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!

After 11 years with DC and insisting it's at my house, serving turkey with 10 home made side dishes, numerous homemade mince pies, cake etc, I have finally realised what I am doing wrong.

This year, SIL has offered to host and I'm getting proper shitfaced. Hell yeah.

I love spending Christmas in the kitchen with a glass of wine pretending it is v tricky to cook the dinner. I don't let anyone help 'no you relax with the children and their new toys'.

Then it is Everyone Else's job to clear up

Yes toddlers wouldn't enjoy as much! My dds are 9&7 so will be excited by the fruity kids fizz on offer for them!

We are doing Xmas dinner this year but most years, we go out on Xmas eve and have a traditional Xmas dinner in a restaurant, for about a third of the price we would pay for the same menu the next day, and then we order Chinese on the day, DH and dd2 go out a walk and bring it back, we eat off ikea paper plates, everything goes in the bin after and no clearing up.

It's wonderful.

Every four or five years I like to have a proper dinner though tbh I buy most of it from markies. I make pâté, soup, bread and cranberry sauce and possibly some mash potatoes, the rest comes ready to go!

That's bread sauce I make not bread!

The best bit about cooking Xmas dinner is not having to do the dishes!!!! I dony mind cooking, quite like it in fact and hate clearing up so everyone wins!

I'm not recommending this but it reminded me that my Mum used to get very stressed about the Christmas lunch. One year she had a new idea. She cooked the lunch a few weeks before Christmas then plated it all up - turkey, potatoes, veg - the lot. She clingfilmed each plate and froze it.
On the day she defrosted each plate, microwaved it and added gravy.
I was a teenager at the time so took all this in my stride!

Personally, we don't eat turkey so I make a nice veggie pie and prep all the veg Christmas Eve then shove it in the oven on the day so I can watch everyone opening presents.

I like the buffet idea though...

How were the defrosted meals spababe - I'm intrigued!!

Well, I didn't think anything of it at the time. They were about the same as normal I think.

We have Xmas dinner on Xmas eve with the DC about 5pm and then the elves deliver new PJ's

Christmas morning is scrambled eggs and smoked salmon for brekker and then hot sausage rolls etc throughout the day

This year we'll be in Lapland though so will probably be eating Reindeer every day