ah fuck,apparently Christmas dinner is expected at 12.

[HankyScore]

We are hosting and the PILs are coming along with BIL and his newish DP.

Last year we did the same (minus the DP) and it worked really well, they all left at about five or six and we walked down to my parents for the evening. So this year we said we'd do the same, which worked out well as BILs DP wants to see her parents and PILs want to see their other grandchildren.

So far, so uncomplicated.

Except Mil has just casually dropped into conversation that Bil and dp are leaving at about 2.30. I just went, um, that's cutting it a bit fine for lunch, and Mil said that it would be fine, after all lunch is at 12ish. And that they'd see us at 11.30.

Like the idiot I am I just said ok. And then got off the phone and thought ffs.

We were planning a leisurely morning, up at the crack of dawn for stockings, get dressed, have smoked salmon and eggs for breakfast, guests arrive early, we open presents and hAve festivities and lunch makes it to the table for around 2pm. This is what my family have always done and its what we did last year with PILs (which was our first year hosting).

I can't eat a huge roast at midday! Nor do I want to cook it that early.

So I either need to woman up and say so, or just get on with it as its what my guests want.

What would you do, and am I being unreasonable to think Christmas dinner (and Sunday roasts for that matter) should be served later, ie 2 or 3pm?

how rude - if they had intended on going on somewhere they should have asked you about times in advance. 12 is way too early for lunch!

I do lunch for 1pm, only because DH is a diabetic and it fits in with his injection schedule then. 1pm is a real push through and often means I get up about 6am to get the turkey on. 12 noon would be very hard to do and not much fun for the cook.

way too early and cheeky that she is dictating to you. Could you text her with a message saying when the dinner will be.

If you are hosting, dinner will be whenever the heck you want. That is all. :)

We're eating at 1pm but my dad has diabetes and needs to eat at certain times. So we're going by that this year. In recent years its been 4pm. But looking forward to a lunch before we can laze in the evening.

We always eat xmas dinner at 12.30 ish so we can go for a walk in the afternoon

Serve the starters as a light lunch at 12pm and people can either stay on for the main course at 2pm or bugger off elswhere. This way you are not stressed off your feet by getting up at stupid o'clock to cook the lunch.

Am I being really thick? Our turkey is 4.6 kg, so 20 mins per kg and then +'90, or 40mins per kg, = 3hrs (say 3.5). All this talk of not being able to get dinner done for 12 has scared me? We are eating at 1.30, but just panicking thinking! What am I missing

Oh and yanbu

Oh and yanbuu

We eat at 1pm, but that's because of young DDs who cannot wait until late remembers the 9pm dinner at ILs with no nibbles served all day. I was BFeeding and going a bit irritable (understatement)

YANBU though. 12.... goodness me no!

Yabu not to tell her you had the day planned out.
Im host and we dont normally eat until everyone starts getting hungry after the mountain of bacon sarnies I make when people get here.
Normally around 5pm or whenever I can be bothered to move

12? Does anybody eat that early on Christmas Day?!

Glad you've negotiated a more reasonable time op