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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To eat Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve.

43 replies

DA1115 · 04/10/2019 20:20

This has proably been asked before, sorry. Thinking of cooking and eating Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve this year

Christmas Day is such a busy day. This year we will have to visit the in laws, cook dinner, visit my family and get my son to his dads all in one day. So thinking of doing it the night before?

Previous years, we have gone to the in laws to eat but they have decided to go out for Christmas dinner this year, Christmas dinner at my mums is too much and my kitchen isn’t big enough to cook for our families. Plus we don’t like to upset either of our familes by going to one and not the other.

By the time we do all this there’s literally no time to chill at all. Christmas Day goes by in a blur and we are exhausted.

So eating dinner on Christmas Eve? Yes or no...?

OP posts:

AllFourOfThem · 04/10/2019 20:21

Yes. Enjoy.

Witchinaditch · 04/10/2019 20:23

It’s what they do it lots of European countries and I think it’s a lovely idea. Enjoy

Sparklesocks · 04/10/2019 20:24

Every family does Christmas differently. If this works for you, why not?

I know a family who like to go out to eat for Christmas lunch but struggle with their costs, so now they go out on Boxing Day for their Christmas lunch (significantly cheaper) and on Christmas Day the family makes their own pizzas together with their own toppings, sauce etc. They all make them together around the table. The kids love it and it’s become a Christmas tradition for them all. Do whatever makes you happy!

pickme · 04/10/2019 20:24

Yes you will never look back. It means more gets eaten as well as there is an extra day of using it.

DareDevil223 · 04/10/2019 20:25

Sounds like a lovely idea to me.

Original poster

DA1115 · 04/10/2019 20:31

Thanks all.

Pizza sounds like a good idea @Sparklesocks.

I just find cooking, eating and cleaning everything up so time consuming (I’m the type of person who cleans up instantly after eating and can’t leave things til later 😬)

OP posts:

Soconfusedandlost · 04/10/2019 20:36

Some years we do it Christmas eve, others is Christmas day as my mum is a shift worker for NHS. I work in an office that is closed for a week so I cook the dinner in her kitchen. We eat on whichever day and then I clean and clear the table and the parents do the dishes or I'll wash up and they wipe and put away. It gets done between us and no one stresses

We used to have really stressy dinners that had fixed serving time and multiple attendees and then we realised that we spent longer fighting than eating

PhantomErik · 04/10/2019 20:36

Yes do it & cook a bit too much, then you can reheat on Christmas day & still have a nice tasty meal with none of the effort or washing up!

We did it a few years ago & it was brilliant!

Titsywoo · 04/10/2019 20:41

Did it last year and loved it so am repeating this year. I had all the family over and cooked a big lunch then played games and they all left by 7 so i could clean up. Xmas Day was just the 4 of us chilling at home all day and eating whatever we liked (mainly cheese and biscuits!)

Rachelover60 · 04/10/2019 20:43

Sounds alright to me, a lot of people do the same.

KUGA · 04/10/2019 20:44

It`s Christmas eve dinner surely.
But your right eat what you like.
Christmas day is about gifts not food.

Slappadabass · 04/10/2019 20:44

Why not, we had Christmas dinner on boxing Day last year as my DD was with her dad for Christmas so we waited for her to be back, and had a buffet Christmas day.
It was actually nice not having the stress of cooking and I had plenty of time to play with DS and his new toys!

FluffyAlpaca19 · 04/10/2019 20:52

My Polish friends celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve night with a huge meal. They put their tree up on the 20th of Dec or the last weekend before Christmas & take it down on 6th of Jan.

It's common practice in Europe to have the main meal on Christmas eve and then have a low key Christmas day. So why not spread out the celebrations over the 12 days of Christmas. That way you're not rushing around trying to fit things into one day.

BarbedBloom · 04/10/2019 20:54

We do this. I cook it while DH is in work and then we have our dinner with candlelight and wine. We have picky type food on Christmas Day and watch movies

IAmALazyArse · 04/10/2019 20:56

If you want to make it really interesting have a look at some European Christmas Eve dinners.
You could make it a new tradition, every year a different country, and lots of the foods are quite simple.

Where I am from Christmas Eve dinner is simple and usually fish. Then next day is roasted goose.

Apolloanddaphne · 04/10/2019 20:56

Our Finnish relatives do this. It works well for them so why not?

Windydaysuponus · 04/10/2019 21:02

The first year after I left exh he refused to let me see dc over Xmas.
Because I dared to leave him...
So I wrote a note to dc from Santa saying he would be there 24th especially for them...
So we had the entire day on Christmas Eve. Big festive lunch!!
Total success.
Fajitas on the 25 th!
And exh hit the roof.
Added bonus.

MinniesAndMickeysNeedCounting · 04/10/2019 21:02

We separate Christmas dinner on one day and presents on another, just because it all becomes a rush, the children are wanting help building setting up new toys/technology and I prefer to have more time for that.

This year we're doing Christmas dinner on 23rd and shifting Christmas day to the 24th (think our youngest is young enough to manage to get this past her...just) because dh works away and is away from 24th evening to 30th.

Do whatever works for you.

Thehop · 04/10/2019 21:03

We go to a carvery Christmas Eve and have sausages and mash Christmas Day, it’s brilliant

plominoagain · 04/10/2019 21:06

Do it ! I work shifts so we fit ours in when we can . Last year it was Xmas eve , and it was so much more relaxed . Then we had a nice breakfast Xmas day , before I bimbled off to late shift , and everyone else lounged about in their pjs all day 😀

jackparlabane · 04/10/2019 21:12

You could move Christmas a day early and have your dinner and presents and all at home. We did that when I grew up and then next day went to my uncle's house (armed with my new books to read).

relax2 · 04/10/2019 21:15

We have done this for a couple of years now and it is fab. Means Xmas day we can just eat rubbish and not worry about cooking dinner that doesn't get eaten!!

Whatafackinliberty · 04/10/2019 21:17

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AliceLittle · 04/10/2019 21:22

My mum always used to do this and I have done it since too. Big feast roast dinner is perfect for an evening meal and then its all the cold meats and leftovers for the next day. I love not having to faff cooking when, as you say, it's so busy on the day itself.

Original poster

DA1115 · 04/10/2019 21:22

Thank you everyone. Christmas Day without major cooking does sound amazing. OH will be working Christmas Eve but I am thinking maybe cooking for when he gets home (late afternoon) then an early clean up ready for a chilled evening.

I haven’t really enjoyed Christmas for a few years. The day itself is always so rushed, stressful trying to keep everyone happy but I’m hoping this year will finally be the year I can say it’s been great. Fingers crossed 🤞

OP posts:

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