Food seems to be essential at any party, whether it be a holiday or not.  During Christmas, there are certain dishes that are expected!  I have set up some links for other wonderful recipes for you to choose on your own.

Cookies
Always have at least three plates of Christmas cookies placed throughout the house.  As people mingle and catch up, they like something to munch on.  The one holiday that people can count on an endless supply of cookies is Christmas and as a hostess, you must remember that.

Hungarian Shortbread

The Jam: Ingredients: 1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 vanilla bean
Place the rhubarb, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan.  Split the vanilla bean, scrape the soft, pulpy seeds into the pan, and toss in the pod.  Bring to a simmer over low heat, and cook, stirring often, until the rhubarb softens and almost seems to melt.  The cooking time will depend on the rhubarb, but it probably won't be more than ten minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat, retrieve the vanilla bean, and cool the jam to room temperature.  ( The jam can be made up to one week in advance)  You can also use your favorite jam instead of the rhubarb jam.
The Shortbread: Ingredients: 4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 4 sticks(1 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature, 4 large egg yolks, 2 cups granulated sugar (confectioner's sugar, for dusting)  Whisk the the flour, baking powder, and the salt together in a bowl and set aside.  In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand-held mixer), beat the butter on high speed until it is pale and fluffy.  Add the egg yolks and sugar and beat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is light.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until the ingredients are incorporated.   
Chilling the dough: Turn the dough onto a work surface and cut in half.  Shape each half into a ball and wrap each ball in plastic.  Freeze the dough for about 30 minutes, until firm.  (You can freeze for as long as you want, just make sure to thaw overnight the night before you begin to put it together)
Assembling and baking: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.  Remove one ball of dough from the freezer and, using the side of a box grater with the largest holes, grate the dough into a 9-by 12-inch baking pan.  Pat the dough gently just to get it into the corners (don't press it down) and spread with the rhubarb jam.  Grate the remaining dough over the jam and press it lightly to distribute evenly.  Bake the shortbread for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown.  As soon as you remove the pan from the oven, dust the top of the shortbread heavily with the confectioner's sugar.  Cool to room temperature on the rack.   Cut the shortbread into bars when it is cool.  You can cut whatever size bars please you, although, as a rough guide, 3-inch squares or 1 1/2 inches by 3 inches make nice servings. (back to top)  (From Julia Child)

Hors d'oeuvres 
As guests are arriving, and as the host, you might be freaking out at this point, but with some good hor d'oeuvres placed out for people to eat, as well as some wine (or pop for those of us who aren't old enough yet), everyone will be perfectly content.  Some good ideas of holiday snacking foods are cheese and crackers, a bowl of mixed nuts such as peanuts, cashews, pistachios, etc, and always cookies.  This serves the purpose of giving something to those who are starving, as well as something for everyone to do as they await their delicious meal.
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If you want to find a delicious recipe, a great place to look is Martha Stewart.com.

Main Dishes
It is important to remember that the holidays are times to eat until you can't even say the word food.  A time where people break all diets and let loose to eat everything in sight.  That is why you need to make it worth their while as far as the food is concerned.  A roasted chicken, turkey, roast are typical feasts, for they can feed many people.  Lamb shanks and steaks are also good, but there is always an issue of having enough for everyone, where as something that you can carve will easily be enough for large parties.

Perfect Roasted Turkey

(serves 12 to 14)
Ingredients: 1 twenty two pound fresh, whole turkey, giblets and neck removed from cavity and reserved; 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 bottle 750-ml dry white wine; 2 teaspoons salt; 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper; Classic Stuffing; 1 cup dry red or white wine, for gravy (optional) 
Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels.  Let stand for two hours at room temperature.
Place rack on lowest level in oven.  Heat oven to 450°F.  Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl.  Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut into a 17-inch, four layer square.  Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and white wine; let soak.
Place turkey, breast side up, n a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan.  If the turkey comes with a pop-up timer, remove it; an instant red thermometer is much more accurate.  Fold wing tips under turkey.  Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey.  Fill large cavity and neck cavity loosely wit has much stuffing as they hold comfortably; do not pack tightly.  (Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish for 45 minutes at 345°F.)  Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later.)  Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks.  Rub turkey with the softened butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.  
Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp.  Spread in evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven.  Cook for thirty minutes.  Using a pastry brush, baste the cheesecloth and exposed parts of the turkey with butter and wine.  Reduce oven temperature to 350°F, and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hour, basting every thirty minutes and watching pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out some juices and save them for the gravy.
After this third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard the cheesecloth.  Turn the roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven.  Baste the turkey with the pan juices.  If there aren't enough juices, continue to use butter and wine.  The skin gets fragile and as it browns, baste carefully.  Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
After this fourth hour of cooking, insert and instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh.  Do not poke into a bone.  The temperature should reach 180°F (stuffing should be between 140 and 160) and the turkey should be golden brown.  The breast does not need to be checked for temperature.  If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.  
When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest for about 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, make the gravy.  Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup.  Let stand until grease rises to the surface , about 10 minutes, then skim it off.  Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium, high heat.  Add 1 cup of dry red or white wine, or water, to the pan.  Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until the liquid boils and all the crisp bits are unstuck from the pan.  Add giblet stock to pan.  Stir well, and bring back to a boil.  Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes.  Add the defatted pan juices, and cook over a medium, high heat 10 minutes more.  You will have about 2 1/2 cups of gravy.  Season to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey. (back to top) 

Desert
The few times a year where more than one desert is expected to follow a meal are the holidays.  There must always be a variety, for elegance, tradition and taste!  Good combinations are a delicious angel food cake, an apple pie, and always some vanilla ice cream. (back to top)

A site with many great ideas for deserts is The Joy of Cooking. 

Drinks

Drinks will complete any meal so they are essential to the party. At a formal dinner party, it is important to have a variety of juices, pop, bottled water and for those who are of age, a few bottles of wine. At Christmas parties, always have hot chocolate brewing for the after dinner mingling, or hot cider. These hot drinks are the best way to finish off any meal. (back to top)