Christmas is less than 2 months away and there is no better time to start planning than now. A little forward planning and organisation will leave you free and relaxed to enjoy the fun of the festive season, rather than allowing yourself to become unnecessarily stressed.
Firstly, think about the type of Christmas entertaining you plan on doing – it may be a BBQ for 6, a buffet for 20 or a stand-up cocktail party for 50.
Extend your invitations now – it’s not too early, as people’s calendars fill up very quickly at this time of the year.
Start looking through your cookbooks for ideas. There are many good websites that have numerous recipes and ideas – refer to the life’s a feast website for our recommended links. Choose recipes that can be made ahead of time.
Start making lists – guest lists, menu’s, shopping lists, to-do lists. Get organised! Visit our website to download a useful shopping list template.
Begin purchasing your non-perishable groceries in a bid to avoid the Christmas supermarket crowds. Certain items such as dried fruit, marzipan and fruit mince can often be hard to buy the closer we get to Christmas, so it is a good idea to stock up now.
Do an inventory of glassware, tableware and furniture. If necessary make arrangements to hire, borrow or buy what you need.
If you’re planning on making a Christmas Cake or Pudding, now is the perfect time to do it as they improve with age (especially if it contains alcohol!)
Do an inventory of your bar supplies – wine, beer, spirits. To save time, place an order for what you need through one of the many online liquor stores that will home deliver. You will also save money by doing this, as discounts are usually given when buying in bulk. Don’t forget mixers and fruit juices too.
Start thinking about decorations and table settings. A lot of lifestyle magazines at this time of the year have good articles – Delicious, Vogue Entertaining & Travel and Donna Hay normally have a plethora of ideas if you’re short of inspiration. Make time to buy any decorations you need to create your setting.
Finally, have fun during the planning stages. It may sound like a lot to think about, but come December you will be thankful that you are organised and are able to relax and enjoy the festive season.
