AIBU to not want to spend my entire Xmas day cooking?

[Honeybooboo123]

last year we had a join family Xmas and expressed this desire to my SIL. I have two DC, she has one. I stated let's make life a bit easy and buy in a few, nice , ready made bits to take the pressure off.

I shit you not, we ended up making everything from scratch. From 7am onwards. Could have cried.

This year, bigger family Xmas, with another family and mum involved, also with two DC.Already getting emails about turkeys and menus.

How to I get across that I DO NOT WANT TO SPEND ALL SODDING XMAS DAY COOKING A MEAL I THEN HAVE NO INTEREST IN EATING

?

Second time lucky?

Write a menu plan and send it to them. State what you'll be doing and say that anyone else is free to bring along anything they want.
And don't budge!

Or just don't do it?

Prepare things in advance.

Tell people to help.

Buy things ready made.

Don’t take requests, tell them what is being provided

We always go out Christmas day! No mad rushing around supermarket like headless chicken. Otherwise, make it as easy as you can, buy lots of ready made stuff. If people don't like it or it's shit, they can do it instead next year then. Can't they!!!!!!

Order everything from Marks and Spencer? Give your SIL the catalogue soon so she can help choose food with you. We do this every year and it's lovely! Leaves so much time free for drinking fizz. And I don't think it's any more expensive than cooking from scratch. Be direct!!

ooh catalogue. good idea.

Whose house is this going to be happening at? You don't have to agree to anything, you know. Propose going out for Christmas lunch? Or try what a few people on here do and cook all/lots of it on Christmas Eve? Definitely get ready done stuff.

Give everyone something to be in charge of!

We go to my mums for dinner every year, there's 10 of us. We each take different things, I do desserts, my sister does starter. My mum and dad share the main course. My sister in law is helping this year by doing another dessert so there is a choice.

Desserts and starter being made in advance so can just be brought down to the house.

Catalogue sounds good though!

we will be on neutral territory.

just sent link to M&S food website, and checked we could pick up from close by.

awaiting a reply...

I don't get how you have to start at 7? Making a roast (or a bbq if in Australia )and few sides takes an hour two tops. Buy a pavlova base and bung some whipped cream and berries on top - takes 10 min!

I've never understood how some people take 7 hours to feed 10 people

when you make the cranberry sauce from scratch and every vegetable known to man, it takes 7 hours.

Marks Christmas food is delicious and tastes better than anything I could cook from scratch. I don't understand why people slave for hours in the kitchen for a meal that's eaten in about 20 mins (well in our house it is). We usually buy the party nibbles and have these instead of starters in the lounge while we open presents and drink fizz. Then have the turkey etc and dessert round the table. Ah this chat is making me hungry....

What were you doing from 7am?!

I have to to say, if a joint family xmas meant then that last year you were miserable because you ended up in the kitchen all day, what bit of you decided it would be a good idea to do the same thing this year but with even MORE people?!

Either get all the prep and making from stratch (stuffing, bread sauce, cranberry sauce) done the day before, or order from m and s.

Definitely no need for loads of veg - parsnips, sprouts and carrots is fine as anyone complaining can sod off!

I just do everything f the night before so all I have to do in the morning is turn it on and go to the pub.

*scratch

Cook!

Honestly amazing, delicious and def cheaper than cooking from scratch.

www.cookfood.net/menu/christmas

My mum used to do this. Treat Christmas dinner like some kind of martydom contest. Pop out of the kitchen for ten minutes to watch us open our presents then back in again...I actually suspect she was in there with the sherry and the TV... because a normal roast dinner doesn't take all that time and there's not THAT much extra!

Hope M&S is acceptable to all, OP.

when you make the cranberry sauce from scratch and every vegetable known to man, it takes 7 hours

But why would you do that and then moan about it? Did someone have a gun to your head!? If you don't want to spend all day cooking, then do less veg and buy sauces already made!!

Long rather tragic story where two of the people there last year are no longer around this year.

but next year, if it goes tits up, it will be me (possibly DH and DCs depending on my mood), a chocolate orange and a bottle of prosecco with a straw.

One of my relatives was due to have a baby around Christmas last year, so they bought in a load of frozen stuff from COOK and popped it all in the oven. Said it was brilliant and they'd definitely do it again, so definitely go for the catalogue option! (she had the baby on Boxing Day in the end!). This is where they got it from :

www.cookfood.net/menu/christmas

I prep the veg the night before. Stick it all in a bucket of water and cover it. That's the biggest part of the prep done.

Make the sauces the day before as well, or further in advance and freeze it.

It's just a big roast dinner, I never understand the fuss and panic about the volume of it all.

Lol Babypythagorus, I didn't see your post! It's definitely good then!

I do not share the cooking on Christmas Day. This I have learnt from many years of other oeople’s dithering and getting in the way.

DH and the D.C. are invoked in prep work prior to the arrival of the guests but once they have arrived the kitchen is out of bounds to all.

I discovered that “help” brings stress and teeth grinding, whereas doing it all myself is surprisingly relaxing.