Home > Food > Home > Life > Style > What To Buy > The Busy Mum’s Guide to Christmas Hosting Post author By The Mum Club Post date 5 December 2022 The Busy Mum’s Guide to Christmas Hosting The Mum Club5 December 2022 For some mad reason you (translation: your partner) decided having Christmas dinner at your house was a good idea. So to help you scale back on the very long to do-list that you have been encumbered with, we’ve enlisted Professional Chef, Marcus Bean and Forage and Fleur Floristry to help save you some time. And then we’ve rounded up the very best decor, food, booze (the most important bit) and games, to make the day your best one yet. The Easiest Way to Dress Your Table Becca Gibb, Owner of Forage and Fleur says, “By far the easiest way to dress your table is to buy a bespoke garland from a florist. You can get dried ones so they last longer or buy fake but I of course love the natural scent of real flowers – you can’t beat it. You can also take your wreath off your door and use it as a centre piece and put candles in the middle of it. I also love to use baubles and ornate tree decorations and just dot them around or place them on top of peoples napkins and plates. Really the main thing is to have fun with it and not to stress.” Forage and Fleur Photo: Soho Home The Cheapest Way to Dress Your Table Becca Gibb, Owner of Forage and Fleur says, “Get the kids out into the garden or go on a wintery walk and forage your own berries and pine cones. You can also dry your own fruit slices in the oven (if you can be bothered) and then buy a few interesting stems from your local florist and place them on the table around your dinnerware and candles.” Forage and Fleur Photo: Zara Home Pre Make a Christmas Cocktail Professional Chef Marcus Bean says, “One of the most stressful things is taking drinks orders when people arrive. Shut that down and have a pre made cocktail that you offer out instead. Mix it up, bottle it and leave it in the fridge and then pour into a big jug and leave it on the table so people can help themselves or decant into glasses ready for people to pick up.” Marcus Bean Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash Make Parts of Your Christmas Dinner in Advance Professional Chef Marcus Bean says, “Make your roasties in advance, peel and cut them, then rinse under cold water until the water runs clear, to remove the starch. Place in a pan of cold water, add a generous amount of salt, bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes until just starting to fall apart. Drain the potatoes and cool. Then freeze. On the day bring out of the freezer. Pre heat a tray of Rapeseed oil or goose fat in the oven at 200-220c, then carefully place into the tray and cook for 50-60 minutes, turning them often to get an even cook and a golden crisp. For extra flavour, I like to crush a few cloves of garlic and add rosemary and thyme to the tray for the last 30 minutes of cooking.” Marcus Bean Photo: Healthy Living James Don’t Do it Yourself Manage the juggle and give other people jobs, maybe it’s grandparents on cheese, siblings on starters, and that random guest your mum invited on puddings. Whatever you decide just remember you don’t need to do it all, and actually, you shouldn’t! You can also go all out and get a Christmas feasting box and have a professional help you make the dinner! A very luxe way to do it but a real treat if you can afford it. Christmas Kit by Tom Kerridge The Best Christmas Decorations Personalised baubles that double up as place settings, a full set of decorations in a (very expensive) box and fabulous items that bring us all the joy! Anna + Nina Festive Candle Holder Anthropologie £16 Personalised Light Up Merry Bauble Marks & Spencer £8.75 (Sale) Calendar Candle H&M £7.99 Corded Napkin Holders Set of Four ANNA + NINA £24.99 Mrs. Claus Decoration Set Mrs. Alice £168 Set Of Four Kintaro Dinner Plates OKA £95 Reusable Christmas Crackers BANG £80 Cotton Napkins Zara Home £12.99 Stripe Marble Christmas Cake Pops Pop Bakery £22 Flower Napkin Holder Ana + Nina, Liberty £7.95 Crackers John Lewis £35 Napkin Holders Zara Home £12.99 Large Holly Leaf Serving Dish Zara Home £19.99 Extra-Long Star Fairy Lights The White Company £22 Sprig Place Card Holders Ginger Ray £8 Small Ribbed Mercury Tealight Holder The White Company £6 Glass Cake Stand John Lewis £25 Napkin bows Mrs. Alice £28 The Best Pre-Made Christmas Food Life just got easier… Garlic Butter Brioche & Camembert Wreath M&S £14 Luxury Christmas Feast planthood £50 Ultimate Turkey Christmas Dinner Kit for 6 Chefs for Foodies £139 Slow Cooked Turkey Crown and Stuffing M&S Typically £61.75 The Best Goose Fat Roast Potatoes Morrisions £2.50 Ice Christmas Luxe Biscuit Box Biscuiteers £48 The Best Christmas Booze Hold on, wine crackers and gin baubles? We really like Christmas this year! Christmas Globe Gin Liqueur Harvey Nichols £29 Very Berry Gin Sipsmith £28.50 Mint Chocolate Velvetised Cream Hotel Chocolat £18 Wine Crackers Banks Brothers £60 Christmas Pudding Gin Liqueur Six Pence Pud £25 Snow Globe Gin Harvey Nichols £30 The Best Christmas Games If you still have any energy left over then a new game is a great way to kill some time until you hit the cheese again. Telestrations The OP Games £24.99 The Sock Game Green Bros Games £19.99 Sequence Goliath Games £19.97(Sale) All products on this page have been selected by our editorial team, however we may make commission on some products. The Mum Club5 December 2022 ← TMC Hot List December 2022 → TMC Recipe: 3 Ingredient Espresso Martini