Tips to make your Christmas dinner a success

When you decide to welcome guests to your home for a Christmas dinner, certainly one of the key points is to provide these people with happy moments with good food and drink in a pleasant atmosphere.

If you have decided that this year the Christmas dinner or even the Christmas lunch will be made by you, it is important to take some measures so that everything goes well and that the dinner is unforgettable and pleasant for your guests.

If you’re single, drag your friends to help you on this mission. If you have a partner, ask him for help too. If you have kids, include them in the game!

All help is welcome, especially on the day, but the duty of each one must be very well clarified and organized, otherwise you run the risk of having more people getting in the way than helping the organization.

Here are some key tips to rock Christmas Eve or Christmas Day with a beautiful dinner or celebratory lunch:

1. Set the number of guests

It’s not always easy to know the exact number of people who will be coming to the event, but planning at least an approximate number of guests is essential to calculate how much food and how much drink you need to prepare and buy to serve. Try to confirm well in advance who will actually be at supper, so it’s easier to plan everything.

2. Plan which dishes and drinks to serve

It’s essential to know exactly what you’re going to cook or serve and what drinks you’re going to offer your guests so you can plan the meal’s logistics: buy ingredients, set cooking times, and so on. Do not forget to consider that the food of some guests may require different dishes (allergic, lactose intolerant, vegetarian, children, elderly, etc). That’s why it’s important to have different options on your table.

3. Make a shopping list

Prepare the shopping list based on what you have defined as supper dishes and drinks. If possible, bring someone to help you with the shopping, especially if you are going to buy a lot. One idea is to use the supermarket delivery service and buy the drinks from a distributor, so you save some of your effort.

4. Decorate the house with a Christmas theme

Creating an appropriate atmosphere for the Christmas dinner includes decorating with objects related to this festivity. Set up a Christmas tree, place a wreath on the door, decorate with blinkers, in short – bring the Christmas atmosphere to your home to welcome your guests in style.

5. Plan your Christmas table decor

The table decoration can be simple, but it needs to be neat. Bet on mini table Christmas trees, a beautiful tablecloth and themed or red napkins. If you want to spice up the decor, use mini candles and sprinkle gold glitter on the tablecloth for a special touch.

6. Make a “to-do list” for the day before

A week or so in advance, prepare a “to do” list for Christmas Eve or lunch day. This list is important so you don’t forget anything and can include tasks such as: picking up drinks at a distributor, cooking time and time for each dish, among other tasks that end up being done on the day itself.

7. Serve snacks before supper

When people are invited to a meal, they don’t always arrive at the same time and everything isn’t always ready by the time the guests arrive. To put your guests at ease, serve aperitif drinks and juices accompanied by a mix of savory cereals, such as walnuts, almonds and pistachios.

8. Relax! Enjoy supper with your guests

The most important of all the steps for your supper to be a success is to seize the moment. Relax and enjoy this time with your friends and/or family. A cheerful hostess who doesn’t get carried away by the nervousness of doing everything in the best way is a good hostess.