Ok...calling out to all those really creative folk on here...


I am having Christmas at our house this year for the first time.....I really want some ideas on either themes or food I can cook or ways that people have decorated their tables etc.

I dont have a creative bone in my body but would like it to look like I have to my family


Can anyone give me some really good ideas? Please?

Hels

I don't know anything about cooking but why don't you try a 'winter theme' and make your place as wintery as possible.

Hard when its hot I know, but I dream to have a white Christmas. Get the old spray snow for your windows, make your tables as Christmassy as possible.

You might be able to buy those mini lanterns for your table (Victorian style).

I appreciate it will be hot, but you can still have the 'cold wintery theme'

Why don't you do the traditional turkey roast dinner, thats if you werent already planning it. My husband is a chef and could give you some ideas for menus etc.

You may be planning a BBQ if the temperature will be hot, but just turn up the air con and do a traditional dinner.

Do the old mulled wine and mince pie thingy.

Something different anyway. Let me know if you want any recipes and stuff and I can ask Abdel.

Thanks PP...

Any recipes are greatfully received. Cooking is something I can do....but am hoping to do something just a little bit special....

I dont have a huge oven and there will be 11 of us for lunch so really need something that I can possibly prepare the day before OR we do have a webber bbq...so might actually cook the meat on there if I go down that track...

It does get pretty hot here for Christmas but I guess there is the AC that can make it feel a little colder...Although that will feel weird to my family as no one but me has experienced a Northern Hemisphere Christmas...hehe

Thanks so much for your ideas...

Hels

Abdel in the past has bought Turkey breasts (our oven is small) and the night before has done the prep.

He cooks them with lemon and garlic, plus other bits I cant remember.

Very nice anyway.

I shall ask him tomorrow.

Thanks for that...I appreciate it!!

Hi Hels,
I spoke to another girl about this at a meet we went to and we decided we actually did like xmas in uk so what we would do is put on a/c make a proper roast coz all in prep. Enjoy lots of alcohol only difference being once we have done dinner and prezzies we can all go outside watch the kids on their new bikes and go swimming.... Yeh !! we would go for reds and greens to make it really christmassy too .... you can definately decorate to make a feel for the day
How funny my hubby too is a chef just like pp and she was saying about a/c too ..... how spooky lol.
Nice people will make your xmas too.
Love Jane xx

Its true, good food and good company is all you need.

I have always had 3 dreams,

1. For a white Christmas - snow on Christmas day

2. For a whippet to win Crufts Dog show (Im a vet nurse), and it did and it happened to be the crufts I was working at AND I got seats in the main ring to see it!

3. To get my Aussie Visa

One down, two to go.

Best Christmas pressie I could have is a positive TRA for hubby and a good pass in the IELTS test.

White Christmas, well thats a bonus.

Hey Hels, do you have a dusk near you? They do the most gorgeous tablepiece for a candle, Im going to buy 2 of those for the table & then dress it from there, plain white table cloth, going to find some red silk & put a strip down the centre as a runner, plain white plates, red napkins, red flower inside the wine glasses & green holly leaves.

Or go gold, white tablecloth, gold runner, white placemats & gold napkins etc.

As for food, you could go traditional, depends if you are planning on exhausting yourself :scared: , I would go cold seafood, cold turkey etc etc (you know your family will be used to it & it will feel "xmasy" to them at least). Give hubby something to do & get him to make a xmas pudding to make him feel at home.

You'll have a ball girl .

Hi pp,
Well white christmas eh!!!! apparently I have heard we are in for a hell of a winter.... think we have been lucky so far. so you never know maybe our last xmas living here will be a white one.
Jane x

Dusk? Nope...not heard of it....Do they have a website?

I had already planned on ordering the fresh prawns....but what do you serve with your cold meats? Would like to do something a little different to your standard salads??

As for the Chrissy pud...my sister makes the worlds BEST rum & raison ice cream cake which she will be bringing for the day....

I have tried to do a google search for ideas but as yet havent found anything worth considering.....

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. Will definatl be considering all of them...

My niece makes a really nice salad with couscous (& Im not even a big fan of couscous, but it is delicious!), or what about tabboeleh (I dont know how to spell it!), my sister in law makes a nice one of those, apart from that what about a warm salad, like roasted chat, roasted garlic, bacon & baby spinach? YUM!

Oooops, forgot dusk http://www.dusk.com.au/ , they dont show you any stock online, but there are definitely stores in Melb for when you head down there next.

Oh they sound yummy....

These ideas are great!! Not a big fan of couscous either but friends in the UK made a nice salad with it and I really enjoyed it...

Can you get me the recipe of your nieces?? Pweeze??

I'll see what I can do .

I know this is a wee bit off topic and probably a ridiculous question, but I just wanted to check if "Santa Claus" comes to Australia? Also do they have Halloween? Alright, I never claimed to be brilliant...stop laughing at me and please answer the question.

Cheers
nicanjoe

Rocket and red onion salad with parmesan shavings. Roasted tomatoes with a balsamic dressing. roasted vegetable cous cous salad. Cold ham ([prepare a couple of days before and keep in the fridge and hot chicken on the BBQ. I get some oven ready chickens and lift the skin by placing your hands underneath it and gently pulling it away from the flesh. Mix together some butter with herbs and garlic and place under the skin. Leave in fridge for a couple of hours. I then put each chicken in a casserole dish with a lid and put on high heat in microwave for 20 minutes for a medium bird. Then place on a kettle bbq for about another 20 mins basting it from time to time. Perfect chicken!

You could also do some homemade chutneys for later in the day with some really good cheese.

If you want any of the recipes let me know.

Vanessa