A mother from Hertfordshire has shared her secret to a completely relaxed Christmas Day: cooking the entire festive dinner a full month in advance. Claire Gillies, 47, from Harpenden, claims her meticulous preparation method saves her a staggering three hours of kitchen work on December 25th.
The 18-Year Tradition for a Calmer Christmas
Claire, who runs a family meal plan company called Delicious and Real and works part-time as a teacher, has been using this system for the past 18 years. Her motivation was simple: she grew tired of being stuck in the kitchen while her family enjoyed themselves. "I used to be that mum stuck in the kitchen while everyone else was laughing and opening presents," Claire explained. "I thought, this is ridiculous, I'm missing the fun part of Christmas."
Her solution was to start her Christmas preparations at the beginning of November, tackling one element of the meal each week. Everything except the fresh turkey is cooked and then stored in her chest freezer, ready to be defrosted and finished on the day. The entire feast, which feeds her family of six with leftovers for Boxing Day, costs her just £65.55.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Advanced Prep
Claire's process is detailed and designed to minimise last-minute stress. She peels and part-boils potatoes, carrots, and parsnips before freezing them. "On Christmas morning, I just take them out of the freezer and roast them from frozen, and they'll come out perfectly golden," she said.
Even Brussels sprouts get special treatment. Claire peels them while watching television, then freezes them to be microwaved with butter and pepper on the day, preventing them from going soggy. She also makes her own cranberry sauce, gravy from vegetable peelings, mince pies, and even signature pigs in blankets stuffed with brie and cranberry sauce—all ahead of time.
"The only things I wash on the day are the oven tray. No pans, no mess, no piles of dishes, it's bliss," Claire stated.
The Tangible Time and Money Savings
By spreading the work and cost over six weeks, Claire hardly notices the effort or financial outlay. She spends roughly £10.93 per week on vegetables in the lead-up. The time saved on Christmas Day is significant and comes from numerous small tasks completed in advance.
- Sausage rolls: 20 minutes saved.
- Mincemeat & pies: 10-25 minutes saved.
- Cranberry sauce: 15 minutes saved.
- Root vegetables: 20 minutes of peeling and boiling saved.
- Pigs in blankets: 10 minutes saved.
- Sprouts with lardons: 30 minutes saved.
- Gravy: 30 minutes saved.
- Washing up: 30 minutes saved.
The total saving amounts to around three hours, which Claire now spends relaxing with her husband Rob, 51, and their two children, Evie, 18, and Sam, 15.
"I get to wake up, have a proper breakfast, open presents with everyone, then we all take the dog for a walk," she described. "By the time we get back, I just put everything in the oven. It's so relaxed now, and I actually enjoy it much more. Christmas should be about enjoying time together, not scrubbing pots and pans."
