To just do a basic Christmas lunch?

[lemonpopsy]

Is there really the need for all the extras? I'm really stressing about the expectations over the Christmas lunch with the in laws.

We have a 3 month old and a 22 month old. Both are awful sleepers at the moment and have had back to back bugs for a month now.
DH and I feel exhausted 99% of the time.

MIL announced she can't wait for all the courses and my DH's homemade Yorkshire puds.

They are coming to us for Christmas. I love them, I really do but I just wish we hadn't invited them this year and had a quiet one.

I'm being pathetic I know but is it really so bad to get a decent joint of beef, roast potatoes, veg and stuffing? Obviously followed by some home made M & S puddings?

If MIL wants multiple courses could you ask her to bring a cold starter that she can put on plates and cheese and biscuits for after the pudding?

No of course not, it’s very demanding having young children on top of having to host Christmas. I would just explain that to her and say you won’t be doing it all from scratch.

I get how you feel. My youngest is 18 months and we are just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel of exhaustion!

But... if you’ve invited them for Christmas I kind of feel you should make a bit of an effort. Why not buy everything in trays from M&S so you can have all the trimmings, but get DH to make his Yorkshire’s? They’re not much effort, especially if everything else is taken care of.

What are all the extras tho? My Christmas dinner is just what I normally do for a roast, the only extra is pigs in blankets. We dont have a starter either... dinner and pudding is more than enough. We have cheese and biscuits in the evening. I am cooking for 15!

I never understand weirdos people who have starters with Xmas dinner - they just take up the space in your belly that should be filled with extra roasties and yorkshires!

Is your MiL ok with a joint? She won't strip if there's no turkey, will she?

Your dh phones his Mum and says "Mum, I know you'll understand as we've got such young children, that we won't be going over the top fancy with Christmas Dinner this year. Infact, I was wondering if you could bring x and y with you to help us out a bit."

Unless your inlaws are frail and elderly, maybe they can bring some starters etc. I'd also do everything ready made from M&S/Tesco finest if possible. Years ago we used to make some stuff from scratch but nobody noticed when we stopped and just bought everything.

No turkey though?

Surely the starter is a selection box of chocolate that you've scoffed between breakfast and the main meal?

What other starters would anyone bother with???

Fuck that. When my two were 3 months old I did a full Xmas dinner with everything home made nearly by myself for 4 adults. Was still feeding the babies every three hrs. I was so bloody miserable.... then I saw an advert for the "Cook" Christmas dinner and I've not looked back. The entire Xmas dinner all done. All the trimmings and sauces delivered a day or two before AND a handy timetable of when to do what. Not too pricey either. We've had it twice now and it's a revelation.

I'm sure you could
do the same with most supermarkets tho. Make your loves easy it's so much better and the food is excellent

I think that it depends on your attitude to Christmas dinner as to whether or not you do starters. I don't view Christmas dinner as a massive roast. I much prefer a small starter (love something with brie and cranberry), a small roast, a small chocolate based pudding and a small amount of cheese and biscuits. To me all of those are an essential part of Christmas dinner but others only view the roast and a pudding as a essential which is absolutely fair enough.

I'm shocked that anyone would think they can expect courses of meals from people who have small kids especially a 3 month old. Theres no way I would spend my day cooking when I could just be with my dh and babies.
Maybe order in some meals and honestly dont even worry about putting on a fancy spread. The cheek of your in laws !

Sausage rolls hot from oven... Dumped on table... Hour before you eat... Help yourself while warm...
Or prawn cocktail easy to do....
Stuffing, loads of veg, potatoes in dishes...
Loads of sauces. In jars...
Puddings just go to Iceland...
Get some cheese and grapes
Easy and not that expensive.

What are all these extras you speak of?? Ours isn’t far off from a normal roast, Turkey (some years beef) , pigs in blankets, veg, roast potatoes, stuffing and gravy! Then 2 or 3 different shop brought desserts or cheese & port are offered.

Yorkshire’s can be made in advance and frozen I believe

We never do starters for Christmas dinner becuase people have had bacon rolls and pastries at breakfast and can have big helpings of dinner if they wish, plus plenty of goodies ( chocolates, nuts, biscuits etc) are on offer

I'd happily bring the extras if you asked. They'd come from M&S but I'd love to help.

If you've got small kids you won't be sitting in peace for 3 courses! A bunch of canapés and nibbles to keep people going until the main course is good though.

My parents cottoned rapidly and turn up with cheese straws and mince pies and whatever starters Waitrose were discounting late on Christmas Eve, so everyone can pick a bit and they can play with the kids while I get the last bits of dinner done (gravy and veg, but that's because I like 5 kinds of veg plus roasties plus two types of stuffing plus sausages and Yorkshire...) Cooking without a toddler underfoot is a very different experience!

Its just us and the little dc this year so we will do a basic sunday dinner with pigs in blankets - according to my dh they are non negotiable. There will be pudding, which will be bought. Whilst I love a bells and whistles style xmas dinner for the 4 of us it seems a bit of a faff, I would rather play with the dc and their new toys.

@Responsiblemushroomforager howling at MIL striping after no Turkey and a prosecco 💃💃💃🍾🥂🍾

I've never done a starter with Christmas dinner. It's just straight into the main course and then pudding. I usually have three different puddings to choose from though, but then any leftovers of those will be eaten at over the course of the next few days.

Sod that, if they want several courses and sides to go with the meal let them bring them.
You and dh enjoy the day with your kids, dont be running around after anyone with a 3mnth old!
Get dh to sort them out so they all bring something and point them in the direction of the kitchen when they arrive.

Prep basic veg the night before, defrost the 'desert'.
Next morning chuck your turkey/meat in the oven and set the timer to put the veg on. Done.

Then sit back and relax andenjoy your kids Xmas.
If they dont like it they can stay at home and do several courses for themselves. (how many courses do you need for a family dinner anyway?)

I kind of feel you should make a bit of an effort.

How is beef, roast potatoes, veg and stuffing and Yorkshires NOT maing an effort? They'd be fucking ungrateful to be disappointed with that. If someone had two young kids and I knew they were tired and having a tough time, I'd probably disinvite myself, or offer to do at least some of the cooking/bringing of food.

ask her to bring some things along, if she's able to (ie lives close).

Otherwise, M&S is your friend. We will be getting their yorkies and red cabbage at least.

Incredible how quickly they forget how hard it is having tiny children.

YANBU.

They are.

Tell them to bring the starters and desserts.

I meant strop not strip. But, like you say, after Prosecco - who knows?

I'd buy everything pre-prepared, including Yorkshire puddings. I'd also ask her to provide a dessert and a cheeseboard.