Hosting for the first time! Advice pls

[ThatGladSwan]

I’m hosting for the first time this year, there will be 6 adults and a 1 year old…
I’ve got a royal blue and gold theme, so anywhere that does nice tableware, dinnersets?

Good quality crackers, not the ones with the rubbish plastic things in ideally?

Doing 3 courses as that’s what we usually have, and I love cooking and hosting a good meal, a prawn cocktail start, 2 meats and trimmings, then a few desserts
Best places for xmas food and menu ideas appreciated🙏🏻

Any other tips and ideas to make it easier on the day or days leading up welcomed🤗

I haven’t got much to add but do all your prep the night before. I chop and peel all the veggies and keep them in cold water in their saucepans overnight. I also premake and freeze red cabbage and stuffing balls, anything to save prep on the day!

Ah good idea, thanks:)

Make sure to not exceed your stovetop’s burner capacity- I’ve finally learned my lesson

My main advice would be make it simple for yourself. I host every year. There’s normally 15 on Christmas Day and 32 on Boxing Day. Any thing that can be made in advance, do it. I have pigs in blankets and stuffing balls on disposable foil trays in the freezer ready to go. Cauliflower cheese, potato dauphinois, swede mash and gravy can all be made in advance and frozen as well. Just take out of the freezer the night before so they’re ready to put in the oven on the day. Make meats well before serving. Meats will be far more tender the longer they have to rest and this will free up oven space for sides.
I also purchased a buffet style food warmer from home bargains a couple of years ago for £20. It’s so useful with my slow cookers for keeping everything warm. I had the gravy ready to go in one slow cooker and cauliflower cheese in the other. I the other sides in the food warmer. It just meant I didn’t have to be worried about food going cold while I was prepping something else but I understand not everyone has those things.
Kukoo crackers have some lovely selections that are different from the usual plastic tat and they definitely have some in a blue and gold colour. You can get them on Amazon. Asda normally have gold charger plates for £1 each as well.
Sorry for the long waffle, I love hosting 🫣
Its going to be so fun for you getting to do Christmas your way ❤️

Do you like vintage crockery or new? If vintage, you can often find beautiful blue and white dinner sets and serving platters in charity shops and on Ebay- spode, royal doulton etc

If you can, lay the table on Christmas Eve (whilst having a Baileys preferably!)

Crackers- you can often slightly pry open the end of store bought ones and add in other things. My mum used to pimp crackers when we were younger. Otherwise, you can buy cracker kits which you fill and fold up yourself.

I agree with making as much as you can the day ahead and/or freezing it. Rose Marie sauce for the prawn cocktails can certainly be made a day ahead.
I also make desserts which can be made a day ahead.

What meats are you serving? I not a massive fan of Turkey but one year did a Nigella recipe where I deboned it, and added a delicious stuffing and rolled it back up again. It was very nice though.

charcuterie board, takes the pressure off if you're running behind, guests can nibble and there's something for everyone .

Noted !

This is so incredibly helpful! Definitely going to look into a food warmer as it’ll come in useful for other events/ parties
Will also have a look for those crackers 🤗

I had a look on EBay but couldn’t find anything very Christmassy? Maybe im doing it wrong haha

I couldn’t have Baileys last year as I was pregnant so I need to make up for it this year!😂 Good idea thanks :)

make your own crackers is a good idea, definitely considering this now..
Also going to prep things in advance, the easier it is on the day, the better!
I was thinking Turkey and beef ? Undecided yet

As a starter? Or as well as?

I’d do it as an addition, take the pressure off. Also set out a drink selection they can help themselves to.

Ah okay that’s a good idea! I’ve got a drinks table year round as well so people can help themselves which helps

I usually go with normal pretty plates then make it Christmassy with flowers, crackers and napkins (I found some lovely hand embroidered ones a couple of years ago that now come out each year). Plus you could have gold napkin rings, gold edged wine glasses, lots of candles with gold candlesticks/tea light holders etc

Great idea! Thank you :)

Anything you can prep well in advance and freeze, do. I have found that when you are prepping in the days leading up to Christmas, you seem to spend days and days just cooking and chopping and peeling, and miss out on the lovely fun with the children.

ideally on Christmas Day, you will be literally moving things from one place to another, rather than hard core cooking.

We host every year, sometimes as many as 19. Plan ahead, make lists, prep all that you can, those foil throw away trays are a life saver, I know it’s not environmentally friendly but it’s once a year. Make sure you take any help you can, totally agree with the buffet warmer thing, we have 2 they are so so helpful. Have fun.

Also should tell you we use white plates and jazz the table up with flowers and napkins. So much easier.

I put a few Celebrations or Quality Street in those cracker kits ( or try shoving some in pre bought). No plastic tat & everyone likes getting chocolates!

Is the 1 year old yours?

If so, will they happily be entertained by others or are they likely to need you at some point? Make sure you have a plan for this (either someone else with specific responsibility for looking after the one year old, and/or someone to step in if you're called away to look after them) so you're not left literally holding the baby while also trying to cook.

If the one year old is yours...share out the work so you are not stuck in the kitchen missing out on Christmas with your baby. Ask visitors to bring a dessert, a side dish(something that's a bit time consuming to make so it actually saves you time). Or make in advance if you can, some stuff can be frozen.

I already posted upthread. The rolled, deboned turkey I mentioned, I can't find the exact recipe, but here is another of hers. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/turkey_breast_stuffed_43707

If you are doing yorkshires with the beef, make the mixture a day ahead and keep in the fridge.

For dessert, you mentioned having a few. I'd have something cold like a trifle and something hot like a crumble, hot Christmas pudding, sticky toffee pudding etc with custard/ice cream.