Christmas dinner disaster

[parsnipandpotato]

Posting for traffic.. no shame

Christmas dinner.. we are rapidly running out of options..

We are a family of 5 and usual additions for Xmas day dinner is My sister, BIL, and DH's brother.

Christmas is usually, and has been for the past 7 years, held at my other brothers (large) house however this year he's decided to go to Scotland to his in laws.. how selfish!! (Lighthearted)

Issue is.. what do the rest of us do!

None of our houses are large enough to accommodate the whole group really.. certainly not for dinner.

What are people's experiences of eating out for Christmas dinner?
Personally I've never done it..

Does it still feel Christmassy ?
How expensive is is?
Do you have to book 6 months in advance ?
Is it ok to take a 9,7 and 2 year old?

Other option is we all cram into our 2 up 2 down and be cosy!

Looking for advice/previous experiences!

Thanks

Another vote for cramming in. 5 adults round the table and possibly eldest child. Other kids at a little ikea table. Or do a hot buffet. Or a cold one. Or order a curry and eat it on your knee! Eating out will cost loads and it's just not the same

Is it for eight adults. I think that is fine !! Perhaps feed the children first or something.

@Vanventures

Can you not ‘house sit’ at other brothers (large) house....

Vanventures has it. Ask DB.

Holiday home or Airbnb somewhere? If you all split the cost, it might not be too expensive

Cram in and get a takeaway. Kids can have a picnic on the floor and any adults who want to join them. Adults who don't want to join them sit wherever in the room
Best thing ever.

Everything arrives cooked, get to a pound shop before for plates, cutlery etc. Food arrives. Dish up. Containers etc in the bin. Leftovers in the fridge. Sorted.

Cost wise. Adults chuck in money for the food and booze just like you would have been doing previously

I would be really pissed off if someone asked to house sit in my home, sibling or not!
I have never had Christmas lunch out, but would love to try it. May happen for me this year with my DD and her boyfriend. Not sure with younger children. My preference would be somewhere you could walk to, so everyone could have a drink. I doubt the 2 year old would mind, but hard to tear the older two away from their toys. Unless you get up super early (which you will probably do anyway!) and book lunch for 2/3 o'clock.

Cram in. Carefully plan the prep work though for kitchen etc space - think about oven usage and bench space needed to prep the day and day before and split the meal into you’re doing , others are bringing and buying from eg M&S Christmas food - it will still be cheaper than eating out Christmas Day.

We have the same problem. Mil wants us to go away for the three days to an airbnb palace big enough but being that both dh and bil are managers so wont be able to drop Christmas shifts, and its expensive.

Oh yes, buffet is a good idea. Could you have your Christmas day lunch as a buffet and a smaller sit down dinner with just your own household on Boxing Day or something? I realise this would be brilliant for some families but a let-down for others though.

Does it have to be a sit-down dinner?

If you can cook it, could it be eaten as a hot buffet type meal?

I've done it and wouldn't again. The whole pleasure of xmas dinner is eating a bit, feeling stuffed, wandering off lying on the sofa then coming back for a bit more etc etc...lounging around the table feeling really relaxed.

Eating out - you get your portion, you eat what you can - then it's gone! you can't put pudding off for three hours while you watch a bit of telly.

It is totally wrong! And we had our xmas dinner out in a really lovely warm/ friendly place - it was just wrong.

Snap

Surely you can fit 8 into a home for 5?

Cram in and get guests to bring a couple of the dishes, without a shadow of a doubt. Approximately 53,000 times more fun, according to studies.

Scrap gifts for everyone and just all chip in for a three night break in an AIRBnB big enough for all of you. Include xmas lunch plus xmas eve nibbles, plus some breakfast stuff, in the cost and have a nice little holiday.

We've eaten Christmas lunch out a couple of times and the meals were good and it was festive feeling, but yes, had to book very early, yes hideously expensive and no, not really worth it for the younger members of the party.

If you can't borrow a bigger space to cook in then I'd do a Christmas picnic or buffet. Cook a turkey and roast potatoes but not the veg, gravy and pudding stuff. Do more casual side dishes and desserts you can get ready in advance. This way you can have crackers, hats, pass the parcel and presents and not get bogged down with the timings and trickier bits.

Has Xmas Dinner out the yr I was due DS. It was horrible. Didn't feel x massy. Was rushed to get the next sitting in etc.
Were having it here this yr. Only have a small flat. So some will have to have trays on laps as can't all get round the table.

Cram in

Buffet dinner
Takeaway food from a local supermarket
Children can have their food sitting on the floor or couch and adults can sit down at the table. Recommended.
Honestly it works out cheaper than any pub or restaurant. But if you have to have a Christmas pub dinner split up the bill.

We did 8 (6 adults) in our tiny two-up two-down for Xmas lunch. It was absolutely fine, busy but fine.

I think eating out would be fine if you were just adults, but not ideal for kids who, in my experience, aren’t so focussed on Christmas dinner and would rather be playing with their presents. Even if it is a squash it will be much more relaxed at home - if your two-year-old needs a nap or if the kids want to get down and sit in front of a video for bit or play board game or something. I’d go for cosy and get on one of the Christmas preparations threads on here for some ideas for making food prep etc as easy as poss.

place not palace

So 8 of you ...cram, shove some oven ready potato dauphinoise and gammon/pigs in blankets in oven. Throw in a couple of rotisserie chickens. Ask BIL to bring salads/dips and Sis/BIL to bring desserts.
Shove it all on table. Get drunk.

Before we takeaways were open on Christmas day, we did a potluck thing. Everyone brought a dish. Disposable plates etc. Everyone sat where they could. Kids picnic on the floor using an old massive cover.
We've done it for years and everyone loves the relaxed feel. Noone feels put out. We are included in the rotation of going to parents, going to inlaws and coming here, although a few times inlaws/parents have joined us as well.

Usually, have at least 15 people and this was going back to the one bed.

Yeh, 12 in a small sim for us. Dining table spilled into living room. No restrictions on wine meant everyone had a ball!