With Christmas just a week away, the rush to get everything ready for family and friends to arrive is on!

No need to panic: here's our eatsleepdoodle top tip checklist of ideas and inspirations for everything from Christmas day games, right down to the napkins!  

 

For the kids' table…

Colour & learn world map tablecloth, eatsleepdoodle, £22.95

We all know how long it can take to dish up Christmas dinner, so why not keep the kids busy colouring and learning (and happy!) at the table with eatsleepdoodle’s world map tablecloth.

 

Doodle placemat to go, eatsleepdoodle, £13.95

Another great way of keeping even the littlest ones entertained whilst waiting for  food is with our mealtime fun placemat to go. Why not go a step further and have a  food drawing competition – who can draw the best Christmas pudding?

(No time to make your own pudding this year, see the world’s best Christmas pudding as published by The Independent here)

 

For the adults' table…

Ginger Ray gold Christmas pudding napkins, Paperchase, £4.00

This year why not go for something really different and choose Ginger Ray's gold Christmas pudding napkins - so fab for your Christmas table - because who says napkins have to be plain and square?!

 

Charles Farris dinner candles, John Lewis, £26.00

If your theme is silver rather than gold, add some extra glitter and glisten to your table with these elegant silver candles by Charles Farris - dead stylish!

 

 

 

Copper foil Christmas crackers, Katie Leamon, £35.00

Or add a really different metallic element to your Christmas table with these rose gold crackers from brilliant young designer Katie Leamon. Filled with things like garden twine, plant markers, colouring pencils, seed scoops and a bumble bee soap these Christmas cracker gifts are pretty useful too!

For the entertainment…

Christmas entertainment the name game, talking tables, £8.50

A new take on the 'who am I' game! Save those post-it notes for the office and get into full swing party mode with these fun Christmassy cone hats!

 

Mince spies coaster game, Lakeland, £4.99

Uncover your inner spy and set the family to work with their own secret missions… 

 

 

And most importantly, we can’t forget about the food…

For the mince pies…

A handy little recipe from BBC good food.

Prep time: 45 mins        Cook time: 15 mins        Servings:16 

Ingredients

1. Place 375g plain flour and 260g softened unsalted butter in a bowl and rub together to a crumb consistency.
2. Add 125g caster sugar and 1 large beaten egg, and mix together.
3. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and fold until the pastry comes together, be careful not to over mix.
4. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for 10 mins.
5. Scoop the large jar of mincemeat into a bowl and add 2 segmented satsumas, 1 finely chopped apple and zest of 1 lemon.
6. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
7. Roll out the pastry to 3mm thick.
8. Using a round cutter (about 10cm), cut out 16 bases and place them into muffin trays. Put 1½ tbsp mincemeat mixture into each. Brush the edge of each pie with a little beaten egg.
9. Re-roll out the pastry to cut 7cm lids and press them on top to seal. Glaze with the beaten egg, sprinkle with the extra caster sugar, then make a small cut in the tops.
10. Bake the mince pies for 15-20 mins until golden brown. Leave to cool before releasing them from the muffin trays and dusting with a little more icing sugar before serving.

Check out there handy recipe video here.

 

Don’t panic if baking’s not your thing – check out The Independent online's review of the very best mince pies on the market here.

 

And finally...

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

with all our best wishes from eatsleepdoodle!