I like to serve a meal that requires very little last minute effort. And I think it is a great idea to spread the workload. The host has a lot to do: making sure the house is looking its best, laying an attractive Christmas table and preparing the meal. So it pays huge dividends to be organised well in advance.

This means plan, plan, plan. Make lists. Make sure that your grocery list includes everything that you will need for the big day. The shops and roads are busy at this time and you don’t want to waste precious time returning several times to the supermarket to get the odd item you have forgotten to purchase. There is nothing more frustrating than discovering that a critical ingredient is not in the pantry. So, take extra time and be thorough in writing your last grocery list.

One easy way to spread the workload is to ask your guests to bring contributions to the meal. Most people are more than willing to prepare a salad, a vegetable dish or a dessert. You probably don’t want to end up with three or four lettuce salads. So be specific about the type of salad you would like them to bring: a pasta salad, a rice salad, a green salad, a roast vegetable salad, etc. As you are the one hosting the meal, by being specific, you will be able to achieve a nice balance.

Consider spreading the workload by having a barbecue. In most families the men love to barbecue. Make the most of this girls by providing opportunities for your men to get creative. If your barbecue has a lid there is no limit to the main meat dishes your partner could cook for your family and friends: a fillet of beef, a roast of lamb, the traditional Christmas turkey or a hot barbecued baked ham. The other advantage in using the barbecue is that not all the hard work is happening in the kitchen!

In choosing the foods to include on your Christmas Day menu, try to think of fabulous looking and tasting foods that can be prepared well in advance, so that you don’t end up finally arriving at the Christmas table absolutely wiped out. I believe that Christmas Day is for everyone to enjoy. Certain salads, meats and desserts can be prepared on Christmas Eve and safely refrigerated overnight, so that they can simply be served, or reheated and served, the next day. Also try to think of colourful foods to include. My darling mother used to say “we eat with our eyes,” and certainly appetising-looking foods will be much more appealing.