"I always do the ham and the stuffed and rolled pork belly," Chris says.

At the Broke home of winemakers and restaurateurs, Andrew and Lisa Margan, they will welcome family on Christmas Eve with a meal of roasted chicken (made by Lisa) and a special chardonnay - preceded by local oysters and a "nice bottle of champagne," as Lisa says. Christmas Day is all hands on deck for a big meal at home.

For dinner club owner Brian Lizotte, Christmas will be at the beach with his wife Jo, visiting their daughter Emily and her family at Ulladulla. In between trips to the beach, they'll enjoy home-made vegetarian fare and fish ("hot smoked ocean trout"). With plenty of baba ghanoush, Aussie pinot noir (Tamburlaine) and French bubbly (Gardet).

For Alice Lees of Uprising bakery, it's a season of great childhood memories. "My love of the sweet treats we sell at Uprising started in my mum's kitchen. I have made our family's mince pies since I was a teenager ...," she says.

And she'll be bringing one of her pavlovas for late Christmas lunch with her parents.

Read the full story on what local foodies are making for their personal Christmas feasts at home in Weekender on Saturday, along with stories about the bumper Port Stephens oyster crop for summer; where to party on New Year's Eve; a review of Una Volta restaurant and a look at a cozy cottage in Lambton.