There’s a lot of preparation involved in making sure everything goes off without a hitch if you’re looking to host Christmas. We know this can be stressful, so to help you out, we’ve put together our top tips for hosting Christmas.
No1 Property Guide has given thousands the opportunity to host Christmas by getting them into their own home. Take advantage of Darren Walters’ no or low deposit new home system and you too can stop paying rent forever by becoming a homeowner. To start the process, all you need to do is fill in our pre-qualification form. Our team will walk you through every step along the homeownership journey
Plan Ahead for Christmas Day
When you’re hosting Christmas, you need to plan ahead if you want to accommodate all your guests. You’ll need to know how many are coming and what their dietary requirements are. It’ll be a bit of a mood killer if you prepare a beautiful platter of dried fruit and nuts, only to find out someone has a severe nut allergy.
Stocking Up for Your Friends & Family
Once you have the numbers, stock the fridge and pantry with all the food and drinks you’ll need for the big day. Buy all your non-perishables well in advance and leave everything else until about a week before Christmas. Waiting until a day or two beforehand is a risky idea, as the supermarkets will likely be sold out of the essentials.
Hopefully, you’ve got enough storage for all your food and drinks. Depending on how big your Christmas is going to be, you might need to get creative with where you’re going to put it all. Eskies and the classic ‘outside’ fridge are great solutions. Or you can have your guests bring their own eskies and ice to help keep drinks cool throughout the day.
Is There Enough Room for Your Guests?
Do you have enough chairs for all your guests, and will they all fit around the table? If not, try re-arranging the room to create more space. While most dinners you’d want to have everyone seated around the table, Aussie Christmases are a lot more casual. Try moving the table to one side and putting a smaller table near the chairs so everyone can still sit and relax.
If it’s going to be a bit cramped inside, it might be time to move the party outside. Australian summers can be unforgiving and sitting in direct sunlight is not going to go over well. If you’ve got a patio, move your tables and chairs under it and set up for the day there instead. With the breeze outside and some cold drinks, you’ll be able to stay cool all day, even with the summer heat.
Don’t have your Christmas limited by your rental’s layout. No1 Property Guide has a range of house designs and floor plans available, including outdoor entertainment areas, patios and open plan living. Fill in our pre-qualification form to find out how you can have your own patio area and an open floor plan to host Christmas in.
How Will You Entertain Your Guests?
How do you plan on entertaining your guests for the day? Food and family might be the main attraction, but you’ll need to organise a way to keep the good times going with fun and games. If it’s a family event, keep the kids happy with toys, puzzles and some outdoor games. Of course, one of the best ways to enjoy your Christmas, and the entire summer season, is with a dip in the pool!
A pool can turn a standard party into the pinnacle of summertime fun. Don’t let being in a rental be the reason you can’t enjoy a swim on Christmas day. Talk to the New Home Consultants here at No1 Property Guide about getting your own home—swimming pool included.
Delegate What you Need
Don’t think you need to take care of everything on your own. Delegate some of the duties to your guests. Need chairs? Ask your guests to bring some. Need games? Ask around to see what they have on hand. Have your guests bring some food, speaking of…
What’s on the Menu for Christmas Lunch & Dinner
Let’s get down to the main event, food. Organise a menu of a wide variety of dishes, so everyone can get their favourite. Whether you’re a fan of the massive Christmas lunch, a class dinner, or a mix of both, there’s something for everyone this festive season.
Start with the Snacks
You’ll want to start with grazing boards. Create a platter of finger foods that your guests can grab from whenever they’d like. To make everyone happy, offer a wide variety of snacks. Here’s a couple of time-tested favourites that are sure to be a hit:
- Cheeses
- Crackers
- Dried & Fresh Fruit
- Lollies
- Dips
- Chocolate
- Chips
- Nuts
- Pretzels
Put your snacks front and centre, before or after the main meal, they’re are always a fan favourite at any Christmas party.
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The Main Meal
Now we move on to the sit-down portion of the day. Through a mixture of sides and main meals, you can make sure everyone gets something they’ll like.
The traditional roast is a safe bet. Chicken, beef, lamb, pork, you’ve got a host of options to choose from. You’re not limited to just one kind of meat, only by the capacity of your kitchen and how much your guests can eat. We recommend cooking the day before, so you can spend your Christmas day in comfort.
Roast potatoes are a staple, but you can add many roasted options such as pumpkin, carrot, onion, mushroom, capsicum, and any vegetable you feel like cooking.
No Aussie Christmas is complete without prawns. Fresh seafood is a must on Christmas day, and your guests will love peeling and biting into some cold prawns with delicious dipping sauces throughout the day.
You’ve also got a variety of bakes you can choose from as well. Potato bakes, tuna bakes and pasta bakes are a welcome addition to any dinner table.
Bring Out the Dessert
The favourite part of any meal—dessert. Stock your fridge and freezer up with the sugary treats everyone likes. You could keep it simple with ice cream, custard, and a store-bought apple pie. Or, go all out and make some delectable desserts of your own. Some classics that never go astray include:
- Caramel tart
- Christmas pudding
- Trifle
- Chocolate mousse
- Pavlova
- Cheesecake
At the end of the day, make whatever will bring you and your guests joy. Ultimately hosting Christmas is limited by the size of your kitchen, fridge, and pantry. So, you’ll want to plan out your kitchen space, otherwise, you might have trouble on Christmas day.
If you want to be hosting Christmas in your own home and you don’t have one, you’ll need a way to get into the market. And that’s where No1 Property Guide can help.
Many of our clients felt that they didn’t have the ability to get out of the rental market and become homeowners, but that all changed when they talked to No1 Property Guide. Using Darren’s no or low deposit new home system we have given thousands of renters the opportunity to get their own home and say goodbye to landlords forever.
To get your new home options, fill in our pre-qualification form and our team will walk you through the homeownership journey from start to finish.
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