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Original poster

To prefer having Christmas dinner on 24th nor 25th

29 replies

Traballi · 25/12/2025 07:02

Dh is from a country where they celebrate on 24th, not 25th. This year we decided to do a Christmas dinner at 7pm Christmas eve with dishes from both countries and skip the faff of cooking on Christmas Day.

We'll still do present opening on Christmas Day and spend it eating leftovers/ cheeseboard etc but it means the pressure to do it all on 25th is gone and things feel spread over a couple of days.

It's the first year we've done it like this and I much prefer it, I feel so relaxed this morning and just looking forward to relaxing today. WIBU to just do it like this every year from now on? We're in the UK and I've always done everything on 25th like my parents did but I remember my mum used to treat 25th like a military operation of coordinating timings to cook dinner for 2pm and it felt like entire day was too focused on that

OP posts:
Laserwho · 25/12/2025 07:32

Christmas dinner on 24th, presents on 25 th with left overs, more time for everybody to relax and watch kids open/ play with presents. 26 th repeat of 25th eating something with chips. Said goodbyeto the chaos of Christmas day years ago and better for it

Tchalahop · 25/12/2025 07:19

but how is that any different to having a Christmas dinner on the 25th and a lazy Boxing Day? Surely that’s the same thing? You’re just cooking a day earlier.

I’m long time married to another Christmas-on-the-24th-er

I find that things are not spread out at all and just over very quickly. Christmas Eve (23rd) is barely a thing as Santa comes on the evening of the 24th (a neighbour comes in a costume) so you aren’t ’waiting’ for him, and nothing festive happens then.

The main event doesn’t start until late afternoon on the 24th.

And nothing is done on the 25th. There is no ‘boxing day’ equivalent.

I have done it in a couple of the nordics, different branches of the family and it just feels like a much compressed event compared to British Christmas.

Namechange234567 · 25/12/2025 07:07

We kind of do the opposite, we have a buffet/picky bits on the 24th followed by presents. Then 25th is super chill as we just have picky leftovers (and a fancy breakfast) as anyone wants it and can slowly make Christmas lunch with no pressure and no extra trying to watch the kids open presents.

minipoodlemum · 25/12/2025 07:04

Same here, we do a big meal on the 24th every year then an English breakfast and leftovers on the 25th. It makes the 25th so much more relaxed.