Fête the Family on Christmas Eve with These Easy, Elegant Dinners

Christmas eve can be a tricky night for figuring out what to cook. You've likely got your big Christmas dinner all planned out for the next night, and you certainly don't want to steal that meal's thunder. But Christmas Eve isn't just any old Thursday night, so your standard weeknight quick and easy dinner recipes don't seem like they would be quite enough, either.

Not to worry, we're here to help. These dinners are just the thing: They're simple to make, they feel a little more special, and more importantly, they'll help keep you going for any last-minute late-night gift wrapping you may be preparing to do after the little ones have gone to bed, in order to give them the full "Santa came!" surprise.

To make sure these were both easy and elegant, we've leaned on hearty meals full of stick-to-your-ribs goodness, some that can percolate for a few hours in a slow cooker or dutch oven while you're putting the last touches on any decorating—or simply spending time with the family, on Christmas Eve. But we're also looking at recipes that you can easily upgrade, either with special ingredients or little presentational flourishes that will help make the meal feel as special as a Christmas Eve meal should—without needing hours of attention.

So go ahead and dig through this list. We're sure you'll find the perfect Christmas Eve dinner to please the family, just before turning on that Hallmark Christmas movie marathon.