Queen of Clean Kim Woodburn, 82, has shared her best advice for making Christmas Day as stress-free as possible.
The Celebrity Big Brother icon explained how to keep things spick and span, and also divulged her biggest hack for pre-preparing the perfect potatoes. “You tidy as you go, you throw as you go. I think that’s something you should do all year - especially Christmas Day,” Kim told the Mirror. “Try to get as much of your Christmas prepared the day before. Things like you can make your cauliflower cheese, you can peel your potatoes.”
Kim then shared a huge time-saving hack: “A big tip, peel your potatoes the day before, and put them in a nice, deep pan. Put a slice of raw bread on top. Put the lid on, put them on the stove, and that will stop them going yellow. The next day, throw the piece of bread away, rinse the water, and they haven’t gone yellow - if you want to do them the day before, do that.”
The I’m a Celebrity star added: “Do your cauliflower cheese, and you know what? Tins of peas and carrots are better than some of the fresh stuff. Prepare as much as you can.” Unsurprisingly, Kim emphasised: “It’s vitally important to get your rubbish out. Have a bin standing by for all the rubbish, because it sits on the table if not, and it’ll benefit you later to clear it.”
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ITV)Kim also made it clear that everyone digging in to the Christmas roast should play a part in some way. “For heaven’s sake, get the family involved in the washing up!” she said, adding that different people can be responsible for different elements of the meal to make sure the pressure doesn’t all fall on mum or dad. Kim also revealed, however, that she doesn’t act as an open house for extended family and friends on the big day. She joked: “I’m not waiting on a bunch of people at Christmas, I’d wear myself out - I’d rather have a gin and tonic and a roast spud!”
Kim has been married to former policeman Peter since 1979, and she divulged how she fell for him at first sight when she spotted him on a motorbike in his leathers. Decades on, the TV star described how their relationship has changed but strengthened - and how she still sees him as the man on the bike. “That’s what happens to you, but it’s rather lovely. It’s a contentment. And I rather like it,” she confessed.
Despite what people might assume, Kim also clarified that she’s not a big hostess, and that Peter is more than enough company for her over the festive period - particularly in order to keep her house in order and her own enjoyment high. “Just us two,” Kim said when asked who she usually hosted at Christmas.
“I never entertain! I never entertain in my house, never have. If I’m going to entertain, I’ll take people to a hotel. I’m not going to wash and dry and cook and bake and run up and down.” She quipped: “Got a few bob, take them to a restaurant and let other people look after it.”
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