Christmas Dinner Hosting Plan: A Make-Ahead Timeline and the Gear That Makes It Easy

If you hosted Thanksgiving, you already know the hard part of a holiday dinner isn't any one recipe. It's getting everything hot, safe and on the table at the same time while people are standing in your kitchen.

Christmas dinner is a great place to use what you learned. This plan keeps things simple: one centerpiece roast, sides you make ahead and a few pieces of gear that take pressure off the oven. If you need the cleanup side, our Thanksgiving hosting and cleanup kit works just as well in December.

1. The Christmas dinner timeline

One week before

• Finalize the guest count and menu. Ask about allergies.
• Order the roast or ham from your butcher or grocery store.
• Check that you have enough chairs, plates and serving dishes.

Three to four days before

• Thaw a frozen roast or ham in the refrigerator (allow about 24 hours per 4 to 5 pounds).
• Shop for everything else.

Two days before

• Make cranberry sauce, pie dough and any dressing you can refrigerate.
• Clean out the fridge to make room.

The day before

• Assemble casseroles and make-ahead sides, cover and refrigerate.
• Set the table and label serving dishes with sticky notes.

Christmas Day

• Take the roast out of the fridge about an hour before it goes in the oven.
• Start the slow cooker sides early in the day.
• Bake casseroles while the roast rests.
• Make gravy from the pan drippings and carve last.

2. Gear for the roast

TempPro TempTrack leave-in thermometer

A leave-in probe is the most useful tool for a big roast. The probe stays in the meat while the display sits outside the oven, and an alarm goes off when you hit your target temperature, so you don't keep opening the door and letting heat out.

ThermoPro TP19H instant-read thermometer

Use an instant-read thermometer to double-check the thickest part of the roast in a couple of spots before you pull it, and to check reheated sides.

Cuisinart 16-inch roasting pan with rack

A heavy roasting pan with a rack lifts the roast out of the drippings so it browns evenly, and those drippings go straight into your gravy. It's big enough for a full rib roast or a large ham.

Regency butcher's twine

Tying a roast keeps it in an even shape so it cooks evenly. Cotton twine is oven safe and handy for trussing poultry and bundling herbs too.

3. Carving like a pro

Let the roast rest on a cutting board for at least 15 to 20 minutes before carving. It will still be hot, and the juices settle back into the meat.

Teakhaus teak carving board with juice groove

A deep juice groove around the edge catches drippings so they don't run onto your counter or tablecloth. Teak is a durable, attractive wood that looks good enough to carve at the table.

What to know: hand wash and dry it right away, and oil it now and then with food-safe mineral oil.

BLACK+DECKER electric carving knife

An electric knife makes thin, even slices of roast, ham or turkey without sawing. It's also great for slicing bread.

4. Make-ahead sides that free up the oven

The oven is the bottleneck on Christmas Day. Move as many sides as you can to the slow cooker and the day before.

Crock-Pot 7-quart slow cooker

A big slow cooker can hold mashed potatoes, a ham or a batch of mulled cider and keep them warm on the counter so the oven is free for the roast. Use the warm setting once the food is cooked.

OXO 9x13 glass baking dish with lid

Assemble a casserole the day before, snap on the lid and refrigerate it. On Christmas Day it goes straight into the oven (remove the lid first and follow the dish's care instructions about temperature changes).

5. Serving and keeping it warm

LE TAUCI gravy boats

Two gravy boats mean one at each end of the table and less passing. The saucers catch drips.

Elite Gourmet buffet server

A two-pan buffet server keeps sides warm on the counter so people can serve themselves. It's useful for Christmas morning brunch and New Year's Eve too.

6. Leftovers

Pyrex Simply Store glass containers

Divide leftovers into shallow containers so they cool quickly, and get them in the fridge within two hours. Glass containers go from fridge to microwave, and you can send guests home with a plate.

Christmas dinner hosting checklist

• Roast ordered and thaw plan set
• Leave-in thermometer and instant-read thermometer
• Roasting pan, rack and twine
• Carving board and knife
• Slow cooker and make-ahead casseroles
• Gravy boats and serving dishes labeled
• Containers ready for leftovers

Shopping for the cook in your family? See our kitchen gifts for people who cook and DIY Christmas gift baskets. After the holidays, our January pantry reset will help you get the kitchen back in order.