The season of sleigh bells, snow and Father Christmas is drawing closer and closer and we simply cannot wait for halls to be decked with holly, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, gifts under the tree and, of course, tucking in and enjoying one of the main events of the year.
We know what you're thinking: Halloween hasn't even arrived yet! But when advent calendars - such as this cheesy delight - start being advertised, we can't help but contain our excitement for the ultimate indulgence: Christmas dinner.
And with that in mind, the UK's supermarkets have opened up bookings for Christmas food to be ordered ahead of time, taking the stress out of stocking up on last minute turkeys, potatoes and parsnips down your local Tesco Express the night before. From moreish mince pies and fruity Christmas cakes to fancy pigs in blankets and sumptuous sharing platters (our mouths are just watering thinking about it), there's nothing quite like a Christmas feast to stuff you to the brim yet keep you wanting more and more.
Read more: This is when Cardiff's Winter Wonderland is opening for Christmas 2022
While some supermarkets are keeping their festive range close to their chest until Halloween is far from sight, it seems a number have unveiled what goods they have in store to make Christmas extra tasty this year. And boy, are we in for a treat. The Food To Order scheme for items - available at most supermarkets - allows you to enjoy a less chaotic Christmas shop with collection and delivery available for your shopping list closer to the day. Although please note that some products are unavailable to order just yet - so keep an eye out as they should be coming soon. For information on supermarket Christmas delivery and collection slots 2022, see here.
Read on to find out just some of the delicious food - and few tasty tipples or two - on offer that will make you the Christmas party host with the most scrumptious snacks of the season.
Tesco
When it comes to the day, there's always one who says they're going to hold out for the big dinner, but then they get a waft of brie with truffle, some Bubble Tempura Prawns or baked Camembert with bacon (prices for which are yet to be confirmed) and all that hunger restraint goes out the window.
For the piece de resistance, if you're bored of bog-standard turkey and are looking for a centrepiece that'll give your Christmas dinner that extra wow-factor, marvel at the drool-worthy options from Tesco's feasting range. Such as the new Tesco Finest Slow Cooked Beef Shin with a Rich Beef & Truffle Jus has been slow-cooked for nine hours in sea salt and peppercorn and serves up to eight people (£30), a Chateaubriand (£12), or a classic Surf and Turf (oozing with exta large prawns, scallops and smoked salmon, yum! - price yet to be confirmed).
If you think that's great, wait until you hear about the plant-based options. Alongside the meaty version, Tesco's Wicked Kitchen Maple & Bourbon No-Gammon Joint (£5) is rich, smoky and packed with protein. It's brilliant and budget friendly. And there are plenty more options like that. For pigs-in-blanket lovers who are trying to cut back on their meat intake this year, Tesco are doing some wicked (and wonderful) meat-free bangers in blankets (£3.50).
Think you won't have enough room for dessert? Think again when you hear about these Christmas showstoppers. New desserts such as a berry and white chocolate cheesecake (price yet to be confirmed), an espresso martini dessert (£9) and a salted caramel and chocolate millionaire choux wreath (£6.50) are all to die for.
And to wash it all down, find your perfect winter tipple with the Melodist sloe gin (£18) or pop open the champers (£21), it is Christmas after all. For more information, see the website
M&S
As the old saying goes, this isn't just any Christmas food, this is M&S Christmas food. So of course you're expecting decadence. You're expecting luxury. You're expecting flavour explosions with a twist - and you won't be disappointed. With a vast selection of meats such as lamb, pheasant, partridge (though not in a pear tree), gammon and more, why have one bird when you can sink your teeth into a slow-cooked British easy-carve three bird roast (£55)?
Palming off poultry this year? You better believe M&S has a three-fish roast too (£42), a luxury shellfish platter (£50) alongside a lobster mac & cheese crostinis (£25).
For all you grazing (and cheese!) lovers out there, the M&S hot cheese grazing platter (£35) is the perfect way to warm up your Christmas palate. Looking for the wow factor? Try the Rockefeller oysters (£12) or mushroom and spinach scallops (£20). The classic supply of trimmings will also get your mouth watering - think stuffing, pigs in blankets, honey mustard parsnips, roasties... the works.
Fear not, veggies and vegans, for Christmas can't be Christmas without a stunning nut roast - a butternut, almond and pecan nut roast, to be precise (£10) or a stuffed vegan turkey joint (£10) - that is also gluten free!!
For something sweet, check out the handmade chocolate pine cones (£15) or its 12-month matured staple and forever beloved Christmas pudding (£12). And it wouldn't be an M&S collection without a Colin the Caterpillar cake - this time, he's on skates (£10). Coeliacs rejoice as the vast majority of this M&S Christmas collection is gluten free.
Toast the noel with a glass of M&S Christmas Prosecco Rose for £10 a bottle or even a pre-made cocktail from their Marksologist range. For more information, see the website or pick up its Christmas brochure in store.
Morrisons
Like many of its supermarket rivals, Morrisons also has a wide range of turkeys, chickens and beef joints - stuffed, plant-based and as it comes. But if fish is more your forte, you'll be in for a pleasant surprise at its vast range of salmons, prawns and crab for Christmas. Morrisons' best prawn cocktail (£5), Cornish scallop and king prawn gratins (£5.50), mini dressed Cornish crab (£8) and lobster tails with garlic butter (£10) are all taking our fancy.
We're also eyeing up its Camambert sharing bread - which comes with a whole round of cheese and wreath of bread for a fiver - sloe gin baking brie (£6) and Plant Revolution Vegan No Cheese bake (£4) - because what's Christmas without an overload of dairy and carbs?
If you're a family that has a penchant for pies, Morrisons must be your go-to as its selection of pastry feasts looks simply delicious - from classic Melton Mowbray pork (£6) to Christmas dinner pie. Morrisons' own version of Colin the Catepillar, Rudi the Reindeer, is back in force and adorable as ever (though not too adorable to tuck into for £7) while you can have your Christmas star and eat it too with the supermarket's passionfruit panna cotta star for £7. For more information, see the website.
Waitrose
It's not a Waitrose Christmas without a partnership between the supermarket and renowned chef Heston Bluementhal whose creative versions on Christmas classics will blow your Santa slippers right off, like a festive Peking duck for £40 or three-bird (!!) pig in blankets with duck, pork, pheasant and chicken chipolatas (£10). Turkey taking your fancy? Waitrose has a great selection. The Turkey Breast Joint with Plum Stuffing and a Plum Glaze - for five people - has a certain je ne sais quois (£29), much like its mega Duchy organic free range bronze feathered turkey crown that is fed and grown organically for a delicious and full flavour (prices range from £70 to £84).
For a real showstopper, new for this year, Waitrose is also offering a pork jewelled stuffing wreath (£12), a vegan jewelled roast with fruity centre plus six vegan no-pigs in blankets (£9), burrata and 'nduja profiteroles and Heston's tipsy potted stilton - prices for which yet to be confirmed. Oof.
When it comes to sweet things, Waitrose, too, knows how to tickle your tastebuds. From pear and fig mince pies (£2.80 for a savoury-sweet flavour sensation) to a clementine cheesecake (£14) and and mandarin negroni stollen (another Heston special whose price is yet to be confirmed), you'll be coming back for more.
With some items available to put straight in your basket now, others you'll have to invoke a smidge of patience as they'll be available in the coming weeks. For more information, visit the website.
Asda
"It’s never too early to start preparing for a magical Christmas" - right you are, Asda! And its Christmas selection of food is a magical offering in itself. Get in the spirit before the big day by tucking into a glass (or two) of Asda's chocolate orange cream liqueur (£8) or special blonde cream liqueur (£8) at the end of a busy week - the perfect substite for a classic Christmas Baileys.
Get the party started with the shop's smoked salmon and mascarpone terrine wreath, special mini coquilles St Jacques pastry shells and star shaped vol au vents filed with salmon and cream cheese, portobello and porcini mushrooms and goats cheese and caramelised onion. For the ultimate vegan starter, tuck into Asda's plant-based breaded vegan brie and sweet chilli bites before following it up with a vegan soya-based turkey crown with umami basting stock.
Its meaty optinons for the main event don't disappoint either. Go for a turkey crown crammed with pork, safe and caramelised onion stuffing or if beef more to your taste, there are a number of indulgent masterpieces for the centre of your meal; the Extra Special Tomahawk Wellington (£50.40) complete with mushroom duxelle and three-cheese and truffle melt or a Picanha beef joint with garlic and herb butter.
Save a smidge of room for its millionaire's edible chocolate bowl - filled with belgian chocolate, crunchy biscuit, toffee mousse and toffee sauce - is the perfect sharing pudding (although one bite may have you rethinking whether you want to) or vegan chocolate bauble, made with dark chocolate and vegan chocolate mousse and caramel, is the ultimate post-dinner snack.
Prices for these items are yet to be confirmed. With starters, mains and desserts taken care of, we couldn't forget the cheese. And Asda has a great range for your cheeseboard that can be paired with festive chutneys and pates. For more information, see the website.
Aldi
One of the nation's favourite budget shops, Aldi has, for the third year in a row, been crowned Christmas Retailer of the Year at the Quality Food Awards. And with a further 48 awards and commendations for its offerings in 2022, we are so excited to get our knives and forks stuck in to its award-winning festive range.
We're talking Specially Selected Lobster Tails (£14.99) available with Prosecco & Lemon or Black Garlic Butter, Truffle & Black Pepper or a classic Thermidor. There is also Specially Selected Scallop Gratins (£3.29) with a thermidor gratin with a cheddar cheese, white wine and brandy sauce, or a gratin with Veuve Monsigny Brut Champagne sauce.
Aldi also has 40-day matured Specially Selected Exquisite British Wagyu Wing Rib Joint with Butter Melts (£24.99) and a Specially Selected Partridge in a Pear Tree Wellington (£9.99).
Avoiding meat? Aldi's Plant Menu No Turkey Crown Topped with a Smoky Vegan Bacon Crumb (£4.99) was crowned the winner of QFA’s Vegan Main category so you know it's going to be scrumptious.
Aldi’s Christmas range isn't limited to savoury items to fill your bellies, but sweet treats to nurse thereafter. Including the winner of the Best Mince Pie, the Specially Selected Mince Pies. For chocoholics, there is Aldi’s Specially Selected Belgian Chocolate Yule Log (£7.99).
For more information, see the website.
Sainsbury's
How's a salmon and Champagne wellington sound (£20) for a fragrant and luxurious Christmas centre piece with a twist? Or a three nut roast with tangy spiced orange and cranberry glaze (£7) that screams veggie heaven? What about a selection of vegan trimmings that include meat-free pigs in blankets (£4.50) or a giant pig in blanket christmas tree that comes dressed for the occasion in cranberries and rosemary (£7.50)? Ok, you probably get it; the Christmas selection at Sainsbury's is to die for.
Its new collection for 2022 also includes a mushroom, brie and truffle star wreath (£7.25) and a brie and cranberry quiche (£20). And it doesn't get anymore British than a Christmas crumpet - more specifically, a mini crab thermidor crumpet (£12).
If you're not much of a savoury person, then wait til you read what desserts you can get at Sainos - a delectable vanilla snowman cheesecake for £6.50, a whopping chocolate smash cake - that isn't just a treat but a fun family game too - and triple chocolate praline winter forest (£12) that'll transport you to the North Pole.
For more information, see the website.
As for toys, Sainsbury's are also helping parents with the Christmas financial pinch by slashing its prices on toys. Read more on that here.
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