How do you do Xmas dinner when several families members are working?

[StillMedusa]

So, I have have 8 coming for Xmas (plus two babies and dogs).
DD1.. working Xmas eve/xmas day (late shift...nurse)
Her DH Xmas eve, xmas day, and til 6pm boxing day
DS2 working boxing day ..supermarket hours.
DH ..working boxing day most likely.
The rest of us are off, thankfully

I have no idea how to do this this year..last year we somehow managed to be together for one full afternoon/evening! I DO want to do an Xmas roast, doesn't have to be on Xmas day itself but can't do xmas eve ..have to hope that DS2 isn't working late evening boxing day?
Or do I do two smaller Xmas dinners on consecutive days?
Or say fuck it, if you aren't here I'll plate it!
Or fuck it, let's just eat so much cheese we don't want a dinner?!
Help!!

Perhaps a make ahead christmas casserole? www.rte.ie/lifestyle/recipes/2013/1221/744105-turkey-and-ham-pie/

It’s warming and filling which I think is a priority for you this year. Then just fill up on snazzy picky bits, cheese and chopped.

I'd go with "fuck it if you aren't here I'll plate it" or "fuck it we're eating ALL the cheese"

My parents used to make the dinner for when the most amount of people were around and then the others got their dinner when they got back.

Obviously a reheated dinner isn't as good as a fresh one, but it was nice to know it was there and my mam always made a big fuss of everyone.

I think shift workers who are working over Christmas day on opposite shifts from their friends and family do understand that they will miss out on elements of the day.

My mam would also schedule a Christmas another time in December or January for a time when everyone was around.

I would probably wait until everyone had a time where we could eat together and make Christmas Day a bit casual.

The job interview is most important.

However, I'm not sure I would even bother with the dinner now if I was your PILs. They should have just invited everyone at a certain day and time. It should be a nice thing to do. I assume that they were trying to be nice and accomodating by giving two choices but all of this disagreement and trying to change the plans would ruin it for me.

My MIL puts my dinner on a plate for me to reheat and have after work.
My mum somehow manages to find one day all her children and their partners can make around their jobs etc and does Christmas that day.

Im sure OP has sorted it by now...