Christmas dinner timetable

Christmas day: lunch to be served at 2:00pm

7.30am

• Preheat the oven and prepare the turkey. Refer to our Guide to Christmas Turkey if necessary.

8.15am

• Make the bread sauce if you haven’t already.
• If you are using a warming oven, put in the required plates and serving dishes.
• Set up coffee and tea trays for later.

11:30am

• Prepare sausages and bacon rolls for cooking. Reheat Bread Sauce and place it in a jug with butter on top to melt over the surface, and keep warm.

Noon:

• Start steaming the Christmas pudding. (Make a traditional recipe or a low-calorie version.)
• If you’re drinking red wine with your meal, you may want to give it time to breathe. Open now.
• You've survived the morning, well done! Pour yourself a glass of bucks fizz to celebrate.

12:45pm:

• Make the roast potatoes and prepare saucepans of boiling water for sprouts and any other vegetables.

1:15pm:

• Remove turkey from oven, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest.

1:30pm:

• Check bacon rolls, remove and keep warm.

1:45pm:

• Put sprouts on to cook and gravy on to heat. While they are cooking, dish up food into serving dishes and carve the turkey.
• Check Christmas pudding.

2:00pm:
Tuck in!

For all festive recipes and step-by-step guides to homemade decorations and activities for the kids, check out our definitive guide to a homemade Christmas.

For Boxing Day

• Inspired ideas for leftovers