Christmas hosting is at its best when the day feels like a gathering, not a performance. The smartest trick is doing as much as you can before anyone rings the doorbell, from setting the table to prepping canapés and even batching cocktails. Clare Finney’s guide leans on chefs, wine experts and seasoned hosts who all circle back to the same idea, plan early so you can actually enjoy your own party.
Start with the table, as Fergus Henderson famously insists, because a properly dressed table instantly makes everything feel calmer. Skye McAlpine swears you can build a beautiful stash of linens without spending a fortune by hunting vintage napkins and tablecloths, while Anna Jones is a fan of making even budget fabric feel special with a simple throw-over cloth. Alexandra Dudley’s advice is to choose earthy tones that can be lifted with a sprig of holly or a clementine leaf, rather than anything so seasonal it vanishes for 11 months. For finishing touches, edible decorations like chocolate coins, candy canes and citrus look generous and get eaten, and Alex Head of the Social Pantry suggests leaning into British-grown winter foliage, plus candlelight for instant warmth.
Then come the little rituals that make guests smile. Christmas crackers do not have to mean landfill, with refillable and reusable options from places like the RSPB and Keep This Cracker, as well as velvet versions designed to be untied and used again from Holly and Co. When it comes to canapés, Chantelle Nicholson’s approach is reassuringly simple, use good bread, turn it into small toasts, and top them with something delicious like smoked trout or a rich mushroom pâté, then add a dip or two for an easy win. Even a skewer of plump olives, tomato, anchovy and a pickled chilli can feel like a festive opening act.
Drinks are where you can make life easy on yourself. Mr Lyan’s tip is to think in batches, not individual shakers, so reach for a pitcher or punch bowl and keep the ice situation under control with larger cubes or a homemade ice block frozen overnight. Olly Smith’s message on wine is similarly freeing, you do not have to blow the budget to pour something that tastes celebratory, and a quick decant into a jug can lift aromas without any fancy kit. Jones even likes low glasses so people can keep making eye contact across the table.
For the main event, quality and technique matter more than stress. Nick Jefferson of Wylde argues that a slow-grown heritage turkey, plus a dry brine, can change minds about a bird that is often written off as bland, while Ed Smith emphasises using a sturdy roasting tray and flipping the turkey breast-down for part of the cooking time to keep it juicy. If you are serving vegetarians, Jones suggests pastry as your best friend, with a layered vegetable tart topped with spice, citrus and whatever cheese you love. Gravy can go deep and savoury with bone marrow, as Taz Sarhane of Cycene recommends, or go meat-free with mushrooms, wine and herbs, with Felicity Cloake even adding a splash of port and a little Marmite for richness.
Dessert does not need to be complicated, but it should feel like a finale. A meringue roulade filled with cranberry sauce, in the Mary Berry tradition, looks dramatic without being heavy, and Helen Goh’s chestnut ice-cream roll offers a playful arctic roll twist that still lets you buy the filling. Finish with a cheeseboard that mixes cosy classics like brie and gruyère with something blue such as gorgonzola, and the whole table will happily keep grazing long after the plates are cleared.
What is the one detail that always makes your Christmas dinner feel more special, even when you are short on time? Share your hosting habit in the comments.
