How to host Christmas without lifting a finger

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – unless you’re the one tasked with trimming the tree, decorating the house, writing and posting the cards, buying and wrapping the gifts, and cooking and cleaning the Christmas meal. And now that family and friends expect you to share photos of the main event on Instagram and Facebook, there’s added pressure for everything to look picture perfect – including your own festive attire.

Of course, you could just opt out of it all, a la Ebenezer Scrooge. But if you’re not mind to do so, then we have a solution.

Rest, ye merry gentlemen and women, and let these modern-day elves take the stress out of the season so that you can focus on the good stuff – hanging out with family and friends, drinking bubbly as you watch the queen’s speech, and arguing over whether clapping, grunts and related noises are allowed in charades (not on my watch, Satan).

 Goodwill to all

No time to write the cards to Auntie Joan and cousin William? Curlew Secretarial (01434 400466, curlewsecretarial.co.uk/services) will handwrite and post your Christmas cards to your friends and family anywhere in the world.

 And don’t feel ashamed at asking someone else to pretend to be you – everyone’s at it. “In Christmas 2018 we sent over 3,500 cards for people, and this year it is going to be closer to 5,000,” says Curlew owner Gwen Backhouse.

 It costs from just £1.20 per card, plus postage, and Curlew’s team will even write your own personal messages inside different cards. You can send in your own cards for Curlew to inscribe, or choose from the cards the company stocks.

 Oh Christmas tree

Plenty of companies will deliver a tree to your door, but did you know some will decorate the tree – and even your entire home – for the holidays?

 If you have your own lights and decorations, then Hassle Free Christmas Trees (020 3746 8165, hasslefreechristmastree.co.uk) will deliver a tree, put your lights and decorations on it for you, then come back in January to collect and dispose of it - from £144 for a four-foot tree if you live within the M25.

To give your home the real wow effect, Fabesh (020 3887 8775, fabesh.co.uk) will do all of the above, plus supply the decorations and maintain your tree throughout the season so that it looks perky and bright when Santa arrives. It’s all tailormade to your own tastes and costs from £875 for an eight-foot tree. Fabesh works in London and Home Counties, and can also decorate your house, with wreaths, garlands and other festive accoutrements.

To find similar services in your area, Google ‘Christmas tree delivery and decoration service’ + your area name.

All I want for Christmas…

…is anybody’s guess, right? You might have some idea what your partner or children want (or maybe not), but what about all those extended relatives and friends?

HourHands (01438 504697, hourhands.co.uk/Christmas) is here to help. The company will do your Christmas gift shopping for you. Tell them your budget, any ideas you have on what your friends or family might like (although ‘I haven’t a clue’ is acceptable), and they will find and email you a shortlist of gifts to choose from. It costs from £30 an hour – and once you’ve chosen your gift, they can even do the gift-wrapping for you.

Bring us some figgy pudding

What’s the point of Christmas if you spend all your time basting a three-bird roast in the kitchen while everyone else is opening presents, laughing and playing games without you? Let someone else wash the potatoes, parboil the sprouts and stir the custard for you.

The Uber of catering companies, La Belle Assiette (020 3318 5003, labelleassiette.co.uk) has a network of more than 300 professional chefs throughout the UK who will come to your home, prepare your meal and put it on the table for you. On Christmas Day, the service costs from £95pp for six people, including ingredients and cleaning so that you don’t have to do the shopping or washing-up either. If you’d like a waiter to serve each course in a more formal manner, that can be provided from about £150 for Christmas lunch.

Dressed in holiday style

Are silvers bell earrings en vogue in this season? Or are ugly sweaters still having a moment? Who can keep up – and who has time to shop for yet another new look for this year’s Christmas Day Instagram post?

Online shopper Styled By Susie (no phone, styledbysusie.co.uk) works with women all over the UK to help you find the most festive High Street frocks for the day.

 You fill out a questionnaire, send in a few pics, and her team of savvy stylists will take over from there. You’ll receive a personalised body shape and colour analysis, and up to 20 recommended top-to-toe outfits for Christmas Day, all of which are available for you to buy in affordable high-street or online shops. The service costs from £80, or you can book a face-to-face three-hour shopping trip in the Greater London area from £150.

 Personal shoppers for men aren’t quite as popular, so tend to be only at the more exclusive end. Henry Wilfred (no phone, henrywilfrid.com) will help you find the right festive togs from £900 for his comprehensive service, which includes questionnaire, in-person shopping, wardrobe edit and a tailormade style guide to keep.

 Or try your nearest major shopping mall or department store, many of whom will arrange a one- or two-hour personal styling session for free, but suggestions will obviously be limited to what they have on the shop floor on the day.

 Now that other people are taking care of the donkey work, you really can have yourself a merry little Christmas.