Top Tips For a Stress-Free Christmas Dinner

Don’t get us wrong, we love Christmas but we wouldn’t be parents if we didn’t admit that the day itself can get a tiny bit stressful sometimes. With hot pans, an even hotter kitchen, endless dishes, and hundreds of timings to remember, dinner can be one of the most stressful parts of Christmas Day - even if you didn’t have excited little elves getting under your feet at the same time!

Never fear though, this year we’re here to make sure you have the most wonderful time and stay merry all day with our foolproof tips for a stress-free Christmas dinner.

Be Prepared

We know it’s easier said than done but being prepared for the big event will save you a whole load of stress on the day. Whatever you need to do to prepare - be that veg prep, table laying, decoration making, cracker buying, or candle shopping - make sure it’s all done by Christmas Eve. That way you can get up and get on with the cooking in an organised and stress-free environment.

Double Checking

If you’re short of space or you don’t usually cook for lots of people, you probably won’t have everything you need to do Christmas dinner properly. Another important part of pre-dinner prep is recognising this in advance! Rather than being caught short on the day, check you have enough pans, baking trays, space in the oven, and chairs round the table beforehand - that way you can get whatever you need before the day rather than suffering a last-minute panic.

Select Your Team Wisely

As we said, hot kitchens full of hot pans are not really the place for excitable little ones on Christmas Day (or drunk big ones). When you start cooking, enforce a strict kitchen ban for the kids and periphery relatives to keep them out of harm’s (and your) way. That’s not to say they can’t be useful though! Enlisting help is essential to a stress-free Christmas dinner as one person can’t do everything on their own. Instead, micromanage your Christmas by delegating age-appropriate tasks to relevant family members.

...Cheat

We know you want to create the perfect Christmas for your family but, sometimes, shop-bought is just as perfect as homemade - especially when it saves you time and washing up. If your dinners of Christmas past have felt like too much to cope with, why not give yourself a break this year and cheat a little. No one will know you didn’t tuck those pigs in those blankets yourself… Go on, you deserve a merry Christmas just as much as everyone else.