Christmas in Utah
Utah feels almost purpose-built for Christmas. Snowy mountains rise in every direction, winter sports are woven into daily life, and community traditions lean practical, generous, and joyful. For our Utah date, we leaned into what the state does best: snow play, potluck creativity, Olympic ambition, and cozy, family-friendly celebration—layered with just enough whimsy to make it feel unmistakably Christmas.
The day opened simply and very Utah. Breakfast was Kodiak Cakes and fry-bread scones with honey butter, grounding the morning in hearty, no-frills comfort. Soon after, the kids got to work making red-and-green Jell-O cutouts—an essential nod to Utah’s famously official love of Jell-O—while anticipation built for heading outside. Utah’s license plates boast “Greatest Snow on Earth,” and we took that as an invitation. Bundled up, we headed out for sledding, snow racing, and all the joyful chaos that comes with real winter play.
By midday, the house shifted gears into what Utah arguably does best: the potluck. We invited some close friends and family to join us for the festivities. But instead of folding tables and paper plates, we leaned into an upscaled holiday spread inspired by classic Utah dishes. Pastrami sliders, funeral potatoes, Jell-O trifle, and puff-pastry pinwheels turned familiar flavors into something festive and intentional. It felt like a church-hall Christmas dinner reimagined for a holiday party—recognizable, communal, and celebratory.
From there, the Olympics took over.
Salt Lake City hosted the Winter Games in 2002 and will do so again in 2034, and that legacy gave us the perfect framework for a full slate of Christmas-themed competitions. Each activity quietly taught the history of a real Olympic event, translating snowcross, biathlon, curling, luge, speed skating, and bobsledding into backyard-scale challenges. Even trivia and puzzles tied back to Utah icons, from Ken Jennings to local musicians and choirs.Medals were awarded not in gold, silver, and bronze—but in gold, frankincense, and myrrh, because even Utah’s Olympics deserve a Nativity tie-in.
The Utah Christmas Olympics
Snowcross (Christmas Crossword Race): Teams raced to complete a winter-themed crossword, mirroring Snowcross speed and adaptability.
Mountaineering Minefield: Players carefully crossed only true Winter Olympic host cities—one wrong step and you were out.
Alpine Slalom Sing-A-Long: Guess the Utah artist, then race to name the Christmas song at just the right moment.
Skeleton (Christmas Jeopardy): High-risk trivia inspired by Utah-native Ken Jennings and Jack Skellington—buzz wisely or wipe out.
Biathlon (“You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out”): Ornament shooting paired with penalty spins, blending precision and endurance.
Skijoring Relay: Reindeer-themed sled pulls down the alley, emphasizing teamwork and momentum.
Speed Skating (Red Light, Green Light): Sprint on green, freeze on red—perfectly tied to Utah’s traffic-light history.
Luge (Ice Ball Dryer-Vent Track): Teams shaped courses and raced fragile ice balls with care and control.
Figure Skating (Hand-Drawn Pictionary): Guess the holiday image as it slowly emerged, balancing timing and confidence.
Hockey Shootout: Wrapping-paper tubes and ornaments turned the dining room into a shootout rink.
Peppermint Curling: Peppermint “stones” slid for precision points, rewarding finesse over force.
Bobsled (“Jingle Bells Junk in Trunk”): Shake bells loose at full speed, echoing the explosive push of real bobsledding.
One of the most iconic events was skijoring, adapted for a snowy back-alley course. Traditionally, skijoring involves a skier being pulled by a horse—or historically, even reindeer. Our version leaned fully into the Christmas parallel. One teammate pulled the youngest participant on a sled while wearing a reindeer mask, tagging the next racer relay-style. It captured the spirit of the sport perfectly: coordination, trust, momentum, and just enough chaos to keep everyone laughing.
As the afternoon rolled on, cocoa and eggnog took center stage. Stephen’s Gourmet Cocoa—an authentic Utah staple—warmed hands and hearts. However, for those wanting something a bit more icy, Ben constructed an ice luge for drinks. In honor of Egg Nog, Utah, egg nog flowed through the channel—mostly wholesome and family-friendly—but with an optional rum-spiked version cheekily named “Cool Rummings,” a playful wink to the 1988 Olympic bobsled film. It was a deliberate, lighthearted bucking of Utah’s famously strict alcohol culture while still keeping the focus on shared fun rather than excess.
Dinner brought things full circle with prairie harvest stew, Rhodes rolls, and a Dutch-oven peach cobbler—comfort food built for winter evenings and lingering conversation.
By the end of the night, what stood out most wasn’t just the snow or the games—it was how naturally Utah’s identity fit Christmas. Community-centered food, family-friendly competition, Olympic ambition, and winter joy all folded together without effort. It was playful without being silly, competitive without being cutthroat, and deeply seasonal without trying too hard.
In Utah, Christmas doesn’t need embellishment. It already lives in the snow.Utah has so many natural ties to Christmas that it almost feels like the state was designed for holiday celebrations. From snowy mountains and Olympic memories to quirky foods, musical icons, and even red-and-green traffic lights, it was a perfect stop on our “Christmas Roadtrip Across America.”
Menu
Fried Scones w/ Honey Butter
Kodiak Flapjacks
Funeral Potato Tot Canapés
Pastrami Burger Sliders w/ Fry Sauce
Provo-lone Puff Pastry Pinwheels
Layered Red & Green Jell-O Salad Trifle
Crumbl Cookies
Mormon Muffins
Stephen’s Cocoa
Eggnog, UT w/ Optional Jamaicaan “Cool Rummings”
Prairie Harvest Stew
Rhodes Rolles
Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler
Activities
Outdoor Snow Play & Sledding
Utah Christmas Olympics
Back Alley Skijoring
Peppermint Curling
“U-Tah-lking to Me” Music Quiz
Christmas Jeopardy
Drinks Ice Luge
