It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

It’s a little under a fortnight till Christmas, and while the world is abuzz with the holiday season approaching, it hasn’t hit me yet; not quite.

By now I’d be deep in prep organising where we are going, who is bringing what, and how many people I will be slaving away for, but I think this year, let me choose to be off duty.

One thing I’ve noticed is that if I don’t do anything, nothing ends up getting done, and then I could kick myself.

Am I an undercover control type of person? Before the psychologists try to diagnose me, let’s just say that when it comes to large gatherings, I’d rather oversee events so we have less disappointment on the day.

Plus, my mother will always go: “I told you to make sure everything is sorted.”

So this year, I am on leave.

Proper Planning

If you are me, or worse, as you head into this hectic ‘holiday’ season, you need to ensure that proper planning has been done. Get your Christmas shopping done early, especially for the non-perishables.

So, if you are doing rice, pasta, that sort of thing, get to buying them, as I’d suggest, this weekend, because come Christmas week it’s all chaos.

So make sure you focus on ingredients with a longer shelf life (like root vegetables, herbs and sauces) and back-up essentials you don’t want to run out of (like foil, butter, cling wrap and spices).

Imagine needing foil and the shops are closed. The horror! Get your recipes aligned. If you’re trying something new, and you’re going to have guests, perhaps practise the recipe before, adjust according to how you want it to come out, and don’t forget to write stuff down.

Outsourcing

It’s Christmas, and in all honesty, if I’m hosting 12 people, I’m not going to make bread rolls for 12 people. They know I can bake, the rolls will come from the store. If you have help, great! Stay up the night before sweating over an oven while you eagerly watch rolls proof, rise, proof again, then bake.

It really is a bit much.

An alternative is to do what I do: American style. Like they do on Thanksgiving – give each guest the responsibility of bringing one dish.

It can be coleslaw, garlic rolls, dessert, etc. You can take charge of what you want to shine. Make the main protein for Christmas, and everyone else brings the rest, then you will manage to do what you’re supposed to do over Christmas – spend time with people.

Tone Down on The Drama

Ay man! If you’re the one getting everyone together, tone down on the drama this year. We don’t need five full chickens cooked five ways – stuffed, grilled, smoked, baked, fried and stewed. On top of that, you go and add goat, mutton, pork, the works. I’m just about two proteins. Last year it was chicken and lamb, this year it’s chicken and pork.

But then again, I said I’m taking a back seat … How quick we forget.

It’s Christmas, so roast chicken is definitely a classic. Get some basic but classic flavours, something we will be talking about in our next issue when I share top tried-and-tested Christmas recipes for you to go for with your family if you’re looking for inspiration.

Focus on roasts that cook slowly, one-pan mains, dishes that hold well without drying out.

Let Them Chill

I love a good cocktail as much as the next person, and I’ve come to pride myself in being an excellent home bar keeper. As you build up towards Christmas, stock up on your chasers and drinks as certain things tend to run out towards the day.

And remember it will be a public holiday.

Parting shot from a foodie buddy of mine: “Don’t stress, just add more butter and Aromat, take a deep breath, and enjoy the people in front of you.”

– @msbunny0

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.