How To Have A Stress Free Christmas In Your Kitchen

Whether it's a joint effort or you’re hosting and cooking it all yourself, Christmas dinner (or lunch) is stressful! There is no denying it! It is really important that you try not to stress as you have to remember that it is your Christmas too; you want to enjoy yourself.  

Here at KF Kitchens we have, over the years, gathered lots of tips on how to make your Christmas in your kitchen stress free - we are kitchen experts so you can trust us! So why not grab a snack, make a list and have a read through our guide on how to have a stress free Christmas - after all, it is just a big roast dinner isn’t it? Keep reading on, in order to know how to spend as much time with your family and hopefully as little time as possible in the kitchen!

Top Tips On A Stress Free Christmas In The Kitchen

The Night Before

By preparing and peeling all the veg the night before you’ll have a much calmer Christmas day. Our best piece of advice is to work backwards, so you can plan now and relax later. So, start at the time you want to serve your dinner or lunch - for example, 3pm - and make a rough plan with how long things take and what can be done the night before. This means that when Christmas day is in full swing, you can refer back to your timings and know exactly what you’re supposed to be doing - at what time. 

So we recommend peeling and chopping all the veg, then popping them into the fridge (in a bowl with some foil on) then when you’re ready you can start to cook them. Additionally, if you’re serving things like pigs in blankets, stuffing, yorkshires etc, don’t forget to add them into your list. One last mention is to ensure the fridge is organised and clutter free, for example, remove old leftovers or things that need binning!

Don’t Forget To Ask For Help

Do not suffer in silence! If you need a spare hand setting the table, washing up, or popping something into the oven, grab some helpers and just ask. Especially if they’re a bit younger and the excitement of present wrapping is over, it will allow the kids to feel involved and you get to spend some quality time with them. Plus they are only probably on their third Christmas film of the day, so 10 minutes away won’t hurt! 

If you have guests, they usually offer to lend a hand anyway, so don’t (just to be polite) be too quick to turn them down, as a few minutes might help take a little pressure off you and give you a chance to chat to your guests. 

Keeping Traditions 

Every family probably has their own set of traditions and things they like to do around Christmas time but, sometimes when things do get crazy or a little hectic, it's ok to not do some traditions. Some might bring you more stress than joy and if this is the case, consider cutting them down. Only do traditions if they make you happy! Remember, you don’t have to bake 15 different types of desserts just because people think it's tradition - just pick your few that are your families favorites. This can also be applied to games or decorations, if you don’t have time or they are more hassle than they’re worth, don’t do it.

Conversation Topics

We’re not saying you need to censor guests or stop conversation but all families have certain topics that they want to avoid because they know it will cause disagreements. And, you would have spent hours laboring over that Christmas meal, so don’t let an argument about something silly ruin it. If you want to keep the conversation flowing avoid divisive subjects like politics. If absolutely necessary, you can set a few ground rules before the dinner even begins!

Got Any Snacks?

The timings of Christmas can be stressful and it is easy to underestimate how long the dinner will take to prepare, cook and serve. So why not put some snacks out for everyone to enjoy? You do not want to be bombarded with constant: “Is it ready yet?” questions. Consider things like pretzels, nuts, dried fruit or crisps as things like chocolate or biscuits can be too heavy before a large meal. 

Lower Your Expectations

What to know the best tip in order to make your Christmas stress free? Lower your heightened expectations. This should not mean don’t try your best or not put any effort into your Christmas dinner or lunch! When you come to terms with the fact that your food might not be perfect you’ll be happier when you accept this. You will be able to cook stress free and remember the true meaning of the holidays - spending time with loved ones!

Get In Touch!

If you are considering a kitchen refurb for the new year, we have all new kitchen designs coming in January! But for now you can see our gallery or showroom here, to get some more inspiration.  If you would like some more information, then get in touch with us here! One of our expert team members will be more than happy to answer and advise you to make the best decision for you and your home.