To ask if there are people on here who've never cooked a Christmas dinner before?

[FortunesFave]

And how old are you? I was really surprised when someone I know on FB posted that they were so sad not to be travelling to their parents with their family this year and that she's never cooked a Christmas dinner in her life.

She's 50!

Her parents are in their late 70s and early 80s!

Do these people not feel guilty or weird about going home like this every year?

I mean...going home is lovely...but surely you could muck in with the cooking if your parents are that elderly?

@nitsandwormsdodger

No interest what do ever cooking is a chore I'm more useful in cleaning up after

I feel the same as this. I don't mind washing up and clearing surfaces and mopping the floor after everyone's eaten. It's mildly satisfying putting things back to rights. But cooking is just a chore to me. DH takes great pleasure in cooking and providing in that way so he does it all.

@RufustheSniggeringReindeer I got such a happy mental image from that!

32 - never cooked a Christmas dinner
Or a roast actually!

Wow I can’t believe all of you that have never done a roast have u got children ?
I cooked my first roast dinner aged 19 !
44 now and my kids love a good roast on a Sunday specially all throu lockdown when I had them all at home !!

I was in my early forties before I had to do a full Christmas lunch, but that’s because we’d never had the space to host till then so we’d always gone to either my parents or the in-laws. No kids, so it was always easier. I’m a good cook and do a big roast regularly, so I didn’t find it troublesome when I did start. Both mums still insist on bringing part of the meal ready prepped, which is lovely as it gives us more time together out of the kitchen.

Tips:
write your timings down, working back from when you want to serve.

Sort out which pans you’ll cook each thing in, and a serving dish for each. That makes it much easier on the day.

Remember that meat will rest happily for the hour you’ll need to do the roasted veg, so your oven IS big enough.

As long as your gravy is hot, it doesn’t matter if anything else has cooled a bit by the time you plate up.

Everyone only really wants the pigs in blankets anyway.

Never had a Christmas dinner at home, never cooked one.

[quote HollyandIvyandallthingsYule]@RufustheSniggeringReindeer I got such a happy mental image from that! [/quote]
😀

Good 🎄

I even took a picture of dh to send to my friends cos he just looked very, very lost

Nope, help yes but never done one all by myself. DH is brilliant at it and I'm happy to muck in but kitchen gets too crowded so I'm better off entertaining DCs with a few glasses of Buck's Fizz to ease the pain 😅

33 and first this year but only because of covid. I cook roasts most weeks though, so it's not a challenge for me and it's only for 2 so not loads and loads of cooking, although more cooking means more leftovers... hmmm

28 - never made a Sunday roast let alone a Christmas dinner

My sister, nearly 51 has to cook her first, with no help this year. She does have a partner but I can't imagine he'll be any help. I did suggest if our DP's had bought a big turkey crown for when she and her family were going to have lunch with them couldn't she have some?

The last time she had Xmas lunch in her house, pre child, I cooked the turkey and prepped veg in my house and took it to her's and she still got stressed out boiling the kettle for gravy.

Late 30s. Never done it. Always been at my parents or my partners son's(once)!

I would happily do it,I love cooking and entertaining but I've never had a house large enough and always lived far away from everyone else. I have a large enough house now, but my parents is much larger and I dont have anywhere to put a kitchen table!

I haven't.

My DH does it every year. He's a show off cook when it comes to things like Christmas Dinner 🙄😂

Before I met and moved in with DH I was living with my parents who did a more buffet style party food etc... every year instead.

I'm 40. Never cooked a roast dinner, let alone Christmas dinner.

My mother covered it until I met my husband, now he does.

In the grand scheme of everything I do, not cooking roast dinners seems like a fair trade off (but I do hate cooking).

Oh and I'm 27 sorry.

Me! 39...no plans to start now either

Never cooked a roast either.

We used to always have it on Xmas Eve growing up so my parents weren't in the kitchen all Christmas day, when we were older I used to help out and usually sorted the veg and the roasties. I just treat it as a normal roast now to be honest, but obviously with pigs in blankets.

I've cooked many roasts but not Christmas Day dinner.

DH likes to do it and I do all the gift buying / wrapping so am perfectly happy for him to make it!

Me and I'm 43.

I've never cooked a roast or Christmas dinner. DH is the chef in our house. That can't be that unusual. Everyone helps with the prep fr Christmas dinner though.

I’ve cooked a roast a few times but I can’t generally be bothered. Not usually at home for Christmas so never done the whole thing but always helping. By myself for Christmas this year and I’m having M&S fish pie.

I’m 39 and doing Christmas dinner in my own house for the first time (was going to have my family over but tier 4...so there’s quite a lot of turkey for me, DH and 5yo to eat!). At my parents’ house it’s always a team effort so I reckon I’ll manage. It’s just a roast dinner with a bigger bird, after all!

Me and I'm a 38 year old mum who spends every Xmas in her own home with her husband and children and my parents and mother in law lol. DH always cooks Xmas dinner. I'm very lucky. Not even sure I could haha