Preparation

Order what you need to in advance: there’s nothing worse than spending Christmas Eve queuing in Tesco for the last turkey. If you want your order to be ready for Christmas you need to place it in advance, so decide what delicacies you're going to need and order from your butcher or supermarket.

If you’re no Nigella, ask your butcher or search the web for tips on cooking your turkey.

If you fancy yourself as a bit of a master chef why not try something different, like oysters or a home-made chocolate log?

If you just fancy a change, find your recipes well in advance. Even a different way of cooking your vegetables, a different sauce or a new kind of stuffing will give your traditional Christmas dinner an edge.

Christmas is one time of the year when the diet goes completely out of the window and anything goes, so enjoy your Christmas feast without feeling guilty (that’s what the other 364 days of the year are for).