Traditional but low stress Christmas dinner for 11

[Ceolas]

Is it possible? Any tips?

I'm a reasonable cook but never done Christmas dinner before

Get yourself a copy of the Good Housekeeping xmas mag and follow the step by step instructions and timings?

I do things to reduce the work on the day:
par-boiling and freezing roast potatoes, then cooking from frozen on the day.
steam the xmas pud in the slow cooker
buy ready-made stock for the gravy
make up the sausage & bacon roll in advance

Most of all, cut down the number of items on the menu - you don't need five different fussed-up veggies, three ways with spuds and four sauces to go with xmas pud!

If your budget runs to it, get a couple of the turkey breast roasts from somewhere like M&S - much easier to deal with than a whole bird, and leaves more room in the oven for the other stuff.

Don't steam xmas pud - microwave it after you've had the main course (if anyone's still hungry)

Don't bother with a starter, just have nibbles available beforehand.

i usually have a large number for xmas day and have done so for the last six years so that ds doesnt have to leave his presents to go to someone elses house.

i prepare my veg and put them pans of cold water on xmas eve when ds is in bed and dh is sorting out the presents.

the turkey crown goes in the oven just before i got to bed on a very low heat and its ready for mid morning the next day, this frees the oven up for yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes and cocktail sausages wrapped in bacon. Yorkshire puddings are done in muffin tins so i only need a couple of trays at most

i usually have boiled potatoes, carrots, peas and swede on the cooker rings, cabbage and brussels in the steamer.

i dont have any starters and desert is usually xmas pudding done in the microwave and icecream or trifle for those who dont like it.

cook the turkey the night before, make the gravy (jamie oliver one is good) and peel potatos the night before.

Last year i had to cook xmas dinner for 19 people - i had never met 5 of them before and had never cooked a turkey! I did as much as i could on xmas eve and it turned out really well.