the breath-taking view from the warm of your toasty home? After having the all-traditional Turkey on Christmas day, on Boxing day why not enjoy a shepherd's pie, but not as you know it. Here, the hearty winter classic gets a luxurious revamp. It is a duck confit pie inspired by the French cuisine, where potatoes are the perfect match to a warm meaty filling and the add of truffle will be the icing on the cake.

If you’re going to do dessert, do it properly.  As a lighter option for those who don't want Christmas pudding try sweet apple fritters with cinnamon gourmet gelato. This recipe brings together the main festive flavours like apple and cinnamon topped with a fresh spoon of real gelato. It will turn out to be a treat your guests don’t expect.  And finally, have some red candles on your table and don’t forget to decorate your house to add that dose of festive cheer!

Last but not least, you need to dress up for the occasion! To avoid the 'Michelin man' effect of wearing too many layers, opt for a simple thermal base layer that will keep you warm allowing ladies to shine in glimmering dresses and guys to rock that festive shirt and tie. Perfect for the season it can make all the difference as no-one wants to feel cold.

How are you going to spend your Christmas dinner? Whether it’s in the mountains or somewhere else, we wish you a very happy festive season!