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 .

Capon is a tastier alternative to turkey.

I haven't hosted a Christmas dinner for lots, but one thing I noticed last year when cooking for me, DH and DD was everything took a lot longer to cook than suggested in a very full oven. Also the roasties never went crispy as there was too much steam from everything else.

It's juggling everything around in a tiny oven that is stressing me out already! Good to know that the Turkey will stay warm for 40mins, makes things much easier.

Great tips from everyone and great thread Lozenge, thanks!

A turkey can rest without issue for an hour. So you can in theory cool your turkey, take it out and then roast potatoes, parsnips, pigs in blankets.

OOOOH I love creating our Christmas wonderland. I have started the de-clutter a week ago. Daughters room this weekend so we actually have some space.
This weekend I prepare outside for the lights (b&m have some really good/cheap lights at the moment) I should suggest you check any lights work before you buy new, but I'm all for buy EVERYTHING I need, then find last years and get excited and put them up too.
Next week I do the BIG clean, ready for us to buy the tree and decorate inside the first week of December. It also means each day I can do a quick blip round with a duster and hoover with no clutter (other than decs) and it still looks clean and tidy for Christmas day.
All outside lights are turned on for the 1st.

Set your Christmas table the day before
Use big plastic storage boxes outside to store food if you run out of room in the fridge, we usually fill with water and ice and add drinks.
Finally write a list a week or two before the actual day with your timetable and what you need to make that happen - lists are your friend.
Don't feel bad about giving other people jobs, or lists of jobs
Also music on the day adds to the mood.

I adore Pinterest for ideas, maybe get your Toddler to make paper snowflakes to pin up. I'm planning on using snowflakes like bunting this year but im way too OCD to let the kids do them.

I'll stop now....

Ooohhh....love the idea of cranberries in ice cubes. Going to steal that!

Make sure you have plenty of clean dish towels and paper towel/kitchen roll to hand- four toddlers are bound to knock over water, or gravy, or mummy's wine glass!

How old are the toddlers & baby? What are their nap patterns? How strict are the parents in following that as it may impact on timing. You don't want an over excited toddler being shushed in a bedroom or taken for a walk in the pushchair just as you dish up.
What are you actually hosting? What are people expecting from you? Is it "just" lunch or is it the whole day? Do guests have church or trips to other relatives to fit in or do they have to travel far. Will anyone insist on watching the Queen's Speech "live" (my Gran always does). All of this will affect your timings.
Another question is present opening. Do you all exchange gifts with each other? If so, when will you do that. You probably don't want everyone opening presents when you're doing something urgent in the kitchen.
If you've got a porch or something, clear that out the day before so everyone has somewhere to put bags, coats & shoes when they arrive. If guests are bringing gifts, you'll need to tell them where to put them. Likewise food they have brought...where is the ham going to go? You don't want in getting in the way.
Have it clear in your head what food & drink you want to offer when. Are guests offered coffee when they arrive or prosecco? Will they be offered anything to eat with it? What cups, glasses or plates do you need for that? And then plan all of the other meals etc in the same way. This is a very useful exercise as you'll realise something like you need side plates for a mince pie with coffee when they first arrive but the side plates will already be on the table which you've laid the night before so you need some paper plates.
Our timings on the day are something like this:

• keep DC upstairs until 7.30ish playing with their stockings & then everyone downstairs so DC open their "big" present from Santa
• 8ish - DC have breakfast; a couple of grown ups shower
• 8.30ish - tree presents followed by playing & other adults getting showered
• 10.00ish - bacon sandwiches
• 12.30ish - spaghetti hoops on toast for the DC; champagne opened; seafood platter brought out
• 2.30ish - Christmas dinner
• 5.00ish - mince pies & cake plus picnic bits for the DC
• 8.00ish - ham & salad

For us, the game changer was introducing a separate simple lunch for the DC which means they're not hungry so it doesn't matter is the timings of Christmas dinner slide. Anything they eat of Christmas dinner is a bonus but they both love roasts so don't appear to have an issue with having an extra meal.

Agree with That'sNotMyHouse - have snacks or canapes to serve at about 11 with plenty of child-friendly options. If people have had something to eat, it won't matter if dinner ends up being a bit later than planned.

We normally do soda bread with creme fraiche and smoked salmon - no prep beforehand and it can either be self-assembled by the people eating it, or assembled away from the kitchen by someone else. A seafood platter is a good idea as well (unless there are pregnant women around) or any of the canape platters that you can order in advance. The children can have breadsticks or crudites or mini sandwiches, if you have the time and space to make them.

We buy a rolled turkey breast from the Butchers, but we're not fussed about having leg meat etc. What we've done in last years, especially those when dh has been working Xmas day, is cook it the night before then slice and reheat in Gravy in the oven when dh has got home - leave it in as long as the roast veg takes to cook. All the veg is prepped the night before and left on pans of cold water. I've never done roasties that I've frozen myself, so I'm going to give that a go this year.

Alternative to blinis for smoked salmon are naan breads - discovered this when that was all I had in the house - warm up the naan and cut into bite size pieces, blob of creme fraiche then smoked salmon, yum.

I think I've found my Christmas soul mate in clark! I've been very busy making lists, researching and buying already.

Lots of food ordered from M&S. Turkey, mince pies, sauces, pork pies, whole cooked salmon etc. I'll definitely go with canapés idea - thank you so much to lots of you for suggesting it. Have also graciously accepted all offers of cooking and prep help from ILs. I'll still need to make few puddings and canapés but feeling very relaxed about it now that it's on the list.

I've started getting a few decs already and am a little obsessed with trawling Pinterest for display ideas.

Really enjoying getting ready for Christmas. Cannot wait for Wenesday - getting the tree in the evening after work and starting to put all the sparkle and glitz out as soon as December arrives!

Ps - is it really true that I can eat Stilton? Ordering cheese next week. This is revelation of the year for me! Possibly even more so than finding out I'm pregnant again

thatsnot - baby is 6 months and toddlers are one, nearly two and nearly three. I think we'll set the three toddlers their own little table and feed them a little bit before we all eat - great idea!! I don't think that anyone is too concerned about the Queen's speech at ours, but if anyone stops me from watching Downton, I might sob quietly.

Am I the only one who cooks and carves the Turkey on Christmas eve? Then on Christmas day it's just roasties, reheated red cabbage (made ahead and frozen), carrots and parsnips roasted in the oven, stir fried sprouts(shredded the day before and stir fried with cream and mustard), and good quality bought gravy. Easy peasy, takes a fraction of the time.

We have about 8-10 of these paper snowflakes in various sizes hanging from our hall ceiling and then fairy lights round the big mirror and wound up the banisters. I did see they had some similar ones in Wilkinsons here.

That's just what oven even looking for 'Thehouseofmirth' thank you

Great thread! As, in my experience, toddlers and formal lunches and lots of guests don't always mix terribly easily, I think one of the main issues could be keeping the smallest of your guests entertained and in so doing, keeping your adult guests calm.

If you are hosting toddlers and they finish their food before everyone else, could you commandeer a helpful adolescent to look after them (pay them if necessary)?

If not, it's sometimes helpful to have the same game plan that you would keeping toddlers entertained on a long flight ie prepare something to bring out as a surprise when everyone is getting a little fractious.

So either some giant colouring pages and wax crayons

Or get a plastic toy chest with a lid (or a basket or something that they can delve in and out of safely) some small pots and pans and wooden spoons and dried pasta shapes, or similar, and a few plastic cups

Or some tiny paper bags filled with some interesting safe age appropriate toys that you can distribute at the table

And/or dedicate a corner of the main room to a play wig-wam with cushions and blankets

Or beg/borrow a play kitchen

In addition, have somewhere prepared (a peaceful room with a baby monitor) where an overwrought toddler can be put down to sleep for a while

And provide a dedicated baby-changing area in a bathroom

I know this sounds a bit over the top but trying to come up with something to keep infants happy whilst cooking Christmas dinner could be even more stressful than a bit of advance planning!
Good luck!

Excellent advice salixcaprea, thank you! We have a play kitchen and I will definitely get a little box of treats ready for the day. Also I'm sure that Peppa Pig will make an appearance or two.

Only the baby and the one year old nap, but I'll be prepared just in case the day proves to be too tiring for everyone! My nearly two year old fights sleep even after a morning spent swimming these days, so I am sure she'll be going strong on the day .

Op, think you are a saint to take on hosting Christmas for 10 adults and three dc with an energetic two-year-old to look after too! Hope you will have plenty of help!

[Hands over large vat of gin]

It's all family members so I think I'll have lots of help. MIL will have to have my share of gin this year. 20 week scan next week!

Congratulations!!! And don't over-do it!! [stern look]

Very relieved to hear that you'll have lots of help on hand. Seriously, take it steady!!

Taking it very easy. Started by putting up the first bit of Christmas decorations - holly and fairy lights. Getting the tree tomorrow. So very excited!

Tis lovely Lozenge!

lozenge just keep you pre-peeled veg covered in pan(s)/ bowls of cold water and they won't go dry/ brown

Eeeeek! It's nearly here! The food shop is done and I'll start following all your tips - starting with peeling veg and setting the table tomorrow. Has anyone started doing any major prep yet?