7 Steps to Preparing the Perfect Christmas Meal

With the Christmas holidays looming, you may be thinking about how to prepare a meal for your family that they'll enjoy. If you're making the meal for several people, it is important that you plan everything out well in advance of the gathering. In this article, I will show you the 7 steps you need to take to ensure that your Christmas dinner is a major success with your family and friends.

Step #1: Make Your Christmas Dinner Lists

Making a list is a proven way to organize any activity. You will need to make several lists to organize your event. Make a list for...

a. the number of guests you expect will attend. b. the food and drink items that you will need. c. the number of plates, cups, bowls and sets of silverware. d. the steps you need to take to prepare each food or drink item. e. the family members or friends who will be helping you prepare the event. f. the groceries you will need to buy.

It is impossible to keep everything above in your head and still remain sane. Writing it all down makes it much easier.

Step #2: Visit The Grocery Store To Buy The Ingredients

Take the list of groceries that you made in Step 1 above and visit the grocery store. You can usually get this visit out of the way at least a couple of days before the Christmas dinner as most of the items will remain fresh. Plan to make a second trip to the grocery store early in the day of the event for items that will not remain fresh.

Step #3: Setting The Stage For Your Christmas Meal

If you are expecting a large number of people, consider preparing the table and settings a day in advance. Though the table (and extra chairs) will be in your way for a day, this is a high-maintenance task that should not be left until the day of your Christmas meal. Getting it out of your way will save you precious cooking and preparing time when you will need it most.

Step #4: Preparing The Vegetables In Advance

Because you want to get as many of the tasks out of the way as possible in advance of Christmas dinner, consider preparing the vegetables the day before the meal. Most vegetables will remain fresh and crisp if they are wrapped tightly and stored in a dry place. Some vegetables like carrots can be peeled and put in cold water in your refrigerator to keep fresh.

Step #5: Preparing Desserts In Advance

Like the vegetables you prepared in Step #4 above, many desserts can be prepared the day before your Christmas gathering. Most baked goods like cakes and cookies can be chilled in your refrigerator.

Step #6: Preparing The Main Course

This step must be done the day of your event. Make sure you plan the exact moment you want to put your Christmas ham or turkey into the oven. At this point, the success of your meal will depend largely on timing. So, make a tight schedule and do everything possible to stick to that schedule.

Step #7: Hiring Family Members To Help You

Plan ahead of time (remember the list in Step #1 above?) the family members and friends that will help you make certain your Christmas meal progresses seemlessly. Identify who will be doing what during the event. Make sure you know who will prepare the salad, who will serve the main course and who will clear the table to make room for dessert. Do not be afraid to delegate these tasks as doing so allows everyone to enjoy your Christmas meal and the time spent with family and friends.

Preparing a successful Christmas meal is mostly about planning and execution. Follow the seven steps above and your Christmas gathering with friends and family will be both enjoyable and memorable.