How far ahead can I make Christmas dinner?

More than most people think. Cranberry sauce keeps a week, cookie dough or baked cookies freeze for 3 months, glaze keeps 3 days, and mashed potatoes can be assembled 2 days ahead and reheated in the oven. The timeline above moves every one of these off Christmas Day.

What time should I put the ham in the oven?

Count back from when you want to eat: a fully cooked ham needs about 16 minutes per pound at 325°F, plus 30 minutes of resting before carving. For 8 guests (a 4 lb ham) that is about an hour and a half before dinner, which is the first line of the timeline.

How do I get everything hot at the same time?

Use the ham's resting time. While it rests under foil, the oven is free to go up to 425°F for the green beans and rolls, and the potatoes (reheated alongside the ham) finish uncovered. Dishes that hold well, like cranberry sauce, are served cold.

How much food do I need per person?

About ½ lb of bone-in ham, ⅓ to ½ lb of potatoes, ¼ lb of green beans and 1 to 2 rolls per person, with 3 cookies each for dessert. The shopping list does this arithmetic for your number of guests.

What can I make the day before?

The mashed potatoes (assembled in their baking dish), the green bean prep (trimmed and minced garlic), the cookies and the table. Roast the green beans and heat the rolls on the day for the best texture.

Is the planner really free? Do I need an account?

Yes, free, with no account and no e-mail. It runs in your browser; nothing you type is sent anywhere. Use Print the plan to get the timeline and shopping list on paper.

What if I want a different menu?

This version plans a classic ham dinner. The same timing logic applies to other mains: work back from the table, do the dishes that keep first, and use the main's resting time to free the oven. More menus are coming.

Free · no sign-up · runs in your browser

Christmas dinner timeline and shopping list

Tell it how many guests and when you want to eat. You get a classic ham dinner with sides and cookies, a plan that starts three days ahead and counts back to the minute on Christmas Day, and a shopping list grouped by aisle. Every dish links to its recipe.

GuestsDinner is served at

The menu for 8

Brown Sugar Dijon Glazed Ham
Main course · 110 min work · make ahead
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Side dish · 85 min work · make ahead
Roasted Green Beans with Garlic and Almonds
Side dish · 33 min work · make ahead
Fresh Orange Cranberry Sauce
Side dish · 17 min work · make ahead
Soft Sugar Cookies (No Chilling)
Dessert · 40 min work · make ahead
Warm dinner rolls
Store-bought, with butter · 8 minutes in the oven

Timeline, counted back from 4:00 PM

3 days before

Do the big shop from the list below: 8 guests means about 5 lb of ham.
Clear fridge space for the ham, the potatoes and the cranberry sauce. A frozen ham needs 1 full day in the fridge per 4 to 5 lb.

2 days before

Make the cranberry sauce (15 minutes) and refrigerate it.
Mix the ham glaze in a jar and refrigerate it.
Bake the sugar cookies now, or bake them tomorrow from frozen dough balls.

1 day before

Make the mashed potatoes through the baking dish stage, cover and refrigerate.
Trim the green beans and mince the garlic: separate containers in the fridge.
Bake cookies if you have not, set the table, find the roasting pan and a meat thermometer.

Christmas Day

2:00 PM
Heat the oven to 325°F. Ham cut-side down in the roasting pan with ½ cup water, covered tightly with foil. It needs about 90 minutes (USDA gives 18 to 24 minutes per pound, so start checking the temperature at the early end).
2:55 PM
Mashed potatoes straight from the fridge into the oven, covered with foil, on the upper rack. They need 50 to 55 minutes to reach 165°F in the middle.
3:10 PM
Uncover the ham, brush with half the glaze and bake on.
3:20 PM
Brush on the rest of the glaze. Check the ham with a thermometer away from the bone: you want 140°F.
3:30 PM
Ham out: tent with foil and rest. Turn the oven up to 425°F and put the empty baking sheet in to heat.
3:35 PM
Toss the green beans with oil, salt and pepper, tip them onto the hot sheet and roast.
3:40 PM
Take the foil off the potatoes so the top can turn lightly golden.
3:45 PM
Wrap the dinner rolls in foil and put them in the oven for 8 minutes.
3:47 PM
Add the garlic and almonds to the green beans and toss; roast 6 minutes more.
3:50 PM
Potatoes out. Carve the ham. Cranberry sauce to the table.
3:55 PM
Beans and rolls into serving dishes, zest the lemon over the beans.
4:00 PM
Dinner is served. Dessert cookies are already done.

Shopping list for 8

Tap an item to cross it off. Amounts are for the five recipes plus rolls; check what you already have. One stick of butter is ½ cup.

Produce

Meat

Dairy and eggs

Bakery

Drinks

Pantry

Christmas dinner plan: 8 guests, served at 4:00 PM

3 days before

Do the big shop from the list below: 8 guests means about 5 lb of ham.
Clear fridge space for the ham, the potatoes and the cranberry sauce. A frozen ham needs 1 full day in the fridge per 4 to 5 lb.

2 days before

Make the cranberry sauce (15 minutes) and refrigerate it.
Mix the ham glaze in a jar and refrigerate it.
Bake the sugar cookies now, or bake them tomorrow from frozen dough balls.

1 day before

Make the mashed potatoes through the baking dish stage, cover and refrigerate.
Trim the green beans and mince the garlic: separate containers in the fridge.
Bake cookies if you have not, set the table, find the roasting pan and a meat thermometer.

Christmas Day

2:00 PM Heat the oven to 325°F. Ham cut-side down in the roasting pan with ½ cup water, covered tightly with foil. It needs about 90 minutes (USDA gives 18 to 24 minutes per pound, so start checking the temperature at the early end).
2:55 PM Mashed potatoes straight from the fridge into the oven, covered with foil, on the upper rack. They need 50 to 55 minutes to reach 165°F in the middle.
3:10 PM Uncover the ham, brush with half the glaze and bake on.
3:20 PM Brush on the rest of the glaze. Check the ham with a thermometer away from the bone: you want 140°F.
3:30 PM Ham out: tent with foil and rest. Turn the oven up to 425°F and put the empty baking sheet in to heat.
3:35 PM Toss the green beans with oil, salt and pepper, tip them onto the hot sheet and roast.
3:40 PM Take the foil off the potatoes so the top can turn lightly golden.
3:45 PM Wrap the dinner rolls in foil and put them in the oven for 8 minutes.
3:47 PM Add the garlic and almonds to the green beans and toss; roast 6 minutes more.
3:50 PM Potatoes out. Carve the ham. Cranberry sauce to the table.
3:55 PM Beans and rolls into serving dishes, zest the lemon over the beans.
4:00 PM Dinner is served. Dessert cookies are already done.

Shopping list

Produce

☐ 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
☐ 4 cloves garlic
☐ 2 lb green beans
☐ 1 lemon
☐ 2 wide strip of orange zest
☐ 3 lb Yukon Gold potatoes

Meat

☐ 5 lb fully cooked bone-in half ham

Dairy and eggs

☐ 4 oz cream cheese
☐ 1 large egg
☐ ½ cup sour cream
☐ 1⅝ cups unsalted butter
☐ ½ cup whole milk

Bakery

☐ 12 dinner rolls

Drinks

☐ ¾ cup orange juice

Pantry

☐ 3 cups all-purpose flour
☐ 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
☐ ½ tsp baking powder
☐ ½ tsp baking soda
☐ 1½ tsp black pepper
☐ 4 tbsp Dijon mustard
☐ 2 cups granulated sugar
☐ ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
☐ ¼ tsp ground cloves
☐ 4 tbsp honey
☐ 1⅔ tbsp kosher salt
☐ ½ cup light brown sugar
☐ 3 tbsp olive oil
☐ ½ cup powdered sugar
☐ ⅞ tsp salt
☐ 5¼ tbsp sliced almonds
☐ 2 tsp vanilla extract
☐ ½ cup water

merryhoho.com/christmas/dinner-timeline/

Questions about planning Christmas dinner

How far ahead can I make Christmas dinner?: More than most people think. Cranberry sauce keeps a week, cookie dough or baked cookies freeze for 3 months, glaze keeps 3 days, and mashed potatoes can be assembled 2 days ahead and reheated in the oven. The timeline above moves every one of these off Christmas Day.
What time should I put the ham in the oven?: Count back from when you want to eat: a fully cooked ham needs about 16 minutes per pound at 325°F, plus 30 minutes of resting before carving. For 8 guests (a 4 lb ham) that is about an hour and a half before dinner, which is the first line of the timeline.
How do I get everything hot at the same time?: Use the ham's resting time. While it rests under foil, the oven is free to go up to 425°F for the green beans and rolls, and the potatoes (reheated alongside the ham) finish uncovered. Dishes that hold well, like cranberry sauce, are served cold.
How much food do I need per person?: About ½ lb of bone-in ham, ⅓ to ½ lb of potatoes, ¼ lb of green beans and 1 to 2 rolls per person, with 3 cookies each for dessert. The shopping list does this arithmetic for your number of guests.
What can I make the day before?: The mashed potatoes (assembled in their baking dish), the green bean prep (trimmed and minced garlic), the cookies and the table. Roast the green beans and heat the rolls on the day for the best texture.
Is the planner really free? Do I need an account?: Yes, free, with no account and no e-mail. It runs in your browser; nothing you type is sent anywhere. Use Print the plan to get the timeline and shopping list on paper.
What if I want a different menu?: This version plans a classic ham dinner. The same timing logic applies to other mains: work back from the table, do the dishes that keep first, and use the main's resting time to free the oven. More menus are coming.

Recipes are adaptations of traditional dishes, written in our own words. Ovens vary: go by the thermometer and the doneness signs as well as the clock.

All Christmas recipes →Secret Santa generator →All free tools →