Is it strange that I’ve never cooked a Christmas dinner at 36?

I am 45 and have never cooked a Christmas dinner.

Exactly the same for me. Not, I can't be arsed but I don't need to be because DH enjoys it. And I pull my weight fine with cleaning up and washing up.

Freely admit I can’t be arsed. My DH loves cooking, I am entirely indifferent to it, so he does it. What’s wrong with not being arsed, if you’ve got someone else in the house who wants to do it?

Cooking Christmas dinner is one of my DH’s very favourite things to do! He ordered the beef fillet from our local farm shop for Christmas dinner today. He plans it for weeks.

Yes, this makes me raise my eyebrows too. How can anyone - by middle age or older - be 'clueless' as to how to cook a roast meal?! It's child's play. Incredibly easy, and just smacks of people not being arsed, and wanting someone else to do it.

I'm gobsmacked at the nonchalance of some posters, and how they're wearing it like a badge of honour that they CBA to cook for anyone, and have never cooked a Christmas dinner, or any roast meal ever. I'm even more gobsmacked at how some posters seem proud of how incompetent they are!

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Early 40s and never cooked one either, or any other form of roast. My DH does all our cooking. We’ve just had a new kitchen and bar the aesthetics I’ve had no input into it at all, because I don’t use it.

You love it really.

If you'd said you were 56, I would have said that's a bit unusual. But 36? Not so much. My 2 DC are in their early 30s and they've never cooked a Christmas dinner. They usually come to ours and I do it, or they go to their partner's family, and their mum does it. Have to admit I have never known a man do it, even though some posters say their DH does all the cooking!

I'm 46 and have never cooked one. DH and previous partners have always done the cooking. I sort the rest of Xmas out so it's only fair 😁

45 - I've only ever cooked Xmas dinner for DH and DS, joint effort with DH though.

I don't have room to host.

Me neither.

If DH and DD (the cooks in our house) were both incapacitated, I suppose I could heat up a nut roast, roast potatoes and a couple of other veg pre-prepared by M&S but I wouldnt be happy about it.

My sister is 48 and has never cooked christmas dinner. She does live on her own and is still quite dependent on our parents to look after her at Christmas time.

I first cooked christmas dinner when I was 30, but haven't done it every year since. Probably only done it five or six times in total.

I hope you at least clear away and unload the dishwasher
clueless is not knowing which way a saucepan works ? ...... how clueless are you. Turning on a tap ......

48 and never cooked a roast dinner never mind Christmas dinner

I’ve done it and am 37 but I’m not shocked you haven’t at your age! Lots of people go to their parents so it’s understandable

I don't think I did one until my mid-40s and possibly only started during Covid. I love doing it my way, with sprouts the way I like (fried wth bacon) and bits like red cabbage that weren't on the traditionall family menu because no one liked them. And sometimes, we don't even have turkey!!

I finally did it for the whole extended family last year and it was great (I did mess up the sprouts though).

Weirdly, it was a blessing and a relief and I was free of obligation/guilt and having to do the dishes!

I'd definitely make one if I was on my own. Bloody love a good roast but my partner loves cooking more than me so does it now.

I cooked my 1st Christmas dinner in 2019 at the age of 54 because mum was no longer able to do it. That was the 1 and only time as both my parents had gone by Christmas 2020 so we no longer have it as I don't really like roasts and as it's my birthday that day we eat what I want.

This (except I'm not 53!).
I'm in charge of pudding, same as every other meal when we have guests. And I do the washing up.
I don't think I've ever cooked a roast. I've done roast potatoes before, but never a bird or joint of meat.

My mum cooked it when i was a child but her roasts are not very nice at all plus some years she just made things like lasagna but would half burn it! The year i was pregnant with one of my daughters who born few days after christmas mum cooked but i can’t remember much of that meal.

Im 42 and cook it and my mum brings deserts. (from sainsbury’s). My oldest is 21 and learnt to make beef wellington so for last 3yrs he cooks that. My youngest daughters birthday is 3weeks before christmas so when she was 3weeks old i was cooking christmas dinner for everyone although my partner did help and i kept it simple that year.

If i was invited out id either bring couple dishes, desert or send some money in advance to contribute

My adult dc have never cooked because their houses aren’t big enough. I’m happy to cook and we have a great day.
Tbf, my dd’s would love to host and I’m sure will do so in the future.
An offer has been made for me to sit in the lounge whilst dd and her dp cook in my kitchen but I’d be way too interfering 😂

Didn't do it until in my fifties as mum always like to cook for us all .

I'm 66 and never cooked one. Not going to start either

I’ve done about 40. Am looking forward to not doing it this year, and may decide I have hung up my apron for good round Christmas

Neither of my adult daughters has ever cooked one.

I loved cooking Christmas dinner, it was part of the whole Christmas ritual for me, down at 8 am to get the turkey in the oven and happily busy all morning, on and off. I even managed it (with a few short cuts) last year when I'd been diagnosed with cancer, but sadly I don't think I'm up to it this year.

Luckily my son-in-law isn't too bad at cooking and eager to help, and my daughters will help out, but I will still miss it.

"Did your mum never get to enjoy Christmas morning because of the dinner prep? I find this quite sad actually."

What's sad for ME is knowing I can't do it any more, because that was HOW I enjoyed Christmas morning. Mind you, we have always had presents AFTER dinner, kids and all apart from stockings (a controversial topic on MN, I know!) so when the meal was over all I had to do was slump onto the sofa with champagne and enjoy the mayhem fun of the gift-opening.