How do you plan a Christmas dinner?
- Send your invitations in advance
- Plan an exchange gift event
- Think of a fitting menu
- Prepare the food in advance
- Enlist help from others
The most wonderful time of the year, Christmas day, is coming soon! From now on, you’ll get invited to parties — whether it’s a year-end event at the office, a gathering with your family, or a simple brunch with friends. Other than these, you might have an event planned for this coming month. As the host, there are a few things you need to prepare to make your event successful. To help you, here is a simple guide on how to plan a Christmas dinner. Keep on reading!
Send Your Invitations In Advance
The holidays are a time for good food and socialization. Because of this, your family and friends might also have plans of their own. This means that there is a limited time before your potential guests will have their calendars fully booked. Before you even get into the party planning, make sure that you send your invitations in advance. This will also provide you with a headcount for your Christmas dinner.
After sending the invitations out, don’t forget to monitor for replies. If your potential guests still haven’t sent a response within a week, make a follow-up.
Plan An Exchange Gift Event
Even if you’re only having a simple Christmas dinner with family and friends, you can’t forget about gift-giving. The mystery of not knowing what you’re going to get can add to the excitement of your event. It’s also a great activity to spend after eating some delicious food with your loved ones.
To assign every guest a secret Santa in advance, you can use an online generator to draw the names. If you have kids at your event, you can also host a treasure hunt by hiding small gifts around the venue!
Think Of A Fitting Menu
The real highlight of a Christmas dinner is the food that you get to share with some of the special people in your life. Because of this, you should make time when planning your menu. Be considerate of any dietary concerns so that everyone can enjoy the food.
To give you an idea, here is a simple menu for a Christmas dinner:
Cocktail
- Toasted fresh baguette with cheese, tomato, and basil
- Skewered pineapple, green olives, and cheese
Soup And Bread
- Pumpkin, truffle oil
- Black olive ciabatta
Main Course
- German-style roasted chicken with rosemary, oregano, thyme & basil
- Pot roast beef, mushroom, mashed potato
- Penne carbonara
Dessert
- Rocky road brownies
- Vanilla macaroons
Drinks
- Green cucumber lemonade
- Raspberry fruit infused tea
Prepare The Food In Advance
Once you have a list of menu items planned, you can make your shopping list. To make this easier, list down the ingredients you need for each recipe. Don’t forget the other things you might need — such as alcohol, decorations, and accessories.
The holidays tend to be a very busy season, so make sure to do your shopping in advance to make sure that you have everything before the day itself. Factor into consideration the travel and delivery time when purchasing your ingredients, as there could be heavy traffic on the road.
After that, figure out the cooking times for each recipe. To get everything ready on time, you might have to start preparations the day before your Christmas dinner.
Enlist Help From Others
Preparing a Christmas dinner can be stressful if you plan to feed many people. Don’t be shy when asking for help from others. Enlist the help of your family and friends to make things easier for you. Some guests would even ask if they can bring something to your event.
If you want to lessen your stress when it comes to food preparation, you have the option of booking a caterer. With their experience in making food for a large group of people, they can help you fill your dinner table with quality food and refreshments. Because experienced staff are preparing the food, you can expect the best when it comes to quality.
Key Takeaway
If you have additional questions on how to plan a Christmas dinner, you can send us a message here at Juan Carlo! As a trusted caterer, we can assist you in your event when it comes to preparing food suitable for those with a finer taste. You don’t need to worry about shopping and cooking as we have a long list of dishes that will impress you and your guests on this special occasion.
If you’re interested in what we can do for your Christmas dinner, send us an inquiry and we’ll let you know our available options just in time for the holidays.
