Christmas dinner

[feckoffpeppapig]

I know I know!!! its only Sept....

but, I'm 40 and never made a xmas dinner at my house, we have always gone to parents/inlaws/sisters

Anyway I've said i will do it this year, and i want to be prepared.I want to get some sort of idea of my plan, I will be cooking for 7 adults and 2 toddlers. Im gonna be cooking the usual stuff etc

Can anyone offer me any advise or tips/hacks to make it stress free as possible.

Ready basted turkey
Oven ready pigs in blankets lots of
Pre prepared veg
Frozen yorkshires
Ready made puddings
Lots of sides mustard cranberry gravy bread sauce etc

Starters page and salad and toast or French bread (or both)

Oh and big serving platters - try the £1 shop

Halve all the portions turkey sausages potatoes etc and place on either end of the table

Mix of kids and adults if they need help

Delia has a timeline in her Christmas book!

I always cook my meat the day before. This was a tip from Jamie Oliver who said that it removes the stress of timings and waiting for the meat to rest. Served on hot plates with hot gravy, no one ever knows.

I also do as much as possible the day before, like Yorkshire pudding mix, gravy and veg preparation.

stuffing can be cooked in microwave.genious space save for the oven.
get your sausage in blankets soon as and just shove em in freezer.
cook a roast.dont over think it.
helpful but not reaaaally needed is when you come down in morning chop all your veg and keep in water till time needed.then pour away and use the kettle to put instand hot water to the pans.total water,energy and time saver.
get casserole dishes to serve veg and potatos in.
do you have Yorkshires.you can cook them now and freeze them.
Tesco does basic 15p packet of batter mix.simple and really nice!
nice pudding is strawberry flan. bake basic sponge cake and then slightly scoop knife out a dip in middle shove in some straberrys and the buy some of that starberry quick gel.cook to instructions poour on top and voila can be kept in fridge til needed and is really fresh different pud.
make a pavlova do day before.you can cook miranguess and freeze.or buy some and make an eton mess type thing.we did a chocolate toffee sauce biscuit version.deviiiiine.
get others to lay table.even do it night before.
really truly just see it as a roast with yummy extras a stressed cook is far worse than a funny rumbling along roast dinner or relaxed folk all meshing in together.its one meal don't let it casue family fueds!