Anyone else eating out on Xmas day? Family think it’s ‘strange’

[Eastie77Returns]

I can’t face cooking Christmas dinner this year. We are in a tiny rental (currently in the middle of trying to buy a house) with half our kitchen stuff in storage. To be honest the idea of spending the whole day in this faintly depressing property really doesn’t appeal. After searching for ages online I found an affordable restaurant and booked Xmas lunch there. Family member has commented that it’s strange to do this when I have family nearby who I could spend the day with. Have to say this made me chuckle as said family member lives close by but has never, ever extended an invite to us to spend any time with them, Christmas or otherwise.

I’m not much of a traditionalist so honestly didn’t think twice about this but does anyone else think it’s ‘sad’ (word used by relative) to go to a restaurant on Xmas day??

My parents used to take us out for xmas day lunch when we lived at home. I remember being so hungover one xmas that me, and my brother, couldn’t eat a thing! And it’s not cheap!

Our local pub charges £85 a head, plus drinks.

We've done lots of Christmas Day lunches in London (the Gordon pub we used to go to is The Narrow) although also in other countries/locations.

At no point have I ever thought I'm surrounded by strangers. Because I'm at a table with my family. They may be strange but they're not strangers. Maybe if I was eating alone but...

Actually there's always been a really jolly atmosphere eating out.

Years ago, I worked in a country club on Christmas Day. All the customers seemed very happy. No sign of anyone crying into their Christmas pudding that they were surrounded by strangers on Christmas Day.

I have done it once and loved it. No shopping no cooking. Bliss

It’s not my kind of thing but I like pyjamas, getting stuck into the Buck’s Fizz at 11, flopping on the sofa and being in my own space. I also really love cooking Christmas dinner and having the little ones running around like mad things. If it was just DH and I with no other extended family maybe, but we’re lucky to have a busy family, and I grew up in a similar set up, so Christmas Day in my mind is firmly for eating and drinking in a sea of chaos rather than having a swanky lunch!

Yep. Going for an Indian on Christmas Day about 3pm. Isn't expensive, food is delicious and after seeing my face trying to deal with relatives, the staff gave me free brandy and a bottle of wine to take home

Oops, meant to add though that I don’t think it’s ‘sad’ in any way! Different stuff for different people. DH and I see eye to eye on most Xmas traditions, but he maintains I was massively deprived as I wasn’t allowed to open tree presents until the afternoon

Do it! We sometimes do, sometimes don't but I've never regretted it. I don't really like being in the house all day so we tend to go somewhere for lunch, have a walk if the weather isn't too bad and then back for late afternoon/evening. DH not a big drinker so happy to drive if we go further away than we can walk.

I should add the restaurant we go to is small and most people go back year after year so it's like a giant room with extended friends. Some we even exchange small presents with and people will sit at other people's tables etc

We did it a few years ago and it was ok. The advantages were that we were free all morning to do things other than cooking and there was no washing up. We all got to sit and chat rather than jumping up and down to sort food snd drinks etc.

On the downside the food and atmosphere were quite nice but not amazing. No leftovers. We arrived on time but I think they had been expecting us to be early and felt a bit in trouble. It felt quite different to normal. But yes as a one off change it was good.

I wouldn't want to do it. That's because Christmas dinner is the part of Christmas that I have zero interest in. I would be perfectly happy with a bowl of cornflakes for Christmas dinner.
I like being cosy at home, watching telly, playing with new pressies, listening to Christmas music etc.
Depends how important the meal part of Christmas is for you really.

I have and it was great. Had something different from the usual roast. Cost £££ per head but worth it.

We did it a couple of years ago- the dinner was rubbish, hardly anything on the plate and obviously very expensive. I wouldn't do it again.

For 364 days I think I wouldn't like it. At 10am on Christmas morning I start to think it would be a good idea. By 5pm on Christmas Day, faced with mountains of washing up, the idea becomes very appealing.

By Boxing Day I'm always glad we ate at home when I eye up the leftovers and have cold pigs in blankets for lunch.

We have for the last few years and will this year too. My parents downsized to a flat with a tiny kitchen but still want to host so we have our Christmas lunch at a restaurant.

DH did as a child and hated it. He is now a total homebird for Christmas

No, I don't think it's sad. We're not doing that this year, but we have before. I think it's also quite common to do this after a big life change like a bereavement, to do something different and establish new traditions.

It is expensive, that's true. I'd think it worth it if it freed up a lot of time planning, preparing and cooking. I just don't think it would in our house as everyone wants leftover type food to eat anyway.

We’ve done it on holidays before but can’t justify the ridiculously high prices charged. I know it’s all down to much higher overhead for them, but the place we go for Christmas charges 60 quid for adults and 35 for kids and you can only have a 3 course meal, so it would be wasteful as we wouldn’t eat all that at one sitting. If I could just pay for the turkey dinner, I’d be happy to pay for what I actually ate.

I’m a mediocre cook and have never made a great Xmas day dinner so I won’t be overly critical of if it doesn’t turn out to be the best meal I’ve eaten. It’s pricey but average for a London restaurant and not massively more than we might have spent on the food shop anyway.

I think it's definitely "sad" that she's so invested in how other people spend their Christmas day.
It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Do what makes you happy. Maybe you'll like it, maybe you won't.
We are going out this year because I will be heavily pregnant and can't be bothered cooking or hosting. We've never done it before so not sure whether we'll like it but we'll find out!

Not this year,but we have in the past several times . Enjoyed it ,but always seems a bit strange coming back home to the house somehow .Maybe no smell of Turkey /Or sprouts! Anyway enjoy !

We did it once and the food was really disappointing so we haven't risked it again. If I'm paying to eat out I expect the food to be nicer than I could make at home!

We've out lots of times on Xmas Day. Lockdown was the last time in about 10 years that we stayed in & cooked. We don't do 'family' Christmas though. DH's side too big, too many tensions, my side is mum & dad who are too frail to come to ours and have no dining table / chairs for us to go there.

So we walk into town for a couple of 'sharpeners', into the Indian restaurant for a huge feed for less than £30 a head, waddle home with doggy bags for later. I might do a gammon in the pressure cooker Xmas Eve for sandwiches for Xmas supper, but that's about it.

We've done it before and would do it again if wasn't so expensive. Not remotely sad, and sounds ideal given your current circumstances.

It's not for me but anyone who thinks it's strange or sad must be a bit out of touch with the world. So many go out for Christmas lunch that you have to book up months beforehand roud here In fact I believe some people book the next year on Christmas day itself