Tis the season and one of the best parts of the festive season is Christmas dinner. Whether you’re spending it with family, friends or even just by yourself at home, Christmas dinner is an opportunity to spoil yourself and show love through nourishment.

Being responsible for Christmas dinner can feel daunting, especially if you are a first timer. However, whatever you decide to do, there are three key mistakes to avoid— and I promise everything else will be infinitely easier.

“What mistakes?” you ask. Well, here they are:

Not confirming the guests attending and their dietary restrictions ahead of time.

This is the most important mistake to avoid. No one wants to pour their blood, sweat and tears into a dinner only for a guest to announce that there’s nothing on the table they can eat. Not only does it make it seem like you didn’t really think (or perhaps care) about your guests, but it will also fluster you as you scramble to prepare something that caters for said guest.

To avoid this, make a guest list. As simple as it sounds, writing down a list of guests and having them confirm their attendance with their dietary requirements will ensure that everyone will have something to eat, which is the first step to having a great time.

Not leaving enough time to plan the menu and purchase all required ingredients and/ or table decorations (if you’re having any).

Once you have the number of attending guests and their respective dietary requirements confirmed, then comes the fun part: planning the menu. This entirely depends on your budget and culinary preferences. I like to keep things simple and work my way down from the list below:

1. Salad
2. Soup
3. Pasta
4. 1 Main dish
5. 2 Starch sides
6. 2 Vegetable sides
7. 2 Desserts

I know this sounds like a lot, but I am a firm believer of spending at least 2 hours at the dinner table over Christmas. It’s one of the few times during the year where most people finally have time to bond with their loved ones — and what better way to do it than over ‘breaking bread’?

Once you’ve decided on a menu, buy your ingredients as soon as you can. Remember, you’re not the only one preparing Christmas dinner and ingredients run out fast as the big day approaches. I can’t even count the number of times I have spent rushing from store to store trying to secure a good piece of roast beef or even something as simple as Brussel sprouts. Save yourself the drama. Get your ingredients early.

And lastly, let’s be honest. A huge part of the charm of the festive season are the colourful decorations that make an appearance once a year. I can be a type-A perfectionist when lightning strikes and decorations on the table will always make the meal look appetizing (we eat first with our eyes). It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate either. Sometimes just red candles and candy canes scattered on the table will do the trick.

Not factoring moments of whimsy and fun.

In preparing for the big she-bang (i.e., dinner), it’s easy to forget about those moments of whimsy and fun that can elevate even the most uninspiring dinner menu. Depending on your family or group of friends, you can definitely factor in some really creative moments for your guests (this is an excellent idea for those that will be in the kitchen completing final preparations).

Games, unique drink pairings (can be alcoholic or not), light creative activities (for instance, having guests make simple decorations for the table as they socialize over drinks) are just some ideas you can incorporate so the evening isn’t only about food, but about the experience. Some might include a bonfire in the back yard. Whatever you choose, don’t be afraid to let it reflect you and your personality (remember: your guests confirmed, so they must already like you).

Apart from those three, truly anything can happen (including mistakes) and you’ll still have a pretty decent dinner party on your hands.

For some helpful tips to make sure it goes smoothly, see below:

1. Don’t be afraid to ask guests to bring an item from the menu (or take them up on their offer if they ask if they can bring anything). Get them invested in the evening.
2. Set the table the night before.
3. If you can, make some items from the menu the day before to ease the pressure off you on the day.

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