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

Go cosy. Got a little table, picnic table/camping table for a kids table? Let kids eat first. We’ve fed 8 kids 12 adults in a terrace house.
Mishmash plates, chairs borrowed, bit scrappy. Food brilliant, atmosphere even better! So long as your not expecting the kind of table that looks like it’s out of Homes and Gardens Xmas special with hone made crackers you’ll be fine!

We've eaten out at xmas twice. Both times fabulous, food great and felt very festive. However this was pre kids.

For adults and older kids only I'd rather go out than eat in shifts or have a buffet, if finances allow.

Depends what you want.... Maybe borrow an extra dining table and get a table cloth big enough to cover both tables in one. Even if the table takes up nearly the whole room. Means all can sit round together. Cosy and fun. I did this when in a small flat years ago. I also borrowed keys off a neighbour who was away for the break and did all the veggies in his oven. Could never have done all the roasting in my smallish oven at the time. Christmas in a small home can be done. And will save you a fortune (to spend on nicer stuff to have at home).

I had 15 sitting for dinner once. Garden table on the end of dining table, all covered in nice table cloths, a mish mash of chairs etc. It was a great atomsphere.

Cram in! You only need a couple of extra chairs or do a mini table for the kids. I come from a large family. We are currently at 21 including grandkids and my parents house is not big in any sense. We just make it work!!!

Not true all places rack up their prices, the Wolsley and the Beaumont in central London charge the same prices as the rest of the year. The Wolseley won’t have any spaces now, but the Beaumont might.

We’ve been at Christmas to both and it’s great. Very glam and great cocktails.

This year we (DH and DD) are staying at home in our teeny house as it is her first proper Xmas (she was born in November) We have invited our families over for the late afternoon/eve for games and a buffet type thing, after everyone’s had lunch at their own homes, because realistically we couldn’t cook and serve Christmas dinner for everyone (I have 4 siblings, plus ones and nieces and nephews it just gets out of hand!) Could that be an idea for you?

I would much rather all muck in and cosy up than go to a restaurant.

We had 16 in a one bed flat once (although not for Christmas dinner, but it was a ‘proper’ meal). Squeeze in. People don’t have to sit at a table. The main thing is being together.

Did it once at the local gastropub-type place. Never again. It was overpriced, appalling quality and absolutely chaotic. Obviously Christmas Day will always be busy but it felt like not a single member of staff knew what was going on.

We’ve kept it at home ever since

A friend of mine has an Indian takeaway for Christmas lunch every year. They just buy it the evening before and stick it in the microwave - no need to order it on Christmas Day itself.

everyone brings a chair and a plate. Done

I work in a Pub/Restaurant/Hotel and we have been fully booked since beginning of Sept - I think you’ll be arshole lucky to get in anywhere now for Christmas dinner, well anywhere decent anyway.

We will have people calling right up to the week before Christmas expecting to get a table, and being horrified to be told they can’t have one - I love those calls.

Christmas dinner out is good fun, and no preparing or clearing up.

I’d just cram in. Get the visitors to bring some stuff. I’d probably sit the kids at the table then the adults sort of perch themselves places, or maybe have a buffet lunch ofcold meat/cheese/mince pies and save the turkey for the evening after the little kids are in bed. Then even if your eldest child stays up for it you only have one extra person to seat.

Put simply, if five adult and three children eat out on Christmas Day it’s going to cost upwards of £325 ( £50 per adult, children half price) and that’s without a drink.

Get an outside table and squash in.
You will have a marvellous time.
Order food from M&S, Tesco, Sainsbury’s etc so you have as little as possible prep and work to do.
Stick the kids on a table of their own with paper tablecloth etc so it matters not if they make a mess.
We all know that kids just want to eat their dinner as fast as they can and go to play with their new toys.
You will have a lovely time.
If you go out while it may be very nice it’s horribly overpriced to cover triple time for staff and children don’t really enjoy it as much as the adults as they just want to be at home.

I would cram up and agree with ordering food from M & S if finances allow, not as expensive as eating out on Christmas Day, but less prep if space is limited.

How small are the homes you're talking about? Cos I well remember regularly having Christmas dinner at my grandparents, they each lived in small flats in glasgow (2 bed tenements definitely not big posh houses! And they'd have considered a 2 up luxury!) and we managed with easily 15-20 people including kids. No separate dining rooms, small kitchens. Sofas were moved and dining table (drop leaf) set up in middle of living room, coffee and side tables set up for the kids, we had a great time! My mums 1 of 6, dad 1 of 5, when you start adding spouses/partners and children it soon adds up! Usually at least one maiden aunt/bachelor uncle too, weirdly rarely the same one more than once.

"Everyone cramming in is what Xmas is all about!!"

I remember one time one of my uncles was having to sit in a deck chair, as he was finishing pud the canvas split and his arse went right through it! Quick as a flash my auntie said "well you've clearly had enough!" 😂😂😂

And yes grandparents on dads side used to use a pasting table! Covered with wrapping paper and tinsel = no tablecloth to wash!

I've known a child's large box from a Christmas gift be used as a small table too (nothing too heavy on it).

Both grandparents also hosted all their daughters' wedding receptions in these flats! Big catholic families where the fuck everyone fit I don't know 😂

Those coming to whichever house you host at could bring cold or easily heated in microwave dishes/elements if that would help?

I've been out for Christmas dinner once and it really wasn't the same. I looked into doing it last year as it was just dd and I and she was working part of the day, but places booked up REALLY quickly and it was easily at least £50 a head! Which I thought was ridiculous!

As it turned out we were both ILL and didn't even end up having Christmas dinner.

You could maybe consider a cottage somewhere near bro in Scotland 🙄😂

"you can't put pudding off for three hours while you watch a bit of telly." Crucial point right there! We can take all day essentially eating one meal.

I would rather have galloping D&V than be crammed in a small room with some members of my family but then OP yours may be lovely. A buffet would be good and informal. The DC will love it, especially if you have a special table for them.

Whatever you do don’t be tempted to invite everyone to stay and think it will be hilarious and good fun for the DC to sleep in an unheated caravan in the garden. It won’t be, it will be bloody cold and they will never forget it. 35 years ago nearly and I can still remember the cold and crying because it was so awful. Not that I am bitter or anything.

😂 at yo

I love “galloping D&V”. Next time I want to pull a sickie that’s what I’m going to say!

When dinner approaches, set the family to the task of pushing the furniture back and making room for folding tables. I have a relative that gets 36 into her admittedly pretty large living room by moving the couches.

We have done it twice
1 not great, overpriced, the children moaned and v. V.expensive
2 Pub at the bottom of the road. Food was absolutely fantastic. Even my fussy vegetarian DS was happy. I still remember the delicious gravy ,4 years later and I usually loathe all gravy. It was convenient and delicious , amazingly unstressfuland at £50 a head not as expensive as I expected

Best Xmas I remember from childhood was the one where there was no room for everyone. The table stopped and started again the other side of a doorway. Well, I say table. One table, one camping table, and one old door on tressles. Mostly sitting on folding camping chairs. We had a great laugh.

I would absolutely squash everyone in, it'll be great fun! Give everyone a job to spread the load, don't put to much pressure I yourself

Is it ok to take a 9,7 and 2 year old?
I'm sure it would be but I certainly wouldn't be paying the inflated Christmas prices for them.

Just squash in OP. Make it as informal as you can deal with

I’m in a similar situation to your brother. I love hosting but am a bit wistful that it never occurs to my siblings to reciprocate. One lives in a flat which would not be big enough for everyone but the other has a house similar to yours op and it could be done.
They’re lovely in every other way but it just never occurs to them to offer.