So, Christmas is at your place this year? The pressure from a lot of family members to get it right is a hefty weight on your shoulders — follow a few simple steps and you'll be host to the perfect day.

1) The table. It helps to take any pressure off you on the day if you set the table the night before. When choosing decorations or themes you don't always have to go with the obvious baubles and tinsel. Painted pine cones, small wreaths made from garden twigs or paper cut-out garlands all look fabulous and festive.

2) Keeping your colours tonal will also create more impact. For instance, a completely white and glass laden table with white or clear decorations looks great. You can add a splash of colour with hints of turquoise or a more festive red to dramatise it a little. Or, set a richer affair with opulent gold, silver and fine crystal if you love luxury.

3) Little touches to individual place settings can really make the table fun, like a little gift wrapped present or named setting for each guest; you could paint their name onto a ribbon-tied bauble, stitch it onto a napkin or make special handmade cards.

4) The tree. You don't need to have a huge Christmas tree to make your Christmas complete. You can use a cluster of branches painted white in a vase with hanging decorations or create one with wire. Buy a new plant for the house and decorate the pot. Or think left field — chalk one onto a large blackboard and let the kids add their own decorations.

5) Many of us know what Christmas food is all about, but what if you've never cooked a turkey or ham before? And, how do you know what to look for when buying seafood? Try and buy a free-range ham and turkey if possible, as the flavour is far superior. It may cost a little extra, but if your budget allows, the difference in flavour to a battery turkey is massive. It's advisable to order your turkey and ham in advance from a good knowledgeable butcher, as you don't want to be running around last minute trying to find one when your guests will be expecting it. The weight of a turkey is varied and can be anywhere from 3 to 10 kilos, so you'll need to know how many guests you're feeding and what to order. You can always go order a larger ham, as it will keep for a week or two in the fridge in a ham bag, but for the turkey, a 4½ kg bird will feed 8 people and a 1.75kg turkey breast will do the same.

6) Pre-ordering your seafood from a fishmonger is also a very good idea — fishing co-ops and fish markets are the best places to do this, as the freshness will be guaranteed. You can pick up your seafood the day before, but no sooner for the freshest flavour. If buying live lobsters, make sure you prepare and kill them humanely (check out Gourmet Traveller's tips for how to prepare a fresh lobster).

7) As it's a big lunch, preparation is key. You don't have to go overboard with the food (it's best to keep it simple and achievable, rather than trying too hard and failing), but you should try to have as much as you can ready to go the day before. A large turkey will take a couple of hours to cook, so if your guests are coming at midday you'll want to have it in the oven hours before. (It's easier to rest your turkey for longer, than wait around for it to cook.) Have it ready to go in the roasting pan, it can be stuffed and tied, but make sure to cover it with brushed melted butter and a good layer of plastic wrap as the skin will dry out. Whether you're serving roasted vegetables or simple salads to the side, do as much as you can the day before as well. If everyone arrives to open presents and you're up to your eyeballs peeling potatoes, you won't be having much fun.

8) If you're hosting an extended family gathering and don't have the room for all the food, get a few other family members to pitch in and bring something, like a dessert or salad, leaving you more time to decorate.

9) Christmas drinks should be well thought out — start with a sparkling wine or a Champagne cocktail to get everyone into the festive mood. You don't have to reach for the Bollinger if budget doesn't allow, as there are many great Australian blanc de blancs available, such as De Bortoli's Rococo. Rounding off the meal with a nice dessert wine is just as important. If you lean towards the pudding finish, opt for a nice Tokay or Muscat. If trifle or pavlova is more your thing, a lighter floral Moscato or Semillon botrytis will work really well. In between, having both red and white on hand is the way to go — do some research as to what will go with the food you are serving and try and match them accordingly. If you have a good boutique liqueur store nearby, ask them for advice and even go to one or two tastings if you have time. Most importantly, make sure wines that need to be chilled are chilled in advance.

10) Christmas is all about family interaction, whether it's bon-bon pulling or a board game. Take some time to prepare a family-oriented quiz well before or invest in a set or boules if you have a large enough outdoor area. And, be smart — make second-plate getters do the washing up.