Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Xmas Day - Lunch at 4pm - AIBU

349 replies

Moonshine5 · 19/11/2023 18:56

Following heated debate and reading a variety of threads. What say you Mumsnet community?
🎅
AIBU - that's a ridiculous time for Christmas lunch
YANBU - perfectly normal you heathens (note this is a light-hearted thread)

OP posts:
pickledandpuzzled · 19/11/2023 18:57

I can’t vote. If you have a big festive brunch then 4pm is fine. Though I’d call it dinner.

We have it at 1, because it’s after church then the afternoon is free for presents.

Everyone’s day is a different shape!

Cosyblankets · 19/11/2023 18:58

We eat around 330

AhBiscuits · 19/11/2023 18:59

We always had it at about that time growing up so I'm all for it. We usually do it at 1 though.

tescocreditcard · 19/11/2023 18:59

It depends what else you eat and what time you eat it.

mumonthehill · 19/11/2023 19:00

We eat about that time. Always have as have time for slow breakfast, walk if wanted and then late lunch. It has always worked for us.

ilovepixie · 19/11/2023 19:00

We eat about 1. That gives us time for a Christmas tea around 6. Just turkey sandwiches and the like.

Pradder · 19/11/2023 19:00

I don’t think it matters what time you eat on Christmas, so long as there’s plenty of food to fill up on between proper mealtimes

Rainingagainonasynday · 19/11/2023 19:00

I really try to get it ready before the Queen's (Kings) speech but 4pm is perfectly reasonable too for Christmas dinner, it's starting to get really dark and is very special at that time

Gnomegnomegnome · 19/11/2023 19:00

Dh and I disagree on this. He likes to eat at lunch time and I like to eat at dinner time.

He does the cooking so we eat at lunch time 😂

Switchingoff · 19/11/2023 19:01

I never understand how anyone manages to get Xmas lunch cooked for much earlier (like 12 or 1) - especially people who also manage to go to church or for a walk before then 🤯

ScrubMommy · 19/11/2023 19:02

It'd be my preference.

RabbitsRock · 19/11/2023 19:02

We usually end up eating around 2

WhamBamThankU · 19/11/2023 19:02

Throw a spanner in the works and have a Mexican Christmas complete with sombreros and moustaches like we did.

OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 19/11/2023 19:02

Its 12.30-13.00 here and then we sit down to watch the Kings speech and play some games after that.

CloudOfDust · 19/11/2023 19:03

We have Xmas day with just us and our children so anytime between 1pm and 5pm depending on when we get up, when and what we have for breakfast, how long we take the dogs out for. A nice lazy day.

TeenDivided · 19/11/2023 19:03

Well we have ours at 1pm.

Otherwise don't you spend the whole day cooking and then you snack before as you are hungry?

zurala · 19/11/2023 19:03

Lunch at lunchtime eg 1pm then a light dinner around 6. I don't want to eat at a random non-meal mealtime like 4.

CremeEggSupremacy · 19/11/2023 19:03

4pm is one of the most bizarre times I’ve ever heard - too late to be lunch, too early to be dinner, surely makes the whole rest of the day awkward food-wise

muchalover · 19/11/2023 19:05

We open presents on Christmas Day evening so lunch at 3/4pm is the norm here.

MrsClatterbuck · 19/11/2023 19:05

We have lunch whenever it's ready. I aim for between 2 and 3 but it doesn't always wotk out and that's OK. We are fairly flexible but there is only the two of us now. I don't do starters as such but serve party bites mid morning and breakfast is crossaints with cream cheese and smoked salmon. Used to be jam but dh ramped it up last year. That's enough to keep us going till we get our dinner.

Almondmum · 19/11/2023 19:05

I think that's fine as long as any guests are aware so they can plan accordingly. If you've invited people to come at 1 (for example) and they're expecting to be fed around that time they'll be starving by 4

VanityDiesHard · 19/11/2023 19:06

YANBU but normally we eat at 8.00 pm on Christmas, it is dinner, not lunch.

Girlontherailreplacementbusservice · 19/11/2023 19:07

My rule for a stress free Christmas is lunch is ready when it is ready. We do stockings, get up have mug of tea and a mince pie do the presents then I start lunch/dinner and DH makes brunch. I hate having to miss part of the morning because the turkey has to be on at X to be ready for Y so I don't impose a time and I start cooking when I am ready to start and work out timings from.when the turkey go in. It usually means we eat somewhere between 2 and 4 depending on the size of the bird and how long the present bit has taken.

Pinkballoon5 · 19/11/2023 19:07

I aim for half two but it's usually four. No one minds waiting for the best meal of the year!

Doggymummar · 19/11/2023 19:07

Moonshine5 · 19/11/2023 18:56

Following heated debate and reading a variety of threads. What say you Mumsnet community?
🎅
AIBU - that's a ridiculous time for Christmas lunch
YANBU - perfectly normal you heathens (note this is a light-hearted thread)

We have ours about 5pm, but we have brunch at about 11am and then scoff chocolate for evening meal

Swipe left for the next trending thread