What's your Christmas Eve dinner?

[wibblyjelly]

We have a tradition of fish and chips take away on Christmas Eve in my family. Dh, ds and I are doing Christmas at home, just us this year, so we will probably carry on the tradition, unless someone updates an awesome meal idea

Carbe, what was on the menu?

Chinese here too!

Picnic tea for the children while I drink sherry and put the tree up listening to Carols from King's. After the kids eventually go to bed we have m&s crispy duck and champagne.

Buffet tea before during and after party games while dressed up fancy:

Pickled onions
Ritz crackers
Carrs biscuits
Cheese: Philly, oursin, Babybel (nothing too adventurous!)
Cheddar+pineapple on sticks
Grapes
Crisps galore
Nuts (not this year around young ds)
Mince pies and cream

Pass the parcel
Charades
Snowball toss
Musical chairs
Hot 'n' cold Jesus

Etc.

Did this when i was growing up, it is great! In the morning we might go fora walk, do some crafts - definitely no rushing around on CE.

I cook the Christmas ham (complete with cloves and glaze on top) on christmas eve, so that we can have it as an easy dinner, and then slices of it with fresh rolls for Christmas breakfast.

To me, this is a Christmas tradition but I'm now wondering if anyone else does this?

For the past four years I've had my family over and I do a buffet. This year I am not as I'm going to my mums for Christmas dinner, so not entirely sure.

My mother cooks a ham (roasted with maple syrup) and does her own version of potatoe wedges and home made pickle. I make a tiramisu. Christmas Eve tea is always my favourite

we usually go for the christmas ham....I cook it on christmas eve and then guard it like Smaug's treasure from people who come in sniffing the air..."is that the ham?? ...smells amazing...can i have a bit??"

I chase them out of the kitchen, with a knife but have lost the will to live by teatime, usually we have it with rolls and chips! :o

mmm ham roasted with maple syrup - maybe I'll use that instead of my usual glaze this year Muskey.

Pizza and mince pies followed by wine or hot chocolate depending on age.

I poach a side of salmon in the oven (so quick and easy) and we eat it with fries, ciabatta rolls and home made mayonnaise. We drink cava while it's cooking and Bailey's after, and have a scotch while watching midnight mass.

We always have a takeaway so no cooking and very little washing up. Then snacks with a movie.

breadforbrains - you need us here on the Christmas thread, we'll reel you in.
this year you will be organised and goddess like

we have;

lunch about 1pm - heston style three times cooked chips
vegetable grills for dh and i - we're vegetarian
fish fingers for ds and dd
salad
dips

then i make a trifle for dh and i. dc have ice-cream

in the evening when it gets dark, a late night buffet.
french bread, cheese, crisps,fresh salsa

cake

our ham comes in a nice neat box from waitrose..... there is only so much ham a family of 4 want to eat...

Think a bottle of champers will be part of our new tradition

70 I will never be organised when it comes to Christmas. As much as I'd enjoy it so much more.
I have 19 birthdays between October 14th and December 25th, aswell as one on boxing day and one on New years eve! I like to concentrate on birthdays rather than Christmas as I think they're more specific about the individual, but then do Christmas in a mad blur. 2 of my dc have birthdays just before Christmas too :(
And Dp does spend most of Christmas eve prepping our Christmas dinner as we usually have 16 guests, I don't see how we'd find the will/inclination to cook another elaborate meal on Christmas eve!

By the way, I dont personally have 19 birthdays in such a short space of time obviously, they are family and friends birthdays

Last year on the advice of mumsnetters we had baked ham with macaroni cheese and it was bloody lovely. Cooked a massive ham so we could eat it on Boxing Day too.

We tend to have a pub lunch so Christmas Eve dinner is always more snacky, bread & cheese with a few nice nibbles bunged in the oven and wine (for me).

Buffet and champagne after Carols from Kings. All the candles lit and everyone chilled. Perfect.

We have a m&s buffet - DD1 always comes up from London for Xmas and she tells me it's the buffet she comes home for.... Cheeky sod!

We have lasagna. My dad starts the tradition and DS has wanted it to continue. I'm bored of it now. Might try and persuade DS we need a new tradition this year. Lots of good ideas on this thread.

I cook my ham on Christmas Eve morn so we have that with whatever's lying around.
I usually do Nigellas bourbon ribs too and cocktail sausages. I do them the week or two before and freeze them in double quantities.

We have buffet stuff too. Sausage rolls, nuts, crisps, cheese and parma ham palmiers, pizza, cheese twists, cheese and crackers, chocolate, wine etc. Basically mainly cheese and pastry!

Roasted gammon cooked with homemade marmalade, served hot with veggies and roast tats. It is delish and there is enough leftover for Christmas too.