To not cook a proper Christmas dinner?

[littlemisssunshine81]

Christmas Day is just me, DH and DC. DC are all under 5 and would probably appreciate fish fingers way more than a roast with stuffing etc. Last year I cooked the whole shebang then was annoyed as it was a lot of effort that wasn’t really eaten by DC and then DH and I spent the rest of the week trying to eat it all so as not to waste it. Just all seems a bit daft to me so this year I’m quite tempted to do a nice steak for me and DH and let the kids have whatever they want. Unreasonable?

Not if it’s what you want.

Just have what you like the kids can eat fish fingers with their cracker hats on 😁

Not at all. There's no law that says you have to make a great big roast meal.

One of my DD and her DP always have a takeaway curry on Christmas day. It's become rather a tradition for them.

In that a situation, I would do everyone's favourite meal. If that's fish fingers or pizza, so be it. They'll enjoy it and it's kind of a treat still.

Or get party food that you can throw in the oven and just have like a pick and mix thing while watching movies. Can do cheese, some fruit too if you want, chocolate, pringles etc all in bowls and everyone helps themselves. We do that smetimes just for a movie night.

1 of mine had chicken strips 4 christmasses in a row

It's entirely up to you, I wouldn't like Christmas without turkey.

You could do a turkey crown, or just a chicken and cook it like a typical roast dinner, without all the trimmings.

But really you can do whatever you want, it's not the law to have a roast.

We didn’t do the whole shebang when the dses were little - we made something nice for the dses for their main meal, and dh and I had something special once they’d gone to bed (dh definitely wanted Christmas dinner in the evening, and this way, the dses’ bedtime stayed the same as normal).

Christmas should be about you all having a pleasurable day, and if that doesn’t include a sniff of a roast dinner, that is just fine.

Have a lovely day, and a lovely dinner!

Friend of mine has had takeaway for years on Christmas day.

I don't blame you, I mean you can always try it again when they are older

Have whatever you want. This year we have no dining room (for many reasons) and DS hates roasts so we're doing a turkey crown and stuffing in nice bread rolls for the adults (with lots of other finger food) and pizza for DS so we all feel like we're having a treat and no one is pissed off that they spent ages cooking something and it's been left uneaten.

Take the stress off yourself and have the Christmas dinner you want rather than what you feel you should have.
It was fillet steak and chips in Northernmums house last year- had a better than usual bottle of wine with it and home-made creme brulee for pud. Everyone happy and waaay less stress than making the expected spread which wouldn't have been enjoyed half as much.

If you feel you need a 'proper' Christmas dinner, maybe you and DH could get a lunch out then you can tick the box and then enjoy what you want in the day itself.

Totally. Cook what you'll enjoy making and then eating!!

My dd did not eat Christmas dinner for several years as a young child. However I really wanted her to grow up with the tradition of a proper Christmas dinner, and dh and I love it so we cooked one every single year since she has been born.

Even though some years she ate pasta etc she always loved the pomp around the table being set nicely with candles and flowers etc and us all sitting around dressed up a bit. It felt special.

Now as a young teen she likes some elements of the dinner and will happily have the turkey and ham and veg. She still loves the getting ready etc and I am glad she has a childhood of memories of that aspect of Christmas (sitting around the table with us / family, not just the toys etc)

But do what makes you happy - there are no rules!

I suggested a turkey crown or different meat duck/pheasant once year and was met with abject horror from my husband and his parents. I think if you and your husband aren't fussed, you should just eat whatever feels treaty for you and throw the kids some fishfingers if that's what makes them happy. I'd love this personally. I'm envious that my french friends eat lobster. Does anyone actually like turkey??

In all the years I have been celebrating Christmas I have never once cooked a Christmas dinner. I don’t like it and neither does my husband and I’m a terrible cook anyway. We eat out or order in and it’s never anything traditional. My point is just do whatever is right for your family and whatever you want. Actually eating out might be a good option because if your husband and you enjoy a traditional Christmas meal you can have it and the kids can choose what they want with no leftovers or wastage or mess. It makes for a much more relaxing Christmas. Alternatively just make the kids what they want and buy a turkey crown plus trimmings for two for your husband and yourself. There’s too much pressure at Christmas to conform. I honestly think everyone should just do what suits them and make it a relaxing and enjoyable day without all the stress.

You can serve whatever you want!! Personally i love xmas dinners. Love eating the leftovers the next day in bread rolls. As much as i will bitch about it, i actually enjoy cooking it too. always cook far too much, but it always gets eaten eventually

I've never cooked a Christmas meal yet! My dc are 5 and 6 and this will be the first year with a proper Christmas dinner, at my mum's! Previous years we haven't left the house, we've said people are welcome to pop in, had bacon sarnies in the morning and cooked a beef joint to have in buns later on, and eaten loads of sweets! I haven't seen the point in making an elaborate dinner that probably wouldn't be eaten, just do what you fancy

Cook what you both want, but there is no need to cook a weeks worth of food that's a bit nuts. You can easily get a small turkey crown, do just enough potatoes, veg that will be eaten and something nice the kids will like for pud.

All Xmas dinner really is is turkey, potatoes, chipolatas and stuffing if you want, or not, and some veg. Kids usually love things like roasties and chipolatas, and turkey is a fairly bland meat, or a chicken can do the same job.

Is there a way to have some tradition without half killing yourself? A roast is in itself incredibly easy and if kids will eat chicken nuggets they may well eat plain poultry. Have a duck then there are zero leftovers. Have the side dishes you actually like, have a dessert tray of cheese nuts and chocolates if you don't really like a big pudding (I find a lot of kids don't really want much pudding, never mind Christmas pudding). I think it's a shame to lose sight of all Christmas traditions but make them work for you.

Do whatever you want! My ds tells everyone about the year we had 'christmas lunch' of just puddings and we've also just had party food. Last year, ds really, really wanted to buy a lobster from the fishmonger (choosing it from the tank) so we had lobster thermidor.

We ordered Indian last year. Nobody had to spend the day in the kitchen.

What does DH think? Is he as happy with steak as you are? You don't need to cook loads even for Xmas dinner - I just cook usual portion and a tiny bit extra each, certainly doesn't last beyond Xmas Day apart from 1 tea of turkey sandwiches.

I am nearly 60 and have never cooked a "proper" Xmas dinner.
We have great Xmas days. My dcs are now early 20s and have yet to experience a turkey.

We're doing exactly the same as you OP, steak for me and DH and something else for the kids that they will eat. We're going to spend a bit extra on the food we're having than we would usually to make it a bit more special

Of course you should have whatever you prefer for Christmas dinner. For school dinners roast is one of our most popular meals so a lot of kids do like it.