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    • Tips to Prepare for a Stress-Free Christmas Feast

    Sep 19, 2018
    There are so many things to organise and co-ordinate at Christmas time that it is understandable to feel completely overwhelmed at times. And if you find yourself the host of a Christmas meal this year, then that is one more thing to add to your plate. But it need not be a time of stress and panic, which is the last thing that anyone wants to feel at Christmas time. Whether you are hosting a traditional lunch for the family, a BBQ the beach with friends or anything in between, with the right advice, and some closely followed planning you can deliver a fabulous feast without the fuss.   Get started early The biggest cause of panic when we get to the pointy end of the festive season, is running out of time. There are so many things to do, and nowhere near enough time to get them all done. If you spend all of your time running around in a panic, when do you get time to enjoy the most exciting time of the year and all the fun that comes with it? This is why you need to get started early to allow plenty of time for everything to get done, and that leaves plenty of time to get involved in the celebrations! There is absolutely no reason why you cannot get started planning your ultimate Christmas feast today.   It’s all in the detail There are plenty of things that you need to organise before it comes time to glaze the ham and roast the turkey. The first thing you need to do is nut out the details. Set about answering questions like:
    • Who/how many people will be attending?
    • Where will it be held?
    • What will we serve?
      • Are there any special dietary requirements to consider?
      • How many adults and how many kids?
    • What drinks will we have?
    • Will we provide and prepare everything or delegate and ask people to contribute?
    • How will we decorate/dress the table?
      Lists, lists, lists As you work through gathering the answers to these questions, you will start to form an idea of what your Christmas celebration will look like and what you need to do to make it happen. This is where lists come in very handy. Not everyone is big on lists, but unless you have a ridiculously amazing memory, you simply cannot survive without some form of lists at Christmas time. However you choose to keep them – in an app on your smartphone, a spiral bound pocket notebook, spread sheets, whiteboards or blackboards, or a combination of these – get busy with lists. You can have as many or as few lists as you like. Here’s some ideas of lists you could use:
    • To Do list which includes dates by which each item needs to be completed to ensure everything stays on track. Try to spread out the scheduling as much as possible so that you are slowly ticking a few things of the list each week, as we get closer to Christmas. Rather than leaving it all until the last minute.
    • Record and track guest numbers and RSVPs
    • Plan out the menu and who is bringing what?
    • Supermarket shopping list
    • Shopping list for everything else that is not at the supermarket
      Do what you planned Now that you have it all planned out, get started chipping away at those lists.
    • Place orders for any meat, seafood or any other big ticket items you will need well in advance to avoid missing out.
    • Buy a few non-perishable grocery items and beverages each time you visit the supermarket. This will not only help with cash flow but also ensure that you aren’t fighting the crowds in the supermarket for the box of gravy or bottle of champagne on Christmas Eve.
    • If you are asking others to contribute and bring food and/or drinks along with them on the day, be sure to give them plenty of advanced notice. The more time you give them to prepare, the better chance things will go off without a hitch.
    • Identifying anything that can be done before Christmas Day will reduce the amount of work that you have to do on the day.
      • Bake cookies and other treats at least a week in advance and Christmas pudding needs a good few months to reach its peak.
      • Buy and prepare any fresh ingredients a day or two before Christmas.
      • Set the table the night before so it is looking fabulous and ready to go when you wake up.
      Planning ahead and tackling things a little at a time in the lead up to the big day will mean that you are well prepared for a fabulous, and hopefully stress-free, Christmas feast.  
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