Genius Christmas Ideas x 2!! (what's yours?)

[cooki3monst3r]

I had a massive bright-spark moment the other day about Christmas. 2 in fact. I'm soooo excited about it.... I just have to share the wisdom!

(And I'm hoping they'll be some crimbo wise words coming back too!)

Since we had LOs (4 1/2 and 2 1/2) I've had real trouble really enjoying the day. Despite all the plans of leisurely mornings opening presents, winter walks, hot chocolate and The Snowman... it just seems to descend in to a horribly busy and rammed day full of rigid timetables and "hold on... I've got to put the potatoes on" type comments (from me), without any real engagement with my babies (DH included).

I've realised that the problem is Christmas Lunch!! I love a good Christmas roast as much as the next (especially my own, which is awesome!! ). But it's just such a bloody faff and constantly interrupts the day. So... this year, we're not having Christmas lunch! Or dinner! I'm just going to fill the fridge with yummy cold-lunch type bits and when everyone gets hungry, bung it all on the table. Crusty bread, pate, gammon, smoked salmon, sausage rolls... quality street!!

The more I think about it, the more I realise what a bloody genius idea this is!

And, while I was on a roll, I decided this year I'm going to take a peak at my kids' presents as they come in (from friends and family) and write the list as I go, rather spend Christmas Day poised with pen and paper in hand!

I feel totally liberated to be Christmas Lunch free!

I don't want to sound horrid but it's just a roast dinner. I do them most weekends and it doesn't keep me back. You could have christmas dinner on Christmas Eve and still have your salads etc on the day but christmas lunch shouldn't be a trauma.

We had the same thought. I spent half the day in the kitchen last year when I really would rather be playing with the children.
I think we will do a proper meal still, but something that doesn't need attention every 3.5 minutes.

That sounds lovely! I'm going with the Margot Leadbetter approach that "Christmas comes in a van", and only giving gifts I can order on line, also all food will basically be pre-prepared bung in the oven at set intervals types, I love cooking roasts, but as you said, I feel like I waste the day doing it, when my dcs are older and will appreciate it more, I'll make more food effort.

We go to a lovely pub and it's bliss! Although we still seem to always manage to be late and be piling our of the house in a frenzied fast march rather than a leisurely stroll!!!

I know it's just a roast dinner currie - that's exactly the epiphany! It's just a roast dinner so it doesn't matter if it doesn't get done!

What matters is spending time with the kids, watching them, playing with their presents, tiny one having a nap when he wants, not trying to work out if he should sleep before or after lunch.

I am not a 'stress about cooking a roast' kind of girl. I cook a bloody mean roast and normally I don't mind doing it at all. But, it's just time consuming - don't you think? Even if the vegetables are all done the night before, I've still got to put the meat in, then move it to the lower oven half an hour later. Then puts the pots on to boil. Then drain them 15 mins later. Then put the in the oven. Then a little while later the cauliflower cheese needs to go on. And then the stuffing. Then the pots need turning. Then the meat needs resting. Then the gravy needs making (from scratch, obviously). Blah blah blah. Then the washing up.

Rogan ooh... casserole already done - always tastes better the next day.

Mary I did consider M&S I have to say. But as my two can be quite fussy I thought 'sod it' - let them eat what they want, it is christmas after all! My littlest will probably polish off an entire french stick and the other one will have cold baked beans and a lb of blueberries.

I feel like I've invented the wheel!

Re your first sentence - very, very true!

bouncinbean I'd LOVE to go out somewhere nice for lunch. DH and I did that years ago before the LOs came along and it was the best christmas ever. I always leave it too late though. I should probably book next year's now before I forget.

I feel the same really about the day even though am not slaving in a kitchen.

xmas eve I have images of me and dh supping on champagne, wrapping dc gifts, excited and loving. laughter etc.

the reality is stressed, him wanting to do something else. and its a miserable tense fraught afair.

so this year all will be wrapped well before and will leave the frou frou for xmas eve, the tarting up with bows and so on.

we eat when we fancy it on the day usually after dark but have no time limits.

Stress free lunch:
Cook turkey using the fast method (Nigella, maybe?) - no getting it on at crack of dawn. Cook in sturdy foil tray.
Buy stuffing, bung in oven in supplied dish.
Parboil and freeze spuds in advance, then cook from frozen in sturdy foil tray.
Buy ready peeled sprouts, gently steam them over the pre-prepped Chantaney carrots.
Make gravy from pan juices or bought stock depending on how much Champagne you have drunk

Xmas pud goes in the slow cooker. Serve with pre-made brandy butter and bought fresh custard and cream.

Afterwards, dump the foil trays, and there's only the steamer pan & basket to put in the dishwasher with the crockery and cutlery.

My epiphany - it IS only a roast dinner, and provided I serve up turkey and a flaming pud, no-one cares about the lack of side dishes.

I think what did it for me was realising that it's not a lovely relaxed leisurely meal where we can savour my cooking.

There is a fab recipe on bbc good food for a one pot roast chicken. Chicken, potatoes, carrots and onions all at once. It even makes the gravy. It's the only roast I do now, you just have to do a bit of broccoli or Brussels on the hob. Only works if you're not feeding the five thousand, though!

Im just going to chip in that its genius to check the presents in advance for the list. I spend ages screeching "wheres the label? Who is that from?" And often I get a touch of rage as some dimwit buys something ridiculous like a knife set for the toddler(ok i exaggerate) at least if I peeked I would know in advance to paint a thrilled face on myself when they opened a drumkit!

Chippy - I'm pretty similar and have got it down to a fine art over 30 years.
The turkey basically takes care of itself - I brine mine first, which really makes a difference (or so I tell myself).
Gravy is bought (and nobody ever notices) so that just goes in the microwave.
First thing in the morning (no young kids here!) I start the bread sauce by sticking an onion with cloves and infuse it in the milk. While that's on the go I peel the sprouts and potatoes, listening to radio 4 - it's my private Christmas tradition. The prep takes about 20 mins max.
TBH, the most work during the day is cooking/heating all the snacks we have during present opening.
Pudding is always something bought it - last year was a Mars Bar cheesecake made locally and it was delish!
Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas for me without turkey for lunch!
Two main factors in making life easy - a double oven and a dishwasher.

Yup, Xmas dinner on Xmas Eve and yummy leftovers, turkey sambos and crap all the next day :) !

Dh and I work as a team on Christmas Day. It helps to get this Mulled Pear & Cranberry Punch simmering away early doors.

But to the people telling us the step by step way you cook on Christmas day, it's still all a faff in the kitchen when the OP just doesn't want to do any of it. Doing it all in advance, again it's muggins who has to do it all.

I'm with you OP, last year we did a huge seafood spread, crusty breads and salads. It was a revelation. Plenty more room for the drink too

I've said this on another thread, but after a bout of vomiting last xmas day we ended up cooking xmas dinner on Boxing Day.

We enjoyed it so much we're doing it again this year. Soup and fresh bread for xmas day lunch and buffet in the evening.

I hate cooking so it's taken all the stress out knowing we can relax xmas day instead of spending hours in the kitchen.

Chippy - that's my plans, although the turkey will be the Waitrose one that you just throw in the oven in it's bag for 2.5 hours, I'm not even bothering with putting it in a foil tray myself!

My DCs love a roast dinner, so it's a nice meal to do for them.

I've cleverly had the foresight to have a Christmas Day baby, so I get away with not doing Christmas cake, and this year I'm buying him a birthday cake rather than making one. Only my mum likes christmas pudding, so this year, rather than either eating it to be polite when I don't actually like it or binning it, I'm buying an individual microwave one for her, and cheesecake for everyone else for post lunch, then birthday cake at around 4:30pm with pork pies, cocktail sausages (bought pre-cooked), sandwiches and a tin of quality street, and everyone likes that far more than the meals I've slaved over for weeks.

My mum always made Xmas dinner on Xmas eve in God evening. This had two advantages 1. If filled up our little tummies and we went to sleep quicker, 2. She just had to heat up stuff apart from the veg (already preped) the next day.

Me, I had 2 Decdmber babies. DS 1 was born in 7/12 and his first Xmas we didn't get around to cooking Xmas dinner until Boxing Day. His brother came along 5 years and 9 days later. I was worried that he'd be as late as ds1 which gave him s did date of 24/12 so I had Xmas dinner in the freezer: roasts prepped, red cabbages cooked, Pheasant casserole cooked etc. all we had to do was take it out, defrost and reheat. One of the most stress free Xmases ever, even with a 9 day old.

My tip, nothing to do with food, is to wrap each present as you buy it so that you aren't left with masses to wrap on Christmas Eve.

I completely get you BUT I adore Christnas lunch!! Well in our house DH smokes the turkey in the garden in a weber smoker and I do the veg. And we sat at 5.30 as normal! We just have roasties, chipolatas, veg stove top stuffing (incredible stuff) and gravy. Done!!

This is why we go to the pils for Xmas lunch - too much hassle

I am a right lazy cow and order the lot from marks and spencer. No fuss, no stress lovely :)

We get an Indian takeaway for Christmas dinner.

Now that's fuss free.

It's an amazing restaurant not a grotty little place.

A roast isn't special to is but an Indian feast is.

Then it's just some plates and cutlery to wash up.

OP I have done this for some years now. Backwards Xmas Food, I call it!

I want to spend ALL of my CHristmas Day with my kids, not be zooming in / out kitchen every 10 mins.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO on Christmas Day we have a nice smoked salmon and scrambled egg brunch after Church/presents, then an Enormous 'Boxing Day Tea' ie very fancy hot and cold buffet.

Then a lovely Christmas Lunch on Boxing Day when kids happily playing / painting / building etc. And it's stress free that way