What is the fuss about Christmas dinner?

[allupsidedown]

AIBU in wondering why people get in a panic about cooking Christmas dinner. I make the starter (soup) days before and defrost and reheat on the day. The kids help prepare the veg on Christmas Eve as another incentive to show Santa they are good helpers!
Then it is just a glorified roast dinner with a fancier decorated table.
Again the kids help lay the table whilst I cook and other adults muck in where needed.
I just don't get why people get worked up about it. Surely they cook for their family on other days? It isn't that difficult if you prepare and sort out the timings beforehand.
After it is cooked and eaten I leave the clearing up to other adults and get tucked into the gin! Sorted!
I've had people announce on the morning they would like to come (their oven broke) no problem we always have way too much anyway. I've had people not come because of a sickness bug. Again, no problem, just leaves more leftovers for later.
I just don't get the angst. Am I missing something crucial?

OP, I’m with you. My ex used to spend weeks planning the menu, searching cookbooks for the latest ways to cook veg, fiddly puddings. Ordering the pedigree bird in October. Bless him for trying but why....?

The relief now, soup made in advance, roast with trimmings, gravy and a few mince pies & cream. Cooked while I get quietly tipsy and play Cluedo at the same time.

I hate Christmas dinner. Usually end up with a plate of potatoes cause I don't like anything else. There is always too much meat and very few potatoes too which makes me feel fully about taking more than 2 and a tablespoon of mash, So i end up starving.

Those of you who think cauliflower cheese is part of a Christmas dinner need to watch a certain Peep Show episode.

Of course, it will be stressful if people add unnecessary extras.

i'm lazy i just use frozen veg, frozen tatties the lot save a fortune and and don't waste time getting in a tizz. every weekend, on the odd occasion i've used fresh veg noone noticed the difference,

Wanted extras!

I started this after speaking to some friends about ordering from the butcher. They were horrified by the prospect of me hosting 12 adults and 7 kids.
It should be fun not something to be endured!

It depends how used to cooking a roast you are and how many you are cooking for. It's not possible to just dismiss other people's panics etc.

I cook a roast every Sunday but when faced with cooking for 14 on Christmas day I get into a bit of a stew!

A roast dinner for 4-5 nae problem. Making freshly prepared food for 15 and everyone under your feet sticking in their tuppence worth, turning heat down/up moving things, asking when it will be ready, getting to get timings right in too small an oven etc can make it challenging.

I have made starters in the past, but people are to full then. So just skip it now. Also make a ham the day before.

I don't do starters. I microwave a lot of veg. The meat gets well basted, as do I, once that is in I open the sherry.

I don't get the angst either but I'm only cooking for three and none of us are that fussy.

Depends what you call a glorified roast dinner. I agree with the pp who say it’s more about space and feeding many more people. I have a large kitchen and ample space, but the fridge is rammed and it’s a squeeze getting it all in the oven and served hot. I do many more accompaniments and two meats which is more than my usual roast dinner.

Like you I am prepared, I leave the cleaning up to others, unlike you I’m not smug about it. I would need to eat your Christmas dinner to know if you’re missing anything crucial

I don't get it, either. It's just a glorified roast, so if you're used to doing a roast it's no big deal. But I suspect that quite a few people never do roasts now. Ditto making gravy - often such a to--do about it, as if here's some great mystique to it.
I make mine the same as usual, in the roasting tin with all the juices and a bit of flour, and turkey giblet stock, simmered the day before.

However I think some people feel the need to have so many different veggies and side dishes, it's bound to be a major faff. We only ever have roast potatoes and parsnips, plus carrots and sprouts, and of course lots of pigs in blankets, made the day before with premium sausages cut into three, with half a streaky rasher wrapped around.
Also make my own stuffing and cranberry sauce the day before, neither is a big deal..

The butcher makes up the pigs in blankets for me so I just have to bung them in.

When ds was in the 6th form, he worked for a butchers for a year. Still remember him coming in on Christmas Eve telling me he'd made his 1000th pig in a blanket
Didn't ut him off though, still loves them today.

We hosted ten guests last year, several meats all the trimmings, it was fine, you just need to be organised and prep well. I did a prawn cocktail starter (home made Marie rose) as it takes minutes to throw together and goes down well, we have non dairy pescatarians in the family. Previously I've done a chestnut and stilton soup prepared the day before.
Last year I did goose, gammon, turkey and nut roast, carrot and swede mash, roast parsnips, sprouts, red cabbage with apple, veggie and meat eaters stuffing, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes, veggie and normal gravy, pigs in blankets (and veggie versions) , for dessert I made a spiced orange cheesecake with chocolate ganache top, MIL brought vegan mince pies and I bought a Christmas pudding, cream, custard, oat custard etc. So not plain and boring but not that stressful, you just need to make sure you prepare as much in advance as possible, I love spending the day time on Christmas Eve getting everything ready. Oh it also helps if you have a big oven! We have a range, couldn't do it as easily with a normal single oven

I never do it. Either go to my parents, DHs parents or DH cooks. Not stressful at all, and none of them seem stressed when doing it either.,

The thought of cauliflower cheese colliding with gravy is making me most uneasy! Cauliflower cheese is not tolerated in my kitchen. Be gone with you, mushy cheesy ickiness.

Sorry but I also find it stressful. I regularly make roasts for our family of 4, occasionally plus my mum. But Christmas is always at ours (don't get me started on that) and always for minimum 10 sometimes 14. I have a smallish oven, not a massive fridge so juggling all the different elements is a pain. Then with twice as many kids underfoot and people wanting drinks etc in the way I find it hard to enjoy it tbh. I'd much rather make a massive lasagne the day before but that's been vetoed...! The only minor upside is that it's the only day at least someone else will do the clearing up

For me, the older I get, the more it's about the food! So I actually really enjoy it.

But if I was cooking for 10 or 12 instead of 6, I would be in a justifiable tizz!

I love cooking a traditional Christmas roast but it does stress me out a bit, especially in the last 30 minutes or so before serving up when I'm making gravy and trying to make sure that everything is ready at the same time. I don't have as much room in the kitchen as I'd like, and I can't leave things out because of the cats.

I'll be cooking for 9 this year, so not as many as there might be, but two are vegetarian, so that adds to the number of dishes being prepared (cheating this year with something from Cook, but I'll still have to find a space for it in the oven and on the table).

YABU for not understanding that different people find different things stressful.

Most people cook for their family often but at Xmas the numbers are often larger. More food with the same size oven can be difficult. Then everyone offers their opinion on the food. Also not everyone has other adults that are willing to muck in.

For me the fuss is that I cook things we only have once a year simply because they are faff. I am retired now, so I don't have to rush about after work. I spread it over a few days and do prep and baking ahead of time.

But mostly the fuss is because my DH won't stay the fuck out of the kitchen on the day. 363 days out of the year (I'm in the US so including Thanksgiving & Xmas dinner) he leaves me alone when I'm cooking. But on those two days for some reason he's like an over excited 3 year old, getting underfoot.

I have 5 to 8 from about 23rd to 30th.

Xmas eve - the ham, roasties, carrots, broad beans and parsley sauce. Family room - table gets decorated day before and I have a cpl of those paper linen cloths to keep it fresh ovet the week.

Xmas day:

No starter but smoked salmon open sarnies and champagne after mass with presents.

Lunch at about 2.30 small supermarket turkey and a stuffed boned duck. Roasties, incl snips, carrots, green beans, pigs (bought) stuffing bought, red cabbage (bought), gravy bought. I do the veg firat thing and it getz whacked in the microwave for lunch.

Christmas pud (bought), yule log (bought). Boozy creams (bought).

Table gets decorated days in advance.

Boxing day (can be 12). Turkey, ham, pork pie, anti-pasti, salads, roasties with herbs anx parmesan, cheese board, pickles, christmas cake, left over yule, mince pies

27th: turkey and ham pie, mash, green veg, usually plenty of swert stuff around for pud.

28th - the shops are open again and top up to make a carbonara (left over ham), minestrone with the turkey stock and ham bone.

There are usually great bargains from 27th for the early NY.

......then we start avain for NY.

PS: I do a christmas dinner for the steps the week before. Pre-prepped M&S turkey crown, etc, etc.

Then everyone offers their opinion on the food.

Ain't that the truth!

I'm in the US so including Thanksgiving & Xmas dinner

Americans do get that double whammy in such a short space of time. But how lovely for everyone to get together twice.........to argue about the current state of American politics twice!

This is why I am doing lasagne this year..

There are only three of us, though, and DD hates roasts anyway