A crocodile kind of Christmas Feast

FESTIVE SEASON

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Read on for tips on organising the best Christmas Lunch. Image: Supplied

Whether you are a traditional Christmas Lunch host or the one who likes to surprise their guests, read on for some great tips to make this a Christmas feast to remember!

Visualisation is good to project and trigger where there might be pitfalls. Walk yourself through the day in your mind imagining what will happen from the moment guests arrive. Welcome drinks? Canapés and nibbles, Christmas lunch and table layouts.

Be careful about over compensating and ordering massive amount of food. Remember, it is only one day and the supermarkets are open on Boxing Day.

The following points should help your day run smoothly and avoid any last minute glitches to ensure that you Christmas is, indeed, a merry one (in more ways than one!).

Table set-up

When you have an influx of guests, it is easy to be caught out. To avoid guests eating off their laps with their fingers and drinking out of plastic cups just 

  • Uptown Hire rents out everything you might require including chairs, tables, cooking equipment, plates and cutlery. Contact them today to get this organised in time. Phone 4098 2144.
  • Or shop local and treat yourself to some new glasses and plates. Try Port Douglas Hospitality Supplies or With Sugar for some beautiful options.

Festive Drinks

A very important aspect of Christmas – cold drinks!

  • Ensure you have enough ice cubes/bags.
  • Consider buying a back up fridge for drinks (look on Port Douglas Mossman Buy Swap and Sell for those second hand cheapies).
  • For a simpler solution fill the bath with ice and put the beers in, or buy some eski’s – the polystyrene ones work equally as well for the day and won’t break the bank.


Don’t just concentrate on the alcoholic ones. Remember you might have children, non-drinkers, and designated drivers. Make it fun for them.

  • Kafir and kombucha drinks make healthy and great alternatives.
  • Why not fancy it up with some mocktails (you can easily add alcohol to the basic mix to make them fully fledged cocktails!).
  • Don’t forget to stock up on any mixers – Soda waters, coke, lemonade, tonics, cranberry juice or orange juice.

Christmas Lunch

  • Pre-check any dietary requirements with guests. A little bit of homework will save a guest feeling embarrassed and ending up staring glumly at a forlorn lettuce leaf.
  • Buying local will ensure that you get great tasting, locally grown foods, some that can’t be found in local supermarkets and you’ll be helping local producers at the same time.
  • If you do have any dietary requirements (that does include meat) Malone’s Butchers in Port Douglas, can ensure that you don’t stuff up by ensuring their stuffing is made to suit all diets.
  • Fresh produce (and exotic fruit) can be bought at Port Douglas Markets (Sunday), Mossman markets (Saturday) or Scomazzon’s (just past Mossman).
  • Remember to check that your turkey will fit in your oven.
  • Don’t be that sad Christmas story where you hit the depths of depression because you forgot the mustard or the cranberry sauce, remember to add the important accessories to your shopping list.
  • If fresh local prawns are your preferred feast for Christmas then keep your eyes peeled for when the local prawn boats pull in to the Crystalbrook Port Douglas Marina.
  • Or surprise your guests with a truly Tropical North Queensland Christmas feast and cook up some crocodile sausages or tail from Malone's butchery. This locally sourced treat will for sure be a talking point at the dinner table!


Fun & Games

Everyone likes a fun Christmas Day.

  • You can find some wonderful floating games for the pool in shops in and around Port Douglas.
  • Create your own – ping pong (throw numbered balls into the pool and see who can pull out the highest number); Scavenger hunt – throw sinking items into the pool and see who collects the most; Whirlpool – everyone run round in a circle and then ride the current; Bobbing Heads – based on whack a mole see how many heads can be ‘knocked’ with a pool noodle when they pop up.
  • If you don't have a pool then water fights are perfect to keep cool in the tropics – great for adults and children alike. If you fancy a water balloon fight – buy a pack of 100 biodegradeable ones that are recyclable and easy to fill from bunchoballoons.com.

 

Finishing Touches


Making Christmas Day that extra memorable can be created with attention to detail.

  • For more of a festive feel add some decorative Christmas cheer by using balloons. Biodegradeable latex balloons can be found with decorative Christmas trees, snowflakes and fireworks from thepartypeople.com.au.
  • For a stunning table centrepiece use tropical palm leaves from the garden and spray silver or gold. 



Do you have any tips for preparing a delicious Christmas Lunch? Let us know in the comments below!

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