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?

After reading this I'm doing my dd2 nuggets x mas day. We are having rolled and stuffed turkey, but I know she won't want it unless breaded! I might cut her roasties into chip shapes too. Her Christmas:)

I generally just have a take away or whatever takes my fancy. There's no point having a turkey and all the trimmings for the sake of tradition if hardly anyone will eat it. Just cook everyone's favourite foods instead

Me!!

The oven has blown up but still have the job and grill and have been using my halogen oven and crock pot ( slow cooker ) for months.

Last weekend I did a roast dinner to sort of test how hard it would be. I had to do the roast potatoes in 2 stages as they couldn't all fit, the chicken just about got in, never mind a turkey...

So we're getting a huge takeaway from a new local place that has advertised they are open Christmas Day. We've ordered twice from them in the last couple of months and the food is gorgeous.
No stressful shopping, no prep and no dishes and cleaning the kitchen for hours.

We're going out for a Christmas meal on Boxing Day so not missing out.

I'm so bored with roasts. People go mad for them. I just want a special dinner on xmas but democracy rules and we're having a roast again. Do what you like.

I never cook Christmas dinner as DH doesn't like them and DS only wants to eat chicken nuggets and chips.
I smiled at the 'making memories' comment. My DH has zero interest in food other than to survive and if you're spending hours away from the family absorbed in cooking, not sure what memories you're contributing to other than 'mum got stressed in the kitchen', which I do remember my mum being. Happy memories have never been centred around specific meals, but I agree that eating at the same time around the table is quite nice.
For the last few years I've made curry for DH and myself that can be re-heated on the day so I spend very little time cooking.

Many years ago, I did do the big Xmas dinner when living with an ex and invited his dad and my mum around and that was nice, but it still wasn't about the food.

We have bacon cranberry and Brie toasties for lunch and sausage and mash for dinner and spend all day playing with the kids and lazing around

It’s ace

I love all the Christmas cooking and we all love a traditional roast on the day, all the prep is done on Christmas Eve. But have what you want obviously! Leftovers for me is also part of the fun, but just cook enough food you need.

Cook & eat what you like!

I’d be gutted though if I didn’t have the full traditional Christmas meal. We have a roast every Sunday and it’s the kids favourite meal. 3 of them are under 6. Yours might grow to love it!

Enjoy whatever you decide on!

We have seafood

Sounds great! Have a lovely time [santa]

We made pizzas and garlic bread and party food last year. It was just me dp and ds (1 at the time)

Sounds like you made too much as much as anything else. Have what you want, but if you want it more traditional the. Think about the bits that make it special. We have beef rib with roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, stuffing and 3 veg. We don’t go in for all the OTT sides.

You could always have steak with roast potatoes and veg and have a few pigs in blankets. Just choose what you like!

For the Sushi LittlemissSunshine M&S sell it already done,a friend of mine picked some up recently for a group of us(for a party)and I don't normally like Sushi but what she bought was lovely.

I'm another one that loves the setting up of the table and the napkins and crackers and everything.

I've always done a turkey crown because none of us really like dark meat and I always make a cauliflower cheese and mashed potatoes to go with our Christmas dinner(we also have roast potatoes)and I'd had people telling me off and that I was wrong for doing that(not my family they all love it and so do I)I honestly think Christmas dinner is one of those things that some people can get really arsey over!

My message to them was always sod off and shut up!

do what you want of course.
but for me I couldn't or wouldn't want to.even if it had to be a scaled down versio nfor whatever reason.becasue for us the meal has been as much about the family time and memories as the food we have.so it just part and parcel of chrismtas day and family time.i would always want my kids to have that too.to associate this meal and this time with food memories(ha bad too)
but its so much part of itand with all the faffing arguemtns and rage it causes is just as important and often remembered and loved forever.

We really don't like roast dinners in this house so just have what we fancy on Christmas Day. Surely this is the one day where you can eat what you want and not have to force down a meal that nobody is keen on. We really fancy curry this year but OH is working so I might just eat cheese and chocolate all day and let the kids get what they fancy - pizza probably! 🍕

We cook a "proper" Christmas dinner for just 2 of us, but that's because we love it, including all the leftovers that keep us stuffed like pigs until the new year.

But it's your day, so do whatever you all fancy.

One of the most relaxing Christmases I've ever had was spent on my own, in my pyjamas, trying to eat my own bodyweight in Quality Street.

YANBU. I would love to have something normal like lasagne or risotto instead.

I’ve always found roast dinners to be quite underwhelming, but my parents/grandparents love them so that was always what we had. Last year I decided to break with tradition and my sister followed my lead... I had pizza and she had pasta bake. It was much less hassle and much less washing up too... although I did have some roast potatoes on the side

It’s your day, don’t feel you have to have anything you don’t want just because it’s tradition!

How do you make pizza, pasta bake and risotto feel celebratory and special?

Surprised you ask.
The only things you have to do are enshrined I’m law. Unless you have allergies, then of course food is about choice.
I know that sounds snotty, but what bad things could happen if you don’t eat this meal that you don’t want to eat?

Bowchic. Good company and maybe a glass of wine.

Come to think of it you could say the same about meat and potatoes.

We don’t do a full traditional roast. (Although we do Thanksgiving, so don’t feel the need at xmas) We have non meat eaters so often prefer something fully veggie or a huge paella or lobster, etc. I would go with something easier and quicker so there is more time for drinking baileys in front of the TV!

There's no point if it won't get eaten. We do Christmas dinner on Christmas eve then have all the good leftover stuff and cheese on Christmas Day.

We have a tradition of everyone having their favourite dinner on Christmas Day. 1 DD often has burger and chips, one has a takeaway curry and we often have beef Wellington