Christmas eve meal ideas please!

[Falconfield]

I know it's still a while to Christmas and I might get really flamed for this however I need some ideas what type of meal other people do for Christmas eve?

I'm at a complete loss what to cook. I want something a bit different/special but obviously nothing too elaborate as we have a massive traditional Christmas dinner on Christmas day.

Any suggestions? or what do you find works for you and yours?

One DD is vegetarian, so in late November I make Delia’s delicious cheese and parsnip roulade, with sage and onion stuffing inside it, roll it in ground hazelnuts and stick it in the freezer. It defrosts in the fridge and reheats for Christmas Eve dinner.
The rest of us have gorgeous, coarse smoked, thick cut salmon steaks from the Arbroath fishmonger, with asparagus and white wine, (and often a slice of Delia as well, we all like it!) then my homemade chestnut chocolate log for pudding.

Tradition to have buffet on Christmas Eve! Lots of picky bits that don’t take long to prepare and everyone can help themselves

My Xmas Eve meal is always boiled gammon.ham, mashed potatoes. Carrots cooked around meat and frozen garden peas. I do a huge ham then have some left for cold cuts on Boxing day. Cheesecake and chocolate gateau for desert.

I work in food retail so usually have about 3 seconds of energy left at the end of Xmas eve. In the past I’ve bunged a Vacherin in the oven, posh baguette and other nibbly bits. As long as it’s laid out nicely it feels like more effort has gone into it 🙈

Chinese takeaway here.

We have a takeaway and a movie night normally.

Either go out on xmas eve for dinner or late lunch or takeaway - have to cook normally for 50 people over xmas, St stephens day and day after so not a hope of cooking on xmas eve

If we're not entertaining family then we usually have gammon with macaroni cheese and greens. Then there's gammon left over for sandwiches and I do the cauliflower cheese for Christmas Day at the same time as the macaroni.
If my side of the family are visiting I do a side of salmon and naice sausages for the fish refusers with new potatoes and salads.
If DH's side is visiting I cook a pork or beef roast as most of them only eat meat and potatoes.

We've dabbled with buffets in the past but I find them really expensive.

We always have Nigella's ham cooked in coke with chips , baked beans and fried eggs .

We always start with oysters, followed by a nice main and dessert from M&S

Christmas party food (and baileys 😂)

We cook a big gammon on Christmas Eve and have a few cheeky slices between slices of hot fresh crusty bread. food of the gods.

I used to make soup to go with it but usually there has been so much chocolate and mince pies eaten that no one is terribly hungry.

We change what we do most years.

Last year we went out to dinner to a Thai restaurant.

In previous years we’ve had takeaways - Indian, fish & chips, pizza.

When I’ve cooked at home we’ve done:

• an all day buffet (party food and we bake or heat things up and add to it throughout the day/evening) l. This went down well when my kids were little.

-Fish of some description, to prepare for the meat fest over the next few days. -Stew/casserole or similar one pot dish

We do Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve and then have sausage and mash on Christmas day.

Roast glazed ham with potato dauphinoise often, which doesn’t take a huge amount of time to prep. But I’m not working that day and can well imagine a takeaway is perfect if you are!

Also having read some of these, and reflecting on my kids, quite tempted to go ham, lovely bread and butter, and party snacks this year. That sounds amazing.

We always have a curry, made a day or two before, on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve tends to be cooking in the morning, then a walk, then to the local pub late afternoon, home for curry about 7.

We always have lobster rolls with lemon Mayo and fries.

We always have homemade pizza. DC’s are teens and it’s my sneaky way of getting them out of their rooms and around the table! I make the dough during the day and then we sit around the table to add our own toppings and chat whilst they cook.

We usually get Indian takeaway. Otherwise would have party food and cheese platter.

Ditto. We did this one year when I was on call on Christmas Day itself and everyone preferred it. No big meal to cook on Xmas day, you can just chill/go for walks/pub and then have leftovers buffet and party food in the evening.

Make a stew the day before and get nibbles. Then people can graze.

I know Christmas Eve is a Saturday this year, but in other years how on earth do you manage to do a Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve? By the time I've got home from work.the last thing I want to do is cook a roast, plus we'd be eating at midnight!

I usually do a lasagne, made in advance and reheated. I love baked ham and baked potatoes, but usually have that on Boxing Day

My sister makes gumbo and it's delicious!

We always do a posh macaroni cheese with pancetta, mushrooms, roasted tomatoes

M&S party food, or fish and chips