Getting the kitchen ready for Christmas
Last year Christmas was unlike any other.
While we can never be 100% sure of what lies around the corner, it looks as though this Christmas we will be able to gather, once again, with family and/or friends to enjoy extra special food and drink and to celebrate. At this time of year, more so than at other times, kitchens really do come into their own, becoming the heart, soul, and focal point during all the festivities.
However, with all the present wrapping, cleaning, cooking, and decorating to do, Christmas can often feel like a bit of a chore and highly stressful. To avoid this, start early with the preparation. No need to start thinking and planning Christmas as soon as you get back from your summer holidays, but with Halloween and Bonfire Night now out of the way, early December is a great time to start getting your kitchen ready for Christmas ensuring you free up more time for family and friends as the big day approaches.
Declutter:
Space is always a premium in any kitchen and especially at this time of year every little bit of space in cupboards or on the worktop counts. Be strict and be strong. Go through your kitchen cupboards and drawers and get rid of anything you haven’t used over last 12-18 months, check and throw out anything that is out of date and clean as you go. This should free up space for bit and bobs that have made their way onto the worktop but that don’t necessarily need to be there leaving plenty of space for general cooking and preparation of the Christmas dinner and all the other meals over the festive period.
Decorate:
While hanging up decorations in the kitchen is not advisable, Christmas is still a good excuse to do something a little different. A couple of weeks before Christmas, put away the everyday storage jars, cake tins and containers and swap for festive storage items displaying them on shelves or breakfast bar. Ornaments work well in a kitchen as they are small and discreet. Small wooden trees, themed prints, wooden reindeer, and bowls of baubles can be dotted around on windowsills, shelves, and worktops. Try and keep colour and/or theme consistent. Another simple and cost-effective idea is to bring some of the festive outdoors in – collect holly, mistletoe, spruce, and ivy and use on pelmets, cornices, or windowsills. This can suit both rustic and more modern styled kitchens but can only be done a day or so in advance otherwise the foliage will wilt in the heat.
Clean:
Ovens and microwaves work hard over the festive season. A couple of weeks beforehand give them a good clean. Heat a damp sponge in the microwave for a minute or two which will make removing stubborn stains simple. There are lots of oven cleaning products available, but one of the most traditional and effective ways to clean an oven is to firstly wipe over with a damp cloth. Next, sprinkle baking soda and vinegar on the bottom of the oven and leave for a while, then simply wipe away any residue with a damp cloth. Little and often is the key. Even the toughest stains and burnt food will be removed.
Laying up:
If you are lucky enough to have two eating areas ie. dining table and breakfast bar, think carefully about the best use of space. It may sound like a bit of an ordeal with everything else you have to do before Christmas Day, however, if you lay the dining table the day before Christmas Eve or even Christmas Eve morning itself, it will give you plenty of time to ensure you have everything you need before your guests arrive and time to nip out and get anything last minute that you’ve forgotten. This organised approach will also give you time to enjoy the setting of the table and to add any creative festive touches while still having space at the breakfast bar to eat your other meals.
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