Perfecting the Art of the Family Christmas Dinner

It’s that time of year again. Snow is falling, the temperature is dropping and it’s almost time for that dreaded (or much-loved!) family Christmas dinner. As exciting as it can be for some people, it’s also a complete pain if you’re not prepared. But don’t fear, because in this article we’ll be giving you some secrets and tips that will help you perfect the art of the family Christmas dinner this year. So get that notepad out and write down some of these must-have tips.

Christmas dinners can be both a frightening and wonderful experience depending on what your role is! (Image Credit: Pexels)

Sort out your house

First tip: sort that house out! Yes, it’s understandable that you want to spend more time perfecting the roast turkey or dessert that you have planned, but if you leave cleaning to the last minute then you’re going to hate yourself. Make sure your entire home is cleaned up and ready to go on the day. Declutter your home, clean those toilets and bathrooms and make sure you have the perfect dining utensils and furniture so that you can eat in style. The last thing you want is to serve your Christmas dinner to your family on paper plates and plastic utensils because you forgot you only have enough for your own family. Get the good wine glasses out too so you can serve up a satisfying drink alongside your meal! If you find that you don’t have enough space, then you may want to rearrange some furniture temporarily until your guests leave.

Be positive

Stop worrying so much! The more you worry the more you’re going to feel the failure of your Christmas dinner. Be positive and make sure you do your tasks with a smile. Make sure you’re displaying negative vibes especially when your guests arrive. Greet them with a smile, laugh at their jokes and serve them their drinks with a beaming grin on your face. Even if you find it hard to cope with your family, make sure you put in some effort and stay positive the whole way through.

 Stock up on supplies

A well-stocked pantry is the key to reducing panic in the kitchen. This will reduce the chances of you running out of a certain ingredient and it also ensures that you have plenty of snacks and drinks ready for your visitors. It’s important that you try and keep the pantry stocked before your last shopping trip so if you forget anything, you can add it to the shopping list for your final trip before the dinner. Keep some after-dinner sweets ready, get some extra desserts and treats for the kids and have at least double of all the baking ingredients if you plan to make a cake for dessert–you’re going to need them!

 Entertainment options

And we also can’t forget entertainment options. How do you plan to make your guests smile? Have you and your kids practiced a song and dance routine, or perhaps you just got the latest games console for your nephew or niece to play on? Do you have a family board game tradition? Or maybe you’d like to set off some fireworks in your backyard. Whatever it is, make sure your Christmas is filled with fun and joy, not just a meal to eat!

 Get the family to help

Get your family in the Christmas spirit by getting them to help with your tasks. Delegate tasks to each member of your family so that the entire process goes more smoothly. Get your kids to decorate cakes and help clean up the home, get your partner to do shopping trips while you perfect the dinner, and you can even ask the elderly to help by taste-testing your food. Every little helps, so get them all involved before the big day!

 Don’t go overboard

And finally, make sure you’re not going too crazy with your Christmas celebrations. It’s always important to stay on the safe side with things like alcohol (especially if your guests are driving) and although it’s a festive season, try and keep the food you’re offering to regular portions, not giant-sized ones!

Christmas is a fantastic time to get together with your friends and family, but it’s still important to keep these things in mind for your Christmas dinner. It’s something that happens only once every year, so make it count!