To think serving a starter with Christmas dinner is unnecessary. And weird.

[Kavalier]

Am hosting DH's family for Xmas dinner for the first time this year. MIL always does a prawn cocktail starter and they will miss a starter if I don't serve one, so I will. I think it's very odd though. AIBU?

Go to Iceland and get some frozen canapés

YABVVVVU! I can't imagine Christmas dinner without a lovely starter....

We have a selection of starters to choose from. Dinner takes hours and I love it.

yabu christmas day is a good excuse to stuff your face so christmas dinner in our house has always been 3 course and a prawn cocktail is only a small starter to eat anyway

If I didn't make prawn cocktail on Christmas day there would be an outcry. It's as much a Christmas tradition in our house as the tree or mince pies.

I'd be mortified to serve Christmas dinner to guests without a starter.

We always have a starter, usually smoked salmon and just a small amount

You need to amuse your bouche before the main event

Yanbu, but make one anyway

YABU

Well, we come over all unnecessary.

Nice to know we're weird

Gosh! Yabvvvu! We usually have pâté and salmon pate with Melba toasts! Yummers ??

We've never had a starter. We have nibbles with our champagne before lunch though.

my family have never done starters for christmas dinner, dp's family always have done. it's fine either way

Compulsory prawn cocktails here. Yabvu.

I've never had one but it would be quite exciting.

My mum does 18 forms of vegetable so she is too stressed for a starter.

I've never had a starter with Christmas dinner in my life! Waaaay unnecessary for me, considering how epic the main course usually is.

YABU! Smoked salmon starter or it isn't Christmas.

I don't think I've ever had a starter for Christmas lunch. Ideally, I'd have some smoked salmon and champagne or G&T late morning, and have lunch at 3 or 4. Surely the person doing the cooking is up to their elbows in sprout steaming and gravy stirring right up to the end? You can't relax til it's all on the table, and it's often all hands on deck for the last few minutes.

It's just rude to go to someone else's house and not graciously accept the way they do things IMO. If Christmas will be ruined for her for the lack of a prawn ring, she is dafter than a pig in blanket.

YANBU.

Creates too much chuffing washing up and is boring for the DC.

Also risks filling you up too much so you can't have pudding!

(Heard a rumour the festive emoticons had been activated...)

YANBU!

I'd never heard of people having starters on Christmas Day until I read mumsnet.

But then, we tend to have present opening with Buck's Fizz and smoked salmon at 11am during present opening. Eat main meal at 3pm ish. Is trad for us, but expect other might find it weird.

Of course Christmas dinner has a starter- 3 courses, starter, main and pudding!

Of course you need a starter! At the very least there should be a choice of prawn cocktail or smoked salmon. And some lemon sorbet to cleanse the palate in between courses, obviously

lol at mortified not to serve a starter though. hardly a massive faux pas if you're going to serve them an enormous main course and pudding anyway

Yes YABU. Very.

Prawn cocktail starter IS Christmas dinner.

we have home made vegetable soup as a starter