Hosting Tips & Tricks and getting organised

[Christmascrazyalways]

Inspired by getting paid early in December & spending too much on Christmas - and suffering the whole of January - I want to get organised & ahead this year! I want spare money to enjoy Christmas activities and relax rather than worrying about last minute gifts!

I’m also hosting for the first time - 10 people in total including my 2 kids and 2 nieces.

what are some ultimate get ahead tips? Splitting the costs - food releases etc?

You can pick up storecupboard stuff - chutneys, jams etc, way ahead. If your family has favourite snacks that are available all year round then those too.

Start picking up any Christmas specific storecupboard supplies (pigs in blankets crisps, festive mix, biscuits for cheese etc) as soon as they come out in the autumn.

Make and freeze ahead - stuffing, gravy, cauli cheese, roasted roots etc so you only need to buy fresh stuff for the final Christmas shop.

Ask people what they like, especially if they are staying and you'll be doing breakfasts and lunches as it save wasting money on lots of options people won't eat. And if anyone offers to bring something - take them up on it!

lists

Draw up all your menus now and price them up. No harm in knowing how much you are likely to spend.

Things to have -
toilet paper and soap
chairs
tongs and serving spoons
heat mats for the table

Set up a direct debit for £50 to £100 to go out the day after payday every month into a separate account from Feb onwards.

Saving some money regularly is a good idea.

While Christmas is still relatively fresh in your mind sit down and make a few notes about what activities went well, what food was eaten and what was left and if your DC are school aged try and make notes about the events that school organised so you know if the have jumper day, school fair, nativity play etc. I would also ask my guests if there is any food or drink that particularly makes Christmas for them and make a note of that.

The supermarkets usually have their Christmas food to order from early October if I remember correctly. Get the catalogue from your preferred shop when it comes out, place your order and book a collection date.

Stuff that can be made ahead and frozen includes pretty much all of the vegetables even roast potatoes, stuffing, pigs in blankets and gravy.

If you have the space and the willpower you can buy non perishable foods like crisps, nuts, wine and soft drinks and store them. When my children were small I'd start doing this from when they went back to school after the summer holidays.

There is a thing called "The Holiday Grand Plan" which is an American app/website that breaks down all the cleaning and home preparation jobs into something like 12 week chunks working on one room/theme at a time. Last year there was definitely a Christmas Clean-along thread here that was possibly a little less hardcore!

I print off a blank December calendar page and stick it up in the kitchen. I write events on it and write on what's for dinner that day just so I know who is home and everybody knows what they will be eating.

Such good ideas thanks ladies!!

My aim is to be less frazzled and stressed and enjoy the chaos! That’s a great idea about school events, save me scraping around for pound coins or reindeer ears for when I inevitably forget!

Definitely would’ve forgotten serving tools & hot plates etc!

I feel better already!!

We put a small amount of money each week (dh is paid weekly) for christmas food and another amount for gifts. We always try and decide any big christmas trips in January so we can either book tickets or know roughly how much it will cost so we can put that money aside. Luckily my DC are no longer in primary so less small constant expenses.We used to have a pot of random change that my DH would put any change he had at the end of the week. He is awful and would rather use a note than count out change! We would use this for all the last minute school things.

When we host we make a list of who will come and we will write ideas for gifts, then if I see them on offer I can buy them early. One year I decided to make everyone who stayed over on christmas eve and made stockings.

I always set myself a deadline for finishing the majority of the gift shopping and wrapping. This is usually the end of November. I also try and get things thay I want to DIY ready the same date.

Get the organised mum book. The last section is a thirteen week countdown to December. The batch lady saves Christmas is good, make your gravy ahead of time. If you buy a fresh turkey to freeze remove the giblets before it goes in the freezer. Check turkey fits in a roasting pan. I have to say that cloth wrapping bags this year were an absolute game changer.

Save year round.

Organised mum method, can just follow on her FB page for xmas countdown from about 3 months out.

Cut out gifts you dont want to give/receive, get adults doing secret santa, say no to events you feel like you have do. I just couldn't justify a lights trail or pantomime this year and didn't miss them. Knew starting school would mean enough christmas events and admin!

Jamie's get ahead gravy and delias red cabbage are in my freezer weeks ahead of the big day, same with pigs in blankets. Always put the red cabbage in slow cooker in the morning and its perfect.

Allocate everything a pan/dish/bowl etc so start making a plan for anything youre missing.

Get guests to bring something and be specific, "please bring a cheese board to feed X, with biscuits and chutney and fruit" etc. Never have to think about anything except the main course this way.

100% on your lists
I have a filo-fax style diary so I can move pages and dispose of any old ones and replace them.
I do a page where I just write things as I think of them through the year so my food lists are Buy Ahead/ Buy Last Minute
A page of Yes Buy Again/Cook Again and one of Don't Bother
Everyones presents on a list

We have Sainsbury delivery , go to Costco every couple of months and a trip to Waitrose a couple of times a year .

Buy things like washing up liquid, bin bags, washing powder , dishwasher tablets, foil , baking paper when you see a special offer then you've got a stock of them.
Handwash and towels.
Big serving spoons and tongs ( I got some stainless steel ones from Nisbetts catering after my silicone ones went all sticky

Tins,jars that you know you'll use and they'll last (though I had a disaster with a bargain pack of Pepsi that was in the garage and when I went back to them they'd frozen and burst !)

I don't freeze much ahead but I do like a couple of .meals put away like lasagne or chilli .
Plan your meals - what you'll cook , what you'll buy

If you have storage and hiding spaces

Do the Christmas Clean-a-Long (it will inspire you , honest )
De-clutter , do a room or task every week from September .

Plan what things you need to book for , if it's a day out with the DC or Panto , they go on sale so early .

My DC are adults . The past couple of years we've done a trip away early Dec for DH,DD and me .. DS doesn't do Christmas , he house sits .
I do Dec 1st Boxes so they can use them all December which DD likes .
Then Christmas for us is quieter which is nice .

I like the cooking as long as I have peace and all my utensils .

Will you be hosting on Christmas Day only or other days too?

I run my freezer down from the start of October so that I can start stocking it back up again with Christmas yummies and other essentials. In fact, if space and funds allow consider a second freezer - You could prepare a Christmas Dinner side dish each week and pop it in the freezer. Pretty much everything can be prepped and frozen.

Years ago I bought a tabletop hostess trolley thing, it has been worth its weight in gold, I use it so much and I definitely wouldn't be without it at Christmas.

Cook once eat twice in November, so if I'm doing a curry/bolognese etc I do a double batch and freeze half ready for those times when I cannot be bothered with cooking after Christmas.

I might get shot for this, but Christmas Dinner is the one time I use foil trays to cook in - prep, freeze, cook, bin.

Get everyone to bring a tupperware if you want to share out any leftovers.