Do a Christmas grazing board
Instead of a formal sit-down meal,create an instant buffet with a Christmas grazing board. It’s easy,adaptable and you can keep adding things all day if you get more guests than you bargained for.
Some ideas:
Pre-batch your cocktails
Make negroni by the litre – just combine equal parts dry London gin,Campari and sweet vermouth. Bottle,seal and refrigerate until required. Serve over ice and garnish with orange peel (if it’s hot,add a dash of soda).
Do the same with a Christmassy punch – cranberry juice,alcoholic or non-alcohol apple cider,dry ginger ale – and serve over ice with sliced oranges and berries. You don’t have to own a punch bowl to do punch.
Delegate
Tell people what you would like them to bring. They love being able to help out,whether it’s with salads and vegetables,booze,cake,plates,cutlery or bonbons.
No turkey? Roast two chooks instead
Rub the birds with butter and sea salt,truss the legs with kitchen string,and roast at 200C fan-forced (220C conventional) for 15 minutes. Drop the oven to 170C fan-forced (190C conventional) for 15 minutes per 500 grams (for example,1.5kg chicken will take 1 hour). Spuds and carrots will cook in the same time.
Or bring Boxing Day forward
Given that everyone loves lazing around on Boxing Day eating leftovers more than they love eating too much on Christmas Day,just skip the big one and go to Plan B with loads of sandwich fillings,cold beers and fruit cake.
Dietaries
Do big platters of roasted summer vegetables with creamy white beans,and pomegranate-studded,lemon-drenched quinoa tabbouleh for those who don’t do meat or wheat.
Dining solo