Your best Christmas Dinner tips?!

[Tillypea]

First timer for making Christmas dinner this year!

Please share your best tips?! How do you make a Christmas dinner that bit more special than a normal Sunday Roast? Without making lots of extra work Christmas day? We have two young DC so would prefer not to be stuck in the kitchen all day.

Hoping to make it as stress free as possible too.. Am I asking for too much ha?!

Yes to foil trays. I am NOT washing upany more than I have too.

Foil trays.
Jamie olivers make ahead gravy.
Delia Smiths sausage chestnut and apple stuffing is the food of the gods. She is also v reliable on timings.
Dont be afraid to use microwave, slow cooker or any other gadget that might free up a hob or space in the oven.

Take a look at M & S Christmas food, makes Christmas Day much less stressful for me as i don't enjoy cooking

My best tips
Buy stuffing and pigs in blankets and I also buy red cabbage because only I like it but it’s so much easier.
Make gravy ahead have it ready to reheat
Take turkey out at 11.30 wrap in foil then a towel over the top will stay warm and rest until 1-1.30.
Clean down dishes ready before the last push
Drink lots of fizz

First, make a timetable, working backwards from when you want to eat. Include everything, e.g. when to put the spuds on to parboil, right back to when to turn the oven on to heat up.

Then write it out in time order and stick it on the front of the fridge or-anywhere else where it won’t get lost or obscured by stuff.

Have dinner late. Around 5 pm is good. Far less of a rush for the cook.

Time the turkey to be ready an hour before you plan to sit down to eat. Cover with foil and a tea towel to rest.
That way it carves better and gives you plenty of time for side dishes, making proper gravy, etc.

Don’t do too many side dishes. Though of course you can never have too many pigs in blankets.

Starters are not necessary. If you’re eating late, though, some fairly substantial canapés an hour or two before will go down well.