What are the best Christmas recipes?

Roast Prime Rib with Thyme au Jus
www.foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
1 bone-in prime rib (6 to 7 pounds)
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
2 cups red wine
4 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Total Time: 2 hr 40 min
Prep: 10 min
Inactive: 30 min
Cook: 2 hr
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Level: Easy

Directions:
1. Thirty minutes before roasting the prime rib, remove from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Make small slits all over the prime rib and fill each slit with a slice of the garlic.
4. Season liberally with the salt and coarse pepper, place on a rack set inside a roasting pan and roast for about 2 hours until medium-rare, or until a thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 135 degrees F.
5. Remove the meat to a platter, and tent with foil to keep warm.
6. Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over 2 burners set on high heat.
7. Add the wine to the pan drippings in the pan and cook over high heat until reduced, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
8. Add the stock and cook until reduced by half.
9. Whisk in the thyme and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

This is so cool!

Cupcake Christmas Tree
www.foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
Cupcakes:
Paper mini cupcake liners
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup boiling water
Buttercream Frosting:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened at room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 to 4 tablespoons whole milk

Tree:
Green sprinkles or jimmies
1 small 11-inch styrofoam cone (you can get this at a craft shop or in the craft department of a large discount store)
30 to 40 toothpicks
10 small candy canes
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
Gold leaf
Gold and red curling ribbon
Sugar, for snow

Total Time: 1 hr 50 min
Prep: 1 hr 30 min
Cook: 20 min
Yield: 20 to 25 servings
Level: Intermediate

Directions
Cupcakes:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Line the cups of 2 to 4 mini muffin tins with paper liners (you can bake the cupcakes in batches if necessary).
3. Mix the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
4. Add the eggs and milk and mix until well combined.
5. Drizzle in the oil and the vanilla and almond extracts and mix.
6. With the mixer running at low speed, add the boiling water and mix just until smooth.
7. Fill the lined muffin cups about 2/3 full.
8. Bake until risen and firm to the touch, about 20 minutes.
9. Let cool in the pans.

Frosting:
1. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth.
2. Add the sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk and mix until smooth.
3. Add more milk a little at a time until the frosting is thick and spreadable. Using a flexible spatula, frost the tops of the cooled cupcakes.
4. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before assembling the tree.

To assemble the tree:
1. Spread a thick layer of sprinkles out on a plate.
2. Dip the tops of the cupcakes in the sprinkles and set aside.
3. Tie curling ribbon around the candy canes and curl with a scissor blade.
4. One inch up from the bottom of the styrofoam cone, stick toothpicks into the cone 1 1/2 inches apart, making a circle around the cone and leaving them sticking out at least 1 inch.
5. Place the cone on a serving platter.
6. Make the bottom ring of cupcakes by spearing the bottom of a cupcake onto one of the toothpicks in the cone, with the frosting facing out and with the side of the cupcake resting on the plate.
7. One inch above the tops of the first row of cupcakes, place another row of toothpicks 1 1/2 inches apart, all around the cone, positioning them so that the second row will rest between the tops of the first row.
8. You will fit fewer cupcakes on the second row; feel free to cut a cupcake in half if necessary to fit into the space available.
9. Spear the cupcakes onto the toothpicks as before.
10. Continue up the cone to form a tree of cupcakes, ending with a single cupcake on top.
11. Serve within one hour, or refrigerate up to 24 hours.
12. Stick the candy canes in the styrofoam and stick gilded cranberries on with a little extra icing.
13. Pour sugar on the serving platter around the tree.

I am a Christmas fanatic and love researching all things to do with the subject. I found the following posts that may be helpful.

Does Perth have miniature railways?
www.homely.com.au/perth-greater-western-australia/questions/does-perth-have-miniature-railways

Where is the Perth Christmas parade?
www.homely.com.au/perth-greater-western-australia/questions/where-is-the-perth-christmas-parade#reply-259505

What are some quirky and unusual Christmas gift ideas in Perth?
www.homely.com.au/perth-greater-western-australia/questions/what-are-some-quirky-and-unusual-christmas-gift-ideas-in-per

Where can you buy real Christmas trees in Perth?
www.homely.com.au/perth-greater-western-australia/questions/where-can-you-buy-real-christmas-trees-in-perth

Are there any shops open in Perth on Christmas day?
www.homely.com.au/perth-greater-western-australia/questions/are-there-any-shops-open-in-perth-on-christmas-day

Christmas Lights - Best streets in Perth!
www.homely.com.au/perth-greater-western-australia/questions/christmas-lights--best-streets-in-perth

Christmas trading hours.
www.homely.com.au/perth-greater-western-australia/questions/christmas-trading-hours#question

Here is where Carols By Candlelight will be this year in Perth.
www.homely.com.au/perth-greater-western-australia/questions/here-is-where-carols-by-candlelight-will-be-this-year-in-per#question

What’s happening this Christmas in Perth?
www.homely.com.au/perth-greater-western-australia/questions/whats-happening-this-christmas-in-perth#question