Where to go for your Christmas grocery shopping this year

Christmas is a busy time of year for the supermarkets — the question of who has what for the best value is hotly contested from October right through to the New Year.

So, it's time to check in and see what sets each of the major stores apart for the silly season this year. 9Honey's Jane de Graaff joined Today Show to eat through all the delicious Christmas sweets.

Check out the clip above or read on to see who has what - as well as the one dish Karl swears by.

We all know that they all have the usual turkey, ham, puddings and pies... but what is it that each supermarket does differently and what are they focused on for 2021?

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Coles

Coles has a big Christmas range every year lead by their Coles Finest range and for the last few they have dominated the ham category with their astonishing crackling ham... yep, ham with pork crackling on the outside. This year they have taken that beloved centrepiece and upped the ante again, by making it a ham rack with the crackling, so it really does look spectacular.

But there are some sneaky treats in the entree and finger-food range too with cheeseburger flavoured spring rolls and mac'n'cheese bites adding an element of fast-food flavours to the table for some fun.

They are also doing duck for the first time from Luv-a-Duk and there's even a turducken on offer (turkey, duck, chicken all in one with a pistachio stuffing).

Desserts have got pre-made treats covered, with mousse logs being the standout along with ready-made family sized bowls of trifle, both come in chocolate or berry variations.

READ MORE: Coles' Christmas range for 2021 will leave you stuffed

There's a great range of international cheeses and tips and suggestions for pairing wine if you need help in that area. There are also a range of vegetarian, vegan and fish options so that the centrepiece doesn't have to be all poultry or meat.

But a big tick of approval comes from the eco-friendly bon-bons range that has no plastic toys and is 100 per cent recyclable, which we can see being a huge hit.

Woolworths

Woolies is still yet to unveil its full Christmas offering, but the Gold range is already looking good. For now, they have joined the trifle bonanza with a family-sized dulce de leche caramel version ($22). It looks spectacular and will certainly wow the table. I dub this year the year of the ready-made trifle.

They also have their epic tray of mini petit fours desserts ($20), with a range that looks impressive and feeds everyone with 20 pieces per tray.

But the Thomas Dux 12 Days of Cheese advent calendar ($20) is causing a stir amongst the savoury toothed — both because it's a lot of fun and because it takes the focus off sweet things for the countdown.

The Chocolate hazelnut pudding ($20) plays into the swing away from traditional fruit puddings, but still has all the Christmas indulgence we're looking for.

The triple smoked ham ($14 per kg) is already a great item to have on stand-by for guests.

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IGA

IGA has come to the Christmas range party for the first time this year, so get ready for a new player to shake things up.

Their 'signature' Christmas range is tight and focused on local Australian ingredients and production.

The caramel swirl pavlova meringue ($14) is made just outside of Noosa and the gold-dusted Christmas pudding ($15) is decorated in Melbourne and is sweet and fruity with sultanas, raisins, cherries and Australian Wildflower Honey.

Packs of beautiful gingerbread cookies that take the fuss out of baking are $7 and make last-minute drop-ins easy.

But the beef Wellington ($15 for 2 pieces) is a real treat for a different Christmas main.

Aldi

Aldi's big focus this year is on easy and affordable luxury that makes entertaining easy. They have a new Curated Collection Christmas range with 21 items that cover everything from olive oils and butterscotch to coffee and crackers. But the packaging is also key, with a spectacular black and white design and is luxe enough to serve right out of the boxes.

The entertaining options include a range of olive oils and vinegars, crisps and dukkahs, with the supermarket identifying that entertaining isn't just about sweets and desserts.

That said, there's a luxury 10-month vintage pudding ($14.99), a 30-month vintage pudding ($19.99), imported gourmet chocolate salted caramels ($6.99), hand-crafted honeycomb in flavours including Popping Candy & Prosecco ($4.99).

READ MORE: Aldi's 2021 Curated Collection Vintage Christmas Pudding