Grilling On Christmas

Christmas time is here! Bring on the jingle bells, the dead pine tree smothered in ornaments and the stack full of gifts – oh, and don't forget the BBQ grill! What's that you say? You don't usually bust out the grill for Christmas? It seems you've been preparing Christmas dinner all wrong, my friend. Allow me to open your eyes to the wonders of a char-grilled Christmas.

Why Should You Grill on Christmas?

You should grill on Christmas for the same reason you grill any other time of year: because it's absolutely delicious. We've already given you the Top 5 Reasons To Grill In The Winter, and we've given you the 12 Tips For Winter Grilling.  Armed with this knowledge, it only makes sense that you'd grill on Christmas too! If you need more persuading, consider this:

Escape the Holiday Hustle and Bustle

Christmas is lovely, but it's anything but relaxing. Relatives come to visit; your kids are all hyped-up on sugar; you've got no time to do anything, but you're somehow expected to decorate the whole house inside and out, prepare at least one multi-course meal and buy everyone you know a present. And then, of course, you sometimes accidentally burn your Christmas tree down and kidnap your boss (in my opinion, Christmas Vacation is by far the most accurate holiday movie). Your holiday "to do" list may vary slightly, but you get the idea. If you want to step away from all the holiday clamor and take a little time for yourself, grilling is the perfect opportunity.

Your Family Will Love You More

Sure, everyone appreciates a good roasted turkey on Christmas Day. But it's expected. No one will be overly grateful that you provided the same meat you always provide so all your hours slaving away in the kitchen will be for naught. But picture this: All your loved ones gathered around the dining table, expecting a boring old turkey, when you walk in with ribs and steaks. Just imagine their surprise! If you want your family to love you more than they already do, try grilling up some meat for the holidays.

Enjoy the Scenery

If you're like most people, you spent hours on your holiday decorations. It takes a lot of time to string up hundreds or thousands of lights, and it takes even more time to figure out why they're not working, curse quietly under your breath and then buy even more lights from the store so you can repeat the process. Shouldn't you take a little time to enjoy your efforts? Grilling doesn't take a ton of concentration. As you baste and flip, you can take a moment to appreciate the beautiful lights reflecting on the snow. Even better, you can do all this with a beer in your hand and no one else around.

What Should You Grill?

Okay, so you're completely convinced that grilling is the way to go for Christmas dinner. Now let's figure out what to cook!

Ham

Ham is practically a necessity at Christmas. With a little seasoning and a little time, you can serve a delicious smoked honey ham that will leave your guests salivating.

Rum and Coke Ribs

Remember those ribs I mentioned earlier? Here's the perfect recipe. (They're Christmasy because there's rum in the marinade!)

Skewers

Want the perfect appetizer for Christmas dinner? Try serving up some skewers. You can add anything you want, but here are 50 great kebabs to get you started. If you're in need of some hardware, make sure to pick up some heavy duty skewers  from us.

Veggies

Veggies are hardly the most important part of any meal, but they're a great side dish to the most important part (meat, of course). You can cook almost anything on the grill when you have the right accessories. Add a grill pan for loose veggies, bake potatoes directly on the rack and "wow" your guests with some Mexican street corn.

The Sky Is the Limit

When it comes to grilling, the sky really is the limit. Try testing different recipes to create your own unique dish. After all, you can grill nearly anything if you simply believe in yourself.