Christmas is just around the corner, with plans taking shape and decorations starting to fill many of our homes.
It is the season to be jolly with lots of family fun and catch ups with friends.
However, preparing for the day can be a lot.
From buying presents to organising Christmas dinner, festive stress levels can get pretty high.
Fortunately, there are ways to decrease the pressure and keep on top of things as the big day edges closer.
With so much to plan for, Wren Kitchens has provided their six top tips towards minimising stress this Christmas so everyone can enjoy the special day from start to finish.
1. Make a list and check it twice
When planning your Christmas dinner, it can be easy to miss essential parts off the plate.
Get your hands on a Christmas planner so you don’t miss a trick when planning the big day, starting with the first course, right through to the sweet treats that people can’t get enough of.
A good tip is to envision what you’d like to have as part of your Christmas dinner, and then ask the rest of the family for any other tasty additions you may have forgotten about.
Always try to grab your food well in advance of the big day, you don’t want to leave it until the last minute to grab your turkey.
2. Seasonal tipples
Whether it be alcoholic or non-alcoholic, you should always have the drinks flowing to keep your guests in the festive spirit.
If you’re the host, take the pressure off yourself by setting up a drinks station for everyone to help themselves.
Complete with fizz, mulled wine, mocktails, spirits and mixers, this means you can focus your energy on the kitchen duties or better yet; put your feet up and enjoy a tipple yourself.
3. Dinner table décor
Like your Christmas Day outfit, it’s time to bring out the best dinnerware to dress up your table.
Dust off and polish your best plates ahead of time so they’re prepped and ready.
It’s wise to have your table décor prepared, using fun, festive reds and greens with Christmas crackers which are great for guests of all ages.
4. Seating arrangements
The worst thing for any host is holding a hot plate full of delicious food and not knowing where to place it.
Incorporating a Christmas Stocking Seating Plan is a fantastic way to tell your guests where they’re sitting.
Be creative with this, guests like personal touches when it comes to meaningful occasions.
Hang your seating plan on a mantlepiece, door, staircase or on the Christmas tree for all to see.
5. Funky festive playlists
There’s nothing that gets guests in the spirit of Christmas more than a good playlist.
With plenty of generations coming together, it’s important to mix the classics with the modern tunes to keep everyone happy and in the festive mood.
You could even make a song requests list so that everyone gets to hear their favourite song at least once.
6. Santa’s little helpers
When hosting Christmas Day for the entire family, one of the most stressful aspects is keeping the little ones entertained.
Give your young guests fun jobs, like handing out presents to other family members, or setting up a table where they can ice some gingerbread cookies which everyone can enjoy for dessert later-on.
Christmas Day is all about spending time with your loved ones so although it can be a mammoth task to remember every detail, it’s important to not overthink it, and just enjoy yourself with your guests.
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