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

I've done a turkey and cranberry rice salad served with carrot and parsnip crisps, sprout stir fry with bacon, mushroom and cranberry lentil loaf and sausages in bacon followed by Christmas pudding ice cream.

It was supposed to be a simple to prepare light lunch to serve to a vegan (portion of rice salad done without the turkey) and some people having a larger non Christmassy meal later in the day.

Someone did a Christmas themed soup too but I can't remember if it was carrots with ginger or a chestnut based one. Everything was prepared the day before except the sprouts.

Chinese carry out all the way. We get two lots and it does two days. Job done. No cooking on Christmas Day or Boxing Day either as we eat it cold or heat it up as we prefer come boxing day. We pre order. Our takeaway’s prices are the same as regular days!! So we give them a nice tip instead of paying an overinflated price.

Oh my word, that idea of Christmas afternoon tea wins it for me! We've been away on holiday the last few years and will be this year. but Christmas Afternoon Tea is becoming a thing in our house from 2020! The little nibbly picky bits are the best bit about Christmas. I'm so excited, I'm even making lists of what will be on there...

There are two traditional Australian Christmas dinners. Seafood all the way or steak and sausages on the bbq with salad. There is lots of turkey etc but that's someone else's tradition brought in, isn't it?

I don't celebrate Xmas but I do sometimes get a takeaway, check in advance the ones that are open.

The local carvery does a take out service, yours might too.

My carer and I sometimes do a roast dinner but we have it down to a fine art.

I put the 'joint' in the slow cooker first thing. Depending on the arthritis and whether I gave pre prepped veg I put those in the steamer. Carer arrives at about 11 and he peels potatoes and make yorkshire pudding batter. If I've not been able to prep veg he does that.

45 mins before we want to eat he starts the potatoes roasting and then puts the YP batter in.

Minimal washing up afterwards.

We have a whole salmon cooked in a fish brick. Potatoes veggies and a creamy dill sauce. Lovely!

last year we ordered takeaway Christmas dinner from our local gastropub - was absolutely super!

I'm also loving the christmas day afternoon tea. Think we will do that!

I would LOVE a Christmas afternoon tea but my husband wouldn’t countenance it.

We go to the deli on Christmas Eve and Christmas lunch is normally a picnic eaten in one of our favourite places (in the car if wet or chilly). We have rare roast beef, salmon, prepared salads like Waldorf and Coronation chicken, sausage rolls, a cheeseboard and whatever else looks good. Been doing this for 5 years now and we love it.

I'm quite a fan of a Christmas pie. Huge affair with a decorated lid, sides can all be prepped before, a lot more simple to bung in the oven.

Since our oven broke two days before Christmas a few years ago we have started having steak. The meal has now evolved to include dauphinoise potatoes which I make in advance.

Our new tradition is to visit the grandparents first, then meet friends in the village pub for a couple over lunchtime. I can wobble back and pop the potatoes in the oven and fry the steak/boil fancy veg and we eat whenever it's ready. Many of our friends are quite envious and considering doing similar now.

We have roast fillet of beef, roast pots I prepare the night before, pre made gravy, bought Yorkshire puddings, and fresh pre prepared veg, easy!

My daughter puts a buffet out in the morning and they all graze all day. Me? I love Christmas dinner. I've always done the same, prepare everything the day before whilst listening to Christmas music, then the next day it's easy, no problem, just like a no fuss Sunday roast.

No one gets a choice here lol if they want a traditional dinner they will have to cook it lol

our "tradition" is to buy a 5-bird roast from Lidl or Aldi

Those of you who don't have turkey - do you eat a Christmas dinner another day?

I think a turkey for one on Christmas Day might be a tad OTT so I normally cook half a chicken or a rib of beef with all the accompanying trimmings. with plenty left over for Boxing Day with salad and bubble and squeak.

Ours isn’t Turkey or ‘traditional’ I wouldn’t worry OP

We had coq at vin one year which was just shoved in oven to cook while we did presents, so easy!

I do a small turkey crown for myself and SIL, a small joint of beef, and a beef pot-roast which my SIL and I love. All my vegetables except the cauliflower cheese are from frozen.

There are two of us to feed - daughter and me - we have what we want. Usually, lobster, duck or game. I do roasties and as many salady things that I think we will eat. A selection of cheeses. This copes with Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Last year DS had just turned 1 and we had M&S party food and stayed in our pjs all day!