Can you freeze Christmas dumplings? When is the best time to prepare them?

Even though Christmas may still be some time away, it's worthwhile making detailed plans to ensure you have a stress-free holiday. But how exactly do you go about this? Let me guide you!

Christmas fever typically hits my family home by early December, much like in many other households. On the first day of December, my mother began worrying about being unable to prepare all the Christmas dishes on time. Despite our offers to help, she prefers handling everything on her own. Consequently, the last week of December always feels like a race against time. It's similar to my sisters, who spend the entire month painstakingly cleaning the house and constantly feeling pressed for time.

And it doesn't stop there. As a conscientious homemaker, my mother always ends up over-preparing food. And when we reach our limit and can't consume another serving of beet soup with dumplings, or carp, she often exclaims: "Next year, I won't prepare so much." This pattern of rushing, worrying, and then lamenting over the excess food repeats year after year. Does this sound familiar to you, too?

I advise against getting overly stressed about it. After all, the dinner table is filled with loved ones, not culinary critics. You can plan your Christmas preparations and spread them out over time to alleviate the pressure. This approach gives you enough time for everything without unnecessary hurrying or anxiety.

That's why, this year, I've decided to implement some minor changes. I sat at my desk and identified tasks that could be accomplished a month before Christmas Eve. One such task is the preparation of one of the main courses, which is hard to envision without a traditional Christmas Eve dinner.

You may initially assume that such early preparation is unfeasible. However, let's acknowledge that preparing dumplings is one of the most laborious tasks for Christmas Eve. In addition, dumplings can quickly be frozen up to four weeks before December 24. I believe these points are convincing enough to portray how such a minor modification can expedite your holiday preparations.

All that's required is to blanch the dumplings after making them. What exactly does blanching entail? Drop the raw dumplings into boiling salted water for exactly 30 seconds. Then, quickly remove them and place them on a cutting board or a small tray lined with well-greased baking paper. After cooling, move the dumplings into the freezer for 2-3 hours. Once solidified, you can safely transfer them into a larger, airtight container. Don't forget to label the container with the exact date. Voila, you're done!