by Tierney O'Hara

Created on: November 10, 2009   Last Updated: November 11, 2009

Christmas dinner for two, whether it's two friends, lovers, neighbors or family members, gives the host an opportunity to serve pricier foods and allows them to easily tailor a menu that will please each of them.

If you were having 16 people to your home for Christmas dinner, most likely you wouldn't serve shrimp cocktail or clams casino or pop off the top of a chilled, vintage champagne, all of which you can do when your guest list is composed of you and one other person.

Start your dinner for two by serving an elegant wine or champagne, for example. A small platter of fresh seafood cocktail can sit on the table along with a bowl of jumbo, salted cashews, See's brand chocolates and any other decadent treat you desire.

You and your companion can relax, listen to Christmas carols, exchange gifts, watch a Christmas special together on TV all the while you are enjoying very special appetizers and beverages that set the scene for an elegant but laid back Christmas dinner.

Once you know it's dinner for two, speak to your guest about their favorite Christmas dinners or foods in general. Select your menu by considering both of your likes and dislikes. Once you have an idea about what to serve, it's time to decide who's doing the cooking?

Small families often choose to purchase premade dinners from their local restaurants, supermarkets or fish stores. All you need to do is heat up the already prepared items and sit down and enjoy the feast.

Fish stores usually sell stuffed lobsters, stuffed shrimp, chowders, marinated sword fish, fish kabobs and sometimes side dishes like cole slaw.

Supermarkets offer complete ham and turkey dinners right down to the dinner rolls and pumpkin pie. If you both decided you'd prefer to eat Italian cuisine like chicken parmesan or lasagna, you can call up one of your local Italian restaurants and order your meals for pick up on Christmas Eve.

If cooking is a joy for you, then you will love every minute of preparing a meal for two. The choices of recipes for two are plentiful and yet you can roast and stuff a 20 pound turkey if you wish, knowing you can freeze the leftovers for other dinners.

Best of all, you don't have to be a gourmet chef to serve a great dinner like an antipasto with olives, pepperoni and imported provolone cheese, filet mignon steaks on the grill, and baked potatoes with sour cream and chives.

Whatever menu you serve, what ever reason you have for being "two for dinner" this year, treat yourself and your companion to a nicely set table, candles, music and delicious food.

Merry Christmas to both of you!

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