Am I the only person who thinks that cooking a christmas lunch isn't such a big deal?

[Ormirian]

It's a big roast dinner with some extra bits. No?

And if you open the wine at about midday it's even easier

DreamTeamGirl thats about the same as we have plus roast onions.
Then 4 pieces of meat, turkey, beef, pork, last year duck, this year might be pheasant.
Three types of stuffing, 2 types of gravy.
Then the white sauce, cranberry,apple etc.

Mmmmmm

but how do you fit all on plates and tables? I am astounded at the amount of food that some people cook

One year I was too ambitious and made too many complicated sides that all needed to come together at the last minute, but I had help so it wasn't too bad.

Red wine from midday deffo, lunch around 3.
I think if you do the number of sides you are capable of and aren't catering for more than 12, then yes it's just like a normal roast lunch.

More than 12 and complicated is like restaurant catering and its a whole different ballgame.

I agree - you can make it as complex or as simple as you like. It's a roast dinner. A luxury pudding bought from Waitrose will be as yummy as anything I've ever had home made and that's about it.

People get too stressed about such things. Of course, i say this having not cooked Christmas dinner for MIL who makes Delia look like she's serving up pot noodles. Next year when it's 'their turn' and they might be coming here, I might turn into a gibbering reck. (then please all slap me and remind me that DH didn't want to marry someone just like his mother...)

Good grief.

I'm doing turkey, in a roasting bag.
Roasties, parsnips, sausages all pre-prepared in the freezer, ready to bung in oven; stuffing too, and aunt bessie's yorkshires
Chopped blanched carrots in the freezer, and frozen peas, so just bung in the steamer
jar of cranberry sauce, and I think a pot of ready-made gravy too

I'm going to be in the living room playing with the toys children.

It is not a big deal...except for the fact that I'm usually a bit pished by 11am.

The List is my saviour. Start with the time you want to eat and work backwards. DH mocks the '9.23am Pre-heat oven' level of detail but it works for me.