to think that christmas dinner is one of the easier meals to make?

[ladysybil]

so much discussion on mn about dhristmas dinner. yet i have always found it quite simple to do. I dont think i am doing anything wrong, because it is always appreciated, and I know for a fact that i am not a briliant cook. Cant bake to save my life etc etc. love using various cheats such as frozen stuff, but am selective in my cheats iyswim.

YANBU - it is a posh Sunday roast really, isn't it - just add bread sauce, cranberry sauce, stuffing. and the dreaded sprouts.

Having said that, the one meal I don't do myself is a Sunday roast! I much prefer cooking anything else, and don't have the confidence with timings etc. Luckily I have a fab dh who does a mean roast, gravy and yorkshires (even with Christmas dinner!)

You're right, it's just a roast. But I think people tend to invite hundreds of people and that is harder to cater for these numbers.

I don't understand why all people don't stay in their own homes on Christmas day, but then I suppose they wouldn't all have something to moan about then.

My dad always used to do Christmas dinner too.

I cook way too much every Sunday - usually results in at least a dinner each for Monday plus a lunch for OH.

I don't find Christmas lunch hard at all, cook the roasties the day before (they are better cooked twice) and prep all of the veg which I'll often do on a Saturday anyway.

cooking for 4 (in my case) is not the same as cooking for 10 ( in my case)

i am lucky enough to have a range cooker, but i still cooked the meat the night before.

i am lucky enough to have 6 hob rings. how the hell you could possibly do it on 4 i have no idea as all 6 were going

and still BIL complained that when he got his it was cold

YANBU

I cooked a complete dinner this year. Turkey crown was defrosted day before, veg prepared xmas eve.

Then cooked as a normal roast with a couple of extras (like pigs in blankets)

Took me about 3 hours to cook the whole dinner, washing up was minimal as did as went along.

Cooked for 3 adults and 2 children

Mind you it was harder a few years ago when I cooked for 7 adults and 4 children. Only cause I got stressed and had no room to put anything! NEVER AGAIN

YANBU

Especially if you do as we do and get a deep fat turkey fryer - which means the bird is cooked outside, in under 2 hours, and since it involves flames makes it a 'man's responsibility' (or at least I've been able to convince my husband of that)

The biggest problem I always have is not the cooking - but where to put / seat everyone.

Only ever done christmas at mine for outlaws once cooked for 8 adults and 5 children with absolutely no help, every year since SIL has invited whole family except us to hers [something to do with DS having ASD although they'd never admit it] their not worth it.

I cooked for 10. The food part was fine but the plating up and serving was a nightmare.

Plus there is all the entertaining that goes with it. Its great to catch up and all that, but do you think we could do it after I put this scalding pan down?

It's not the roast dinner that is particularly time-consuming... it's all the special little bits and pieces prepared in advance. I spendt several weekends in the run up making puddings, cakes, relishes etc. Without those it's just another roast.

I can't think of anything worse than staying in our own home, just us on Christmas Day. It would be like any other day. YABU for many people. My friends parents literally just do a roast dinner - no starter, few trimmings, one meat, for 5 people. Of course that is easy. Make it for 12 with one oven, two types of meat, two types of potato, veg with added bits and pieces like bacon, chestnuts, 2 starter choices and one oven and it can be tricky.

Good for you for finding it so easy. I don't do it, DH always cooks on Xmas Day and this year was all M+S, very nice too. We decided we both would rather spend the time playing lego/reading stories etc with DCs. I can bake but would wouldn't dream of spending the run up to Xmas making cakes etc - it's playtime surely?

:) wow, i didnt think i would have so many people aggree with me.
custy, i wish i had a big cooker type like you have. I would end up doing even more than i normally do, but thats coz i also tend to cook way too much. this year i only did one type of potatos coz only the one oven.

YANBU. But don't you find that something always gets forgotten? Last time I cooked Christmas dinner I found the pigs in blankets still waiting to be grilled four days later. And this year DH completely forgot to put the parsnips in the oven. So many more elements than in a usual Sunday roast I guess.