What is your top tip for a relaxed, stress-free Christmas?

[anorak]

I'm generally a well-organised person but at Christmas I always invite too many people and take on too much entertaining. I cook in advance and freeze, I try to leave a day's gap between each lot of visitors but sometimes I still overdo it and end up exhausted.

Any tips would be appreciated!

pack up and leave for somewhere exotic

I'm going to buy Delia Smiths Christmas and follow her to the letter. A friend who is super organised does this and it works for her... This is my first Christmas at home with everyone and I'm panicking already!!!

exactly what JoolsToo said - This year for the first time I am not having my family around and escaping to thatched cottagr in Donegal with a fire and a stream in the garden and simply chilling out - no cooking for anyone else, refereeing(?) between family members etc.

If all fails JUST STOP ASKING people to come over!! Just remember how awful it was last year - does it for me any time I think about changing my mind!

Delia Smith is a goddess on the christmas front, use her every year, I noticed in Smiths she also does a magazine. I must recommend her light chistmas pudding and boozy punch, the highlight of our meal every year.

Depending on your budget, buy ready-made stuff. We did one year when we were really up against it stress-wise, and it was just as nice and much more relaxing. Joubere do delicious bread sauce and cranberry sauce, Duchy do very nice gravy, meat stuffings, and an excellent, not too rich Christmas pud.

convert to judaism

lol Spacemonkey. being Jewish (well in a rather lapsed sort of way would have to agree 100%!!!!

sorry anorak, not very helpful!

Take any short cut you can find on the food and drink front.
Give everyone coming a job to do or an item to bring for the meal/s
Plan outings - walks, church, pantomimes, pictures
Say clearly but nicely that it's a joining in Christmas celebration not a service you're laying on
Make time to have fun yourself

doesn't help SM

we've always had christmas dinner with turkey and the trimmings

we normally have around 20 people at my mum's house (just direct family)

trick is to have a glass or 4 of wine

not to post anything on mumsnet
t hat would relax me

Why don't you decide that you deserve a well earned break and invite yourself to someone elses so that they can do all the work while you relax!!

M and S

Book a holiday....

Don't go anywhere or invite anyone
Cook what you want when you think you'll want it
Save some presents for after lunch (for children)
Get out of the house if you can, even for just a quick walk

We've had the last 3 Christmases just the 3 (well 4 from last year but she was only a month old!) of us at home and it's been BLISS. No-one to entertain or think about but us. I heartily recommend it. We do go and see my family on the day after boxing day or something but somehow by then it's less stressful.

Thank you all for these ideas. I'm talking about a fortnight of constant entertaining, not just one day! I try to leave a day in between each group of invitees, but I run out of days. My way of showing love to my friends and relatives is to feed them, and I never want to miss anyone out!

I'd love to go away but I am afraid DD1 would misbehave in the house if we did. She wouldn't come with us either, so that's out of the question.

For the last two years I have said I am going to be very strict and limit the number of people I invite, spread out the dinner parties throughout the year, but it doesn't work. You always want to see people to give them gifts and stuff...

Aaargh! Last year I got so exhausted that I served up a dinner to my cousin and his family, burst into tears and went up to bed unable to cope any longer!

And to Twiglett - don't worry, I always have plenty of wine!!

Well I guess I will have to take my guests round to the curry house once or twice this year. What do you think?