If this is your first hosting the cheat wisely.
No one will know and you can pass things off as a gorgeous meal without too much bother.
Get yourself a decent digital meat thermometer.
Aunt bessies Yorkshire puddings ready to reheat at the very end just as you are about to serve.
Aunt bessies roast potatoes
Aunty bessies carrot and swede mash (in the Microwave)
Turkey crown as it's fairly quick to cook, use half a block of butter rubber in thickly and layer bacon over it to keep it moist. Sit it on some onions very roughly chopped with skins on. Seal with foil and cook to instructions. You can prep this the night before, cover in fridge.
Decent chipolata sausages that can be thrown around the turkey 30 mins before it come out to rest.
Sprouts need to be fresh, but peel them the night before. Parsnips cook quickly, throw them in with the roast potatoes.
Instant gravy is fine but strain the meat juices into a jug, remove as much fat as you can and add these juices the the water you are making your gravy with. No one will know.
Fancy stuffing? Use normal stuffing and skin a few of the chipolata sausages and mix into the rehydrated mix. Cook for 30 mins. You can add a finely chopped leek if you feel you have time,
You need to plan when turkey needs to go in. It need to come out at least 45 mins before you serve so factor this into your calculations.
90 mins before you all sit down put the chipolatas to cook around the turkey.
45 mins before everyone sits down throw in the potatoes and sprouts. Put In the stuffing. Set timer to 30 mins.
20 mins before you all sit down put the stove top veg on.
You'll be checking the veg as you go and removing cooked veg, strain cooking water into the serving dish to warm it. Then drain and use this to put veg into. Cover.
5 mins before strain the juices and make the gravy.
Just before you call everyone, get the potatoes and parsnips out, serving dish. Put the Yorkshire's (precooked ones) back into the hot oven for three mins.
That's it.
It's a bit manic in the last 10 mins. I keep people out of my kitchen.
Lay the table the night before, there is never enough time on the day and it's quite time consuming to get it right.
Remember you can chill drinks outside the back door, it's usually cold enough if you are short on fridge space.
The other thing I do is have a list on the fridge of what's going on the table. Many a year I've forgotten condiments or something gets left in the microwave.
I have served Christmas dinner now for 35 years, but I still remember my first!