Christmas Day Timeline: Hour by Hour Cooking Plan

What time should the Christmas dinner go in the oven? This free Christmas Day timeline planner gives you a clear plan for the whole day. Choose a turkey or a ham and the time you want to eat, and see when to heat the oven, put the main dish in, boil the potatoes, make the gravy and serve dinner. It works on phone and computer and needs no sign-up.

Christmas 2026

Christmas Day Timeline

Pick your main dish and when you want to eat. Get a clear plan for the whole day.

1. Your dinner

Main dishTurkey (not stuffed)Bone-in half ham (fully cooked)Weight

What time will you eat?

More Christmas tools

Christmas Dinner CalculatorHow much food to cookChristmas Dinner Budget PlannerWhat will dinner cost?

By Wilhelmina Digital Studio. Based on USDA roasting and reheating times. Nothing you type is saved.

How it works: the planner uses the USDA times for an unstuffed turkey at 325°F or a fully cooked bone-in half ham reheated at 325°F, and works backwards from your dinner time. It uses the longest estimate and adds 30 minutes for the meat to rest, so dinner is never late. Always check with a food thermometer: 165°F for turkey and 140°F for a reheated ham.

Also useful: the Christmas dinner calculator, the Christmas dinner budget planner and the Christmas Eve dinner menu generator.