What Time Did You Eat Xmas Lunch?

[londonscalling]

I was criticised (subtly) by an elderly relative for serving Christmas lunch so late yesterday.

By the time the teenagers got up, we opened presents, ate breakfast, had visitors in the morning and then cooked lunch, we didn't eat until 3pm.

Is that ridiculously late?

Sometime in January, I expect.

6pm, we always have Christmas dinner rather than lunch.

6pm; due to DP working and teenagers having a fry up at noon. We decided to have Xmas to suit ourselves this year, 1.30/2 is far too early unless up early with wee tots.
Elderly folk are very regimented in their eating, DPs GF won’t have a cuppa unless at his pre ordained time 🙄

5.30ish in the end. Just me and DH so we didn't have any major plan it was just ready when it was ready. Spoke to my mother at 2 and they had eaten and washed up by then, she wouldn't have been impressed if she'd come here!

2pm in our house then pudding at about 3.30pm.

Just before 1.

My mum always "aimed for" some already late time like 2 but served at about 4:30 or later. It wouldn't matter if everything was relaxed and late second breakfast and eating all your Christmas chocolate was "allowed" but she took it as a personal betrayal if anyone snacked before "lunch". Everyone had to "help" but she was a micromanager so this actually made things take even longer.

We don't have a special breakfast on Christmas Day and even my teen chooses to get up at 7, plus FIL came to lunch, so there really was no reason not to serve it at lunch time.

And this has just reminded me how narky my mother's husband used to get if we all went out for lunch and someone dared to book the table for later than 12...much huffing and grumbling of "but I always eat at 12". Yes sod what anyone else wants as long as you eat at the correct time eh Derek?

It’s Christmas Dinner so we ate at 5.30pm.

Lunch is presumably a sandwich or something minimal around midday?

I was aiming for 2pm but it was 2.30pm by the time it was all dished out. We then had puddings and coffees and then did presents and games. No other meals were consumed.

2pm ish ...finished 6 pm after breaks between courses.

We sat down about 5. As we tend to do every year. Why rush around and have to start cooking at 9 in the morning.
We got up about 9, opened some pressers. Showered etc then went for a walk. Our guests came to us around 3.

Always 3pm here then pudding about 5.30 then if anyone can manage any more there's cheese for supper

We aimed for 2 but think it was nearer to 3.

Mainly because some relatives arrived late so by the time we swapped and opened presents we were a bit behind.

No one seemed to mind though!

We ate at 4.30 but we all knew it would be about then. If I was expecting to eat at 1pm and didn't eat until hours later I would probably scoff too much chocolate and then not enjoy my dinner as much

We had Christmas dinner was the evening meal, ate at about 6 ish. Only things anyone had eaten before that was junk. Dd2 was "STARVING" by dinner time, but food was available all day and she's old enough to help herself if she's hungry.

If I was invited for lunch I would find 3 late. I would expect lunch between 1 and 2, but I know it's fairly normal for people to eat Christmas lunch mid afternoon, so would be prepared with snacks to keep me/any dc going til the meal is served.

We are at 2.30. My DM who almost always eats lunch at 12 noon was fine as she knew it would be later so had a snack before coming to ours.

MrsScrubbithatescleaning you have Christmas dinner. That doesn't make it the law that the main meal is an evening dinner. Lots of people have a main meal at lunchtime, making that meal dinner, and a light evening meal (tea or supper). It's supposedly healthier, also it's more convenient for many people. Some people are - shock horror - flexible from year to year.

When my MIL was alive we used to have a British Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve early evening, then presents afterwards (German Christkind tradition) then go to MIL and FIL on 25th. Things have been in flux since she died, with all DH's siblings going there the first year but no big meal as it was too raw (we still did Christmas Eve dinner and presents at home first) then DH's brothers taking their dad on holiday over Christmas.

This year FIL came to us for Christmas lunch specifically, as he had no other plans but wanted to sleep in his own bed. Therefore I cooked at lunch time. It worked well. Allowed him to have company but drive home (about 50 miles) in the light as he wished to. Allowed us to relax and slob out and watch a DVD DD gave DS2 in English together in the evening - we all have to speak German with FIL.

We ate Christmas dinner at around 6/7pm. We were outdoors enjoying the good weather all day, so didn't get home and start prepping it until later in the afternoon.

3:30

5.30 for us! We always have dinner rather than a lunch!

We aimed for three, but it was about four.

In previous years we've eaten it at more like 2pm.... but we still call it 'dinner'!

We had Christmas brunch (full Scottish fry up) around 11ish and dinner at 5pm.

We don't have dinner so early (or call it lunch). Have yours whenever you want, but next time tell them the time you will be sitting down to eat so they can eat something before if they want to.

5pm as is our usual time for dinner. I was quite impressed I got it all out for the planned time. I couldn't eat a big meal earlier or later unless by an hour or so. We are creatures of habit

1.15pm.
Everyone's back from church, DH has finished work, we are ready to eat.

Any later and there would be no room for Christmas tea!