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'm liking the buffet idea. I can't stand roast dinners, they're so bland and just meh, but a buffet sounds like a great idea

We do Christmas Dinner on Boxing Day; tis the way forward I tell thee.

We go out to church and relatives, pop home to put on Turkey about 2(ish), go back out to last visit, and do the rest of minimal prep and cooking around bubbly, nibbles and opening presents.

But then, we're only 3 people and DH and I both grew up in houses with traditional Sunday roast. So even though we don't do ort weekly anymore ourselves, we still do it a lot and can do it with minimal fuss IN between other things.

Christmas Eve though is like your planned Christmas Day, op. We do seafood, cured meats, cheeses, salads, lovely crusty bread, and it's delsih!

I can't believe I'm not the first one to think of not having Christmas lunch on Christmas Day! And why did nobody tell me about it sooner?!

I'll do my superbly delicious roast on Boxing Day - thanks ladies!

Although I love your foil tray idea chippy - I think I might adopt that permanently!

TheDoctorsWife46 indeed the added bonus of checking presents before the day is you can filter out all the thoughtful, but less than ideal, gifts. I have been know to return an inappropriate gift and replace it with an educational book! Thankfully the original present was never brought up in conversation!

I just see it as 'spreading out' the great bits of Christmas so they are not all on one day and too rushed!

So I get to see every scrap of the gift opening, and have a decadent brunch and a very easy dinner of a luxurious buffet.

Next day when I've had more sleep (ds with ASD woke us at 4am last year and 1.30am on his 10th b'day so Christmas night sleep is rare)
I make the most enormous Christmas Lunch and we watch movies and play games etc

It happened this way due to the
Great Christmas Goose That Wouldn't Cook Fiasco
(cooked next day in neighbours oven as ours broke)

but decided to 'keep the tradition' of Roast Lunch on Boxing Day going!

As I've taken your tip, I'm going to tell you that my anniversary is the 27th and as such we always go somewhere as a family for a day out. Drayton Manor or a Zoo or whatever. They are always DEAD and I mean DEAD! First its usually cold and second everyone else is at home playing with their presents. Its a fab day to get out somewhere as an xmas treat and have a place to yourselves. The WinterWonderland/xmas specials are still running at that time too so it's still christmassy.

doc what do you mean abot winterwonder land specialsetc?

have you been on boxing day? is ww quieter?

That's why we eat out. We eat in every Sunday so for us that part isn't special. I enjoy spending til 1pm in pjs, quick change, four course dinner in local pub at bottom of the road, home 3 hours later for more chill out time. No mess, no effort but fab grub. For us getting dressed up in new clothes, doing things differently to a normal Sunday etc etc is all part of the day being special

Cauliflower cheese??? With Turkey?

Sounds lovely jamtoast.

Yep Heels - defo!! Cauli cheese is a must for all my special roasts. Red cabbage. Honeyed carrots. Maybe some parsnips. Yum Yum...... mmmm I'll do it all on Boxing Day this year.

We don't eat until it's dark, so don't don't find it a hastle as we have had loads of time together by that point. Any prep that can be done is done on Christmas Eve. chicken, not turkey so oven time and having to check on things is greatly reduced. Always cook loads of veg so there is plenty left for bubble and squeak on Boxing Day, which is a very lazy day. It works for us.

I have over the years fancied having Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve, but I was on my own with that thought.

If not having a traditional Christmas dinner on the day itself works for you, go for it.

I'm also in the camp that cauliflower cheese with a gravy dinner is just wrong, very wrong.

DH and I get a bottle of port and cheese out on Christmas eve after we have put the children to bed and stockings have been filled.
Christmas day varies depending on where we are but last year we delayed dinner until 5pm and it was perfect.

I think the trick is not making the roast for lunchtime. We have brunch at 11-12 ish (something substantial but easy like smoked salmon and eggs, or sausage sandwiches) then make the roast for about 5-6ish. Means we have the morning free and as an added bonus, the kids go straight to bed after dinner so we can collapse on the sofa with a bottle of wine.

Perhaps we should start a new thread "cauliflower cheese with roast: for or against"

My mum did this once - I was appalled I'm afraid - a real dyed-in-wool traditionalist!! And campaigned vigorously for turkey next year! Mind you, she didn't do naice food as an alternative - she did shepherds pie! Boo.

I actually don't mind cooking - veg is all par-boiled and ready to go the night before, turkey breast joint is cooked in my top secret brandy and marmalade marinade which means when I get pissed and cock up the timings it's a lot more forgiving so I reckon I don't spend more than an hour tops (usually in ten minute intervals) in the kitchen.

Massive disclaimer though, I don't have kids, so DH can usually join me in the kitchen with a glass of fizz. I can see why if you're cooking for more or have kids you want to play with it would be a pain.

My big plan for this year is to have a NICE Christmas Eve. Like a pp, ours always ends up in chaos - picking up last minute food (coz y'know, we're probably gonna starve in the 24 hours the shops are shut) dropping off presents, picking up presents, doing all the prep for the next day and then a buffet on Christmas Eve night.

So, this year we're going round to SILS for Xmas dinner, so no prep. All presents will be dropped off the weekend before, we will make a couple of visits on Xmas Eve to family in the morning, have a few glasses of wine whilst watching something Christmassy (no, DH, not a Police Interceptors or Crimes That Shocked Britain marathon) before heading out for a nice pub tea with a bottle of fizz. We'll call in to pils on way back where they will welcome us with open arms (hopefully) and mince pies and mulled wine.

And cauliflower cheese with a roast is weird and wrong!

Are you me? We have decided exactly the same, just filling my fridge with our favourite finger foods. Me and DP both work xmas eve and boxing day so want to make it as easy as possible.

EnglishGirl I think the only way to deduce whether I'm you is for you to 'fess up to liking Cauliflower Cheese with your gravy roast dinner.

ClashCity that all sounds totally dreamy! I absolutely agree, without little ones in tow there is nothing better than getting completely rat-arsed and cooking up a yummy roast!

I like Cauliflower cheese with anything and we often have it with a roast. I see no problem with intermingled gravy and cheese sauce :)

Psst. Buy a turkey crown. Cook and carve day before. Serve cold on Christmas Day but with hot gravy and hot everything else and its fine!

Nah, I'm definitely doing finger food. We'll get home from work about 7 xmas eve so I'm not doing anything then. I think like cookie said, its just a roast we have them all the time. This year Christmas day will be a relaxed day feasting on lobster, ribs, cheeses, salads and all the other goodies we love.

my uncle and aunt have always had cheese toasties for lunch on christmas day, it's a great family tradition, they posh them up with pineapples and crazy things and have a great time. im planning on doing the same as soon as my mum/MIL stop wanting to host us for a full christmas dinner
-presents-this year i have made sloe gin for all adults and went to mountain warehouse when they had a sale and bought tshirts for a fiver for all children, with a sprinkling of books from the book people where you can get ten books for ten pounds etc.
sorted
i actually dont care if people think i am cheap this year, i want to have a nice christmas, avoid debt and spend quality time with my family.
oh yes, also, i am getting a fake tree this year.

I looked at that thread about Christmas food ordering from M&S the other day and it was a revelation. I've always been a complete martyr to the foodie cause, making my own bread and cranberry sauces, my own brandy butter etc, but now this year I'm thinking fuck it, I want a stressfree day. Last year was a bit shit - I worked up to the last minute, I had guests staying, I was under-prepared and overtired - this year will be chilled and mellow and bought from M&S. I'll still roast a turkey, but that's the easy bit.

jam it does indeed sound lovely, I would be ding that this year too but we are tied with over active toddlers