Stay sane with these make-ahead Christmas recipes

It is a universal truth that preparing a Christmas lunch or dinner can bring untold stress to the home cook. Stay sane with these make-ahead Christmas recipes – their components can be prepared days in advance and, for the most part, refrigerated or frozen until you're ready to serve.

From simple make-ahead Christmas dinner ideas such as cured seafood, vibrant salads, and terrines to easy make-ahead Christmas desserts in the form of trifles in a glass dish, tarts and a semifreddo cake dessert – these are the make-ahead dishes for Christmas that you can make ahead of time and simply assemble or pop in the oven. And they're guaranteed to keep your guests well-fed while allowing you to escape the kitchen unscathed.

These are our best make-ahead Christmas recipes.