Christmas Dinner Planning Timeline: What to Do and When

Hosting Christmas dinner is a lot easier when you aren't doing everything on the 24th. Spread the work over a few weeks with this timeline, and you'll actually get to sit down and enjoy the meal.

3 weeks before

• Finalize your guest list and ask about allergies and dietary needs.
• Plan your menu: one main, three or four sides, bread, a dessert or two and drinks.
• Decide what guests can bring and let them know now.
• Order your turkey, ham or roast if you're buying from a butcher or grocery store.
• Count chairs, plates, glasses and serving dishes, and borrow or buy what's missing.

2 weeks before

• Buy non-perishables: canned goods, baking supplies, spices, drinks, foil and food storage bags.
• Write out every recipe's cooking time and oven temperature so you can spot conflicts.
• Make and freeze anything that freezes well, like pie crusts, cookie dough and rolls.

1 week before

• Deep clean the kitchen and clear out the fridge to make room.
• Plan your table: tablecloth, centerpiece and place cards.
• Make your final grocery list, sorted by store section.

Several days before: thaw the turkey

A frozen turkey thaws in the refrigerator at roughly 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds, so a 20-pound bird needs 4 to 5 days. Put it on a tray on the bottom shelf to catch drips.

2 days before

• Shop for fresh produce, dairy and bread.
• Make cranberry sauce, dips and desserts that keep well.
• Chill drinks and set out serving dishes with sticky notes labeling what goes in each.

The day before

• Chop vegetables, make casseroles and assemble side dishes ready to bake.
• Set the table.
• Write a day-of schedule working backward from dinner time, including oven times.

Christmas Day

• Get the main dish in the oven first, based on its cooking time plus resting time.
• Bake sides while the main rests. Most meats should rest 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
• Warm bread last, and hand off drinks and appetizers to a helper.
• Check your meat with a thermometer instead of guessing. A turkey is done at 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh and the breast.

Keeping the whole season on track? The Holiday Planner & Budget Tracker covers gift lists, budget, meal plans and spending, and the Christmas Party Games Pack keeps guests busy after dinner.