A tip particularly relevant this year, you might want to consider how many times you're exposing yourself to others. Martha encourages people to skip overcrowded stores and instead buy as many grocery and pantry items as possible online or by phone from local stores that deliver or offer collection. "Not only is this a great safety precaution, but it can also help save you precious time," she says on her website.
Martha suggests taking inventory of your liquor cabinet well in advance. Plan what cocktails or drinks you might be serving and restock mixers, including tonic water. Martha also suggests chilling a few bottles of Champagne ahead of time.
Find inspiration from these 20 easy three-ingredient cocktails
"Everyone wants their turkey to be moist throughout, but that often turns out to not be the result – by the time the legs are cooked, the breast may well have dried out," Martha says on her website. Instead she suggests roasting your bird upside down. The secret lies in placing your bird on a buttered loaf of ciabatta, which helps the meat to cook evenly.
Christmas is not about serving the perfect meal, it's about being together and spreading festive cheer. Giada encourages home cooks to let kids help with the baking and involve any other family members in little tasks so you can focus on the main things to do. "Pick out a fun recipe you can make together," Giada says and enjoy the time you spend together.
Try this adorable gingerbread men recipe that doubles up as reindeers too
If you still have stale panettone just past its best, don't worry, it's not destined for the bin. Giada's trick to make panettone last a little longer includes turning it into a whole new dessert with fruit, cream and mascarpone.
You can also use stale panettone in this festive take on a bread pudding
Whether it's a soup, a stew or even braised meat, Giada's top tip is to add Parmesan rind into the pot and let it simmer. It brings a salty, umami-rich depth to any dish and you'll get the most out of the cheese too instead of throwing it out.
It's totally fine to want to try something else as the Christmas centrepiece instead of turkey. Beef tenderloin is a great alternative. It'll feed a crowd, it's quick and it's "heaven on a fork", according to Ree.
Nobody likes dry ham, but unfortunately, it's easily done with this Christmas staple. The Pioneer Woman says you're better off choosing a bone-in ham and one that's not pre-cut as they tend to dry out in the oven really easily. "You'll also want to cover the ham with foil as it bakes to keep it nice and moist," she says and remember to cook it low and slow. A glaze, although not essential, will make a lot of difference.
Whether you like your cranberry sauce sweet and smooth or tart and chunky, it's a Christmas staple and fortunately for leftover sauce, breakfast loves cranberries. For the ultimate festive breakfast the day after Christmas, transform it into a sweet sauce to spoon over pancakes, waffles or French toast. Simply heat the leftover cranberry sauce with pure maple syrup in a saucepan until it thickens. You'll be rewarded with the most amazing aroma too.
"If you only do one thing, rest your turkey," says the famous chef. Once your bird is cooked, make sure you've factored in at least 45 minutes for it to rest in a warm place. This lets the meat relax and ensures the turkey stays moist.
Gordon suggests parboiling and steam-drying your potatoes first, before roasting them in duck or goose fat. For the ultimate crunch, gently shake the potatoes to create fluffy edges that will crisp up while roasting and finish with a sprinkling of semolina – this will add a heavenly crunch to the potatoes.
There's enough pressure on Christmas Day to be perfect so don't add anymore with overly complicated recipes. Gordon suggests keeping it simple with classic flavour combinations everyone loves – think honey-glazed carrots and parsnips, Brussels sprouts with bacon and spiced red cabbage.
The Barefoot Contessa says the key to stress-free holidays is potentially skipping the first course altogether. Ina suggests serving the main first and then filling the table with a cheeseboard and a green salad before finishing the night with a decadent dessert. "Now I'm not sitting and eating my soup while I'm wondering how in the world I'm going to carve the meat and get everything hot to the table," she says.
Take a look at these tips on how to build the perfect Christmas cheeseboard
This is entirely a matter of preference, but Ina insists that turkey without stuffing cooks fast and stays moister. Plus, you can make the stuffing ahead of time – Ina loves a savoury bread and apple pudding – and bake it alongside the turkey. "You can have the best of both worlds – perfectly cooked turkey and moist, delicious stuffing with a crispy topping," Ina says.
Author of a cookbook titled Make It Ahead of Time, it's hardly surprising Ina advises cooking and prepping as much as you can in advance. Plan your menu so that you only have to finish the last steps of dishes you're serving so there's more time left to spend with your guests. She also suggests keeping Post-it notes handy with last-minute instructions, like steps for reheating.
If you're tired of the same old flavours at Christmas, Nigella has a top tip up her sleeve in the form of a jar of harissa. She suggests mixing a couple of tablespoons of the rose paste with a little oil, pinch of cinnamon and the zest and juice of a satsuma to add oomph to anything you roast. It will work wonders on cauliflower as well as root veg, like carrots and parsnips, it's great served with couscous or rice and is a fab side dish to serve with festive ham.
"For me the only turkey is a brined one," Nigella says. Not only will it tenderise the meat and add subtle spice and depth of flavour, it'll also make carving the bird much easier.
Take a look at the very best brines, marinades, rubs and glazes for your turkey
Cooking and peeling fresh chestnuts is a bit of a nightmare you don't need at Christmas. Stock up on vacuum-packed ready-to-use chestnuts and try them with bacon and Brussels sprouts. Nigella also suggests rustling up a seasonal salad of fried pancetta cubes, chestnuts and sturdy, bitter leaves mixed with a vinegar and Dijon mustard dressing.
Get the recipe for Brussels sprouts with bacon and chestnuts here
Rachael says Christmas isn't the time to reinvent the wheel and try out new recipes. Take the stress out of cooking and entertaining by sticking to familiar and much-loved recipes. "It doesn't have to be complicated," says Rachael.
If you're serving mashed potatoes or casseroles with your festive centrepiece, make them a couple of days ahead of time. Seal in clingfilm and keep in the fridge until it's time to bake the casseroles on the day. For the mashed potatoes, put them in a water bath and gently heat through.
It's not just pantry staples, spices and essential condiments you need to get you through Christmas cooking. Before shopping, check you have enough supplies of extra-wide foil, kitchen roll, clingfilm and non-stick baking paper. Mary says it's also good to have "a large spoon for basting". You'll also need a skewer or meat thermometer to test whether your turkey is cooked.
Mary insists fresh turkey is best, but if you do buy frozen, it's crucial you make sure to start thawing it well ahead of time. Mary says to thaw the bird in a cool place like a garage and to make sure it's defrosted completely before moving it to the fridge on Christmas Eve. "When thawed, the meat should be soft and the cavity ice free. Check that legs move freely from the breast too," Mary says.
"I find it easier to carve one side of the turkey first," Mary says. You'll want to start from the leg – take it off and divide into drumstick and thigh. Then cut the wing off as close to the breast as possible and finally slice the breast meat on the diagonal. Then you can arrange the different cuts on a serving platter and everyone can have both some lighter breast meat and the darker meat from the legs.
Take a look at this roast turkey recipe with stuffing and gravy
While Chrissy too suggests dry-brining to help achieve crispy skin, her secret lies in getting rid of the moisture. She suggests patting the skin completely dry before roasting. For extra crispiness, rub it with melted butter on oil and crank up the oven to let the skin brown for the first 20 minutes. If towards the end of the cooking the turkey looks like it's getting too brown, use kitchen foil to cover the darkest parts so they don't overcook and dry out.
If you find that your gravy has turned out too thin or has broken, don't panic. To fix breakage, slowly whisk in some more liquid until you have the right consistency. Chrissy says you can even use the starchy potato water from the pot to help bring it back together. If the gravy is too thin, thicken it by whisking in a mix of cornflour and flour. To avoid lumps, first mix 1tbsp cornflour and 2tbsp flour with a little cold water so it forms a paste.
For an extra special post-dinner treat, The Great British Bake Off judge suggests combining a chocolate roulade with cherries for the ultimate festive treat yule log. "Use good-quality ingredients – putting cherries in the cream is fantastic, as they keep it moist," Paul says. He suggests making it on Christmas Eve and leaving it in the fridge for Christmas Day and the day after to let the flavours infuse and the moisture to seep into the chocolate sponge.
A big treat the day after Christmas in the Hollywood household is a pie made with anything left over from the Christmas dinner. "I put in turkey, apricots, stuffing, sausage and anything else that is left," Paul says. It'll be a big hit on the day, requires minimal effort and uses up all the odds and ends.