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?

We go out for dinner at about 4pm.
Our dc
My parents
My sister and bil and my nephews.

We go somewhere really nice and it's honestly my favourite part of Christmas.

That said all of the children are teenagers now
I'm not sure I would have had as much enthusiasm for it with hyped up small children. Haha.

When they were small I used to make a stew and leave it in the slow cooker all day.

My DD loves curry, DP loves lasagna. So on Christmas Eve, we eat a version of this monstrosity.

www.facebook.com/JungleTwisted/videos/313044339493875/

There was an identical query a few days ago on the ‘Christmas’ forum, do here is my identical answer:

We have an ‘Alpine’ supper. I lay the dining room table for Christmas Day for around 12 in advance, but on Christmas Eve we use the conservatory where the table also accommodates the same number.

We use the Pierrade - hot stone on which you cook bits of meat, Raclette - little shovels with potato, ham capers etc and cheese on top for which you use the grill under the pierrade, plus two small cauldrons of cheese fondue for the veggies. DH is in charge. The odd incidents involving accidental fires are fondly remembered.

It is festive and everyone loves it, and any of the family who can’t make it to Christmas dinner can enjoy this.

We always have a Chinese takeaway on Christmas Eve that with a few drinks and a Christmas movie sets us all up for Christmas and the massive feast that I make for Christmas day.

I deliberately make our Christmas Eve meal as 'un-Christmassy' as possible as our Christmas very definitely starts on Christmas Day. But I want it to be something everybody likes and which I can prepare in advance, so we always have fish pie and peas. My family consider it a treat because it is a bit of a fact to make (my recipe is anyway) so I don't do it very often.

I'm surprised to see so many picky tea / buffet meals. That's what we eat for every meal after Christmas lunch for days, I wouldn't want to start even earlier 😅

Either buffet style party food that just needs to be warmed up ot for the past couple of years DH has made his homemade pizza. We always go for a drink in the local pub on Christmas eve with the kids early evening so want something that requires low effort or can be made in advance. When I was a kid my mum always did fish.

Same here. We’ll spend days eating buffets of cold ham, turkey and the cheeses we never got around to on Christmas Day. Similarly we couldn’t have curry or soup as we always curry some of the leftover turkey, and the ham stock is turned into soup for supper on Christmas Day.

We always have ham, mashed potatoes, pickled red cabbage and veg… usually with parsley sauce

I've done fish pie, homemade pizza or posh sausage roll and coleslaw.

I think I care more than the kids do, but my youngest loves a fish pie, so will probably do that. Due to the cost of everything it's a treat now.

Big pot of stovies - canna beat it.

We have a buffet every year, one year we tried to do dominos but had to wait two hours for it so never again! This year we are going out to an Italian, we thought it would be nice now the kids are teens.

We always have a Chinese takeaway! Put the kids to bed, eat our dinner and then put the presents out 😄

We always end up hosting lots of family all across the Chrismas period and every Christmas Eve I always do a fancy buffet/grazing board, mixture of hot and cold.
Things like;
Camembert & warm bread
Charcuterie
Cheeses
Salmon
Dips
A mixture of hot party food (M&S and Tesco usually)
Couple of small sweet dishes
Few child friendly options (chicken dippers/pizza slices)

I usually look online how to lay it all out nicely, it sounds like work but I actually find it easier than a meal, just use foil platters for anything hot and Chuck it all out and let everybody help themselves.

We get a takeaway every year.

Vegetarian hotpot with dumplings all started off early in the morning and left in the slow cooker (put the dumplings in about 2 hours before the end).Serve with plenty of warmed crusty speciality bread and a large baked Brie placed in the middle of the table.

I make a gateau-style Christmas cake,not fruit,so we'll start digging into that for dessert.

The last few years I've made "graze" boards with cheese, breads, olives, figs, chutneys, halloumi fries, veggie sticks and hummus.

Really quick to do and we use the leftovers for Boxing Day!

We also make a couple of hearty soups and get a few fresh loaves as we're out most of the day Christmas Eve so it's nice to come home to something warm and easy! We also have a nice pudding and some hot chocolate. Easy peasey

I've done fish pie and macaroni cheese in the past. For the past few years we've bought a couple of camemberts and had those baked in the oven with baguette and things to dip in them. Very quick and easy.

Why do people keep talking about posh things!?

Posh party food
Posh red wine

Sounds weird. Do you mean decent quality ?

I cook a ham and then we have lots of posh party foods that the kids can pick at, salad, crusty bread etc. basically as buffet that is there for those who want it. We always have family round on Christmas Eve for a late lunch so low key and easy is what I go for. Family being puddings.

Hmm, some interesting ideas here. There are only 4 of us here on Christmas Eve and I have 12 for Christmas day so McDonalds it is I think!

Pre kids - Chinese

Now with picky children - picky tea!

I don't have to cook Christmas Dinner, ever, so wouldn't want bits left over as wouldn't be back to eat in the house til after Boxing Day

We have fancy nachos in front of a Christmas film.

Posh buffet = nicer than the usual buffet spread I'd put on.
Typically Food to Order platters or prepared grazing boards.

Surely you have your usual everyday red wine and then your special occasion red wine?
There's also your cheap 'chuck in the spah bol' red wine.