First time hosting - tips please!

[thisbetheverse]

So usually we go to my parents or partners, but this year is our first time hosting 15 people including our energetic toddler.

any tips for making the day easier and run smoothly?

Would you do games straight after Christmas dinner? And what games are best? Do you stick an Xmas film on in the background? How long do you leave it till you get the evening buffet out? So many questions 😂

Bump - especially the games, looking for something fun but not to taxing!

• Re cooking, prepare as much as you can before the day.
• Ask everyone beforehand if they’ve got any food issues, rather than find out on the day that uncle Brian gets terribly ill if he eats gluten
• Use tin foil trays wherever possible. They can be recycled as well as folded and adjusted to fit in whatever oven space you have.
• Wash up as you go.
• Nominate someone to keep drinks topped up & collect/wash/dry glasses. This includes you!
• Put out lots of chocolates, Pringles, nuts etc for people to snack on and get the drinks person to make sure everyone has a tea/coffee/soft drink if they’re not drinking alcohol.
• Buy those bags of steamed, frozen mixed veg and do them in the microwave. They taste fresh, nobody will ever know and you’ll have your hob free for sprouts etc. In fact, cheat wherever you can. People will remember that there was plenty to eat. They won’t give a monkeys if you’ve slaved over Nigella’s cranberry sauce recipe.
• Remember that anything can be hidden with gravy. Dry turkey? Overcooked sprouts? Pour gravy on it and nobody will notice.
• Don’t stress over your toddler. If they refuse to eat dinner and just want yoghurt, let them have it. It’s one day, it won’t kill them and it’s not worth the tantrum. Pick your battles and don’t take it personally.
• What’s important to you? If you have a set time for opening presents or having photos, then make sure you’re not stuck in the kitchen. Put someone in charge of making sure it doesn’t happen until you’re there, and that there will be consequences if it does!
• Talk to your family and set out your expectations early. If you’re wanting them to keep well meaning relatives out of the kitchen, or you want each of them to do a specific job, then make it clear before the day.
• Don’t be a martyr. It’s your Christmas too and you’ll be miserable stuck in the kitchen all day trying to make everything perfect. It will all be fine and, if it’s not, nobody will remember as long as they’re not hungry. *Assuming you’re eating at around 2, I’d put a buffet out for around 6. More tin foil trays, lots of pre made stuff, a few hot sausage rolls, and let people pick.
• And, I’d say most importantly, remember that it doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.

I've today ended up on the exact same situation, first time hosting for 13 people. I'm going to put a Xmas radio station on in the background to create some atmosphere. Treating it as a fancy roast rather than an important meal to take the pressure off.

Re games, we usually have something for the table that everyone can join in with between courses. This year, we’ve got The Five Second Rule (the travel one that costs £5 from the Works, not the full game). And pop some After Eights on the table so people can do that thing where they have to slide it down their face and eat it without dropping it.

As there’s so many of you, I’d leave out some board games and leave the tv on a film in the background. People can please themselves then.

15 people is a lot for first time hosting + the excitement of Christmas day, presents and so on will add on to it.

I've hosted 10 people for the last 10 years and this is what I'd do:

1. Make a list now of everything that you'd serve for Christmas lunch (including appetizers, pudding and so on) and have everyone choose a dish they'd want to bring. That way you don't have the anxiety of whether you'll have enough for 15 people.

1. For the things you are making, prep ahead of time as much as you can. If it's veggies, peel, chop and keep in a pots of cold water, if it's meat season it and keep it in the fridge uncovered, if it's red cabbage make it now and freeze it.

1. A good host is a happy host!! No matter how stressful it gets, make sure you don't shout, it spoils the day.

1. Have someone make tea/coffee/pour drinks, you don't need that role, you'll be too busy for that.

1. If people come in the kitchen and ask to help, find them a job, don't say no no go sit down and have a drink. People want to help!! Same for after lunch, everyone needs to muck in.

1. Games after pudding, I wouldn't do it before as people are too stuffed and want to chill. If your toddler is impatient, sit on the carpet with them and read/do a quiet activity.

Hope this helps, have fun x

Great advice.

such bloody good advice thank you all!

I’d not thought about using the tin foil trays for the buffet what a great shout, and yep spot on we’re eating at 2 so will aim for 6.

also good idea about having snacks out before dinner!

games sound great - I’ll have to look into the after eights one that sounds good fun.

I’ll also remember to accept help and not do the polite it’s fiiine thing!

do you usually wait long before desserts after dinner or just get it done so everyone can relax soon after?

Also on drinks - do you usually offer things like cocktails or best not to complicate things and stick with wine, soft drinks?

If you Google mean Santa we are doing a version of that. We are doing £1-£2 budget, more if you want to or use an unused unwanted gift you already have. So much fun.

Ha love the mean Santa idea game! It’s kind of what happens with the Christmas crackers in our family everyone always steals / swaps the mini gift! Oh god just realised not even thought of crackers 😅

I would recommend making as much as you can in advance - I make my gravy base ahead of time to freeze and just add Turkey juices on the day (if you have a slow cooker that's useful for putting gravy in).

I get all veg prepped, anything that needs par boiling is done ahead, if making stuffing etc, all can be done a day or two before.

We usually do carvery style (put it all on my breakfast bar) for a large number, saves everyone reaching over each other at the table. Then put one tray in the centre with all the leftover bits for anyone wanting seconds.

In the evening we don't have much to eat, usually just a cheeseboard/pickles/cold Turkey.

Games - a quiz? (Could just download one online) Who am I? (Just need post it notes to stick on foreheads with a well known persons name on, can only as questions about the person that can be answered yes or no) generally we have a bit of a breather after lunch then games later afternoon.

Deffo stealing that post it note game! Will check out online or app quiz’s too

The best of Christmas game from the works is good

Delay the start of lunch till 3ish, have a break for some games between courses. This eliminates the effort and expense of putting on a buffet tea which nobody really needs.

First post nailed it!

But I just want to reiterate - disposable oven trays are your friend.

Also, put post it notes in the serving dishes in advance so you know that the potatoes will go on that tray and the bowl is for veggies. Useful to keep things straight your own mind and helpful for ‘helpers’ in the kitchen too.

Surely if you've been to your own parents or partners parents in past years, you must have some idea about timings, what games worked/didn't work etc? Do they have a film on in the background, music, radio? Did that work?

Beforehand, I'd nominate helpers. Cousin Jo- can you keep drinks topped up. Cousin Sarah, can you keep the music/radio/christmas tunes coming. Uncle Fred, can you help bring plates/cutlery back to the kitchen and stack the dishwasher etc.