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AIBU?

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Original poster

to think starters with Christmas dinner are superfluous?

244 replies

thatsgotit · 15/12/2025 17:14

Just what the thread title says, really. How does anyone manage to do full justice to a turkey dinner if they've had their appetite blunted by a starter beforehand? (I do realise not everyone has turkey or even a roast, obviously, but I'm mainly talking here about those who do.)

This might be partly a generational thing, but personally I'd much rather leave myself more room to enjoy the main (and some Christmas pudding afterwards, which again I realise not everyone has) and it wouldn't even occur to me to plan a starter for Christmas Day. It just feels entirely superfluous. Surely I'm not the only one?

OP posts:
AgnesMcDoo · 15/12/2025 18:42

I like my starters

we have a break between courses so manage fine

ARoomSomewhere · 15/12/2025 18:40

Ideal for us is: scrambled eggs with smoked salmon around 9.30 (before Church). A drink with a few gifts after Church. Lunch at around 3 (ish). Then presents & Puddings around 6. Cheeseboard at 9pm+ if anyone fancies it. All the good stuff, spread over 12 hours.

BlackCatFanClub · 15/12/2025 18:39

Not for me. I used to eat something late morning to keep me going until dinner about 3.
Now we eat later I just have lunch. I find CD very filling, probably because of the meat. I also like to eat until I am full. I then like having dessert much later.

MIL was obsessed with them and got very upset as I am allergic to shellfish and couldn’t eat a prawn cocktail. One year she forced me to have a giant tin of tomato soup, watered down. Makes me queasy at the thought.

PistachioTiramisu · 15/12/2025 18:39

I can't face a starter even when going out for an ordinary dinner - too much food.

Zanatdy · 15/12/2025 18:39

I’ve never had a starter with Christmas dinner apart from one year we went out for dinner. I personally never have a starter as I feel it ruins my dinner. I guess it depends how big your appetite is.

Original poster
thatsgotit · 15/12/2025 18:37

TheTaupeScroller · 15/12/2025 18:10

Happy either way

I don't like a roast or Christmas diner anywhere enough to find it that filling, I have a bit but I have never felt stuffed. It's just a bit of turkey and some veg and potato, nothing special.

I am easy, just don't plate my food for me, I can't stand it when someone tries to decide how hungry I am for me! I am a grown-up, let me deal with my own food thank you.

Ooh, especially when the men somehow end up with more meat on their plates than the women... grr!

OP posts:
HorrorFan81 · 15/12/2025 18:32

We have a starter around 12 and xmas dinner around 3. Works for us

Lovesacake · 15/12/2025 18:30

We love a starter but it’ll be quite light, a few scallops or prawns aren’t going to fill anyone up

Overthebow · 15/12/2025 18:25

We have canapés at midday which are smoked salmon blinis and a few other nibbles, then Christmas lunch around 2pm.

CantWaitForSpring26 · 15/12/2025 18:22

I love a starter at Christmas…. It’s all about pacing yourself !

but thank you for reminding me of the word
Superfluous it’s a brilliant word

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 15/12/2025 18:18

Always have a starter, but something light. Eating Christmas dinner takes about 4 hours though so there's plenty of time to let the food go down!

WildCherryBlossom · 15/12/2025 18:14

Canapés and bubbly around midday, roast just after the King’s speech.

MaplePumpkin · 15/12/2025 18:13

I must be greedy as I can quite easily manage three courses! Not just at Christmas either, often go to restaurants and have a full three courses.

TheTaupeScroller · 15/12/2025 18:10

Happy either way

I don't like a roast or Christmas diner anywhere enough to find it that filling, I have a bit but I have never felt stuffed. It's just a bit of turkey and some veg and potato, nothing special.

I am easy, just don't plate my food for me, I can't stand it when someone tries to decide how hungry I am for me! I am a grown-up, let me deal with my own food thank you.

NowThatsWhatICallRecent · 15/12/2025 18:09

If I've cooked the Christmas dinner, I'm tired of it before I even start eating it. Certainly don't want a starter myself, but serving an easy one gives a handy window for last minute stuff on the main course while others eat pate and toast or similar.

Pasly · 15/12/2025 18:08

Love a light starter to wash down with champagne before starting on the roast turkey dinner with a full bodied red wine 😋

FanFckingTastic · 15/12/2025 18:08

For me the accompaniments and starters are the best bit of Christmas eating!! I like to start with a few chocs first thing (thanks Santa!) and then progress to munching on some pigs in blankets that I've snaffled whilst cooking mid morning. I'd quite happily have ALL the starters - yummy pate, juicy prawn cocktail, gorgeous smoked salmon etc. The actual turkey is the boring bit for me, and really just a filler for the sandwiches on boxing day. After lunch I'm really looking forward to a selection of different different cheeses, maybe with a cold roast potato, washed down with a glass of port, and several more chocs. Christmas food is the best, however and whenever we choose to eat it.

ComtesseDeSpair · 15/12/2025 18:05

FanofLeaves · 15/12/2025 17:35

Ah!!! I love it. We had green ones too, they were sort of like glass lettuce leaves. When my mum departs these will be one of the first things I look for in the absolute hoarding paradise that is her loft.

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Those are the ones! They must have been all of the rage in the 1970s.

itsgettingweird · 15/12/2025 18:04

No starters here either.

Full roast dinner and must leave room for dessert!

We tend to have breakfast here eggs bacon and crumpets usually.

Luxio · 15/12/2025 18:04

TheatricalLife · 15/12/2025 18:02

Haha, no. We don't eat a starter because the dinner is bloody enormous. Hardly waif like behaviour. If the dinner was a lettuce leaf with a teeny slice of turkey maybe.

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Likewise. I don't want to be able to see the plate under the meal before I dig in. I've waited all blooming year for it so I want it to be enjoyed in its full glory. 😁

TheatricalLife · 15/12/2025 18:02

Luxio · 15/12/2025 18:00

Don't think any of us wanting to wait for the main event of just the Christmas dinner rather than three courses are going to be in the waif category...

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Haha, no. We don't eat a starter because the dinner is bloody enormous. Hardly waif like behaviour. If the dinner was a lettuce leaf with a teeny slice of turkey maybe.

NetZeroZealot · 15/12/2025 18:01

Canapés and champagne about an hour before we eat.
No starters.

SeaShellsSanctuary1 · 15/12/2025 18:01

Well it shouldn't come as such a surprise that people may like to enjoy a starter beforehand.

I enjoy a starter as it makes the lunch something different to a normal Sunday roast.

Having a variety of thing doesn't mean it has to be superfluous

OopOop · 15/12/2025 18:01

thatsgotit · 15/12/2025 17:58

From my own perspective this is very much not why the question is being asked, is all I can say to that! 😄 I’ve never been anywhere near teeny, weeny or a waif, there’s just a limit to how much I can comfortably manage to eat in a sitting - but surely that’s the case for most/all of us?

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It is, but some of us prefer to have a starter and less main meal/pudding!

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 15/12/2025 18:01

I agree, but WW3 would break out with DH’s family if we didn’t serve a soup.

if we are having a lower key Christmas dinner on our own, I do a nice starter as ‘lunch’ about 1pm and then we have our main course at 4-ish. Cheese and Christmas cake around 7. It’s perfect.