What would make your perfect Christmas experience?

[Jessforless]

I’m taking over Christmas hosting for the first time this year. (I know it’s June but hoping that’s okay in this topic 😂)

Finally have the space to do this and so grateful for being hosted all these years that I really want to make it amazing.

Im planning to emulate the dinner we’ve had (hopefully with success but very nervous as not a natural cook!)

But would also like to make everything extra special. My DC have said we should make our playroom very Christmassy with a tree and movies, blankets etc for kids. Love that.

DH has said we should do a breakfast buffet as people will be coming early for presents.

Made me inspired to post here - would love some tips and suggestions!

(Will also be reading every single ‘how to cook a Christmas dinner’ posts 😂)

Do you follow the Poncetastic threads, Jess?
It starts around September, and is full of fantastic ideas.

I always love looking in the Christmas edition of Good Housekeeping, they often have good ideas for ‘scaleable’ cocktails too! And it’s just so fun looking at all the lovely table decorations etc

Ideally, I would not want guests to arrive in the morning. If you are doing the morning present opening this is what I would do.

have everyone arrive wearing pajamas. No one wants to be in real clothes early on Christmas morning.

buffet laid out with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juice, and pastries. Make sure to check allergies ahead of time. Have some
savory high protein casseroles in the oven cooking for after present opening. Best way to ruin Christmas is not enough protein in the morning.

midday is assorted crudite and nibbles including some heavy appetizers. People can socialize. Children can play with toys. Pop some Christmas movies on in one room for anyone who needs some downtime. During this window people will get changed.

this will also give you and your husband plenty of time to finish the main meal. You will have chopped and measured everything out in advance so on the day of you will be like a tv chef just tossing in prepared ingredients like cooking is the easiest thing in the world. This massively cuts down on time and mess. Also many dishes can be fully assembled the day before and just popped in the oven so those are prepped as well.

serve a roast dinner around 5-6.

dessert

Ponderingwindow
Can't decide if you are highly individual or goady.

If highly individual, you have a lovely time, but it won't be everyone's choice.
If you are being goady, don't hang out on the Christmas thread if it offends you.

Arrive in pyjamas for a "high protein casserole?" 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Do you think it’s maybe an AI perfect Xmas 😄

Set up a drinks table/area so guests can help themselves (you don’t want to be sorting drinks for everyone all day and everyone will feel at home).
Serve the food family/buffet style away from the Christmas dinner table so everyone can help themselves and then sit down, this also means that you can decorate the middle of the table and not have to move it all to fit the food on!
Love the playroom idea.
If you do breakfast then serve dinner not lunch and skip starters for nibbles/charcuterie.
Make sure you don’t do too much and end up too frazzled to enjoy it!

Personally i wouldn’t do this
its going to take a long time with 18 and (from experience!) you usually get one or two that don’t find it funny or get upset or angry with the “stealing”
We have always tried to do something a bit different but easy
Best 2 were the whistle orchestra - when all crackers have a whistle in and a conductor points to them all in turn to play a carol
The dog started howling it was so bad but we laughed a lot!
The other great fun one was giving everyone a small wind up kids toy and having relay races. Grandad definitely pushed his along!

I’m extra excited about this all now that my DH said we should have a meal dry run 😂 so I know he’s invested!

thanks everyone for all comments - even AI 😂

Last year i did a Christmas buffet lunch. Hot sandwiches with turkey or gammon and stuffing. Pigs in blankets. Potato salad. Wedges for those who prefer. Christmas coleslaw with carrots and sprouts. Dessert options after. It was much less formal and stressful than the normal dinner.

This sounds wonderful OP! Maybe have a biscuit decorating station for the kids? Buy some nice ginger biscuits, some icing tubes and sprinkles.

A cheeseboard for the evening goes down well (especially with port)

Nice Christmas crackers (can be homemade)

Ask guests to bring their favourite boardgame

At some point in the evening, is "younger" adults in my family (30s and 40s) tend to escape to the kitchen for a disco (complete with disco lighting and disco ball). Some of us also hang out outside with a firepit if it's not raining. With 18 people, you definitely need a range of spaces! Also, assign jobs to those who are willing on the day! And dress the table in advance (or better yet, get the kids to do it!)
For 18, also make sure you've got enough seating (dining and lounging), table space, cutlery, glassware, crockery, serving dishes, cookware and utensils! If not, make a list of what you need and borrow it from friends/relatives (pick it up at least a week in advance!)

I don’t understand this response at all. I love Christmas threads and planning.

what is wrong with my suggestion?

op asked for a perfect day. I described exactly the kind of day I would want to attend. Is it really so odd?

It’s not odd, exactly. It’s….. individual. Which isn’t a bad thing. But I’m not sure that many people would be happy travelling to someone’s house in their pyjamas (think of 18 people queuing to use the bathroom to get changed in, for a start!) or eating casseroles at 10am. I’m sure the guests would be initially very confused and then touched that she was thinking about their protein levels, but I don’t think there would be much demand for mid morning casseroles alongside the coffee and pastries.

Best way to ruin Christmas is not enough protein in the morning But this really did make me laugh!

Most important thing is that they are there to see you and spend time with you. If you’re not a natural cook, buy it all in and set oven timers. Don’t get stuck in the kitchen all day, you need to enjoy the day too. Some of my favourite Christmases were actually the worst in terms of the actual dinner. It didn’t matter, we had fun and got to spend time with loved ones. Just get in plenty of cheese and crackers and wine and everyone will have a great time!!

Ponderingwindow, apologies, you are clearly an individual.
As with everyone, I hope you get to enjoy your dream Christmas.

I've hosted the last few years (max. Has been 12 with only one MIL staying the night so not as much as you) and I'm noting down some ideas!

What I would say though is from experience I've been really overwhelmed on the day when I haven't managed everything I intended to do etc. It's taken me a few years to get the perfect balance for timings that suits us and one major thing is making sure I have a good day as well!

It sounds like with the family on board etc it will really help especially if everyone is excited about it.

Agree with drinks - bring your own what you like. We usually have a box of red and a box of white people can help themself to. I usually buy a bottle of prosecco but my mum brings one too and we have bucks fizz or orange juice / no-secco for the non drinkers. Plenty of tea and coffee available.

If you are keen to make things yourself follow the Batch Lady as she does a series leading up to Christmas for things you can make and freeze in advance.

My tips would be to consider ways to minimise the clean up as this is much less fun and Christmassy than cooking imo. I've put disposable foil trays inside my real roasting tins before and it's worked well.

I think smell is so important - relationship Christmas tree, maybe mulled wine in a slow cooker.

I'd be careful with the present stealing game that you don't have any kids who will get upset.

An afternoon board game is an essential part of Christmas for us, we always have one "magically" appear under the tree during lunch (around when I have to pop to the loo) so we can play after lunch.

Smells are important. (Moving on quickly from the year that I had to wash the christmas tree...)
I put a few drops of The White Company's oil on on a bits of kitchen roll and hide them all over the place. The fragrance is there, and I can forget about it until the next day.

OP for roulades check out Cook!

Buy the best turkey you can afford.

In the run up to the day, take the kids foraging for greenery to decorate the house, make some oranges with cloves and other fun decorations. BIG garland on the door, lots of lights in bottles and simple battery candles ( festive but safe).

Have lots of Christmassy snacks and biscuits and nibbles.

Non-alc spritz and other softs - set up a drinks buffet bar for people to help themselves.

Things you can make/cook in advance and freeze:

Stuffing balls - home made / in air fryer to reheat
Roasties, then reheat oven or fryer
Roast parsnips - oven or fryer
Parsnip or celeriiac puree - microwave
Sprouts with bacon and chestnuts - then toss in a wok or big frying pan
Red cabbage
Gravy - lots!
Bread sauce

How about the ‘log fire’ playing on the tv?(netflix?) I love it 🔥 so cosy

We had crackers with kazoos in them one year. The cats ran and hid upstairs.

Big yes to this! I love putting this on the tv around Christmas time. It always makes me feel warmer, as if it's a real fire 😂

Love this thread 🥰

I’ve just put the heating on and popped on another jumper too 😂