London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

Christmas dinner rules - how many people can get together to safely sharing food

Christmas dinner rules - how many people can get together to safely sharing food

Not only is it nearly the Christmas – with all the presents, TV and food that always come with the season – but families and friends will soon be allowed to enjoy their Christmas bubbles.

The Christmas bubbles will allow up to three households to meet and mingle indoors, which could be the first time many have been allowed to see one another in quite some time.

As people will no doubt be preparing to set Christmas tables and buffets, what’s the advice around sharing food? And just how many people should you have round for Christmas dinner?

Here is all you need to know before tucking into some figgy pudding.

How many people can come for Christmas dinner?


Your Christmas dinner table will depend on a few factors: who is in your Christmas bubble and whereabouts in the UK you are.

Between December 23 and 27, the three households in a Christmas bubble can mix indoors and stay overnight – meaning you can have members from up to three households round for Christmas Dinner.

In Northern Ireland, this window is a bit longer – December 22 to 28 – to allow travel between the nations.


Up to three households will be able to mix indoors, regardless of tiers


The bubbles are fixed once you’ve had your first gathering, so you will not be able to mix with two households on Christmas Day and then two different ones on Boxing Day.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, there’s not a limit on how many people can count within those bubbles, provided they are in the same household.

This is to cater to big families who live together.

Even though there’s no official limit, the government guidance is to keep it ‘as small as possible.’

However, in Scotland, there is a limit of up 8 people from up to 3 households.

Bubbles will be allowed to meet each other:

*  In each other’s homes

*  At a place of worship

*  In an outdoor public space, or garden

How to serve food safely this Christmas


If you’ve got family and friends coming over, you might be putting on a spread.

We spoke with chef Dom Taylor about the problems with buffet-style spreads.

He told Metro.co.uk: ‘A buffet can be an easy place for bacteria to lurk and multiply. Bacteria is present in all food and can become unsafe if not handled correctly.’


Be careful with doling out the treats this Christmas


‘Food Standards Agency recommended prepared food to be consumed within 90 mins of being prepared if not temperature controlled. The reason being is that the danger zone which is the temperature at which bacteria can multiply at a unsafe rate is between 8 and 63 degrees.’

To help combat the spread, Dr Olivia Szepietowski from Medic Testing told  there are some best practices to follow.

These include:

*  ‘Clean your hands and encourage everyone else to clean theirs. Leave hand sanitizer stations at either end of the buffet and on tables. Remember to clean them after serving yourself because everyone has been using the same spoons.

*  Cover the food. Place it under lids or cover with cling film/tin foil when not being used. This reduces the chance of any droplets landing on the food. Also any servers should wear masks to reduce the spread.

*  Consider having a couple of people serving the food so that not everyone is handling it.

*  Keep food to individual portions. Eg don’t have a loaf of bread that requires everyone to handle it to cut themselves a slice.

*  Use disposable cutlery and plates that can easily and quickly be thrown away limits the number of people who need to come into contact with used dishes which is a risk.’

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
×