Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas, my lovely, amazing, wonderful friends.
Thank you for being here. I know I say that a lot, but I mean it from the very depth of my soul.
Thank you.
I wish I could say 2020 was as full of smiles as that picture up there, but I don’t need to go into details in order to dispel that myth. I think the dead hanging plants and overgrown bushes in the background are a fitting emblem of this year as a whole.
While there have been plenty of laughs and many blessings, it’s been a weird, hard year, and a year of personal struggle for me – I have felt the lowest of lows and been challenged in many ways.
But I have also had the sweet, sometimes quiet, but always constant assurance that Jesus Christ is the bringer of hope. Of peace. Of comfort. He has gently quieted the worry in my mind time and time again and helped me move forward with faith in a better tomorrow…even when today feels impossible.
I am so grateful for this time of year that reminds me, yet again, that thousands of years ago, He came.
To the amazement of everyone from the lowliest of shepherds to the richest and wisest of men, He came.
He came for me. And He came for you.
For all who wait
For all who hunger
For all who’ve prayed
For all who wonder
Behold your King
Behold Messiah
He is the song for the suffering
He is Messiah, the Prince of Peace has come
From the words of one of my favorite Christmas songs
Merry Christmas.
I hope you enjoy what is bound to be a different holiday season than in year’s past. I’m taking a little time off from blogging and social media, but I’ll be back at some point in January – love your guts; thanks again for being the best readers on the planet. You keep me going in this interesting and crazy food blogging space.
Also, I shared this two years ago, but wanted to share again for those that are new. It’s an experience that greatly touched my heart; I call it The Parable of the Cheeseball.
Mel Merry Christmas! We love your recipes! So grateful for you! Thanks for making me laugh! See you in the new year!
I made my first apple pie thanks to you. It came out great and gave me confidence to keep trying new things. One of the joys of being a mother for me is nourishing and feeding my family and thanks to you I do just that. You are amazing and I really enjoy your site. Merry Christmas!!
Mel, thank you for your beautiful words about our Savior. You summed up 2020 perfectly! And thanks so much for your great blog. I have been baking/cooking about 900 of your recipes whilst wearing my favorite new Mel’s Kitchen Cafe sweatshirt. You help keep my family fed and the home-cooked meals rolling throughout the year. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year! Here’s to better times ahead for us all.
Thank you for sharing your faith, family, and food with us! Merry Christmas!
You are not alone. Thank you for your realness and your testimony. I love your blog and you do a great work here! Merry Christmas to you and your family. Good times are ahead, I truly believe that.
Thank you for sharing your faith with us. This is so encouraging! Merry Christmas. ❤
Merry Christmas Mel! Enjoy your family time and your time off, and I will look forward to seeing you when you come back! ox
Merry Christmas to you, Mel! Thank you for your recipes, your vulnerability, your honesty, and the connection over this vast internet that you provide. It’s been especially needed this year. Peace to you and your family.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Mel! You’re my favorite!
Thank you! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family as well, whatever that will look like. <3
I can relate to this post on so many levels. Thank you for sharing And Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!!❤️❤️ Ps. Your daughter is so grown up!!
As someone who checks your blog daily for the latest and greatest, and who has enjoyed many, many of your delicious recipes (most recently I’m looking at you Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Bake!), I want to wish you and your family the most blessed, merry, happy and loving Christmas you could ever imagine! Thank you for all you do and your service to the King. God bless you.
from a loyal reader – Faith
Thank YOU for all the inspiration and direction you give us every week. I hope you see it, like many of us do, as a way that your serve and bless others in ways you’ll never fully realize. It was so funny when I saw Jennifer Garner make your bagel bread–of course you should bless dear Jen as well but I was like “wait, MY Mel? Huh. She gets around!” 🙂
I’m so glad you are taking a break and hope it’s restful and restorative for the next months as we climb and claw our way out of this. xoxo
Merry Christmas to you and your family as we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. May this time you spend away from the computer bring a refreshment as you look around you at God’s beautiful creation and please don’t forget to look in the mirror and recognize the YOU are one of His beautiful creations. Thank you for taking the time you do on this site so we all can enjoy and share your amazing recipies. I came on here looking to make the lemon cranberry cake and saw this note you took the time to write to all of us. Thank you. Looking forward to 2021 but still cherishing the days we have left in 2020 as each day is truly a gift from God. May blessings abound to you and yours.
Our whole family loves you, Mel! Thanks for all of what you bring to our lives.
Merry Christmas Mel! Beautiful family you have. Thank you for allowing us all to be a part of it and keeping us entertained with your stories and recipes! Thank you for all you do! This is my absolute favorite food/family blog and I’ve been coming to (and recommending) this site for years! Hope you enjoy the time with your family and hopefully 2021 will be a better year for us all!
Merry Christmas, Mel! Thank you for sharing that you have had some low times this year. I have too and its good to know that i’m not alone. Your food blog is such a blessing to me and to my family!
Merry Christmas! You are my go to for any recipes and I’ve never been let down. 2020 was for sure years of high and lows but hoping when we look back it’s the highs we remember most.
Merry Christmas, Mel. Thanks for all of the great recipes to help me make our home a warm, inviting space to escape all of the crazy outside.
Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful, rapidly growing up, family! I love wearing my Rockstar apron, I love making your recipes in my kitchen, I love gifting (and eating!) cheeseballs but most of all I’m thankful for the space you’ve created here. You are my biggest cheerleader in the kitchen, thank YOU from the bottom of my heart! 🙂
Oh Wow! I really needed The Parable of the Cheeseball today. Thank you! and Merry Christmas!
Dear Mel, I make so many of your recipes. I AM SO GRATEFUL for you. Thank you for all of your hard work. I hope you have a peaceful happy Christmas! May you be as blessed as you bless others.
Thank you for all you do! Yours is always the first food website I go to and I’m never disappointed. You are the BEST! Merry Christmas to you and your family!!
Merry Christmas! Thank you for sharing – not only your fabulous recipes, but also your real-life moments.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Is it weird that I’ve followed your blog for so many years but I’m still shocked at how grown up your kids are?! Merry Christmas to you and your family. Thank you for making our dinners that much better ❤️
Beautiful! Thank you! Thank you and your sweet family for sharing your light with us! Can’t tell you how much some of the thoughts and resources you have shared have improved our family culture and of course — our meal times. 🙂 Merry Christmas to you and your family! <3
Mel, Merry Christmas to you and yours! Thank you for sharing your light, your heart and amazing recipes with us. I’m looking forward to a better year in 2021 and hoping the same for you. Love this Christmas message!
Merry Christmas! This year has definitely been crazy – looking forward to 2021 more than usual. Your website has kept our family fed this year, though! My teenage daughter who became vegetarian this year even spent hours yesterday looking through your recipes for inspiration. We use multiple recipes a week from here, so thank you! Have an enjoyable break, and we will look forward to your recipes next year!
Merry Christmas, Mel! Thank you for being a light in my life. I look forward to all of your posts here on the blog and on instagram. Have a wonderful (more) time with your family. I wish you much peace and happiness.
Mel, you are the best!!! Thanks for all you do. You’ve filled this year with so many amazing recipes and a friendly face throughout all the craziness… thanks for sharing your light. Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and a happy happy new year!!
Merry Christmas to you and your family. Thank you for sharing your humor, yummy food, ideas and fun with us!
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Mel.
Thank you for all of the wonderful recipes. I try (and then keep making) so many of them that my husband now asks “Is this another one of Mel’s?” 🙂
Mel!!!!!!! You are awesome sauce!!! Thank you for sharing your talent and helping me feed my family good nutritious meals!!! Merry Christmas to you and your sweet family!!! May the Lord continue to bless you guys!!!
Love,
The Allphin’s
Springville, UT
Merry Christmas, Mel and family!
Thanks for faithfully showing up here and making us rock stars in our own kitchens! All of your hard work makes such a difference in my family and the lives of all of the people I cook for!
Enjoy your well deserved Christmas break! I’m making your Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli, and Smoked Mozzarella for our Christmas meal…it’s our tradition! <3
Merry Christmas and a sincere thank you for creating and keeping up your authentically-you blog!
Thanks for sharing your heartfelt testimony, Mel. We are grateful for not only your amazing recipes and witty posts but for being a good human being. Hugs!
Merry Christmas to you and yours! It is always a pleasure to visit here and get caught up, just like a friend over coffee! Thank you for all that you share, it is always so delicious looking, sounding and I am sure always delicious!
I agree with you 2020 was such a strange year to pass through. It had trials and blessings that were so different from the past. Yesterday at church (we get to go now) someone prayed for our hearts to heal and I felt inside that it was the heart-break worldwide that was the worst result of 2020 and that yes, we all need to heal ourselves and heal others.
I agree with you that Jesus Christ is the source of healing and peace. Merry Christmas from SE Idaho! Your influence for good is strong and powerful. God bless and have a wonderful New Year. The parable of the cheeseball is so awesome. Thanks for sharing recipes and also the fun and sweet stories that go along with them.
Mel, thank you for being such a bright spot in the world! Merry Christmas!!
Perfectly said. That song is a favorite of mine as well. Thank you for all the light (and deliciousness) you put out into the world. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Mel,
Merry Christmas! I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoy for blog AND your recipes!
Merry Christmas, Mel! You are inspiring! Thank you for sharing your faith, talents and goodness! Wishing you and your family the best!
Merry Christmas and God Bless you and your family throughout 2021. Thank you for helping me feed my family these many years. You are so appreciated by many.
Merry Christmas to you and your sweet family! THANK YOU for all the amazing recipes that have filled our bellies and brought big smiles to our faces.
🙂 God bless you!
Merry Christmas Mel!
You inspire me! You help me to provide the best food for my family! Thank you for sharing so much with us!
Love this! You are the best. Merry Christmas! Hope 2021 is the best year yet for your family!
Becca
I call you “My Girlfriend Mel”!
Your posts are lovely. Your faith shines through in all that you do. Your family is wonderful and their pictures that you share are real and wholesome. I thank you for all of this.
I first met you in the form of sweet baked ham and have been hooked ever since!
With His Peace, His Love, and His Faithfulness….Thank you!
Martha
I know we don’t know each other personally although I do have picture with you from a few years back. My husband forced me to take it after one of your BYU lectures where you made your delicious salted caramels. He calls me a super fan. Lol! I just wanted to say I love you. My husband does too (he credits our good meals all to you). Thanks for your delicious recipes and gentle influence. I really adore you and appreciate all of the good you have brought into my life the past decade plus. Merry merry Christmas!
Dear Mel, Merry Christmas from Germany. Enjoy the holidays with your family and thanks for all you do and all the lovely recipes!
Mel,
God Bless you and your beautiful family. Merry Christmas! P.S. “Ditto” to everything you said in your post today.