Christmas dinner is the same puzzle as Thanksgiving with a different centrepiece. A prime rib wants a low oven for hours and then a blast of heat at the end; a glazed ham wants gentle warming and a lacquer in the last twenty minutes. Either way the oven is occupied for most of the afternoon and every side is queuing behind it.
| Centrepiece | Oven | Roughly | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime rib, 8 lb | 250°F | 3h 30m | 30 min |
| Prime rib, final sear | 500°F | 8 min | — |
| Glazed ham, 8 lb | 325°F | 1h 35m | 15 min |
| Roast chicken, 4 lb | 425°F | 1h 10m | 15 min |
The prime rib is the awkward one: it needs the oven at 250°F for hours and then at 500°F for eight minutes, and nothing else can be in there at either temperature. Those two numbers are what the timeline is built around.