An Australian Christmas lunch is a beautiful kind of chaos: 34 degrees, three generations, a pavlova, an esky full of prawns, and at least one person who’s “just bringing a salad” and arrives with a watermelon.
This free planner won’t stop the chaos, but it will help you organise it.
In our family, I’m the one who does the big spread: my 13-hour lamb with its jus, trays of focaccia, and a tower of profiteroles to finish. This is the planner I use to keep it all on track.
Christmas lunch planner
guests and dietary needs, the menu, who’s bringing what and a countdown
Download the Christmas lunch planner (PDF, A4)What’s on it
- Guest list, with a column for each guest’s dietary needs
- The menu: starters, mains, sides, desserts and drinks
- Who’s bringing what, so you don’t end up with four potato salads
- A countdown: two weeks out, one week out, Christmas Eve and the day itself
- A shopping list, grouped by aisle, with a “don’t forget the ice” reminder
For the table itself, print our matching menu and place cards.
Christmas menu and place cards
a menu card for the table and a place card for every guest
Download the Christmas menu and place cards (PDF, A4)The countdown
Two weeks out
- Confirm numbers and ask about dietary needs
- Plan the menu and share the “who’s bringing what” list
- Order anything that sells out: the ham, the seafood, the special cheese
One week out
- Do the big shop for pantry and drinks
- Check you have enough chairs, plates and eskies
- Make anything that freezes
Christmas Eve
- Pick up the fresh food
- Prep the salads and desserts that keep overnight
- Chill everything. Then chill some more
Christmas Day
- Set up the shade before the guests arrive
- Cook, graze, nap, repeat
Guests who eat differently
Christmas is when every dietary need in the extended family arrives at once. A few tips:
- Ask early, and write each person’s needs on the guest list
- Make a few dishes that suit everyone, rather than a special plate for one person
- Label the dishes on the table, and keep packaging handy so guests can check ingredients themselves
Always check ingredients and allergen labels, especially for guests with allergies.
Where My Tomte helps
My Tomte keeps your friends’ and family’s dietary needs on file, and planning a meal around guests is coming soon to Premium. Plan the meal, and the shopping list writes itself.
Christmas lunch planner
guests and dietary needs, the menu, who’s bringing what and a countdown
Download the Christmas lunch planner
