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Kitchen Christmas Countdown

The countdown to Christmas has begun!

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 as the big day approaches.

For most, Christmas is all about family and friends and with that comes food, drink, and spending time together at home. The one room in the house that works harder than any other at this time of the year is the kitchen. Whether socialising, entertaining, preparing, cooking, or eating the kitchen needs to be able to handle it all! So, if it’s your time to host this year, below are some reminders on what needs to be done.

Clean and clear:

Before starting the cooking and baking for Christmas, take time to do a proper clean of your kitchen. Declutter the worktops, make sure all appliances are working and clean, wipe down the inside of your cabinets and drawers and wash down the floor. Go through the cupboards and get rid of any out-of-date food – this will help make space for the additional food you’ll need to store over the holiday period.

Stock up on staples:

With visitors coming and going and a busier than usual diary, it pays to be organised over the Christmas period. With more cooking and baking going on than usual, it makes sense to keep plenty of staple foods to hand such as eggs, flour, sugar, butter, milk as well as a range of non-perishable foods such as rice, pasta, and canned foods so that you can prepare anything at the drop of a hat.

Style and décor:

Christmas lights aren’t just for the tree, they can be used around the home, and especially in the kitchen. Try arranging around cabinets, behind the oven or stove or on the windowsill. Wreaths aren’t just for the front door they also work well in the kitchen introducing a pop of colour. Create a Christmas-themed centrepiece on the kitchen table, breakfast bar or island either filling a bowl with candy canes and candles or a vase with holly branches, mistletoe or a poinsettia.


Lay 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.


Temporary bar:

If you have a storage / shelved area in your kitchen, remove everyday items and create a dazzling display space for coloured glassware, and a selection of beautiful bottles and your favourite drinks. Finish off with some twinkling lights or candles. Keeping these attractive items out on display rather than hidden away creates a warm and hospitable feeling.


With just a little forward planning and a bit of effort, following these tips should ensure a more stress-free festive period providing more time to relax with family and friends.

21st Nov 2022