Delia Smith's Christmas (1990)

The six-part 1990 BBC series that taught a generation of British cooks to plan Christmas backwards from the meal. Delia Smith is calm, methodical and unflashy, and the companion book's famous timetable for the last 36 hours before lunch is still the template for a stress-free big day. Some presentation looks dated, but the logic of what to make ahead and when holds up for any large gathering.