Christmas is a time to eat, drink, and be merry.
While most spend the festive period at home with their loved ones, Christmas dinner at student accommodation is the highlight for many students. It’s a chance to indulge in tasty food, sip mulled wine, and reminisce on the last 12 months with good company.
If you’re staying at our student accommodation in Ormskirk, here at McComb Students, you’ll have all the facilities you need to create the perfect Xmas meal with all the trimmings.
Here we offer six tips to create a Christmas lunch without breaking the bank.
#1 Think about what you want on your plate
Cooking for everyone at your student accommodation in Ormskirk could turn out to be an expensive task – but a great way to keep your costs down is to find out what everyone wants to eat.
You don’t want to buy Brussels sprouts if no one will eat them, and there’s nothing worse than making a big bowl of sage and onion stuffing if you’re the only one who likes it.
#2 Split the bill
Once you’ve decided on a menu, the next step is to find out how much every housemate is willing to contribute to Christmas dinner and write your shopping list with this in mind.
If you’re trying to do Xmas dinner on a budget, instead of purchasing popular brands, it’s worth swapping to cheaper alternatives. Most supermarket-own brands taste just as good as the big names – and they’re a fraction of the cost!
#3 Pick up your ingredients (and table decorations)
You have a number of options when it comes to buying ingredients.
Someone can pick up everything and divide the costs equally between all housemates, or one person can get the meat whilst another can sort the veggies and Yorkshire puddings, and someone else can buy the cranberry sauce and gravy. Whatever works best for you.
Oh, and don’t forget about the Christmas crackers, festive table runner, placemats, and napkins!
#4 Assign everyone a job
Nobody wants to be slaving in the kitchen all day. To ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible, it’s a sensible idea to divide the tasks when making Christmas dinner.
Whether you’re opting for a traditional turkey or a cheap and cheerful chicken, you need someone to take care of the meat – ensuring that it goes in the oven in plenty of time and is cooked to perfection.
You could prepare the vegetables, whilst another the roasties, and someone else could take care of the tasty extras (i.e. gravy, Yorkshire puddings, pigs in blankets, stuffing, etc.).
If someone doesn’t have a job to do, sign them up for the washing up, drying of pots and pans, and putting away. Or ask them to lay the table.
#5 Give yourself plenty of time
One of the biggest mistakes people make when creating a festive feast is leaving everything to the last minute.
However, with a little planning, you can pick up all your ingredients and freeze them – ready for Christmas dinner at your student accommodation. Just remember to lift them out of the freezer the night before to allow them to defrost.
#6 Don’t forget the festive music
Whether it be in the background whilst you’re unloading the shopping, preparing the veggies, or tucking into your tasty Xmas meal, there is no better way to get into the Yuletide spirit!
If you really wanted, you could create a festive playlist on Spotify and ask your housemates if they have any song requests. Or you could keep it simple and listen to the radio – there’s always Christmas songs played on the run-up to Christmas and on the big day itself.
Make this Christmas the best one yet!
Even if you’ll be spending Christmas Day at home, there are plenty of inexpensive ways you can spread festive cheer at your student accommodation. So, what are you waiting for?
To find out more about our student accommodation in Ormskirk and what you can do to decorate it for your festive get-togethers, feel free to call McComb Students on 01695 422 122 or email info@mccombstudents.com.
