Melissa Doyle

Big or small, Christmas is about togetherness, and for Melissa Doyle, the sprawling size of her gathering means part of the fun is the planning in the lead-up to the big day. Sometime in November, she takes an afternoon to sit down and itemise everything she will need.

“My whole life is lists,” Melissa says. She relishes the challenge of coming up with something surprising and delicious, and showing her family how much she loves them by presenting a luscious, varied table of food.

“If I make this amazing dessert that looks gorgeous and I’ve spent all day doing it, it’s like: ‘Guys! I love you. Look what I did for you.’ I just really love that.

“We all get involved and do different things. I love sharing meals,” she adds. “It’s one of the most simple, genuine things you can do. The more time and effort I put into the food I make is a reflection of love.”