Talk to Homebase about your Christmas hosting top tips and/or nightmares and you could win a £300 Homebase voucher NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

As Christmas approaches and planning for Christmas events begins, Homebase is keen to hear about Mumsnetters' best and worst experiences of Christmas hosting - whether it's Christmas parties, having relatives to stay or even hosting the big day itself.

Homebase says: "Christmas is all about getting together with the most important people in our lives. It's a great feeling when loved ones come round to enjoy the fun and festivities- but it can be hard work sometimes too. Preparing food, getting your home looking fabulous, making sure everyone's having a good time ... the festive season comes with its own challenges and things don't always go to plan. We'd love to hear your stories of 'hosting heaven' and 'hosting hell'. Tell us about your Christmas disasters and triumphs, share your tips, fill us in on the fun times and let us know what you're planning this year."

Do you have any top tips to make Christmas hosting go as smoothly as possible? Maybe you create a time plan to make sure everything's done on schedule? Or have you had a nightmare that's put you off Christmas hosting for life?

Share your stories - good and bad - on this thread and we'll enter you into a prize draw where one MNer will win a Homebase voucher worth 300 pounds.

Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ

[DrSausagedog]

I prepare as much in advance as possible, lay table night before and peel veg.

I'm happy to have everyone in the extended family round who wants to come- Christmas is all about family in my book. But I'll take every tip and trick in the book and am no food snob- will happily use Aunt Bessies Yorkshires, gravy granules. Last year I bought 2 large chickens and cooked them in 2 slow cookers and they were lovely, kept the meat moist. I certainly don't want to be stuck in a hot kitchen missing out on any more fun than I have to.

[maggieriordan]

You can NEVER have too much cling film, sandwich bags or paper towels, and hand soap and water. Hygiene is paramount.

[Bellroyd]

My tip would be to only invite the numbers you know you can cope with and serve only food you can pre-prepare, so that you have time to spend with your guests rather than be a slave to your kitchen.

[ButtonMoonLoon]

Buy as much ready prepared as you can afford to. The rest- prep the night before so it just needs to pop on to cook.
Assign jobs to anyone and everyone so evenly distribute things, this will avoid everything falling on one persons shoulders.
I can't think of anything worse than being stuck in a kitchen whilst everyone else is having fun, so I would want to avoid that at all costs!

[serendipity1980]

Shop online as much as possible and shop in advance so you spread the cost. Make sure you prepare as much as you can in advance. Keep things simple but effective. Keep lists!

[mumsbe]

Top tips for Christmas hosting is prepare everything the day before. Even set the table.make christmas lunch early and then everyone will go early.have a Christmas dvd ready and craft activity for any children coming over and drinks ready for adults. Put name tags on the table so you don't get stuck next to the mother inlaw or worse still your mum. Best tip of all say you will drive everyone home so you can choose when everyone leaves. You can have a well deserved glass of wine when everyone has gone.

[Lulabellx1]

I start collecting presents in the January sales and buy in the sales all throughout the year. I have a cupboard under the stairs and I add to it as I go. It means I don't have to do it all in one pay packet and most of the time, Im done by about August! LOL

[RoosterCogburn]

On line shopping for food - cook things you are confident with, don't start experimenting when you are feeding a house full of people.

Prepare as much as you can in advance. I also (in the nicest possible way) limit those who can access the kitchen when I am cooking because I can't bear people interfering when I am cooking.

[ZaneMumsnet]

Thank you all for your comments. The winner of the prize draw is sammylea80 :)