I need to buy a whole Christmas - help please!

elljay

Help! Due to an accident with my host I now have to buy Christmas and transport it 200 miles! As I was expecting to be a guest I haven't done anything. Not even checked out the best buy cakes, most popular mince pies etc etc etc and not much time now. Christmas Day will be 5 (sit down + tea), one person doesn't like turkey or duck - and Boxing Day 7 (buffet). So not huge numbers but needs to be just right but not overdone and so the poorly host has a rest and is able to enjoy themselves. All adults. Non alcoholic,

I'm just going to throw money at this, but would like to tart it up at home a bit really. Can anyone recommend a cake (is it too late to pour something non-alcoholic over to make it seem a bit more home made?), mincemeat (again, can I jazz it up a bit, I've got time to make mince pies) and well, I need everything really. I don't want to pretend I've cooked all weekend but would like to just 'personalise' it a bit. On Boxing Day I just thought leftovers plus a bit of extra and salad, pickles etc. Boring standard stuff but really no time to plan and in a bit of a panic really. Very unprepared.

Will have to load my car up and get driving Tues at latest. Gosh I would be so grateful for any help with ideas, best stuff to buy and, well anything really!

Thank you. EJ

PasturesNew

Could you "click andcollect" at a store close to your destination? In that way you just need to think about yourself for now, then you can go through the food details etc mentally on your drive down.

Get the click and collect on, say, Wednesday, shove it in the boot of the car and have a look to check it's all there, then go into the store for extras you thought of, or things missing from the click/collect service.

I'd go for packaged/in a foil dish already, crown of turkey + other meats. If anybody doesn't like it, tough, they've not stepped up.

Also, the last thing you need is to traipse around 6 different shops just to get what a newspaper decided was "the best" of anything. Again, if anybody says "Aldi do a better....." just glare at them, huff, turn and leave.

Here are a few articles published recently if you are interested in what random/faceless people voted was "best":

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3292675/Christmas-tastes-better-budget.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-3333325/The-Great-British-Cake-best-Christmas-supermarket-bakes-revealed-Aldi-s-6-offering-BEATS-pricier-festive-treats-crowned-winner.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-2868370/Aldi-s-4-Irish-Cream-Liqueur-wins-Master-Medal-Spirits-Business-Liqueur-Masters-2014-awards.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-3351321/Battle-Bucks-Fizz-FEMAIL-puts-supermarket-brands-test-bottles-sparkled-left-feeling-bit-flat.html

And here was one that looked at whole Xmas dinners delivered:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3345709/Have-lazy-Christmas-decorated-tree-personal-shopper-dinner-delivered.html

kingfisherblue

Strawberry Santas (check Pinterest) are quick and easy to make for a buffet. You would need to make them on the day though.

Pre packed or frozen veg for Christmas Day. Use a coolbox and ice packs for transporting.

Expensive, but sliced meats might be a blessing while you have so little time. The guest who doesn't eat turkey or duck might enjoy chicken, beef or pork. If you buy prepackaged, the date will be longer than anything bought on the deli counter.

whitewing

Does the original host normally do Xmas every year?

You may find that they have already got detailed plans/ideas and just need you to help with the practicalities. It would be worth speaking to them and finding out if anything has been done yet?

NB to a very organised Xmas host, I haven't done anything may simply mean they are in a panic.

They may have lists that would be accessible to you.

Nargleblast

I second the online supermarket order - it might be too late to get stuff delivered to the house now, but the Click and Collect system will still have collection slots available. Get on the net tonight and get your order in, after consulting your host about what's required.

Between now and then you can make some extras to supplement the delivery, but don't stress yourself trying to do too much, get ready made stuff to save time where you can.

Nargleblast

Cake - you could make a fruit cake, just soak the fruit in alcohol for 24-48 hours first. When baked and cooled, glaze the top with melted jam and stick nuts and glace fruits all over it. Alternatively, you could take any value brand fruit cake (get three or four) poke holes in the bases and drip brandy in. Arrange them on a board, ice and decorate using readymade icing and marzipan.

Mincemeat - tip it into a bowl and add orange juice, orange zest, alcohol of your choice and any extra fruit or nuts that take your fancy.

If any guest on the day criticizes the offerings, tell them you arranged and provided this at short notice and travelled 200 miles so they could stuff their faces. Although I can't imagine anyone being so ungracious, knowing your host's circumstances.

duchy

Get a large turkey crown and a ham to cover the turkey hater.
I see no sense in shopping locally either do it when you get there-as for personal touches most people can't tell the difference between homemade and most taste the difference type ranges anyway.
Your personal touch is you are paying for and cooking for the holiday.

elljay

Thank you all so much, you've saved my skin between you. Will follow all this up! No the original host doesn't usually organise Christmas and hadn't got far with any plans. Was still hoping to be able to do it up until yesterday but has now admitted defeat.

Unfortunately, one of the guests will be ungracious, but I can take it!

Re dripping brandy into the cake, as they're all teetotal (and religious) what could I use instead do you think? I will hide the brandy in my room, I'm gonna need it I think!!

Again thank you all so much.

Owain_Moneysaver

elljay wrote: »

as they're all teetotal (and religious)

Sounds cheerful. Can you pack them all off to church on xmas day morning to give you an hour's peace while you set everything up.

Just concentrate on 'the true meaning of christmas' and avoid all the 'materialistic' trappings. Think Tom and Barbara Goode rather than Jerry and Margo Leadbetter.

Home made mince pies (even if you use shop mincemeat and ready-roll pastry) sounds most generous. All the rest can come from the supermarket. It's what normal people do.

Buy a ready made fruit cake and ice it yourself (with ready-roll icing).

Don't forget to take some crackers, cheap festive paper napkins etc, if you don't know whether there will be table decorations provided.

Nargleblast

I suppose you could use a little apple juice to moisten the cake? And one way of dealing with the potential ungracious guest is to insist they start the main meal with saying a grace, "thanking God for the gift of food when so many go hungry"- with a fixed look into the eye of said guest as you say it.......You could have a lot of fun with that.....:D

ciderwithrosie_2

mincemeat can be 'enhanced' with a few more chopped nuts - almonds, walnuts; some chopped glace cherries, stem ginger (only a little), dried blueberries or cranberries. I've also put some chopped marron glace in mine that I found in Lidl. You could add a bit of the syrup the ginger's in or some freshly squeezed clementine juice and zest.

Dessert I would buy - a cheesecake and serve with some fresh berries or profiteroles stacked up (they always look impressive), unless they're really into Christmas pudding.

Do you know how much fridge space you'll have? Bit difficult if it's only a small one.

I'd buy as much ready prepared as possible, at such short notice and think it very mean if anyone is sniffy about it!