We’re almost there and not flustered at all! We have a couple of days left before the big day itself so we’ll be using them to tie up any loose ends and deal with the last-minute practicalities.
Week 10 (w/c 23/12):
Use these last couple of days to get in any of the fresher foods that you need to keep you going over the next few days.
Make sure you have everything you need for the table, that your gift list has been ticked off and wrapped up, and that you have an ample supply of batteries for those new toys and gadgets that will be needing them.
Start getting the festive treats cooked and baked ready for the big day and start working out timings.
If your turkey is frozen you’ll need to leave ample time for it to defrost before roasting on Christmas Day. The general rule of thumb is to allow 4 hours per kg for defrosting at room temperature so check the weight of your turkey and make a note of when you’ll need to start the process.
Work out your plan for Christmas Day. What time are you planning to sit down to eat your Christmas meal? You’ll also need to work out cooking times according to your turkey’s weight so work backwards from your planned sit-down time to see when you need to start getting busy in the kitchen. For the first kilo roast for 1 ½ hours at 180°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5, adding an extra 30 minutes per kilo to the roasting time. Allow to rest for 20-30 minutes before carving.
Potatoes and veg can be peeled and prepared the night before and kept in a bowl of cold water overnight to save time on the day, as can the Yorkshire Pudding batter.
Finally, pour yourself a cuppa (or something stronger, after all, it is Christmas), put your feet up and relax before the busyness of the day begins!
Merry Christmas!
We have created a printable PDF copy of Christmas Countdown: Your week-by-week guide to getting organised for Christmas – Week 10 for you to print off and keep.
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