Our favourite tips and tricks for Christmas dinner

• Mix homemade food with shop bought buys to save a lot of preparation time on Christmas morning

• Cook gravy, sauces, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and stuffing in advance, freeze and reheat on the day

• Chop vegetables the day before and place in cold water before cooking on Christmas morning, or alternatively, parboil them ready for roasting

• Invest in a steamer with multiple baskets for cooking veg and it will take up just one ring on the hob • For super moist meat, brine the turkey overnight in a bucket of water infused with peppercorns, sea salt flakes, cinnamon, cloves, mustard seeds, onions, ginger, parsley and orange juice. Then turn it upside down in the roasting tin so it bastes itself while cooking • Add a dash of port, sherry, soy sauce, cranberry sauce or a handful of fresh herbs to jazz up the gravy

• Cook mulled wine or cider in a slow cooker on the worktop to keep all those precious gas rings free for dinner. A slow cooker is also a great way to keep veggies warm if they are ready before the turkey (just don’t forget to take the wine out first!)

• Set your table on Christmas Eve which will give you time to do all those fancy touches you might not have time for on the big day.