Best way to serve 12 on Xmas day and keep it warm

[MyVegasBaby]

Am thinking get DH to slice turkey ahead of dishing up time and then keep warm wrapped in foil. I will them plate up the turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets and rosaries for everyone and put all the veg (roast parsnips, honey roasted carrots, sprouts and peas) and gravy for people to help themselves.
Any other suggestions/thoughts?
Thanks

[kaymondo]

I have just ordered a hostess trolley for this very reason! Last year i did what you're planning to but made sure that all of my serving bowls and plates had been in the oven so we're hot too. Getting it all to the table hot is always the challenge at Christmas!

[InternetFOREVER]

I used slow cooker to keep pigs in blankets, etc, warm last year. Hot plates and hot gravy also help the temperature of everything

[momb]

I put everything in the middle of the table in big bowls/platters so it doesn't cool as quickly as on plates, give everyone hot plates and let them help themselves.

[whereismagic]

I haven't tried it but an old lady with a big family said she has a special electric blanket she uses for keeping plates warm. I think food cools very quickly placed on a cold plate.

[MyVegasBaby]

Thanks, yes will make sure all played and serving dishes are very hot and enlist the help of one of the teens to take in to the dining room. Piping hot gravy too!

[Mrsgrumble]

Aldi had a great electric serving appliance for keeping food warm.

[UnrelatedToElephants]

Christmas rosaries?

[yellowsnownoteatwillyou]

If you are resting the turkey wrapped in foil and tea towels while you cook your veg and stuff, can someone plate up the veg and put it on the table and by the time that will have been done you will have carved the turkey and plated it up.
If you are carving ahead of time remember to put some gravy on so it doesn't dry out.
I'm quite good at timings, but also don't really understand this roasting hot food business, as I have a toddler and eat food at any temperature which is usually slightly cooled as I sit down last after cooling dcs food down.
I hate hot plates, my mil is a bit obsessed with them so might have to heat hers up as she is coming for Christmas.

[NCIS]

I cook for 12 each year and now have an electric plate warmer that I set up way before lunch plus some trays with tea lights underneath (don't know what they're called) that I put the hot dishes of veg on while people help themselves, the plate with turkey goes on there too. I don't like plating it up as I never know how much people want and I hate being served too much.
Keeps everything warm for seconds.

[tassisssss]

It's all in the planning of hob space/oven space/microwave space.

I am very lucky and have 2 ovens so it's easy but in the past I assume the turkey has the main oven (and plates at the last minute when it's resting), do the roasties in the top oven and then it's about jamming the stuffing/chipolatas in where there's space. I can now do oven roast veg again but in the past it was hob/micro for veg/gravy/bread sauce. I make red cabbage in advance (maybe tonight?!) and then just zap in the microwave.

[JosephWasAChippyMinton]

Have everyone sitting at the table, serving themselves wine and soft drinks and admiring the crackers or table gifts, before you start ferrying hot plates and food to the table. It's annoying to watch food getting cold whilst guests faff around, nipping to the loo etc. Keep gravy in the pan until the last minute - I usually bring it in with me when I sit down.

[MyVegasBaby]

Thanks all, some good suggestions.