Christmas Dinner
The festive feast, with a plan that lets you open presents too
Plan Christmas dinner at home with a timeline that starts in November and a cooking schedule that fits your oven. Get a festive menu with a vegetarian centrepiece alongside the roast, make-ahead desserts, and advice on table setting, drinks and leftovers for Boxing Day.
Countdown
The christmas dinner timeline
Tick things off as you go — it’s a checklist.
5 weeks before
2 weeks before
1 week before
2 days before
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
Boxing Day
Menu ideas
What to serve
- Roast beetroot, whipped goat's cheeseBeets roast a day ahead; only the plating happens at service.
- Beef Wellington, individualHigh-attention centerpiece; every portion needs a watched oven window.
- Mushroom & chestnut wellingtonThe no-meat centerpiece that still needs its own oven slot.
- Potato dauphinoise, thin-slicedLong slow bake; assembles a day ahead and only needs reheating.
- Braised red cabbage, apple & cloveImproves over two days; arrives at the table already reheated once.
- Hard-charred Brussels sproutsHigh heat, bitter-sweet. Sausage or white beans if you need more. They wait 15 minutes, not an hour.
- Warm brioche rollsProofed and shaped a day ahead, baked off in the last twenty minutes.
- Flourless chocolate cakeBakes low and slow, no gluten anywhere near it, sits well overnight.
- Black cakeFruit soaks in rum for weeks ahead if possible; bakes slowly and keeps for days wrapped.
- GlöggWarms gently on one burner; do not let it boil or the alcohol cooks off harshly.
- Zero-proof house pourNo-alcohol house pour. Batched, chilled, poured like anything else.
Décor ideas
- · Evergreen branches and pine cones down the table with tealights.
- · Crackers at every place, set on folded napkins.
- · A low wreath with a pillar candle as the centrepiece.
- · Gold or brass accents: candlesticks, cutlery or napkin rings.
- · Hand-written name cards on small ornaments guests can take home.
- · Fairy lights in a glass jar on the sideboard.
Things to do
- · Crackers, paper hats and jokes read aloud at the start of the meal.
- · Presents opened while the roast rests.
- · A post-dinner walk in daylight.
- · A classic Christmas film or board game in the late afternoon.
- · A secret Santa with a modest spending limit.
Drinks
- · Sparkling wine for a toast when everyone sits down.
- · A structured red like Bordeaux or Rioja with the beef.
- · Glögg or mulled wine, warmed gently.
- · Spiced cranberry spritz, alcohol-free.
- · Port or a sweet wine with the cake.
- · Coffee and tea after dessert.
Music · Classic and cosy, with carols early and jazz through lunch.
- · Choral carols while cooking in the morning.
- · Christmas jazz standards through dinner.
- · Big-band Christmas songs for the afternoon.
- · The family's favourite singalong songs after dessert.
Questions hosts ask
How much meat per person for Christmas dinner?
Plan about 230 g (8 oz) of finished main per guest. For a boneless roast that usually means buying a little more raw weight, and for bone-in cuts more again. If there are leftovers you want for Boxing Day, add a few extra portions on purpose.
How do I cook Christmas dinner in one oven?
Choose dishes that share a temperature, finish one while another rests, and make anything you can the day before. Braised red cabbage and gravy use the stovetop, the dessert can be made two days ahead, and a starter can be cold. The planner flags when the oven is overloaded.
What is a good vegetarian Christmas main?
A mushroom and chestnut wellington, a lentil loaf or a stuffed squash all feel festive and sit well next to the same sides as the roast. Make it as a proper main, not a smaller version of a side.
How far ahead can I make Christmas dinner?
Pastry, stuffing and gravy base freeze well two weeks ahead. Red cabbage and cranberry sauce keep two days. Potatoes can be peeled the day before and kept in cold water in the fridge.
How much wine do I need?
A 750 ml bottle pours about five glasses. A common rule is two drinks per guest in the first hour and one an hour after, but a long lunch is slower than a party, so plan roughly half a bottle per wine-drinking adult and have plenty of alcohol-free options.