Christmas: Your Essential Countdown to the Perfect Christmas Dinner
You’ve decked the halls and put up the tree, now get set for a Christmas feast to remember with these festive tweaks and practical to-dos
While children might cite presents as the most important element of Christmas, we grown-ups are typically more interested in the food. A traditional lunch or dinner, with turkey or goose, is the highlight of 25 December for many of us, even if we have to cook it ourselves. But serving up a wonderful meal to friends and family involves more than simply roasting a turkey. All kinds of practical considerations pop up at this time of year, when we are often catering for a crowd and juggling a big mix of dishes. These simple tips and key considerations will help you cook up a flawless festive feast.
Factor in flexible seating
Finding enough seating for all your Christmas guests can feel like a challenge. Often we live happily with a set of four chairs and only once a year find we need at least four more.
Consider putting together a mix of seating, such as chairs and benches. Kids can squish up happily on a bench, which also takes up minimal space when not in use. Borrow chairs from other rooms or invest in folding styles that can be neatly stored.
See more space-saving benches
Finding enough seating for all your Christmas guests can feel like a challenge. Often we live happily with a set of four chairs and only once a year find we need at least four more.
Consider putting together a mix of seating, such as chairs and benches. Kids can squish up happily on a bench, which also takes up minimal space when not in use. Borrow chairs from other rooms or invest in folding styles that can be neatly stored.
See more space-saving benches
Create overflow dining space
An extra, overflow dining area is also very useful when catering for a crowd. Whether that’s a breakfast bar where teenagers can hang out, or a small kitchen table at which any younger children can eat, an extra dining spot can take the pressure off the main table and ensure everyone eats comfortably.
An extra, overflow dining area is also very useful when catering for a crowd. Whether that’s a breakfast bar where teenagers can hang out, or a small kitchen table at which any younger children can eat, an extra dining spot can take the pressure off the main table and ensure everyone eats comfortably.
Sort out the serving ware
Generally, we serve our everyday meals straight from pan to plate, but, for a special festive meal, it’s nice to be able to lay out a spread, so everyone can dig in. This means you will need enough serving dishes for mountains of sprouts and piles of roast potatoes. You may need jugs and boats for sauces and gravy, too, and don’t forget plenty of big serving spoons.
Generally, we serve our everyday meals straight from pan to plate, but, for a special festive meal, it’s nice to be able to lay out a spread, so everyone can dig in. This means you will need enough serving dishes for mountains of sprouts and piles of roast potatoes. You may need jugs and boats for sauces and gravy, too, and don’t forget plenty of big serving spoons.
Max up the cutlery
It sounds obvious, but you will need enough knives, forks and spoons for all your guests and, ideally, some spare, too, so you’re not forced to run the dishwasher the minute the meal is over. If you’re a bit short, rather than buying a new set, ask guests to contribute a handful of cutlery each.
It sounds obvious, but you will need enough knives, forks and spoons for all your guests and, ideally, some spare, too, so you’re not forced to run the dishwasher the minute the meal is over. If you’re a bit short, rather than buying a new set, ask guests to contribute a handful of cutlery each.
Cut it with good knives
Why spend hours cooking the perfect Christmas bird, only to hack hopelessly at it with a blunt, ancient knife come serving time? Investing in good knives makes every aspect of cooking easier, but a large carving knife will ensure you serve the Christmas centrepiece in style.
Why spend hours cooking the perfect Christmas bird, only to hack hopelessly at it with a blunt, ancient knife come serving time? Investing in good knives makes every aspect of cooking easier, but a large carving knife will ensure you serve the Christmas centrepiece in style.
Figure out your fridge
Cooking the Christmas meal is one thing, storing it prior to the big day can be quite another! Maximise all available space by clearing out your fridge in advance of your final food shopping trip. (This is a good time to clean it, too!)
Similarly, eat your way through the freezer in the week leading up to Christmas, freeing up room here, too. You can then prepare sauces and accompanying dishes and freeze them in advance to take pressure off the fridge.
Cooking the Christmas meal is one thing, storing it prior to the big day can be quite another! Maximise all available space by clearing out your fridge in advance of your final food shopping trip. (This is a good time to clean it, too!)
Similarly, eat your way through the freezer in the week leading up to Christmas, freeing up room here, too. You can then prepare sauces and accompanying dishes and freeze them in advance to take pressure off the fridge.
Dress the table
Even if you don’t plan on having fancy Christmas decorations on the table, show it some love with name place cards and real napkins. Try slotting name cards into pine cones at each setting, or tie them casually to napkin rings.
Discover exciting ways to dress your table
Even if you don’t plan on having fancy Christmas decorations on the table, show it some love with name place cards and real napkins. Try slotting name cards into pine cones at each setting, or tie them casually to napkin rings.
Discover exciting ways to dress your table
Consider the lighting
Do your Christmas dinner justice with warm lighting that adds the final layer of festive atmosphere. Candlelight is the simplest way to pull off an inviting vibe. Here, inexpensive white candles sit in jars in a vintage tray, creating a warm glow.
Do your Christmas dinner justice with warm lighting that adds the final layer of festive atmosphere. Candlelight is the simplest way to pull off an inviting vibe. Here, inexpensive white candles sit in jars in a vintage tray, creating a warm glow.
Work with what you’ve got
It’s tempting to plan a vast feast for Christmas dinner, but if you only have a two-ring hob and a single oven, how realistic is that? Think carefully about what you’d like to make – both how you will cook it and how you’ll keep it warm. Most of us have the standard four-ring hob and perhaps two ovens to work with; keep this in mind if you’re tempted to create six side dishes to accompany your monster turkey.
Oh, and always remember the microwave. While rushing out to buy a new oven is usually not feasible, a small microwave is inexpensive, and investing in one will take the pressure off your existing equipment.
TELL US…
How do you tackle Christmas dinner? Share your ideas in the Comments below.
It’s tempting to plan a vast feast for Christmas dinner, but if you only have a two-ring hob and a single oven, how realistic is that? Think carefully about what you’d like to make – both how you will cook it and how you’ll keep it warm. Most of us have the standard four-ring hob and perhaps two ovens to work with; keep this in mind if you’re tempted to create six side dishes to accompany your monster turkey.
Oh, and always remember the microwave. While rushing out to buy a new oven is usually not feasible, a small microwave is inexpensive, and investing in one will take the pressure off your existing equipment.
TELL US…
How do you tackle Christmas dinner? Share your ideas in the Comments below.
Unless you are planning a Christmas buffet, you will need a big enough table to accommodate your family and friends. Extendable tables are versatile and come into their own at this time of year, or source a couple of inexpensive folding tables that can be positioned at either end of your existing one and stored away when no longer needed.