The most wonderful time of the year can also be the most stressful, especially if you have a full family around for Christmas dinner on the big day! As lockdown restrictions have been eased for five days around Christmas day itself, it is expected that more people than ever will be spending Christmas in their own homes this year as opposed to their local pub or restaurant.
Maybe it’s the first time you’ve cooked a Christmas dinner? You have spent years picking up subtle hints and tips from your elders but now is the time where you have to step up and provide that terrific turkey and perfect pigs and blankets that your parents have for many a moon.
Either way, the sheer amount of food that needs to be cooked and the chaos of the kitchen can prove to be an overwhelming aspect of the day, so we thought we would give you some tips on how to make sure it all runs smoothly.
Organisation is key
Remaining organised is pivotal in ensuring your Christmas dinner goes to plan. This means purchasing your food and alcoholic drinks as soon as you can, so you can beat the mad rush that usually comes in the days preceding Christmas day.
Now is the time to start planning your dinner, finding out everyone’s preferences and how much of each food you will need. You will thank yourself later when you have just the right amount (and maybe some leftovers…)!
Are you fully prepared?
Is there any worse feeling than when you’ve forgotten something, and have no time to fix your error of judgement? It certainly isn’t a feeling you want to experience on Christmas day! . Check in your kitchen cabinets and make sure you have all the correct equipment needed such as pots, pans, utensils etc. around a week before the event, so you can quickly head to your local home store and get everything needed.
Use Christmas eve to make Christmas day easier
Who says all the hard graft has to be done on Christmas day? If you can get some of the smaller preparation jobs completed the night before, then you are saving stress on the day. You may be able to get more done and out of the way than you think. For example, you can set the table to create the perfect atmosphere for when the family arrives. You can also prepare food that is needed on the day such as peeling potatoes and making the stuffing, so you can focus on the bigger tasks on Christmas morning.
Get the whole family involved
They may look at you with rolled eyes, but a great way to get the job done quickly is to get the whole family involved! Admittedly, it may be a little harder to get young children who are setting up their presents delivered by Santa, but if you can have more hands helping, it’s less pressure on you, and who wouldn’t want that?
Some assistance with peeling vegetables or even stirring the gravy will help delegate effectively, ensuring all is done to schedule.
Clean as you go
Christmas dinner is inevitably going to result in a messy kitchen one way or another, there is no escaping that fact! So instead of leaving it until after dinner – and turning it into a huge, unenviable task – it may be useful to clean as you go. This may not seem very appealing, but can be a blessing to save you the big job of cleaning plates, kitchen worktops and kitchen doors all at once later on.
Contact us
Do you feel like you’re now better prepared to serve up the perfect Christmas dinner in your kitchen? Let us know! Or if you feel like your kitchen could benefit from some new kitchen units for when the Christmas period dies down, then be sure to browse our extensive range for a design that might take your fancy.
