i second the braising of meats. you can add lots of veggies so it is like a one-pot meal... and dont forget to leave a dessert!

Red-wine braised short ribs, because they're better a day or two later, anyway! If I was there, I would serve them over polenta, but they could cook up some noodles to serve them with as well (and al the yummy gravy). Maybe stuff for an easy salad, too.

If you don't have time to make a dessert, bakeries certainly have some lovely offerings this time of year. You are very thoughtful to be thinking of them!

For vegans/vegetarians a meatless chili is perfect or a pumpkin or butternut squash soup or french onion. (obviously vegan omit any cheese or butter and only use veggie stock). . Non-veg choices; corn chowder, quiche, frittata or tortilla espanola, a lovely beef stew or shepherds pie. All can be served with a lovely salad perked up with dried cranberries.

My family always makes chili with parsley rice for Christmas Eve or New Year's Day, but this warming meal would also be great for Christmas and only gets better the longer it sits.

Thank you for the suggestions! Braised meat sounds like a good strategy. And that kale salad looks delicious -- I think I'll make some tonight for myself actually. ;)

I'll have to cook everything on Wednesday night -- I feel like the main dish will last till Saturday and desert too, but I wonder if the salad will get wilty... maybe if I just have them add the dressing it will be ok.

This Tourtiere (French Canadian Meat Pie) is easy, delicious to reheat, and makes 2 pies so you can freeze one to have when you get back! And it is traditional for Christmas eve. http://therunawayspoon.com/blog/2010/12/tourtiere-french-canadian-meat-pie/

What a wonderful daughter you are!

Because we've got more folks that usual, we're trying to do everything but the vegetables ahead of time, this year - more time entertaining, less time cooking. We're having poached salmon (cold), prawns in a spicy garlic sauce (these are room temp, you peel the shells off when you eat...more like an hors d'oeuvre) and chilled cracked crab. Local bread, bought the day before and wrapped. Then gingered carrots and roasted Brussels sprouts. And chocolate cake for dessert.

Crab is a local thing, but maybe you have something comparable...

Nobody's suggested lasagna? Nobody?

Cook's Illustrated has a lasagna bolognese that I made for Christmas a couple years back (recipe from...2007?). My husband loved it, and though I quit eating meat afterwards, it's still my benchmark lasagna. Spinach or mushroom (or spinach AND mushroom) lasagna could also be special.

If you won't be gone too long beforehand, add a bag of pre-mixed salad greens, leave a dozen Christmas cookies, and you're set.

I'm kitty-sitting for my supervisor, she flies in on the 25th late at night, and as a vegan she likely will not have had much to eat en route. I'm leaving her a hearty stew, fresh biscuits and homemade coconut milk ice cream. And a christmas present- Vegan Cookies Invade your Cookie Jar.
http://www.meettheshannons.net/2010/10/betty-crocker-project-beef-less-stew.html
http://veganicecream.blogspot.com/2007/12/chocolate-candy-cane-ice-cream.html
(the biscuits are from Vegan Brunch, Herbed Whole Wheat Drop Biscuits, available via google books if you do a search.)

For a dessert you could do an ice cream cake! Epicurious has a chocolate peppermint one that I've made several times with great success. Its from December 2003. Plus there will probably be some left overs for you when you get back.

You're very thoughtful!

Do you have a slow cooker? If you get a meal all prepared in it and ask a neighbor to turn it on for you at a certain time, your family could actually arrive to a hot meal.

The easiest meat of all - a ham. It is traditional for Christmas, and a sweet potato casserole with streusal topping will re-heat beautifully. A fresh vegetable such as asparagus or snow peas simplifies cooking, and those individual pies-in-a-jar, left in the freezer to bake at will would make a feast, and there would be those wonderful ham sandwiches to have later. Make a nice mayo-mustanrd-dill spread for those, and even the sandwiches are special. Have fresh bakery bread, butter, lettuce, tomatoes, and a nice deli cheese on hand.

We make lasagna every year.

Wow - even more lovely suggestions. I wish I could make them all!

Does your mom have a favorite food? Or something she enjoys but never makes for herself? Or something from childhood christmases? Most things with sauces or lots of liquid in them reheat well, so if there's something along those lines it would be an obvious choice. For instance, my mom loves chicken tetrazzini and macaroni and cheese. She never cooks them but would love a homemade batch for a special meal!

A frozen dessert would work very well. It's not terribly "gourmet" but I make a delicious pie with a chocolate crumb crust (make or buy), mix together a quart of softened peppermint ice cream and a tub of whipped topping. Freeze, then drizzle over hot fudge sauce to serve (make or buy also). It's a kitschy recipe but it's always the first to go when I make it for xmas! If you want something more elaborate, you could make profiteroles. Freeze the puffs and all your mom has to do is pull them out, assemble, and drizzle with some chocolate sauce.

Otherwise, a hearty cake would hold up just fine, like a gingerbread cake. Just cover it well and put it in the fridge. Or something like pound cake or a quick bread. You could freeze individual slices easily, and all your mom would have to do is take it out and defrost. Most xmas cookies would do fine too.

Mmm... tourtière with a green tomato chutney, a great spicy cranberry sauce, that kale salad (I would add finely diced sweet red onion and perhaps pickled beets), the sticky toffee puddings, a good hard apple cider and/or artisanal lager...

Now I am craving tourtière...