· Ann McDonald · Christmas · 3 min read
Before December: What to Sort Out Early
A little preparation goes a long way.
Christmas may still seem a long way off, and that’s exactly how it should feel.
There’s no need to start the Christmas countdown just yet. But there are a few things worth thinking about now, particularly anything that needs booking, ordering or organising in advance.
You don’t need to start Christmas three months early.
Hosting Christmas for the first time?
Don't panic. You don't need to know everything. Start with four simple questions: Who is coming? How many people? What sort of gathering are you having? What are you happy to make, buy or delegate?
Once you know those things, the rest becomes much easier. There is no "right" way to host Christmas.
Who’s hosting your celebrations this year?
Make sure everyone knows where “Christmas Central” is. Don’t rely entirely on word of mouth, send an invitation or message so everyone has the details.
Book the things that get booked out
Almost everything on this list is fine to leave until later. These are the exceptions, because they run out rather than getting harder.
- Travel and accommodation, if Christmas is happening somewhere other than your house
- Pet boarding, which fills earlier than people expect
- Hired tables, chairs, crockery, cutlery and glassware, if you are feeding more people than you own plates for
- A tradesperson, if something genuinely needs fixing before you fill the house
With hire companies, ask about delivery and collection dates as well as availability. Delivery slots go first in the week before Christmas. Collecting yourself is usually more flexible, but you still need to book it, and you still need somewhere to put twelve chairs for three days.
Christmas is not the time to discover that the outdoor lights don’t work or that the spare chair has finally given up. Sit on them now.
Count your chairs before you count your guests
Not just chairs. Plates, forks, wine glasses, water glasses and serving spoons. It is much easier to borrow six of something in November than to discover you are four short while the food is going cold.
A little Christmas baking?
If you make your own Christmas cake or pudding, now is the time to start thinking about them.
Christmas cake and pudding are wonderful make-ahead traditions, and making them early means one less thing to think about as December gets closer.
But don’t panic if you haven’t made them. There is still time.
And, of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with buying them. There are some wonderful Christmas cakes and puddings available, and sometimes buying one is the sensible choice.
Christmas is not a test of how much you can make yourself.
Make it early, make it later, buy it, or skip it altogether.
Choose what makes Christmas easier for you. And then stop.
If you would like to make your own, start with our Traditional Rich Christmas Cake, our Traditional Christmas Pudding or the Classic Christmas Pudding. The best ever fruit cake and a slab of panforte both keep beautifully too.
And finally
Have a think about:
- roughly how many people you’ll be hosting
- what sort of gathering you’re having, whether that’s lunch, dinner, drinks, afternoon tea or something more casual
- anything around the house that needs attention
- whether your outdoor entertaining area is ready for summer
A quick check while you’re at it
Before you finalise the menu, ask your guests about allergies or dietary requirements. It’s much easier to know now than discover them on Christmas Day.
Make one simple list. Not a Christmas master plan.
Do what you can when you can, and then forget about Christmas for a little while. There’s plenty of time.
