I really want Mabel to spend her first Christmas at home, the festive season is something James and I have discussed way before she was even born – how December 2014 would be unlike any other. I’ve often day dreamed about the white picket fence of celebrations, the entire family around the table, joy, laughter, prosperity…..an abundance of Prosecco (!)
Well I’ve got my wish folks, on Thursday I will be cooking dinner for nine adults and two littles, it’s not the first time I’ve whipped up a um… storm in the kitchen on the 25th, it’s just never been more than four of us at any one time. I was so excited by the prospect of my West Midlands version of The Waltons I had completely failed to consider the fact that I simply do not have the facilities to cater for the quantity of food required.
I have a single oven and a five ring hob.
It’s times like this I would really love one of those fancy shiny range cookers.
After a teeny tiny confidence wobbler I realised I had to ask for help, after all, Christmas is all about all muddling in as it were. I’m preparing the pork, the vegetables (peas, carrots, parsnips) the stuffing, the gravy and the pigs in blankets whilst my Mum is in charge of roast potatoes and my sister is perfecting the turkey crown. My mother-in-law is providing a selection of delicious desserts and I’m sure everyone will bring a bottle. Or two.
So far so organised. Maybe.
Decor wise the very lovely Karen and Gemma from The Wedding Of My Dreams are loaning me some hessian runners, place name holders, mercuried silver bud vases and co-ordinating ribbon. I’ve ordered an array of white blooms from my local florist and I’ve bought a new frock. I actually feel a little bit like Bree Van De Camp. Or Betty Draper. Or any fictional character with similar stereotypical domestic goddess tendencies.
However, as I write this (the 21st) I realise I actually haven’t got enough napkins. Or roasting tins. Or matching side plates. Also…..I haven’t bought any crackers.
Did I actually call myself Betty?
In all seriousness I’m sure that even if the parsnips are soggy and the gravy is lumpy it’ll be a laugh, and I know having Mabel with us in our home will mean it is the best Christmas ever. Besides, at least my table will look pretty.
If anyone has any advice on how to serve a meal for eleven all at the same time (still reasonably hot!) and where is the best place to purchase any of the above forgotten essentials so near to the big day it would be much appreciated.
Are any of you hosting Christmas this year? Do share your tales and tips in the comments box below. And whilst I’m here, I hope you all have the loveliest of holidays and I can’t wait to see you all in 2015 for more maternity and beauty adventures! xx
It will all be so much fun and so much easier being at home with Mabel. I’ve hosted for the last few years even when my first little girl was 1 month old! Granted I did sit around whilst everyone else cooked but oh well. Jealous of your pretty table plans. It may be time for a bit of a timing list Charlotte! Prep your veg the night before and leave it in saucepans of water on the hob. Cook your meats first and then wrap in foil and tea towels. Even get your mum to cook the turkey at hers (if she isn’t already) and bring it over with her wrapped up. Roasties can be part cooked the night before too by your sis and then just pop them in your oven to finish off. That will then free oven space for everything else. Head down to Homesense (if you have one near you) for all the forgotten but sure no one will mind if their plates don’t match or if they have paper napkins! It will all be fun. Honest! xx
Charlotte! foil and tea towels? is it foil first then tea towels? My sister is doing the turkey crown – I’m doing a leg of pork. James is on his way out shopping now for napkins! x
Foil then tea towels! Wrap it tight and it will keep warm for hours. Honestly! x
Delegation is my biggest tip so you’re already on the right track!
In my opinion the best memories are made in the kitchen at Christmas. When things go wrong and don’t end up looking quite like Nigella’s just have a giggle with your nearest and dearest and pour yourself another glass of vino. No-one will remember if you didn’t have enough napkins, just that they had a jolly lovely time x
Lauren, I think my first glass of vino will be at oh…. 8am? 🙂
Two words…. Foil trays. Now I’m not really an advocate for throw aways but this is the one time of year when I feel like it’s ok, because spending time with the fam is way more important than either a mountain of washing up or a constant stream of emptying/loading the dishwasher. Cook all food in lakeland foil trays (or any you get your hands on in a supermarket) and once cooked, bin em!!! Voila! Halved the washing up! Good luck! Have fun! X
I am so doing this! Such a good idea x
me too! Georgina – whilst James is purchasing napkins he is also now going to Lakeland! Thanks for the tip x
It is going to be perfect. I’m hosting this year too and my main priority was to ensure Leo will be entertained enough to stay at the table whilst we all stuff our faces. So, I bought a table cloth that you can colour in! yep, Robins, Santas etc. so beside everyone’s crackers will be a few colouring pencils. And I can’t wait! Not as pretty as yours but definitely as fun 🙂
Also, I’m a terrible cook. One year I actually grilled the pork. yes, grilled it. And I have also been known to try a festive yule log. Actual disaster. I must show you a photo. There was cream on the floor. Fail.
What a super idea on the table cloth! Although Mabel would probably just try and eat it…..
Have a wonderful christmas Charlotte. I am equally nervous cooking for 12 on Christmas day in a kitchen that was only actually plumbed in yesterday. Like you, we have no practical stuff (plates,glasses etc) but I have cut down a large amount of fir tree foliage from the garden to scatter across the table. You can eat that can’t you;) xxxxxx
I’m hosting for the first time this year as although it’s Holden’s 3rd Christmas, we’ve always been elsewhere before.
But delegation is the key; we’re doing the starters (prawns, pate & smoked salmon), turkey crown, pigs in blankets, the veg (brussels, carrots & parsnips) & gravy / cranberry sauce; then my parents are doing the soup, stuffing & roast pots and my aunt is bringing dessert!
All sorted hopefully; think we’ve still got some booze to buy but as i’ll be 33 weeks pregnant it’s not top of my list!
Table wise, we’ve got a runner from last year (Primark’s finest) and I got some cut out felt placemats from poundland of all places!
Roasting tins / pots may be an issue though so will need to look at that tonight!
Enjoy Mabel’s 1st Christmas. x
Congratulations Gaynor! gosh it doesn’t seem five minutes since you had your first!
Roasting tins – folks have recommended Lakeland, James is there as I write 🙂 x
Thanks, yeah Holden will be 3 in Feb, just before baby comes and the last 3 years have flown by!
I have done Christmas for the last 8 years, but this year, the first year with Fred, we are going to the mother-in-laws, as I desperately wanted to spend this Christmas out of the kitchen and with the family…having said that my mil is round the corner, and the morning will be me and the husband!
What I always swear by, as said above, foil trays! Cook your meat first and use the tea towel/foil method (foil first), this then gives you a free oven to cook your veg, re-heat anything! (roasties)
Make your gravy Christmas Eve and then re-heat before serving in the pork tin to get all the juices, my mum always said as long as the gravy is hot, everything else doesn’t matter!
Have an amazing first Christmas with Mabel!
X
Lizzie I am loving this tea towel/foil idea. Have the loveliest of celebrations with Fred xx
Ah it’ll be fab Charlotte! I’m not hosting this year which actually I’m a little bit sad about (!) although I’m making the red cabbage and bread sauce that I do EVERY year and taking to my Mum’s! I’m now 30 weeks pregnant with number two so I think it will be nice not to have to do everything this year.
Your table will look gorgeous, Prosecco is definitely your friend, and make a list the day before of timings of when everything needs to go in and come out of the oven, if I don’t do this I find I completely lose track of when things are ready, and you can keep things warm for quite a while covered in foil. Oh, and a dollop of cranberry sauce added to the gravy just before serving is yummy!
Have a fabulous Christmas; the first one with Mabel will be so special xxx
Hi Kim! I don’t think we’ve remembered the cranberry sauce so thanks for the reminder, also the gravy tip – super!
I am definitely having a timings list – I have to even if I’m just cooking for a few otherwise I get too distracted by the wine 🙂 x
Charlotte, you will be fine. Honestly! I made an early Christmas dinner for 11 people on Saturday with 1 oven and 4 hobs and it was so much fun, everyone loved it and the food was warm (mostly). Just try to do as much in advance as possible and let people help. I’m not great at that but couldn’t have done without it. Hope you have an awesome Christmas 🙂
Sounds fab! There is just the two of us plus the dog for Christmas dinner this year so we are having venison steak instead of a roast. We have a full cooked lunch catering for 14 people each month at work and the best way forward for us when it comes to keeping food warm is to have the plate the meat up away from the table and then let people get on with passing around the other dishes. Carving at the table is part of the fun but it depends how practical you want to be. Have a great day x
How exciting only 3 more sleeps.
My mum always swears by cooking everything bar the meat and gravy the night before. She then reheats it all and finishes it off on the day. I can never tell the difference, it’s just as yummy. Plus less time stressing in the kitchen and more time drinking with the family
I’m also hosting Christmas this year. Just for 4. But I am doing it all. What was I thinking?! There’s baked Brie and Camembert for starters, roast duck with roasties, veggies, stuffing, cauliflower cheese and gravy for mains and then cake/Yule log/mince pies for after.
How do you cook the gravy on Christmas Eve and then stop it getting a skin?! Also how long do I have if I cook the duck and then use the foil/tea towel method?
It’s the 23rd here in Aus so I may be panicking slightly!
Xxx
My dad is the king of Christmas dinner and I’ve always mocked the ‘hostess trolley’ circa 1970 but it keeps all the veg warm whilst he serves up the rest and I know when the day comes for me to host the festive feast I will be begging him to borrow it! Can’t wait to host one day, however I have to admit that 35years of uninterrupted returns to the Mids to be with my family is simply splendid! Merry christmas Charlotte, your family and all @ Rock my style xxx
If (like me) you get flustered/distracted by wine when everything’s coming together at the last minute, select one of your guests to keep everyone out of the kitchen for the last 10 mins so you can a) panic about the one thing that’s gone wrong without an audience b) swear c) get a bit hot and bothered and d) not be tripping over ‘helpful’ guests when carrying a hot tray full of parsnips or similar!!
I always have one thing that goes wrong – dump it and carry on, no-one will care 🙂
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