Ideas for christmas day evening buffet?

[SquidgyMummy]

There's only going to be DP, me, 3yo and DMiL.
We are having Christmas dinner, (at lunch time) but I know we are going to feel a bit peckish gluttons in the evening. what should we have so I don;t have to cook any more?
I am thinking:

Make extra stuffing and sausages in bacon so people can pick
Cheese and biscuits
Some apples and grapes for cheese
Left over trifle

probably enough now it is written down, but anything i have forgotten?
as i will be too pissed can't be arsed to do any more cooking

We used to find that we didn't have space but growing up my mum used to do turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce sandwiches. Failing that sausage rolls or cheese and biscuits. I honestly wouldn't lay on a buffet though.

Cold meats
cherry toms,cucumber,carrot sticks
Potato salad,coleslaw.
Things you don't cook with minimum prep!

Cheese board
Continental meat platter
Game or gala pies
Poached salmon
Smoked salmon
Salad
Roast potatoes
Crisps
Pate
Basket of bread
Big pan of veg or spicy parsnip soup

I am now feeling v hungry

Durham - could you eat that lot after a Christmas lunch?

I've always found that I couldn't face anything else at all, and I love my food .

Honestly, cheese and biscuits plus fruit (and a bit of Christmas cake or a mince pie) will be more than enough.

we always to bubble and squeak with the left over potatoes and veg and eat with any cold left over turkey etc (and of course cheese and crakers and Christmas cake!)

I could and we often do on a Christmas Day evening, we tend to have our Christmas dinner at 2 so by 7 we are all ready to start again

I usually do the soup and roasties the day before so it's a very easy buffet to do.

God I couldn't eat anything in the evening, and we don't have a traditional lunch at all with all the extras. We eat about 3pm.

A slice of Christmas cake is usually all I can manage after full Christmas dinner.

I salute you Durham - I really, really enjoy my food and it shows but I just couldn't eat another big meal after a traditional Christmas lunch . Perhaps I pile my plate too high?

Ah yes, the secret is little and often. I never have much on my plate, but I always have a plate!!

As we will probably be up early with DS, lunch will probably be around 1pm. I have memories of Xmas dinner at my parents being really late - about 6pm as we went to church / the heathens got up late so breakfast was at lunchtime and the big meal at night.

Finally we get to do it in my own house so i am going to make sure we have enough to pick at.
I like Durham's philosophy!

Perhaps a whole new thread, but what do i do on boxing day?
A proper graze all day buffet?

I usually have a selection of cheese and crackers and some paté ready in the fridge, to come out when we feel like it. And some bits and bobs like chutney and olives for added interest. Minimum effort on my part and usually really enjoyable. We're only 4 adults and 2 kids though.

I usually have a selection of cheese and crackers and some paté ready in the fridge, to come out when we feel like it. And some bits and bobs like chutney and olives for added interest. Minimum effort on my part and usually really enjoyable. We're only 4 adults and 2 kids though.

Sorry tablet fail!

Turkey and ham sandwiches,
Cheese, chutney, pickles
Christmas cake

My relatives will want something too and I have learned from experience that when FIL says "a little something would be nice" he means a meal and when MIL says "nothing for me but I'll join you at the table" she will eat a fair amount of food. So, I'm planning on putting out some of the ham, any leftover pate, sausage rolls, cheese board, crisps, salad, any leftover potato salad, any leftover coleslaw and then rolls and I will have more part baked rolls in the freezer. There will be various chutneys etc too. My reckoning is that by doing that, people can either nibble or a couple of things or turn it into a proper meal. And if people want dessert, they can have cake, mince pie or ice cream.

PS the plan with the above is that the only effort is laying the table, taking the clingfilm off a few things and the lid off others.

We're having Christmas lunch at 12:30 so will be hungry in the evening. I've planned the following...

Cold turkey
Ham (cooking Christmas Eve)
Sausage rolls
Salad/cucumber sticks
Dips
Part baked baguettes
Smoked salmon
Cheese and biscuits
Leftover puddings

Am adding part baked baguettes and crisps to my list!

The evening is the only bit of Christmas that really pisses me off. We finish eating at 4pm usually, and guests (either set of parents) never us, want feeding again at about 7.30pm. Just as Dr Who is starting. I am tired at this point and just want to relax. DH is usually churlish about helping as he doesn't think anyone should be wanting any more food, and I then think oh I will just put a few bits out, but then feel guilty and end up prepping and poking around for a good 30 minutes.

I am wondering if I can get it all out as we clear up at 4pm. Or at least relay the table and get the basics out/ready...

I usually put out cold meats (ham, turkey ), sourdough, gravadlax, salad, carrot sticks, cheese, crackers, cranberry compote, coleslaw, pickles, crisps, Christmas cake, mince pies, custard etc.

My family don't go overboard at Christmas. No big breakfast, just toast if we are hungry, perhaps a bacon sandwich. No starter with Christmas dinner, normal portions and not lots of extras. Pudding.

We do then put on a buffet tea, because it's tradition that my sisters and I take turns to do so.
The spread at mine this year will comprise of cold meats, crackers and cheese, little nibbly bits like sausage rolls and mini sausages and some biscuits/cake slices. I expect lots of leftovers, which is great because that means no cooking on Boxing day.

Ive made pork pie with appple a few times. Its very good; I'm thinking of making one Christmas eve to have cold for Christmas supper.