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For anyone who has hosted Christmas, you’ll know it can be as much a time of joy and fun as one of stress and chaos. For many families, Christmas lunch is the biggest gathering of the year, often involving extended relatives and an array of challenges. From juggling multiple courses and accommodating dietary requirements to managing complex cooking schedules, it’s no small feat to pull off successfully.
Then there’s the dreaded turkey situation of course – if you’re serving up a traditional menu.
But it doesn’t have to be a stressful affair that leaves you wrung out by the end of the day – not if you follow certain strategies, tried and tested by seasoned Christmas entertaining experts.
Here are some Christmas lunch ideas and tips to help navigate entertaining in a stress-free, and more sustainable way.
Switch out a sit-down meal for a buffet gathering
Serving Christmas lunch in a traditional family-style sit-down format can add significant pressure on cooks to have all the main dishes served hot at once.
Sofia Gill, Recipe Development Manager for HelloFresh, recommends buffet-style grazing tables instead. “This allows your guests to serve themselves as they arrive, creating a relaxed and flexible dining experience,” she says.
Credit: Supplied
Delegate and share the load
Not everyone has the right kind of furniture and serve-ware to host large numbers of people. Consider asking attending guests to bring folding tables, tiered serving platters (such as cake stands), and extra kitchen tongs to help maximise table space and streamline the setup for serving, for a buffet spread.
To make things even easier, it’s also worth keeping a stack of blank cards and a pen ready, so dishes can be labelled by guests, making it easier for everyone (especially those with dietary requirements) to navigate the spread.
Brine it and time it: the secret to turkey perfection
“Anyone attempting to make turkey should invest in a meat thermometer and consider a salt and sugar brine for moist and delicious results,” advises Dinner Ladies co-founder Sophie Gilliatt, co-founder of meal delivery service The Dinner Ladies, and veteran Christmas host.
The Butterball Talk Line opens each year from 1 November and closes on Christmas Eve. Source: Getty
Gilliat adds, “as a bonus, the sugar in the brine creates a stunning, mahogany-brown skin”, ideal for picture-perfect results.
Consider compostable plates
A significant source of Christmas lunch stress is the mountain of washing up it creates. Even with a dishwasher, the sheer volume of serving dishes, cookware, glassware and platters can quickly overwhelm, filling the dishwasher multiple times over. With each cycle lasting between 1-3 hours, this can extend your clean-up time well into the late hours of the night. Simplify the post-lunch clean-up by utilising compostable plates for your guests.
These eco-friendly options not only reduce dishwashing, but also make tidying up faster, while offering a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic plates. Make sure you have a compostable green bag on hand to easily dispose of them afterwards!
Use your picnic esky as a second fridge
Christmas time is usually when your fridge is full-to-bursting with drinks, meats, side dishes et al. To ensure that everything stays cool, one of Gilliatt’s top tips is to “use an esky as a second mini-fridge”.
Serving Christmas lunch buffet style can help mitigate stress for the host. Credit: M_a_y_a/Getty Images
Try a unique themed Christmas lunch
There are loads of benefits to trying a creatively-themed Christmas lunch for a memorable festive feast that nods to Australia’s diverse demography.
“A Korean BBQ-themed Christmas lunch offers a fun and interactive experience where guests grill their own meat and vegetables at the table,” suggest Gill. “Banchan (Korean side dishes) such as kimchi are easily purchased pre-made from Korean grocery stores, leaving the only task in the kitchen to be steaming some rice.”
This approach not only eliminates the stress of preparation in advance but retains a special and celebratory touch.
There are loads of benefits to trying a creatively-themed Christmas lunch.
There are loads of benefits to trying a creatively-themed Christmas lunch
For those who are budget-conscious, a build-your-own burger or pizza station makes for a fun, cost-effective alternative that still feels special enough for Christmas lunch (and you know the kids will love it). These themes are particularly useful for those who are catering with multiple dietary requirements as each meal is custom-made by the guest. To add a festive touch, consider adding Christmassy ingredients such as turkey breast, ham, and cranberry sauce to your burger or pizza fillings or toppings.
There you have it - with some thoughtful planning ahead and creative ideation, Christmas lunch can be stress-free and enjoyable.
