Is it strange that I’ve never cooked a Christmas dinner at 36?

[Crouchingdragonhiddentiger]

When I lived at home my mum cooked it, now I’ve been living in my own house for 10 years with my 7 year old DS and my partner, we go to his parents or mine on alternate Christmases.
We also have a very small house so in no way big enough to host for family & friends.

Just wondering if I’m alone in this, because my Christmas memories were of my mum out doing the Christmas dinner from morning until we ate.

If you'd said you were 56, I would have said that's a bit unusual. But 36? Not so much. My 2 DC are in their early 30s and they've never cooked a Christmas dinner. They usually come to ours and I do it, or they go to their partner's family, and their mum does it. Have to admit I have never known a man do it, even though some posters say their DH does all the cooking!

You love it really.

Early 40s and never cooked one either, or any other form of roast. My DH does all our cooking. We’ve just had a new kitchen and bar the aesthetics I’ve had no input into it at all, because I don’t use it.

Yes, this makes me raise my eyebrows too. How can anyone - by middle age or older - be 'clueless' as to how to cook a roast meal?! It's child's play. Incredibly easy, and just smacks of people not being arsed, and wanting someone else to do it.

I'm gobsmacked at the nonchalance of some posters, and how they're wearing it like a badge of honour that they CBA to cook for anyone, and have never cooked a Christmas dinner, or any roast meal ever. I'm even more gobsmacked at how some posters seem proud of how incompetent they are!

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Cooking Christmas dinner is one of my DH’s very favourite things to do! He ordered the beef fillet from our local farm shop for Christmas dinner today. He plans it for weeks.

Freely admit I can’t be arsed. My DH loves cooking, I am entirely indifferent to it, so he does it. What’s wrong with not being arsed, if you’ve got someone else in the house who wants to do it?

Exactly the same for me. Not, I can't be arsed but I don't need to be because DH enjoys it. And I pull my weight fine with cleaning up and washing up.

I am 45 and have never cooked a Christmas dinner.

I'm exactly the same as you at 32, we alternate Christmas between our two families, have one child and a small flat. Both our wider families are big with lots of little cousins that ds loves to be with on Christmas. I honestly think my mil would be outraged if I tried to help with the cooking🤣 but we might take round some baileys and chocolates and stuff as a contribution.

I don't think you are that unusual.
I'm in my 60s and haven't.
When we've had Christmas at home, dh cooks and prefers to do it himself. He doesn't like anyone to interfere help, which suits me just fine.
Then on other years we've gone to different family members.

I@m a dab hand as washing up / clearing up though, and also setting the table.

Not strange at all. I'm 66 and have never cooked a Christmas dinner.

Nope. Late 50s and never have, I don’t cook at all. That’s my partner’s job!

@LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway you say it's "child's play" to cook a roast but as I simply don't ever eat roast dinners I don't really know how to do it.
I am assuming there is more to just warming up the cooker and putting the meat in?
On cooking shows on TV I see people doing things like adding herbs or oil, marinating meat, shoving something (stuffing?) up the birds bum....
I wouldn't have a clue what would taste good or what would ruin it.
It's not unusual to not know how to cook something you don't actually eat.

I think I hosted my first Christmas at 37 or 38, thinking about it. Now I've hosted every year since!

Just to add, this suits me just fine! I get 10 mins to myself periodically while family play with DC and helpfully set up new games etc 😂

It’s a great way to keep it imo!

Dsis is that you?!?! 😂

It is also possible to host guests for Christmas and not be the main cook for Christmas dinner!

I'm 41 and never officially "cooked" Christmas dinner. I'm always in the veg prep line on Christmas Eve, and on the day will help out in the kitchen, set/clear tables, load the dishwasher, wash up etc. Most years I'll have made Christmas pudding in October half term, so it just needs reheating on the day. But I've never been in charge of the meat or the overall co-ordination. My mum and DH do that, and both prefer it that way.

I like Christmas at home - the few times we’ve gone out or to relatives it’s just not the same (exception being my sisters’ place abroad). But I’m trying to think when DID I cook my first Christmas dinner? Until I got married I had Christmas at home or the above mentioned relatives. And I got married at 40, and then my DH cooked it. He died when I was 47… yes that was the first year I cooked it! I mean I’ve cooked plenty of roast dinners, and Christmas is pretty similar just with a few extra elements.
My DD, 20, is cooking it this year. She’s even making Yorkshire Puddings from scratch.

50 when I first hosted/cooked Christmas dinner. Covid year so only for DH and DS x2😬 Always did alternate years at my parents/DH parents. I have brought starters or desserts but never did the whole thing before 50.

Now host for double figures alternate years and enjoy being fed by others when it’s not my turn.

Exactly, we host every year. I’ve still never cooked Christmas dinner though!

Ive never even cooked a roast. The closest I have come is to put things in and out of the oven according to my DHs notes if he needs to nip out. I have no desire to, he loves doing it, and doesn't want me under his feet 'helping'. He loves being in the kitchen with the football on whilst he cooks. He even happily cleans up after 🤣

45 never cooked one either.

Lived at home. Then lived and worked abroad and either didn’t have one or XMIL cooked. Then my mum and now my brother!

cooked plenty of roasts in my time and hosted many an xmas eve meal.

My DH actively loves cooking a roast and enjoys doing it. So I let him. I have lots of skills but am not ashamed of never having cooked a roast. Am sure I could if I had to, but would have to do alot of googling

I find roast dinners dull so I dont eat them, much less want to cook one