Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not be particularly happy about cooking Christmas dinner for 18 people on Christmas day?

138 replies

luckymummy74 · 27/10/2008 13:43

That would be 8 adults and 10 kids aged between 1 and 16 yrs of age. It will involve 3 highchairs ( I have one).

Also, 4 veggies (not that I'm anti-veggie, on the contrary, I eat a lot of veggie food) but 2 eat fish and 2 don't, so I will have to cook 3 separate meals in total.

A lot of the kids are quite fussy too.....

I don't really have room in my house for this many people.

DH thinks I'm being unreasonable that I'm not very enthusiastic about this.....

Any thoughts, or tips to how to get thru the day?!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
luckymummy74 · 27/10/2008 13:45

I don't think I'll even have enough chairs or cutlery etc...

OP posts:
pingping · 27/10/2008 13:45

Did you say you would?

Why don't you ask the females that are coming to cook something and bring it with?

Good luck thats alot of people to cook for!

RubyShivers · 27/10/2008 13:46

ask everyone to bring something

oh, and if your DP is being terribly enthusiastic about it, let him do all the cooking

TracyK · 27/10/2008 13:47

We have about the same number. But the parents inlaw bring turkey, different types of pate, sil brings large ham, other sil brings puddings.

All I do is potatoes, veg, prawns, loads of french bread and wine and coffee.

Works out fine. Gets it all over and done with in one swoop.

TrollOfTrollsvilleTowers · 27/10/2008 13:48

Don't cook fish for the fish eaters (not vegetarians, pescatarians, tell them that.)

It will be fun if you try to relax, prepare as much in advance as possible and of course ask everyone to help. Sorry but I am a bit irked by this

'By pingping on Mon 27-Oct-08 13:45:10
Did you say you would?

Why don't you ask the females that are coming to cook something and bring it with? '

Do men not cook?

TracyK · 27/10/2008 13:48

oh yes - they all bring cutlery and plates etc - it's a palaver sorting it all out at the end of the night. But I just keep the dishwasher running so everyone can take their stuff away with them.

bubblagirl · 27/10/2008 13:49

i would ask anyone involved in coming to help out slightly by bringing a cooked something if all help out then will be easier for you, you can get fancy throw away playes to save on washing up even serving bowls can be throw away

the less effort there the more you can put in with enjoying yourselves surely anyone coming with small child will bring ther eown highchairs if not ask also ask if anyone has folding chairs they can bring to sort out seating arrangement clear furniture in one room to one side pasting tables with tablecloths make great make shift dining tables

BloodyStranglingwithBling · 27/10/2008 13:49

Depends, did you offer? In which case YABU. if it was dumped on you, then not so much.

But agree with others - get people to help. I have tiny house so dinner for 8 at christmas last year would have been a big challenge if the guests hadn't all contributed with starters, desserts etc.

And don't cook three meals. do a meat and copious side veggie dishes that can work as mains for the veggies. eg, I did all the regular roasties etc but also a stuffed butternut last year for one semi-vegetarian. Everyone had some butternut and he had a lot of it.

bubblagirl · 27/10/2008 13:50

it is stressful my aunt did this and kids had make shift eating area pasting table,

afults sat at big table each and everyone bought some food to contribute and was really fun made the work less by disposable nearly everything lol

TrollOfTrollsvilleTowers · 27/10/2008 13:51

Oh and throw away plates too? For christmas dinner?

Are you serious?

Not only is it just horrible it's nasty and not very eco friendly. Have the men do the washing up after all the women have cooked

bubblagirl · 27/10/2008 13:51

sorry tpos again lol

TheProvincialLady · 27/10/2008 13:52

Who invited them? If it was you then stop moaning! If it was your DP then get him to solve the logistical problems and tell him that in future he needs to check with you before invited 18 people to dinner.

A vegetarian who eats fish will also eat a meal that is actually vegetarian and contains no meat so that is one less dish to prepare. And fussy eaters will just have to lump it - you are cooking Christmas dinner for everyone, not starting up a restaurant.

My main advice is to drink lots of wine!

Cheesesarnie · 27/10/2008 13:52

do it with set menu-one veggie one meaty-dont bother with fishy people.then they can like it or lump it.

or just dont do it full stop.put your foot down and say noooooooo

mrsgboring · 27/10/2008 13:53

Don't just ask the females to cook something... And ask people to bring crockery and cutlery and chairs too.

There's no reason that the fish eating veggies shouldn't have the non-fish veggie option; you certainly don't need 3 dishes.

Have a plate of cheese, crisps, sausages on sticks etc. for the kids to pick at beforehand (so they're not too hungry if you end up getting lunch on late). The picky ones can just have that and not worry about Xmas dinner if they don't want.

In fact, do the kids need to be up at the table for the whole time anyway? I am all for children sitting up at the table with adults for grown up meals and being included in celebrations, but would it make it easier if the children were allowed to do their own thing? You only have to seat 8 (plus babies) that way. Then all have pudding together sitting down on easy chairs/floor??

Cheesesarnie · 27/10/2008 13:54

tell(not ask) the men!!!what about the men?????????????????????????????why the women???

beaniescreamyb · 27/10/2008 13:55

Are they are your inlaws?

beaniescreamyb · 27/10/2008 13:56

Oh - and you can get your OH/DH to do it maybe? Or do half of it?

dittany · 27/10/2008 13:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

traceybath · 27/10/2008 14:00

18 is a lot of people

You're going to struggle on oven space unless you have a large range would be my first concern.

Do as much as you can in advance

  • braised red cabbage - cook ahead and freeze
  • cook sprouts and other veg in the morning and refresh in cold water and then whack in microwave with some butter for a couple of minutes at the last minute
  • get people who live nearby to bring stuff, eg the cooked turkey just ready to carve
  • don't worry too much about everything being piping hot when you serve as long as roast potatoes are and the gravy
  • make one veg type dish that can be frozen and then just warmed through on the day for non-meat eaters

People who need high chairs then up to them to provide them.

Good luck!

Original poster
luckymummy74 · 27/10/2008 14:03

How did you guess beaniescreamyb??!! .

And, NO I most definitley did not invite them, I can't think of anything I'd rather not do!!

Don't get me wrong, I love cooking, and I think I'm quite a good cook but for some reason, I freak out cooking roasts!! I am 34 and have probably cooked less than 5 roast dinners in my life . I don't know why, I just find the timing hard. Even cooking Christmas dinner for my parents, sis and DH (5 people!) I got a bit stressed about it all!! I think that's why I'm worried, I don't like the thought of my MIL and SILs seeing me stressing out about cooking dinner!! I suppose I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I want it to all be just right....but I can't do roasts!!!

Think I need to practice.

Thanks for all the tips.

DH is wonderful BTW and will def do his bit. I have 2 young kids myself, 2 and 6 months, I don't think that helps either .

Am I a wuss ??!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
luckymummy74 · 27/10/2008 14:07

Great idea about cooking veggie meal in advance and freezing!

I think I will spend Christmas eve peeling veg!!!

OP posts:
Cheesesarnie · 27/10/2008 14:09

use frozen veg.

Blu · 27/10/2008 14:09

What about:

Eat in the evening - and put everyone under the age of 3 to bed before you start.
Have a 'veg peeling party' the night before if any live v close - bottle of wine, something nice on the iPOd, get peeling.
Do one veg dish which goe with the veg, potates and veggie 'trimmings' from the turkey: maybe Delias Red Onion Tarte Tatin, made day before.
Tell you MIL that you are a 'roast virgin' and rope her in to advise / help - which will be much better than toughing it out and feeling watched.
Plan it all and give each person a set time and responsibility to help out - including minding all the kids, fetching drinks etc.

Blu · 27/10/2008 14:11

And just ask one other person to bring extra plates / cutlery etc - not one set each family - it will be like a camping trip!

Helsbels4 · 27/10/2008 14:12

Well If your DH invited them without agreeing it with you first then I wouldn't get stressed at all - I'd make him cook the meal!!! You can serve the drinks and look busy. Do you really need all that effort and hassle with two lo's?