Ho ho house full: The Radfords, Britain's biggest family, will feed 22 on Christmas Day but parents Sue and Noel started preparing the meal at 1am to get it all ready
If
you think your Christmas Day will be tiring spare a thought for the
parents of Britain's biggest family - who started preparing for lunch at
1am.
Sue
and Noel Radford, who have 16 children and another on the way, need a
10kg turkey, 7kg of potatoes and sprouts, 50 Yorkshire puddings and
litres of gravy to feed the 22 people expected today.
The couple run a successful baking company, receive no state benefits and live in a ten-bedroom converted Lancashire care home.
And thankfully the kitchen has two ovens so they can cook their mammoth Christmas lunch
.
Food mountain: Sue Radford, who is pregnant again, needs a 10kg turkey, 7kg of potatoes and sprouts, 50 Yorkshire puddings and litres of gravy to feed the 22 people expected today - but there's still time for a kiss with Noel under the mistletoe
Stocking fillers: Tillie counts the 15 stockings for the Radford children hanging over the firepalce for their bumper Christmas celebrations
There are so many presents that the basement below their house is completely full and off-limits to the children, who get four each.
This month they have already been to half a dozen nativities at least and their Christmas costs them at least £1,000.
Mr and Mrs Radford were childhood sweethearts and she got pregnant with their first child Chris, 25, at the age of just 14.
They proudly say 'no-one thought it would last' but they are still happy after all these years.
Along with Chris, they are also parents to Chloe, 19, Jack, 17, Daniel, 15, Luke, 14, Millie, 13, Katie, 12, James, 11, Ellie, nine, Aimee, eight, Josh, seven, Max, six, Tillie, four, Oscar, three, and Casper, two. The couple also have two grandchildren and will have 22 guests for lunch this year.
Sadly Mrs Radford lost baby Alfie at 21 weeks in January but became pregnant again and her baby is due next year.
Despite the incredible number of guests everyone will get a seat - as long as they help with the cleaning up afterwards, which involves huge amounts of washing up including five dishwasher cycles.
Mrs Radford told Woman's Own: 'Christmas is exhausting, but I love it.
'It's such a magical time of year and it feels even more special with so many of us to celebrate.'
Full family: Casper, two, Oscar, three, Tillie, four, Max, six, Josh, seven, Aimee, eight, Ellie, nine, James, 11, Katie, 12, Millie, 13, Luke, 14, Daniel, 15, Jack, 17, Chloe, 19, Sophie, 21, and Chris, 25, sandwiched by proud parents Sue and Noel
Mammoth effort: Each child will get four gifts each - but their parents use 80 metres of wrapping paper and spend two hours a night for a month getting them done
Siblings: Tillie and Josh spend some time on the internet by the tree and will probably do the same on Christmas Day
Excitement: Mr and Mrs Radford said that the children still believe in Father Christmas so Ellie, Aimee and Josh will be very excited today
The day starts with presents when the children get up at around 6.30am.
Breakfast follows where they usually need three loaves of bread, 12 eggs, two boxes of cereal and 18 pints of milk.
After their 1pm lunch members of the family play separate games of Monopoly, watch films and play with their presents.
This evening there will more food, including six tins of Quality Street.
Planning Christmas has become a military exercise.
Mrs Radford said: 'With such a big family, I’ve become an expert at planning. It’s not like me to leave anything to the last minute, so Christmas preparation starts in September. Online shopping for presents is handy, but I’ll pick up things in town, too.
'For Christmas I have to keep a list – or I’d go mad! Each of the kids gets one main gift and three smaller ones – that’s 64 presents! This year, Chloe, 19, has asked for driving lessons and Max, six, wants a scooter. They all know there’s a budget so they’re not expecting a new Xbox.
'All the gifts need to be kept somewhere so Noel takes a few to work, while the rest are hidden in the basement. There are so many, I start wrapping when the kids are asleep, I spend about two hours each night. I get through at least 30 rolls of wrapping paper – it’s the job I hate the most.
'Of course, none of this is cheap. Our bakery business – which we bought before our fifth child Daniel was born – supports our family, but I set aside a few pounds each week for Christmas. And I make use of the offers in shops'.
Mrs Radford says she won't be drinking because she is pregnant again - and admits she can barely remember a Christmas when she wasn't.
And the couple - who feel 'incredibly lucky and blessed' admit they believe this child will be their last.
Mrs Radford told The Sun: 'We weren't planning on getting pregnant so quickly. I wasn't sure it would happen, to be honest.
'This will be the last, 18 is enough. I've had bad morning sickness but it has stopped now so I am just waiting for the cravings'.
The Radfords were speaking to Woman's Own for TalkTalk. To read the feature in full, see the bumper issue of Woman’s Own on sale now.
FANCY FEEDING 22 FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR? HERE'S HOW YOU DO IT... BUT YOU'll NEED TO GET UP VERY EARLY!
Full house: The family say on Christmas Day that their lounge (pictured) is completely covered in presents and wrapping paper