To ask for your best Christmas shortcuts?

[TammySwansonTwo]

Christmas is not going to plan!

On the the way out to finish my Christmas shopping on Wednesday, one of my twins hit me full in the eye with his fingernails. Luckily I had a friend with me and managed to quickly get round and get it done. Was in awful pain after that, went to hospital Thursday morning and they found massive scratches across my eye and they've put me on drops that are making me feel bloody awful so ive mainly been lying horizontal in between twin wrangling.

I was supposed to clean today, take delivery of food shop and wrap presents tomorrow, then have a nice relaxed Christmas Eve together. Right now I can't even sit up without my head swimming so I'm going to have to nail everything with DH's help this weekend.

Can you tell me your best Christmas shortcuts / time savers for wrapping, food prep etc? I don't believe a good roast potato can be done in advance but other than that, what can I do this weekend so the day itself is a bit more relaxed (and what can I do more quickly this weekend so I'm not dizzy and falling down)?

I posted a while ago about having a more laid back Christmas since the boys are only 15 months - they only have a handful of toys between them, DH and I have only got each other a couple of bits. I've ordered meat from Waitrose that just goes straight in the oven so that will save me some time. Feeling very relieved at all that right now but frankly I wish I could postpone Christmas by a week so my eye isn't swollen shut and I don't feel like hurling.

The potatoes are absolutely fine overnight in water. I usually do this for Christmas because of all the there stuff going on, but do it normally the rest of the year. There's no difference.
Also do-
Ready made custard, brandy butter etc.
Ready made cranberry sauce.

Normally as in not over night in water rest of year. Sorry, not very clear!

Sorry to hear about your eye. My dh has had quite a few eye injuries and I know from him it is very painful.

My top tip is to buy as much as you can prepared.

We have short notice guests coming (they weren't sure they could and have just let us know this week that they can) I have been working all week, have had a cold and a million and one other commitments.

We did our grocery shopping today and usually I like to make everything from scratch but this year I just can't be arsed! So I am taking lots of shortcuts.

We shopped in Aldi for everything and we bought (mostly specially select range):

oven ready honey and mustard parsnips
oven ready red cabbage
oven ready brussles sprouts with bacon and chestnuts
sherry trifle
loads of desserts
frozen prawns in filo
fresh duck canapes
luxury mince pies
flavoured creams - baileys and brandy
ready prepped salad
cold meats

I will cook the turkey and the ham and the roast potatoes myself BUT I did buy foil trays to cook them on to minimise washing up.

I also bought lots of chutneys and par-baked bread rolls, frozen puff pastry etc for making quick and easy meals with the cold meats.

This year I am all about easy and delicious and LOTS of wine and prosecco!!!

Thanks everyone! Will see how the food delivery goes in the morning and what's missing (did try to order their prepped veg but it's sold out!) - if there's still stuff we need will send DH out and see if he can get prepped stuff anywhere. Managed to tidy the kitchen while he's been putting the twins to bed and he's going to cook dinner so am putting my feet up in preparation for getting lots done in bits tomorrow.

Quick question - I have some disposable foil trays, can you cook a joint of meat in them? Or roast potatoes? I've always thought it needs to be in a heavy bottomed metal or glass tray to get hot enough?

Yes, you can.
But if you are making gravy from the juices, transfer them to a pan or something, the direct flame could burn through.
Also be very careful lifting heavy stuff out the oven in them as they are a bit floppy. I'd stand them on a baking sheet so there's some stability ( and you still won't need to wash the sheet).

I cook for family every year and each year I've started doing more and more in advance to take the pressure off. I now par boil potatoes/carrots/parsnips and lay them on buttered tray for roasting, make the braised red cabbage ready to warm up, make the mash and keep it a sandwich box (microwaves just fine) make stuffing, prep turkey, and make Jamie Oliver's get ahead gravy with chicken wings (just add the juices from the turkey on the day). All I do on the day is roast the turkey and veg and reheat the rest. Much less stressful and means I can have a glass of wine without worrying about wrecking the meal 😂

Roast potatoes that just need to be put in the oven with no peeling or par-boiling.
Sprouts that are already peeled.
Carrots that are already peeled and chopped.
Gift bags with tissue paper instead of wrapping.
Polish wipes instead of spraying and dusting.
Disinfectant wipes instead of spraying and wiping for cleaning.

I know everyone hates him on MN but Jamie Oliver's get ahead gravy is great - you basically roast chicken wings with veg and make your (thick) gravy a few days before and then you can freeze it. Then on the day you just add some extra turkey juices into the gravy and tada...perfect gravy with really only the need to re-heat.

Is it just your immediate family on Christmas morning? Don't wrap the presents at all this year! The toddlers won't know any different. In fact, really tiny children often find unwrapping a bit baffling and tedious. Just put everything into a box or stocking and pull one present out at a time, and the same with the gifts you and dh exchange.

Unwrapping might be fun, but no doubt they will get to have a go at that when they get a few presents from other relatives.

Lower your standards. Probably no one actually cares if the big Christmas cleaning is done
Use gift bags to save wrapping
Use frozen roast potatoes
Use foil disposable trays

Don't be a perfectionist - you're not well. Delegate as much as you can. Peel veg the evening before and put in a saucepan with water. Next year will be better and saner.

Trying to insist on everything being perfect is the way to madness. Christmas can be 'good enough' and very enjoyable without being perfect.