I don’t know about anyone else, but I normally have no time to cook dinner during a regular work  week never mind a holiday week. The thought of preparing an elaborate holiday meal, in addition to all the shopping, gift wrapping, entertaining, cleaning –(Oh, my God, every obscure relative will be descending on me to critique my housekeeping!)–makes my brain shrivel and my knees buckle.

Fortunately, others have traveled this path before me and left a road map for breezing through the holidays:

Seriously Simple Holidays : Recipes and Ideas to Celebrate the Season  by Diane Rossen Worthington.
Gift ideas, wine and cheese pairings, menus, Diane Worthington has it all covered from Rosh Hashanah to Thanksgiving to New Year’s.

The Ultimate Appetizers Book : More than 450 No-fuss Nibbles and Drinks, Plus Simple Party Planning Tips by Better Homes and Gardens. From super quick dips and snack mixes to elegant pastries and bite-size sweets, these no-fuss recipes will please any crowd.

Cocktails for the Holidays : Festive Drinks to Celebrate the Season by the Editors of Imbibe Magazine. Mix holiday drinks like a pro with the help of this book. It includes favorite seasonal recipes from bartenders around the world for every festive occasion.

Fix-it and Forget-it Christmas Cookbook : 600 Slow Cooker Holiday Recipes by Phyllis Pellman Good. If cooking holiday dinners wears you out, this book is the answer. Let your slow cooker do all the work. Prep it, forget it, and go join the party instead of slaving away in the kitchen.

 
Easy Entertaining : Over 250 Stress-free Recipes and Sensational Styling Ideas by Darina Allen. Short-cuts, tips, hints and general good advice for making your holiday easier. “Keep it Simple” is the motto of this book that will help you pull off a holiday party simply but in style.