Old style Preparations for Christmas 2010!!

Patchwork_Quilt

Since our children were born, we've always had Christmas Day on our own, Boxing Day at the in-laws and New Year at Mum's. Everyone knows what to expect and no-one feels left out.

I would plan to ask people to bring something to help you out eg 'We'll do the mains, can you take care of dessert please?' might make life easier, or ask visitors to bring the wine, which will make it cheaper.

I would have turkey and all the trimmings for the main course, Christmas pud and cream for afters, mints etc and then have an easy tea - bread rolls, cold turkey, pickles, crisps, salad, Christmas cake, cheese and fruit.

[Deleted User]

we`ve had my parents and in law for years now,kids have both left home,we find it less of a £££££ shock if we but what we can starting around now on a weekly basis,e.g already got napkins,table cover,xmas pudding,crackers its stuff like that,that can jump up and bite you on the behind if left till the last minute.
Tbh buying a turkey from the butchers will be the most expensive way of doing it,we buy supermarket frozen but cook it well with all the trimmings and you`d never know the difference.
We used to do turkey and pork but ditched the pork as the oldies dont like being over-faced,we also eat about 4-30pm so we dont have to feed them twice...

babyshoes

Cheat! Especially for the side dishes and puddings. I am thinking frozen roasties, yorkies, parsnips etc which can all go in the oven with the turkey, plus pre-prepared sprouts, other veg and such. Bought puddings are fine, though you can jazz Christmas pud up with brandy if you like. If you want custard and cream and icecream, for goodness sake use a packet of custard, otherwise just leave it out!

Pre-prepare as much as possible, and plan well - make lists, even if you are not a 'list person'. If you are doing a ham, that is fine or possibly actually better done a day or two before and served cold, or warmed up if you prefer. Do you need a whole turkey? If not, a crown is so much easier. If no one wants the dark meat, you could even do 2 crowns instead of a whole turkey.

Ditto getting people to bring stuff - we usually ask guests to bring starters/snacks, bubbly, crackers, serviettes etc depending on what we already have in. If you know they are driving, you could even phone them on the morning and ask them to try and get something which has been forgotten...

Don't panic about decorations in all the worry about food. Can you delegate those to your OH, or would that be a disaster? A tree and some bits of tinsel are fine even if they don't 'match' - your little one can 'help' with the decorating, which excuses any amount of garishness! Christmas really is for children, isn't it?

Presents - I always like to have a spare pressie or two wrapped up under the tree without a label, usually something like a box of choccies, a bottle of wine or some of our home-made jam/chutney/booze. That way, it can be to anyone from anyone, for example if your mother didn't realise your MIL would be there and hasn't gotten her a pressie, but MIL has a pressie for your mother. Could be awkward but saved by spare pressie!

lil_me

We used poundland for our tree 2 years ago, topped up for this year the day before Xmas eve (when we got the tree) with 10p decorations in homebase - my advice if you want it looking good do it a few days before so it does not look tired/walked into

Our butchers are cheaper than supermarket and we usually gets crown or a chicken as it's usually for 4+ left overs. Stuffing my butcher does the sausage and I add cheap mix of herbs/crumbs or a pre mix. Pigs in blankets probably easier pre made. Roasties you could par boil some spuds & freeze ready too easy to buy in those dry frozen things. I always cook the bird so it finishes about an hour before the rest, wrap in foil it stays hot. Practise is possible with roast dinners at home before.

Why do you shop only at waitrose or a butchers? Definitely worth looking elsewhere even just for a green grocers and somewhere you can get basics cheaper

Soup for starter, you could make a nice veg one in advance, freeze and just reheat on the day (or like me cheat with a covent garden soup which was on yellow sticker so I bought 3 and froze them)

Dessert Christmas pudding (£1shop microwave would do unless someone wants to make one) Christmas cake, cheese, biscuits and sliced apple usually offered here

Supper here is usually cheese, biscuits, a cola ham, salad, nuts, left over dinner (especially stuffing!) other finger foods I can wrap if nothing much gets eaten.

Good luck - oh and if you don't want to do it again do a bad job

pinkcalculator

I usually have just us 4 and my neighbours 2 , I buy a variety of the waitrose side dishes as and when they are reduced and freeze until the 24th, you never need as much vege as you think so get quality rather than quantity. I always used to buy a whole frozen bird but last year I saw waitrose straight to the oven joints reduced and this year I will buy them at full price if I have to. So much less mess and no need to buy all the extras that add the cost. I might even buy the gravy too. Yorkies I buy frozen or make in advance and freeze as on the day it's just too much fussing around with hot oil and batter. I peal the potatoes the night before and parboil in the morning before putting in the oven, I've a double oven so no problem cooking at correct temp. Dessert is Christmas pud from the microwave with options of double cream, ice-cream and brandy sauce( birds eye ). Mints coffee and Christmas cake ( already made) for tea about 4.30/5pm after lunch 12.30.
Mulled wine from M&S with added fresh juice and any spare alcohol and a cut apple and orange goes down very well as people arrive ( the good crystal comes out )
We set the table the night before and have a roaring fire going in the wood-burner
Tree and decorations we do the first weekend of December and have a party with friends or family to help.
I make lists of times things need to be done on Christmas day as it's easy to leave something in the fridge uncooked.
What ever you do, only spend what you can afford, it's the people and especially the kids that count have a good day do what you can and enjoy.

Vaila

why not just order an indian takeaway?
i think the important thing is prep ie if you know what meat you will be having, buy it before the xmas rush and freeze in advance, make your soup/starter the day before or in the morning (soup can also be frozen beforehand ) , mAybe even your kidss could help getting all the extras like veg, roast potatos sorted?

kazwookie

So much over hype goes on, you do what YOU want.

Simple food and not too much of it.

Chicken, veg and a simple pudding end off, why stress yourself out.

Simple sandwiches later on.

esmf73

Firstly - why not do what someone above has suggested - ask everyone who comes to bring something - their "speciality" pudding or biscuits? When we used to do this we got people to bring the wine, the cheese & bics and various other things. This year my MIL is unwell (Cancer) and my BIL and partner are expecting a baby anytime now. MIL is insistant that we have Christmas at her house - so I'm making bits and freezing them.

Firstly - get someone else to make your Christmas cake and mince pies - how about your Mum? Then ask your MIL to bring puddings - just two - Christmas pud and say ice cream? People never eat as much as you think they will. This is my menu for Christmas:
Starter - smoked salmon with irish soda bread (butter soda bread and put a bit of salmon on each then place on a large plate for all to help themselves).
Main - turkey, duchess potatoes (will be making and freezing these shortly), red cabbage (already in freezer), sprouts and chestnuts (chestnuts from a tin), carrots and peas (frozen from shop!)
Pudding will be Christmas Pud (from shop) and brandy sauce (woopsied in shop!) and ice cream for children (still left over from Summer!)

Evening snack - as every one is still full after lunch will be sausage rolls, salad (for some freshness!) cold turkey! and pickles. Might get some garlic bread (just nibbly bits) and mince pies for pud.

Then on boxing day its back to normal!! Leftovers (for breakfast made into bubble & squeak) and then perhaps something like lasagne (bought already on woopsie & in freezer) or a beef stew (which I have to make and freeze!).

Decorations can be relatively simple - one year I just did balloons, streamers and mini baubles (Spelling?) just drawing pinned them in to walls at different points. Usually picked up last minute as cheap as I can! Hope this all helps you - secret is to just sit down with a piece of paper and a pen and PLAN PLAN PLAN!!!

stilernin

A tip for saving space and time.

Cook your veg early in the day. Strain and cool quickly. Put into the serving dishes and cover with clingfilm. Wash up pans and put away.

Just before dinner is to be served, put covered veg in the microwave. Take to table with clingfilm still on top, which keeps in the steam.

This leaves time and space for things that must be done in 'real time.'

Also, make a timetable of things to be done and stick it on a cupboard door. I can't tell you the number of times I've left things in the oven (or not even put them in in the first place!!)

Main thing? Give people a job to do when they ask if they can help, and then relax and enjoy.

Olliebeak

Good luck, skintchick - I can remember being terrified of doing my first Christmas Dinner as well.

Just remember it's a 'glorified sunday lunch' with extra traditions that needs a little extra planning.

Remember that all your guests know and love you, realise that it's your first time and you've got a young baby - they are NOT expecting cordon bleu. They're doting grandparents who are looking forward to spending family time with their offspring and grandchild.

• Make a menu plan of what you want to eat.
• Now see if there's anything on there that one of your guests does REALLY well and ask them would they like to provide that particular item - I think this one scores Extra Brownie Points with m-i-l's :T.
• Make list of what can be done in advance - very useful. I blanched/froze my sprouts yesterday (Organic whoopsied to 25p). Also doing duchesse pots this year so that's another pan that won't be needed on Christmas Day :j. Might even do my mashed carrots/swede later today, put in containers and freeze - ANOTHER pan out of the way!
• As you do things in advance, make sure that you tick them off your list and mark as 'Frozen in advance'.
• Make sure that all presents needed for Christmas Day are wrapped and ready to go around the tree before they arrive - include a couple of extra pressies - just in case! When I've had very young children, I've found that secret opening of pressies can occur when not expected - they think that EVERYTHING is for them, so I don't put pressies out until guests about to arrive! I keep everything in tied bin liners with family names on labels and stashed in the spare bedroom - grab a bagful and go ...............!

Most important thing though, is to relax and enjoy your 18mth old's 2nd Christmas - you'll notice a huge difference in him this time - he's now old enough to be aware of what's happening around him and will be full of wonder at all the glittery stuff.

Have a great day!