Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

to not have a Christmas Day lunch?

51 replies

Mmmdoughnuts · 25/11/2011 21:41

My mother is working the whole of the Christmas period, my father is going to my stepbrothers for the duration, my sister is going to her inlaws for the duration.

My pil are going with my bil to my sil's family for the duration.

This means this will be mine and my kids and dh, are first ever Christmas that it is just us for the whole festive period. Kids are teenagers, so this is a very odd feeling.

I feel very sad that this is the situation but there you have it.

I have tried to explain to dh, that I am struggling as to how to think to make Christmas day lunch special/different from every Sunday where I cook a full roast just for the four of us.

I said that as my Christmas present, I would like us to go out for Christmas lunch, there is a hotel down the road, that are doing a 7 course christmas lunch for £70pp (total cost of £280). This is a heck of a lot of money, and dh said no way paying that for one meal, and has said instead to go to the local Harvester at a cost of £140.

I don't want to go to a Harvester, the kids love Harvester they will enjoy it and dh will enjoy it.

Now the hotel is doing a 4 course Boxing Day lunch and turkey and all the trimmings are on it for a total cost of £60.

I would prefer to do this instead, and not have Christmas Day lunch, and go for it on Boxing day instead. But I feel like I am being scrooge and ruining Christmas, by not having Christmas day lunch.

AIBU?

OP posts:

academyblues · 25/11/2011 21:49

I couldn't care less about 'Christmas lunch' myself.

Either way, sweating over a hot stove for hours or forking out for some over-priced turkey fest, seems a waste of a good day off to me.

Could your family be persuaded into some posh but easy food eg salmon, or do you all feel the pull towards the traditional turkey?

JaneFonda · 25/11/2011 21:50

YABU.

Just because your kids are teenagers, that doesn't mean your family shouldn't have a Christmas lunch at all, simply because you don't fancy it!

It's a bit selfish to be honest, why not go to the Harvester? Then your DH and kids get what they like, and you can get what you like on Boxing Day.

Sirzy · 25/11/2011 21:51

You do it whichever way is right for you all.

TO me the idea of going out for a meal on christmas day is awful, but the idea of boxing day I would do. But I would personally still want my full roast on Christmas day as a christmas dinner tastes different to the other roasts throughout the year somehow!

academyblues · 25/11/2011 21:52

I'd HATE to go to a Harvester at any time.

If I was required to on Christmas day, I'd have to feign illness, I think.

Can't imagine much worse.

troisgarcons · 25/11/2011 21:52

I'm with you on this.

A bit different tho' .... both our parents are dead .... siblings live abroad/up country with own families ... so its just us and the teens.

I tried the 'favourite meal' thing two years ago as no one like turkey apart from DH.

So I did turkey and gammon. We all like gammon, he likes turkey! One wanted macaroni cheese ....so it all got kind of complicated.

We looked into the carvery thing ..... as you say 60 quid a head ..... I love my family but 300 quid for a meal that would usually cost a fiver a head is a no-go.

So Christmas Day is a glorified Sunday ....Boxing Day is much more fun ... the neighbours are home, they come in, we have board games and the worlds biggest cheese board and nibbly bits>

marriedinwhite · 25/11/2011 21:58

I have done a taste of Christmas lunch when relly's come at weekends in December. Here's the recipe - serves at least four. 2 turkey breasts, stuffing balls, mini sausages with bacon.

Make Christmas kebabs. Thread piece of turkey, stuffing ball, cocktail sausage and bacon onto a kebab, brush on warmed cranberry sauce and cook in a warm to hot oven for about 30 mins. Serve with sprouts, carrot batons, roast potatoes and something like M&S parsnips and ready made gravy and bread sauce. Mince pies or shop bought xmas pud and liquery creams/brandy butter. Fantastic taste of Christmas - guarantee it goes down brilliantly. Try that on Xmas day with crackers and do the Boxing day job for £60 the next day.

PontyMython · 25/11/2011 21:58

We don't go mad on food for Xmas day. We spend it alone (me, DH, 4yo and 2yo) and there isn't much point. We have nice food - and shitloads of chocolate etc obviously - but nothing too high maintenance. We just want to spend the day messing about with the DCs. We have our big meal on 24th or 26th when my parents visit.

Anyway, your DCs are old enough for you to all sit down, discuss it and come to a compromise, so do that. :)

emsyj · 25/11/2011 21:59

YANBU. We went for a curry last year. Twas marv.

Original poster

Mmmdoughnuts · 25/11/2011 22:20

Marriedinwhite - love the sound of that menu. Thanks for sharing that.

I had thought of getting a small ham joint, cheese, bread ready to bake in oven, and lots of nibbles, and of course the obligatory vast quantities of chocolate, and let everyone graze all day. (And now with the addition of festive kebabs ), and then full lunch out the following day.

OP posts:

BambinoBoo · 25/11/2011 22:22

YABU. The hospital recently farked up my gallbladder surgery so I'm facing soup and a jacket potato on Christmas day. The harvester sounds like a Michelin star delight to me at the moment. Seriously, I would go with what the kids want for this year, on the proviso that you get to pick next.

Annunziata · 25/11/2011 22:26

YABU, that's extortionate!

Get a little buffet made up for Christmas day, have a lazy day, go for a walk, enjoy yourselves and go out for dinner the next day- gives you two lovely days!

You could also change your Sunday lunches from now through to Christmas? (I have proposed this in our house too, but there was nearly a mutiny!)

Soups · 25/11/2011 22:34

I must admit to being tempted by the local Harvester this year

How about doing something during the morning and getting back for party food? Our local ice rink does free skating on Christmas morning! I'm sure the dry ski slope was open with the toboggan run. We did ice skating last year, came back for party food (Yes the frozen packs) and wine, then had a later simple roast. If you're near some nice walks, you could plan a short potter, then back for some food. Boxing day off to the cheaper meal.

I'm wondering if trying not to re create the Christmas day you're all used to may help.

squeakytoy · 25/11/2011 23:59

Well we have a roast most sundays, but we dont have crackers, christmas music playing.. presents open and waiting to be broken played with..

There will only be me and the husband, and MIL, but we still have a proper xmas dinner with all the trimmings...

The best part of the day is flopping on the sofa after lunch, with a glass of something nice and alcoholic, and popping into the kitchen every so often to grab a bit of turkey or ham... and generally feeling festive. :)

cat64 · 26/11/2011 00:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

MumblingAndBloodyRagDoll · 26/11/2011 00:36

I think you're just nervous....that it wont feel festive or special...but that's down to you and them making an effort. How is Christmas lunch different to a normal roast? Well where to begin!

THe table should look special, there should be more alcohol than usual and the food should be a bit different! Don't have turkey...have duck or goose or whatever you like best...have more and nice puddings and real flowers on the table....I dont think a Harvester is good enough and your DH thinks the other option is too expensive so YABU.

Get in there and make DH help...do the table nicely and there you go!

HeraldAngelSinging · 26/11/2011 07:59

Why don't you just cook something simple on Christmas Day? One Christmas, my DH and I were alone so I made burgers from scratch and they were accompanied by chips. What was the point of splashing out for two at home? And we couldn't afford a posh meal out at an expensive time.

fivegomadindorset · 26/11/2011 08:08

Why don't you do something completely different, walk and a picnic, bbq on the beach, help out at a soup kitchen on the day.

exoticfruits · 26/11/2011 08:16

I would actually be thrilled that you just have your own family for a change.
You have lots of options. I would go for MumblingABRD and go to town on the lunch with table decorations etc. I make a centrepiece with lots of little presents inside. Make sure some of the presents are ones with games that you could play at the table. Get the teenagers cooking different parts of it.
You could get the teenagers to cook the lot!

If you don't like that go for HeraldAngelsSinging-do a different meal-let everyone choose it and cook it.

Or if this still doesn't appeal do fivegomadindorset's suggestion.

Binfullofmaggotsonthe45 · 26/11/2011 08:17

I don't think its selfish not to want to cook on Christmas day.

Millions of Swiss people don't have turkey and roast potatoes, they have fondue, and they don't get struck by lightning .

Something to try that's easy and novel? Fondue Chinoise, Cheese or meat fondue, or Raclette (cheaper to buy the grill than eat at Harvester)

All you do is prep the veg and meat, heat up the pot etc. It's very sociable and you enjoy the company round the table rather than slogging in the kitchen.

I am not a harvester fan either btw.

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 26/11/2011 08:18

You do what suits all, it doesn't have to be the full Christmas dinner.

We will be doing a nibbly meal this year, whatever we fancy that doesn't require much cooking. I will be working and between night shifts and I can't be bothered with the cooking. Dh would have a go at a full dinner but my appetite goes when I'm on nights and the dses won't eat much so, really with just him eating it, there is little point....

I wouldn't go to the Harvester for Christmas lunch though. We have one 5 minutes walk for us and go once a year, just tor remind ourselves how crap it is

MindtheGappp · 26/11/2011 08:21

We went out for Christmas lunch when it was just the two of us, or just us and small babies. It was great. You get the whole meal, which you obviously couldn't do at home unless you wanted left-overs for a month.

I think it is nice to do it once for a change/for the experience. A lot of people spend over £60 on their turkey, so this puts into perspective what a home cooked meal actually costs.

SuePurblybiltbyElves · 26/11/2011 08:24

I never cook on Christmas Day, unless I'm helping at someone's house. No cooking at mine . I certainly wouldn't go to the Harvester either, am basing my opinion on trips in the mid-90s but they're a bit horrid.
The hotel on Boxing Day sounds just the thing. For Christmas Day, buy those takeaways in a bag or posh ready meals or, what I like, lots of lovely picky bits that just need heating or chopping or decanting into a bowl . Let everyone choose their favourite thing.

cjbartlett · 26/11/2011 08:25

I find it a bit bizarre tbh

Why are your husband and teenagers bottom of your list and your parents and siblings only the ones worth making things special for?!

Although the thought if ordering masses of Chinese food on Xmas eve and heating it all up Xmas day & eating in pjs is very tempting

mumofthreekids · 26/11/2011 08:29

The problem with the Boxing day meal at the hotel is that £60pp doesn't sound to me like much of a saving on £70pp?

LoveBeingAFirework · 26/11/2011 08:29

After having my first Harvester experience this week I would happily go there.

I don't think going out for lunch is a bad thing but it does need to be somewhere you are all happy with.

Flip

1 2 3