Seasoned Christmas hosts please come talk to me

[lozengeoflove]

We are hosting Christmas Day for the first time and I'm excited and scared in equal measures. There will be ten adults eating and four toddlers and babies.

I'm ordering a huge turkey crown, gravey, salmon and perhaps some mince pies. Will make all the veg, salads, and nibbles. PILs doing ham, pigs in blankets and pate. SIL doing Christmas pudding. I'll also make some Christmassy cakes.

This will sound really stupid but I really don't know where to start! When do I get up on the day and how on earth do I know how many potatoes (not to mention other veg) I prepare?
Also, do I have to do a seating arrangement, or ask everyone to sit where they like?
Do I ask everyone to arrive in the morning when they like, or set a time?
And finally, I have loads of Christmas tree decorations, but as this is our first year in our home, I'd love to go crazy and create a little Christmas grotto - inside and out. Where do I shop for lovely big warm bulb lights, paper snowflakes stc, without breaking the budget?

I really should have paid more attention in the past! We never did a traditional Christmas when growing up, but I've been to plenty with friends and at FILs to know better!

Any tips would be hugely appreciated .

In addition to all this - if you're going to let people sit where they want, you need to make sure that you bagsy your seat - you don't want to discover that you've been left the most difficult to get into seat on the far side of the table when you want to be getting up to get extra helpings of things or sort stuff out.

It shouldn't be too difficult to work out where to sit people if you do want to work it out in advance - figure out where you want to sit that gives you easy access, then decide who gets to be at the head and bottom of the table - if it's not you then is there any politics as to whether or not PIL would expect to take these positions or if you and your dh want to as you're hosting... Then - think dc - are there any physical restrictions on where their seats are if using high chairs. They'll need to have an adult next to them to feed them - no point having three in a row! You might want your dh to be next to your dc to feed them leaving you to sort out the lunch stuff.

SIL might want to be able to get up easily if she is doing pudding.

Then think who do you want to sit next to most, put them in and jiggle everybody else into place... Then when everybody comes to sit down, it doesn't matter hugely if people change places, but it gives them a starting point and stops there being lots of shifting around as people realise that they've assumed their OH is going to feed the baby and nobody is, or everybody standing like lemons being too polite to be the first one to sit down!

1. It's just a roast dinner.
2. The shops are open Boxing Day/27th. It's not like the '70s when everywhere was shut for days. You don't need to stock up (and by Boxing Day someone wants the excuse to get out).
3. Use disposable foil trays for roasting turkey so just bin it after.
4. Jamie Oliver's make ahead gravy.
5. Veggies prepared day before, cooked in a 3 tier electric steamer (saves space, switch on, forget about it).
6. Rest Turkey for an hour under foil. Put a folded bath towel on top to insulate. Roast potatoes in that hour in turkey juices.

Personally if there's children I'd get a whole turkey as my kids and most I know prefer the dark meat. And I wouldn't buy a massive one. Just enough for the main event and a bit over for sarnies.

A cheeseboard. This can be brought out and put back several times for a couple of days for grazing (remember grapes, figs, quince paste).

zipzap's advice about seating people is very good, and I would definitely take all the points she makes into consideration beforehand and do a table plan with named places. This avoids confusion and a lot of polite 'oh no, after you' stuff.

Fourteen is quite a lot to cater for; if you have enough serving dishes it might be a good idea to have two of everything, so each half of the table is within easy reach of veg, sauce etc, else there will be a hell of a lot of passing dishes around.

Definitely lay the table the day before, if that is feasible, it always takes much longer than you think.

I am sure you will have a lovely time - what a change to have someone on MN who is actually looking forward to spending Christmas Day with her family.

Just came on to say that you can now have stilton while pregnant

Not sure if anyone else has commented about - peeling the vegies the day before ..

peel them, cut them up, and keep them in a large bowl covered in water overnight, so potatoes dont go brown, etc.

I like to have a drinks area set up so people aren't coming in the kitchen for glasses, ice etc. while I'm cooking.
You might want to put someone in charge of watching your toddler.
Figure out what dishes you will use to serve each item in advance. Have them ready to go on the day you set your table. It's murder to be digging around for that special bowl when you are trying to plate.
Make sure you have S&P at each end of the table. Also butter plates.

Buy sprouts prepared. Buy as much as possible prepared.

Delegate. No one wants you to do it all. Let everyone help.

What a helpful thread. I'm hosting 9 for the first time this year.

Love the bath towel on turkey tip.

If you want to do a seating plan (and I agree it will make life easier) I made lovely place markers with holly for my wedding. Completely free if you can find a holly bush and they look really festive. All you need is a gold pen to write the name onto the leaf. They can be made in advance since they'll last a long time (I still have mine and DH's from our wedding more than decade ago).

exciting and a little overwhelming at the same time isn't it!

I've been hosting Christmas for many years. Numbers vary from 10-20!

I am now a well piled machine.

Table. Buy/wash/borrow cloths, napkins, candles, crockery, cutlery, glasses. I often scatter about a bit of silver seasonal confetti and use silver crackers and candles. Everything else is white.

Food service. With a lot if guests the table can be too cramped for serving dishes so I lay everything out on a separate table for people to help themselves. Serving dishes can thus be a mush mash.

Food.
No starters. Just nibbles with champagne.
Lunch is a turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets ( loads of these!). Potatoes ( roast and gratin). Carrots ( you can buy these ready chopped I think in M&S), peas ( frozen). Gravy, cranberry sauce.

This is a veritable feast. No one eats as much as normal as they're chatting, drinking, seeing to DC.

Make sure there is wine and water. I put cranberries in ice cubes which looks nice.

For pudding there is Xmas pudding, mince pies, ice cream and cream. Chocolates.

When we have lots Of guests, I always dish up the toddler meals 15mins before the main meal so that parents can supervise and then enjoy their own lunch in peace. While parents are enjoying the meal the little ones have a finger style dessert to keep them occupied.

Also, one problem I have found is oven space so for super quick roast potatoes here is my tip. Boil the potatoes until they are half cooked. Tip them out and allow the steam to evaporate, they continue to cook while this is happening. On the top of the oven heat olive oil and butter and"fry off" the potatoes so that they are crispy and golden. By this stage they are almost ready and can be finished off in a Hot oven for 20 Mins.

You can do the first bit early and leave them to one side until you are ready.

Marking place for the more general Christmas hosting tips. We are first-timers too, but dh will be in charge of actual Christmas dinner, thank goodness! We have the guests staying for 3 nights though, so there will be plenty of other stuff to prepare. Loving the writing on holly leaves thing!

My other tip (not sure whether its been mentioned) is to lay the table the night before. It takes longer than you think and its good to know its out of the way (and it also looks inviting for your guests). If you put the glasses on upside down then all you need to do on the day is flip the glasses.

We put a heat proof mat under ours and iron it on the table. So much easier than ironing a massive cloth on an ironing board.

These are my timings.

Christmas Eve.
Make cranberry sauce. Potato gratin.
Fill ice cube trays.
Put white wine/fizz/ water in fridge. We've an extra fridge but if you don't, buckets outside or in garage work just fine.

Lay table.

Christmas Day.
9am pre-heat oven ( high).

9.30 stuff turkey and whack it in upside down.

10.30 peel potatoes for roast ( one large per person gives three roasts each). Boil.

10.45 drain potatoes.

11am put pudding on to steam.

12 rotate turkey and baste.

12.30 - put potatoes in oven.

12.45 put parsnips in the oven ( I drizzle with oil and maple syrup).

1pm Turkey out to rest. Cover with foil tea twirls etc.

1.10 pigs in blankets in oven. Carotd on to boil.

1.20 peas on to boil.

1.25 drain veg. Make gravy.

1.30 dish everything up ( cover stuff) and round up guests.

2.30 pudding will be ready but you can keep topping up for ages with no problemo

Ps if you want to light your pudding, hear a ladle ( pour boiling water over it then dry), fill with booze, put a lighter under the ladle until the booze lights then pour quickly over pud and take it in to your guests - make sure the lights have been turned down .

Make sure you aren't left to do everything yourself - delegate taking coats, getting drinks, nibbles etc for guests to your other half.

Do as much as you can in days before - and again get some help!

Once the meal is over sit down and relax - cleaning up is for men or in laws!!

AtticusClaw, holly leaves, what a great idea, thanks.
Shegotall, that reminds me of the time DH spilt some flaming brandy onto a guest's shoulder. One of the DSs will, as always, say *Remember when Dad set Ch...F on fire?" when the pud is served. One of those Christmas traditions now.

I've hosted lots of Christmases and I have a fairly well organised routine for entertaining anyway but one thing that helps for Christmas is shopping as much as possible in advance as you think about it and ensuring you've got extra food and fall back options. For example I added 6 bottles of prosecco to last week's online order. I don't know what they are for but they are there "in case". I'll make sure the freezer is stocked with Christmassy soups "in case". There is nothing worse IMO than panicking about food or not being able to add some extra people to your festivities because you have catered too tightly.

Start making lists now. List everything you want to serve on Christmas Day, including breakfast, tea, snacks, drinks (not forgetting tea and coffee).

Then decide what you're going to make ahead and freeze, what you're going to order ready-prepped for collection and what you're going to make on the day. Plan out your make ahead schedule on your calendar (i.e. if you're going to make your Christmas pudding this weekend, make sure you've put the time aside).

Then start a shopping list of all the things you'll need to buy. So, for e.g. a cheeseboard, you'll need cheese (obvs), but also biscuits, butter, chutney, grapes, a board, a cheese knife, some napkins.

Then start making more lists - one for fresh items that have to be bought at the last minute (cheese, grapes, butter); one for storecupboard items that can be bought now (biscuits, chutney) and one for non-food items. Start shopping as soon as you can from the storecupboad and non-food lists, to avoid the risk that things will be sold out nearer Christmas. Get your food to collect ordered as soon as you can (if nothing else, at least order the turkey). Buy ingredients for your make ahead dishes at the time that you've put aside to make them.

Keep updating your lists - cross out what you've bought, add new things that you've thought of and by Christmas Eve, you should have a finely-honed list of essential last-minute purchases which you can hopefully whizz round and collect in under an hour when you go to collect your turkey.

Thank you OP for starting this thread, and to all who have contributed!

I will be hosting/cooking for 8 which I know isn't a huge number but still - the pressure !

I don't have a very big kitchen so I'd like to get as much prepped beforehand. Didn't realise I can precook the roast potatoes so thanks for that tip. I will prep the veg the night before too. I also intend to make the stuffing and the stock for my gravy beforehand. Does anyone know if turkeys usually come with the giblets? If I buy a turkey in Tesco rather than butchers will it say on the label that the giblets are in it? (asking because I want to use them to make the stock for my gravy)

Please keep all the tips coming, particularly any that will help with getting things sorted well in advance (thank god for freezers!)

great tips. And goodbetter - quince paste! mmmmm!
I have just googled it and now have to have some

Macnab I'd be surprised if a Tesco turkey wasn't clearly labelled and would expect to get giblets with it. If it says 'whole' then that means they are included.

I am so grateful for all these tips. Starting a huge list tonight, so thanks for that treats.

Some purely genius advice too about setting the table on Christmas Eve, coveting the bird with a bath towel, assigning jobs, Holly leaves, all of it is just so fab. I am more excited then scared now. Thank you everyone [santa]

On the issue of Turkey.
My advice is to but the best quality you can afford. I prefer a Kelly Bronze, as the higher the fat content, the less dry the bird.

I've had much less success with frozen supermarket birdies. Though I have brined one before ( a la Nigella) and that produced lovely tender meat but the juices were horrifically salty.