Who has Xmas dinner and who likes to go out/have a takeaway?

Christmas Day dinner should not have any Aunt Bessie's stuff on it. Leave that for the rest of the year.

I do worry about myself when my parents are no longer alive. In their mid 70s and got no family to attend to.

I love a proper traditional home made Christmas Dinner. Unfortunately I'm a bit too decrepit to do it to the standard I would like (I'm autistic so need to do it properly) and we haven't been invited to go to anyone else, so we're going out to lunch instead.

I'm Scottish and christmas dinner is a huge deal because we don't really have roasts 😂

My sister is married but his family get a curry delivered so he goes there and she makes a Christmas dinner at hers for all of us.

It's set in stone. DP joins us because I told him I always have Christmas dinner with my family, you can come if you want. We see his family on boxing day.

I always cook a traditional chicken dinner, turkey ham etc.
Last year for a change we got an Indian takeaway. My parents declined to come
It was nice and so much easier but I missed the traditional dinner so this year we'll be back to normal

This is us. We have a 3 year old who couldn't give a monkeys about a roast/Christmas dinner, and a will be 4 month old. I tried to do a big dinner last year and it was such a waste of time.

We're doing a buffet on Christmas and then we're going out on boxing day where I can order my christmas dinner and my small kiddies can have sausages or whatever they want and I don't have to wash up.

There will be a season in life where I do a big Christmas dinner again but I prefer everyone happy and plenty of time to play with toys.

Re the people working on holidays. I used to run a few restaurants in London some years ago. Most people working there were from far away and some didn’t even celebrate Xmas (they celebrated Chinese new year or other holidays). If they didn’t work, they’d be alone in their home as they wouldn’t travel back home (usually too expensive, or they had planned to go back at a different time).
about a month before the holidays every staff member would put their wishes for if and which days/ times they’d like to work over the holidays and those were always honoured. There were more volunteers than shifts.
And the people who wanted to celebrate were off work and those who didn’t could spend the day(s) with other coworkers. We always had a meal together after closing for those who were interested to stay and socialize.
all that to say, I believe most people who are at work on holidays most likely want to be there. There’s no way to force someone to show up if they don’t want to work.

Also I’ve not to blow my own trumpet but I’ve never had a roast out that I enjoy as much as my own. And then there’s the leftover sandwich which are elite

I actually love Christmas dinner. It’s no more difficult than a big roast and I think I’d miss the tradition of not having it. Also as I’m in good aul catholic Ireland I’ve literally no other choice. Pubs, takeaways and restaurants don’t open here on Christmas Day so you cook or starve 🤣. There is the option of going to a hotel if they’re open but they’re usually packages that are for a few days and extortionate per person. Couldn’t think of anything worse than being in a hotel over Christmas. I want the comfort of my home with fluffy pjs and a roaring fire

Before I had a kid I never cooked Xmas dinner- I ordered food I fancied on the fancier of every day side. Even when I was with an infant I ordered take away. I made an effort the last couple of yrs but I feel it’s not worth the effort especially since no one minds - I’m rested and enjoy the holidays too instead of spending the day in the kitchen. Next year we hope we travel over the holidays so hopefully all the cooking / decorating etc days are over and I can enjoy a cocktail under the sun somewhere

The idea of going out for Christmas dinner, or getting a takeaway is utterly alien to me. Are there even any restaurants or takeaways open on Christmas day in the UK? I've never heard of this and can't imagine anyone I know doing it.

We've done all sorts of things over the years, but our favourite (and what we are doing this year) is all day party food after starting with trifle for breakfast. No pressure, no timings, everyone gets to have picked their favourite things, just lovely and relaxing.

Traditional Christmas dinner at home always. Indian is a takeaway for us . Also the dogs have a full roast dinner and they don't eat curry .

We are getting an Indian delivered this year and doing our Christmas lunch on boxing day when things are a bit calmer re kids and toys and general chaos

Homemade Christmas dinner is the only way for me. We do often have beef rather than turkey, but for me the smell of a roast and all the time spent in the kitchen with family is a massive part of the day for me. I have never eaten a good roast out, always a disappointment, so it has to be made at home. I couldn't imagine having curry on Christmas day. Yes on boxing day or Christmas eve, but not Christmas day.

I hate being home for Christmas and usually spend it away either abroad or somewhere in the uk, or worse case we go to a local hotel and have their Christmas Day buffet or brunch however since covid I had to cook for Christmas ( which I hated not because I don’t like to cook, I actually love cooking I just hate Christmas cooking) and even though all is back to normal last year I ordered the family platter from the local Turkish restaurant, and had it at home lol. We were supposed to eat in but we couldn’t be bothered to get dressed up 😅

I still got a turkey but I tend to freeze it for either New years or Easter where there is less pressure to go all out with the amount of courses served.

This year I’m going back to not cooking at home and having it at a hotel with the kids.

We used to go to a local Israeli cafe for lunch. It was in a park so the kids could run around and then we'd have falafel and chips followed by apple cake and ice cream. Gutted when they stopped opening on 25th Dec.
We've had a few years at our local Indian buffet but last couple of years, now that the kids have grown up, we've just stayed home and eaten normal food. I love a roast but cba to cook one.

We usually stay at home or go to family for a roast of some sort, not always turkey. I love this. One year we spent Christmas with my Dad’s side of the family and went out for a roast in a restaurant and it was very expensive and not nearly as nice as a home cooked meal. Also as we were a big party a couple of people had to drive since no one gave a thought about taxis so no alcohol for them. But our local Indian restaurant do a Christmas lunch and me and DH really want to try it one year. It’ll have to be when his parents aren’t with us as they’d never agree to it. I reckon mine would though.

I love a christmas dinner! I dont find it stressful though so I enjoy doing it and feeding everyone (I do lots of scout camp catering - last time for 170 people so xmas dinner for 12 is easy in comparison!)

We have at times over the years done something different

• extended family gone out for Christmas lunch. DS3 was a few weeks old so I didnt want to cook but it just felt wrong, wasnt quite as nice as mine and hard to keep the little kids entertained (rather than athome where they can get down whilst adults are chatting and play with toys/nap/watch TV etc
• had a christmas in Laos where we didnt even acknowledge xmas - we were back packing
• a christmas when the kids were junior age and it was just the 5 of us - we did a buffet instead but it wasnt the same and we all missed the cermony of the sit down lunch plus picking at leftovers!

It wouldn’t be Christmas for me without the traditional roast and all the trimmings. And the leftovers. Nearly the most important bit!

Even when we lived in Asia we managed a traditional Christmas turkey roast.

I find Christmas roast dinners out are never the same if you have one at a function or something so wouldn’t be keen on going out for Christmas lunch full stop.

But if I had to I think actually going to a nice Indian restaurant would be better than being rushed through in a pub.

I have a take away one day and christmas dinner another...best of both worlds!

Having family Christmas dinner is important to me, but I'm not fussed what day it's on. I'd be happy to have curry on Christmas Day and do our roast a different day.

That said I'd be a bit uncomfortable being the reason other people have to work Christmas Day, whatever they are paid. You never really know how much choice they got in it. Maybe that's me overthinking, given I am happy for DH to cook for us!

I will qualify my response though and say if i happen to be abroad at Christmas I'm happy to eat as locals do!

I live Christmas dinner so yes I would be very disappointed at going for curry but would be open to going out for a traditional Christmas meal eg at a pub if not many people. I'm happy to do the cooking though, i cook it best

Definitely not a takeaway but near us there would be no chance of takeaway on Xmas day anyway... and eating out is astronomical on Xmas day.

We’ve been out for a curry on Christmas Day a few times and we’re doing it this year. None of us are really bothered with Christmas dinner, only one in our household eats meat and he doesn’t eat turkey.

When we have stayed home, we have sometimes had a Christmas dinner but other years we’ve just had party food or made something else we’ve fancied.