Non traditional Christmas Dinner

[PollyPocketLucyLocket]

I know it's only September, so apologies.

This year it looks as though we may be home. We haven't had Christmas day at home for a few years, however I remember the faffing of prepping the meal and taking up precious time in the morning.

This year I think we'd all like to do something a bit different. None of us overly care about turkey anyway.
Has anyone done this?
We've thought of ordering in, or eating out, or even just having a completely different meal on the day.
Suggestions would be great

We are doing away with all the extra food this year and having a nice home-cooked cottage pie instead! All the money I will save ......

So for all the sensible lazy asses people - apart from M&S who else delivers prepared Christmas food?

I didn't expect so many replies - such a festive bunch
Loads of ideas too - love the sound of most of these, and the afternoon tea sounds interesting

@Nottobesoldseparately - it's not? What is traditional then?

Eating out on Christmas Day is lovely, but it is super expensive. Obviously, people are giving up their own day to do it, so you pay a premium.

Cook are brilliant - you can get everything you need and simply bung it in the oven.Veggie options needed? No problem: it's just an extra tray.

Also, with Cook it's all home delivered frozen, so you can be organized literally months in advance if you need to be!

I remember there being a distinct reaction on Mumsnet when I mentioned "posh frozen ready meals" but they really are good. Obviously it's not Michelin starred fine dining but they are about the standard you'd get in a very good gastropub.

We are vegetarian . I pre make and freeze some sort of veggie roast thing and take it out of the freezer Christmas eve. Get all veg ready the day before.
In the morning, have breakfast, make sandwiches ( children now grown) go out for a walk. Come back put all in oven, open presents, have dinner. Sorted.

Both Cook and M&S sound like decent options.
Which is easier? And tastier?

@DonPablo

Just printscreened your post! Thanks

Often had a takeaway Indian meal on christmas day when kids were small. Our local favourite Indian takeaway was mobbed on christmas day.

Still had the table set, crackers and nice puddings.

Ex dp was a big twat but a very good cook. One year we had beef Wellington and another year curry ....but he was in the kitchen all day so maybe this is what you want to avoid.
My mum did roast beef for Xmas lunch last year and it was really good.
I'm not a big turkey fan

We had Mexican last year, posh Tacos on Christmas Day for the win!!

Have had M&S a few years in a row now. It's been great

My Mum has had curry every Christmas Day since my brother and I left home.

I normally have chicken with all the trimmings for Christmas lunch and the only alternative for me would be a rib of beef. Boxing Day lunch with all the leftovers and bubble & squeak is my favourite meal of the year.

I might add that I've never invited anyone for Xmas, nor do I go to others.
On the few Xmas I've been at home due to work, I like it to myself. 😁
Bring on the curry / Chinese 😛

Until I met my husband I have never had a “traditional” Christmas dinner that I can remember. Every year my mum always declares “its my Christmas Day too” so she Cooks a massive breakfast, then she puts out everything to make your own sarnies and then she usually has a slow cooker full of soup or stew for the evening. There’s a full cheeseboard and crackers are left on the table but mostly it’s a free for all, and we eat anywhere and everywhere we want - no table food on Christmas Day!
Which is 100% different to my husbands house, where his mum was in the kitchen before dawn doing the veg, roasting a huge turkey and basting roast potatoes or whatever it is.
She never lets anyone help, but my husband has to set the table, my father in law has to carve the turkey, and it’s all put into serving bowls on their table which is extended out to seat 10 people. She serves everyone and gives you a silver gravy boat to pour from. It’s very formal, starts with vegetable soup and prawn cocktail, ends with a flaming Christmas pudding and after dinner mints. I find that so formal and unnatural on Christmas Day to not actually spend any time with your family!!
These days my husband makes an easy lamb roast and we only include our favourite parts of the meal (so no stuffing and weird lumpy white “sauce” mother in law!) so he doesn’t spend all day cooking and we use frozen veg.
Do whatever you want! As my mum would say - it’s your Christmas Day!

Went to the local Indian Restaurant one Christmas it was great. Additional benefit was that, although they charged a bit higher than normal they didn't triple the price - and I didn't feel I was keeping anyone away from their traditional family turkey dinner.

My favourite part of xmas is the cheese board and buffet food, I often get too full from the traditional roast and I don't get to eat it all.

I might cook Christmas dinner on Christmas eve and then have the leftovers and cheeses for on the day.

I did once cook ribs, mac and cheese and jerk chicken instead of the traditional dinner. But I really missed my sprouts!

We are also staying at home this year .We are usually at my parents but its all getting too much for them and my mum announced that she doesn't like Christmas so I am looking forward to Christmas in my own home with my family.We are going to have Raclette.Spending more on the ingredients ie steak and prawns and really nice homemade sauces.My young adult sons love it and its such slow eating so that everyone stays at the table chatting and eating.Love it!

It is usually roast lamb in my house, so much nicer than turkey. Definitely pre prepared trimmings too.

@EileenAlanna DH and I love cooking on Xmas morning as we do the same with champagne. The whole morning flows by very happily. While dc play and another other family (if they are there) chill and do their own thing.
We all have a nice breakfast, adults have smoked salmon, a good protein boost.

Well, Pre-prepped isn’t restaurant or home-made, but it is fiendishly easy, and there is very little washing up other than plates. If you like traditional it works, we used it when I was just out of hospital with one of my DC having been born shortly before Christmas. I wouldn’t generally, but for that one year ( and to be fair once since) it was fabulous . I am often designated cook on Christmas Day, and that year I actually got time to spend with my DC. Thinking about it..... I might do it again this year

Order it frozen from Cook. All there stuff is lovely and you just chuck it in the oven. You can pick it up at a shop or they deliver. I’ve done the whole M&S collection thing twice and it’s a ruddy nightmare (forgot how bad it was the first time, and so foolishly did it again a couple of years later). It’s a shambles, queue to pick it all up, then queue again to pay. May as well just go round the shop!

Beef Wellington from Cook... oh my goodness

We have our big meal on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is brunch around 11 and then Chinese take away at 7.