How Do You Host Christmas Dinner? Tips Please!

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I’m trying to get myself properly organised for Christmas this year and would love to hear how everyone else manages the big meal. I’m thinking of the practical stuff as well as the fun bits.

How do you:
• Keep the food hot without everything drying out or the veg going mushy?
• Time the cooking so you’re not in a blind panic at the end?
• Decide when to open crackers – before food, during, after?
• Keep conversation flowing so it doesn’t slip into everyone staring at their plates?
• Do you have table games or ‘talk cards’?
• Wrap up the meal without it feeling abrupt or awkward? Do you all sit for ages chatting, playing games?

Any tips on hosting in general would be brilliant! I love cooking and the meal is always appreciated. I find the ‘hosting’ at the table a strain and worry that others are not having a good time. I don't think I'm a natural host.

I'm not a big drinker, though we will have wine/CAVA with the meal. We do have table decorations, candles lit etc.

Basically, if you’ve found ways to make the whole Christmas dinner smoother, relaxed and less stressful, please share!

I think it’s best to be as relaxed as you can and go with the flow. They’re your family who love you. Just being together is fabulous. Gin, gin and more gin, I say 🍸

No. That’s not really for the table, it’s too forced

If you feel you need to, the game where people pick a name out of a hat and have to guess who it is only using yes no answers is good.

Also, lowering stress levels is good - easy food with an exact timing chart. Stick to the basics that most people actually really want and if anyone has a specific dish you want to make them then make it at another meal over the festive season. Also, put other people in charge of other things e.g. setting the table, pouring drinks, clearning up.

The one thing I really wish I did every year and will make myself do this year is to gather the table cloth, napkins, crocery, cutlery, glasswear, serving bowls etc together in one place so I'm not running around looking for things while trying to cook.

If you're not a christmas pudding house, get some kind of dessert that is fully prepped before dinner e.g. pavlova or tiramisu so that once main is on the table your work is done and you can sit and relax.

Stop worrying so much about 'hosting'.

It is just an extra-large Sunday roast dinner, with added crackers and side dishes. That's all. Let things just happen round the table. Who cares when the crackers get pulled? It isn't a formal dinner like at a wedding reception with a set order of when things happen.

Chill. 😎

Why not throw it open to the guests OP and ask them if they’d like anything different about the day.

You have been doing it for 20 years and you don’t sound at all happy with how the day has gone. So throw it open to the guests! Involve them!

Keep it simple! Stick to one or two meats max and go for a slow roast option so once its out the oven it rests beneath foil and frees up the oven for other stuff.

Prep prep prep. I Peel and chop spuds and keep in water the day before. I par boil carrots and parsnips the day before and chill to be roasted on the day in the same tray. I par boil any greens and once done immerse in ice water to halt the cooking process which will be microwaved before serving. Carrot and swede mash done anytime and frozen down.

Stuffing made and cooked on a low temp until cooked. Chilled overnight then reheated for 10 mins on the oven once sliced.

Cauliflower cheese: blanch cauli and ice Bath, cheese sauce made ahead, all assembled once everything is cooled, pop in tray, clingfilm and opened on the day.

Pigs in blankets assembled day before.

I use xmas eve to do the majority of my food prep such as peeling or blanching. Stuff like carrot and swede csn be made and frozen and defrosted in the fridge xmas eve.

Keep the alcohol simple and flowing for those drinking; no cocktails till after dinner

Xmas pud cooked 2 weeks before. Wrapped and "fed" with brandy every 5 days or so. Custard keeps well or get a carton. Or use cream.

Conversation should happen naturally but if deperate have a few ideas, ie will you be watching the new Julia Donaldson. What was your fave xmas gift? And such.

More really useful ideas, thank you.

I thinkmim going to go with pre-prep, something I've discounted in the past - but would make me more present on the day.

we don't 'do' the crackers as a thing - they just get pulled, it's not planned out.
everyone has a spot at the table and DH is usually in charge of ensuring everyone has a drink before being seated, there water in glasses on the table with another jug in the fridge for top ups, they can help themselves.

We don't have starters. Everyone gets involved.

Roast is -
Everything is served in dishes onto the table and help yourself when sat - everyone as they arrive into the dining room has to grab a dish and put it on the table!
Gammon & Turkey. Sliced in the kitchen, passed around in slices on a plate. We get a Turkey crown so not a huge cooking time, Gammon takes no time at all use the BBC good food honey and mustard recipe.
Yorkshire puds. - batter done night before and in fridge in a milk carton.
Pigs in blankets on foil trays in fridge all done day before ready to throw in the oven.
Stuffing balls - stuffing made into balls a couple of days earlier, airfried on the day to make crisp. 1/2 each.
Roast broccoli
Cauli cheese
Sprouts with bacon and chestnuts - done in frying pan on the hob.
Carrot and Swede mash.
Honey Roast carrots and parsnips
Potatoes = mash and roasties.

Gravy/bread sauce and cranberry sauce.

then we have a white chocolate cheesecake for dessert, any guests are also asked to bring with them a drink or dessert offering - but the cheesecake is my homemade one. I refuse to be responsible for everything.

Delegate, and lower your standards a bit?

It sounds like you're doing EVERYTHING, on the day, on your own, and you're feeling responsible for everyone else's good time whilst not leaving yourself any time.

Your children must be young adults now? Delegate stuff to them, and to the other adults.

Ive been cooking and serving Christmas dinner since I was 13 - Im 61 now so I have it down to a fine art.

Now its just the 3 of us but it would be the same if it was the dinners of the past where there would be 12/14 of us

We do the traditional Turkey and Ham - we like it - prawn cocktail starter

Its the sides and gravy that are the last minute rushes - so pick them wisely.

We have carrot and parsnip mash, braised red cabbage, cauliflower cheese , roast potatoes, stuffing, cocktail sausages, and peas

Red cabbage/cauliflower cheese/carrot and parsnip mash - all done the day before along with the gammon

The only thing that I cook from start on Christmas Day is the boned and rolled turkey , the roasties and the gravy - I use the turkey juices

We eat at 3ish. I have the turkey cooked the gravy made and the spuds parboiled, the gammon sliced, the Marie Rose sauce made, lettuce shredded and lemons cut all before 11am, then we wash, change and go to the pub. The turkey will rest and stay warm covered in foil and a tea towel and will be so easy to carve

Home around 2, dog gets a quick walk whilst I make up the prawn cocktails, and put the oven on to reheat the cauliflower, the parsnip mash, the red cabbage and stuffing. They go in whilst we eat the starters, then the roasties and cocktail sausages into the air fryer - peas and gravy - microwave - sprouts on the hob

Carve the turkey , pile it on to a serving plate platter with the gammon, cocktail sausages, stuffing and roasties - onto a tea light warmer on the table, the rest of the veg in their oven to table dishes, peas and sprouts in warmed bowls

Hot plates are a must, as is hot gravy

We would pull our crackers after the starters usually as there is that wee gap between courses

We sit at the table for quite a while. Another glass of wine, then we open our pressies , then coffee and cake or dessert or just mints. We would be there at least two hours

We manage conversation - even though we live together the whole year and mum doesnt get out now so we tend to talk about christmases past, funny times, the disasters , family members no longer with us - funny amusing stories

Because we eat quite late in the day, its rare that anyone will want anymore , but I will take the cheese out of the fridge jic, Put the left overs in suitable containers in the fridge, load the dishwasher and its feet up

That's it, no more cooking for a couple of days - other then maybe potatoes or some green veg

The one thing I have found is to just not stress over it. So what if dinner runs late - this is when hot plates and hot gravy comes into its own :) I had one year when the oven thermostat played up and the oven just carried on heating and the turkey was charcoal - luckily the gammon was there and I had the small oven to do the roasties :)

Usually 12 or more for Christmas dinner here. Our antique oak dining table is not big enough so that is placed by the wall and acts as an extra sideboard, and the long garden table is lugged in. Much of the food, vegetables, pigs in blankets etc are served in two dishes one, at each end of the table to minimise passing and slowing things up.
I lay the table on Christmas Eve, it always takes longer than you think, so best to get this out of the way in advance.

One tip from last year- get someone to bring an extra microwave so you can have two microwaves on the go warming up any things last minute. Helped a lot!

Use anything you have extra like rice cooker, air fryer, steamer, slow cooker, to free up oven space

If guests are bringing dishes, allocate them ONE thing to bring - we found any more got too complicated and there were too many dishes to co ordinate and too many cooks in the kitchen

Have some starters/Nibbles for everyone to snack on in case lunch is delayed.

Prep everything you possibly can in advance!!!

We are really lucky to have lots of help with the cooking. DS’s and partners are great at mucking in. DS’s have had Christmas dinner jobs since being tiny…😀 one rolling the sausage meat balls, one making home made cranberry sauce another the Yorkshire puddings. They make amazing food and help clear too.

It isn't really the cooking, though by reading on here more prep in advance will help me relax and enjoy the time together at the table.
It is the last minute organisation, keeping food hot and just enjoying the time at the table, all together. I find it a bit of a let down and feel it should be ‘more’, I just don't know what would make it ‘more’.

Everyone brings something bung it all in oven on hob. If it's not perfect don't worry

Definitely worth prepping what you can in advance so you get to enjoy the day.
i don’t do this at any other time of year, but for the Christmas meal, I make as much in advance as I can so it’s as close to a ready meal as it can be. I prep and par boil potatoes and parsnips a few days (sometimes a week or two) in advance and freeze. I make the red cabbage and the pudding - we have sticky toffee - a day or two in advance. I prep the veg - carrots, leeks, mushrooms - and pigs in blankets the night before. Is everything as delicious as if it were made fresh? There doesn’t seem to be a huge difference to me and I figure if it is slightly less wonderful the trade off is worth it for me to enjoy the day and my family not to have me stressed out and swearing on Christmas Day!
I then have a timetable for when I want to serve and work back from that in terms of timings - given the meat has to rest, I can put other last minute things in the oven at that stage. In the morning, before I start, I get all the pans I will need out and allocate them for the different parts of the meal.
Once it’s served, my job is pretty much done - others clear away and sort the washing up.

When I was a kid, we used to all play board games at the table after dinner. My family is not so into trivia type games, but we sometimes play something like Mr and Mrs - doesn’t have to be couples, as can just be people who know each other well for most questions. And, we usually have a game of the chocolate mint challenge, which always has us in hysterics - you put an after eight style mint on your forehead and have to get it in your mouth without using your hands. It’s funnier than it sounds, especially with the different generations doing it and many after a glass of wine or two…

They can't bring anything, they are all staying with us. As I've posted, I have great young cooks in the family who help loads.

Spread it out over hours. Don’t serve back to back courses. Have your starter with drinks when everyone arrives. Get the washing up done. Play a game.
go back to main course things whilst guests play another game. Serve and clear. Go for a walk. Come back for cheese or pudding. Which ever you serve first.

basically do as much prep as you can before the day: veg stuffing etc. then spread it out on the day.

OP we play simple table games at the table after dinner. Things like Who Am I (I make up the cards in advance so they work for everyone, sometimes there’s people we know or family members - not always famous). We also play pass the bomb but not with the card, just the bomb and naming things from categories - this is very funny and includes everyone. We also do a family version of best and worst of different things, it’s more involved now but things like chocolate, takeaway, biscuit, restaurants, holidays, film etc. You could play the game Herd Mentality that’s very suited to after dinner at the table (the card version) and sparks conversation.

This is very organic to us now and there’s no plan…they carry on for ages or die a death and we change the game. We’ve often been bought a new table game by someone or other so we’ll try those out too but we always slip back to the basics. This can easily carry on for a couple of hours with the wine flowing, then we have dessert.

Sorry to jump on your thread with my own question but..

This year we are hosting for family. 10 in total. We have a single oven and small kitchen so timings will have to be planned. But its just a roast for more people than usual.

My question is, can i peel, slice, prep all the veg on the 23rd and leave it sitting in cold water in a fridge until the 25th. I don't fancy doing veg prep Christmas eve and definitely not Christmas day. Thought maybe I could get it all out the way early and then its just the cooking Christmas Day and a day off with the kids on Christmas Eve.

I've not read the responses but this is what I do...

Prep all the veg ready to go in water (or if they are going to be roasted, in oil and seasoning in a food bag ready to be tipped into the roasting tin) the night before. Not the potatoes, as I don't find that works well.

Make the gravy in advance or buy good shop bought gravy. In fact, anything you can make in advance, do it!

On the day, Parboil potatoes and when almost cook, drain and leave to dry out, then shake them to rough up edges.

Cook the turkey.

Cook the potatoes, pigs in blankets and any roasting veg once the turkey is nearly done. The turkey can rest wrapped in foil and under a mountain of tea towels for ages before it is cold (plus hot gravy will mean it doesn't matter if it's luke warm).

Cook any veg (on the hob) when the oven stuff is ready as you can turn the oven down / off and it'll be fine for 15 minutes.

Get someone to carve while the veg is cooking and you are finishing off gravy etc.

Personally I prefer to put the food in serving bowls in the middle of the table and everyone can help themselves. I have bowls with lids that helps keep the food warm but even if you don't I think it's easier than plating up in the kitchen.

Pull crackers first so that everyone can wear the hats while eating and let everyone dig in. Use the cracker jokes to start the conversations and don't worry if the food goes cold or conversations are slow.

Most of us don't have a movie-style Xmas dinner and something is bound to go wrong at some point. I used to stress a lot and it culminated with what's affectionately known in my family as "potato-gate" when I dropped all the roast potatoes on the floor and burst out crying. I realised then that the stress is not worth it for just a meal so I now deliver our Christmas dinner haphazardly, without overdue care and it hasn't really made any difference to the meal itself but I'm so much more relaxed about it.

Yes we do that every year. Def no veg peeling happening in Christmas Day.

it can be quite fun in Christmas Eve. Get some wine and some help (my teens like the prep), put some music on and it’s not so bad.

Oh ignore that. You said 23rd. I’ve never done it on the 23rd. You’d have to keep changing the water but still not sure.

My adult children have all volunteered to make/do stuff this year which is lovely (obviously they all pitch in and help anyway when they're here but if someone's brought a big tray of cauliflower cheese and someone has made sticky toffee pudding before turning up, that's great!

I do as much veg prep etc as possible beforehand. After I've defrosted the freezer tomorrow I'll get red cabbage, cranberry sauce etc made.

We need a veggie option too and no nuts so am careful with stuffing etc so I don't need to make 2 lots. Kids/partners all very self sufficient so if the wine runs out/water jug is empty they'll grab another bottle. It's nice but not over formal - lots of laughter. Crackers whenever. Maybe games straight after - we play it by ear.

Hot food is really important so I second warming dishes up with hot water. We have a turkey crown and a boned stuffed duck this year as my oven isn't huge enough for a massive bird.

Making Tom Kerridge's gravy with chicken wings ahead of time and Yorkshire puddings will go in while everything else is being decanted into dishes/served.

Go with the flow. Dinner is always served at mum o'clock in our house.