When is Christmas dinner/lunch?

[Tangoandcreditcards]

Due to obligations to our parents DP and I have not spent Xmas together. This year, as we have 10mo DS, we're doing Xmas at home, just the 3 of us.

It has transpired that we have v different ideas about when the "main event" is served. (I say 1/2 - he says 5/6)

I'm cooking, so it's in my hands (and I'm right, obviously, that's in the spirit of Xmas, yes?), but I'm wondering what other people do?

12.30-1 so my little girl eats with us and then we go visiting in the late afternoon

We have fizz and brunch mid morning, then let the children graze a little on various Christmassy snacks, then we have our Christmas dinner around 4pm, candles, carols in the background, just blissful. Then, kids to bed around 7pm, and more wine and the cheese board. Lovely.

One year I decided to do an evening dinner due to parents only arriving at 2pm. As I had ds, 15mo, I thought this would be perfect as we'd get him to bed and then settle in to dinner. Unfortunately I was actually 7 wks pregnant with Dd, sick and exhausted. When I realised at 5.30 that I still had to cook dinner for 12 I nearly cried.

I should add, everyone pitched in, but I was still just longing for my bed!

Around 1.30pm.

Years if experience has taught me that if later than 2pm people start picking (especially younger guests) or getting very drunk as they neck the champers and have empty stomachs.

Also, I do not wish to be cooking later than that as I too want to relax and drink and enjoy!

Lol ThinkIveBeenHacked - ours is v much a relationship of equals in every other regard, but when it comes to cooking is very much in everyone's interests that I take the lead.

DP's very favourite meal is "leftovers", this is my trump card if o meet any further resistance, my way he gets to have leftovers before the day is out...

Tango hopefully he won't come, it's not for definite yet that he will

I suppose I call it Christmas dinner, and dinner is the meal you have in the evening here, so self-evident is different for everyone

I've had a few different versions.

1pm - awful in my opinion. I just cannot stomach a huge plate of roast dinner at that time, and it cuts the day up in a way that you can do nothing before or after. To me, it leaves a sense of anticlimax to the day having it this early. Presents done, dinner done, everyone just lounging about. These were some of my worst Christmases. I don't have a sweet tooth and it leaves too much of the day for eating chocolates out of boredom. Also I feel compelled to have wine with food and it's a bit strong for me in the middle of the day.

2-3 Better.

5 - did this last year, was pregnant and had a 2 year old and suited us perfectly. We only had a small roast though as 3 of us. Pastries at 7am with stockings. Bacon sandwiches at 9.30 after tree presents. Couple of hours playing with new stuff. Cold meats, salad etc for lunch. Nice long walk and trip to park. In for games, skyping, tv, put dinner on. Candles on table, everyone hungry, really nice. Still early enough to have pudding and snacks later on.

This year we will probably have guests and have to think but considering doing the same.

Christmas lunch at 1...

Everyone too full for dessert at the table so usually have that about 3-4 with a game / movie..

In the evening about 7 put out a buffet of cold meats, salad, canapés, cheeses...

I'm so hungry!!!!

We don't have a fixed time really - it changes year on year depending on what works best with that year's arrangements, who's travelling, age of the children etc

As it's just the three of you, when would be the best time for your 10mo? I'd pick a time when he's likely to be on good form.

I think if you have it too late you have to feed everyone earlier (which is more work) and there's a risk that the whole day becomes about cooking.

The year it was just us plus baby and toddler I did duck (much shorter cooking time) and I think we ate fairly early (normal lunchtime) - then the dcs had usual afternoon nap and we chilled out together - then played games, did kids' tea and watched a movie together. We then had leftovers and grownup nibbles once the dcs went to bed. It was lovely! wish we were doing that this year

We have Christmas dinner at 4pm or thereabouts.
We have a decent breakfast on Christmas morning so we wouldn't be able to eat Christmas lunch at 1pm and wouldn't enjoy it. Having it at 4pm means we are hungry enough to really enjoy it but not so hungry that we are grazing before dinner is served.
I don't feel that I am cooking and stressing until late because Christmas dinner doesn't really take that much effort if you prepare stuff in advance as then you just bung it in the oven.

Gremlin: we usually have a small fry up on Xmas morning but I like your idea of pastries and then bacon scariness a few hours later. I'm going to look for some gluten free pastries (medical need) and if I find them I will steal your method.

Inthedark do it! I like watching the kids opening their stockings but can't function without tea and something first thing, good to have something easy but that feels a bit special. Hope you find something

We have three meals too, so usually breakfast at 8am ish, lunch at 2 then a buffet/cheese style supper at 8pm ish. One disastrous year (puppy rushed to emergency vets on Christmas Day) we ended up having Christmas lunch at 10pm!

We normally go for 2pm, there will be 8 of us, my sister is a nurse and on nights this year so this will give her chance to sleep after her shift and have another nap before she starts again.
We will have mil for breakfast and then in thr evening I will probably gorge on trifle and gaviscon when dh is asleep and everyone has gone home (will be 3 weeks from due date so gaviscon will be my side to all meals I suspect )

I grew up ahving it as an early evening meal but DH had it at lunchtime (1/2 ish) which I really don't like much, however it does seem to be the prevailing view.

So this year, with our 3 and 8 yo dc, we're having our starter at around noon, main course (we're having beef) probably around 3-4-ish, and then pudding some time later, probably around 6pm. We may well ahve the cheese board after that. Otherwise the kids are too stuffed, too quickly and this way it is more relaxed and it just about covers both bases when it comes to the correct time for eating.

def in the dark! has to be! its christmas! no atmos otherwise.

Memphisbelly, I was three weeks from due date last Christmas. After it was all over I said "I'm glad I'm not having to go into labour for a another few weeks, I'm so uncomfortable and exhausted I couldn't face it"

Lets just say I wasn't still pregnant at New Year

Just been to asda and they sell free from choc au pan (sp?) and free from crossaints, so pastries and bacon sardines it shall be on Christmas morning.

It's the only meal we have apart from snacks. We normally start around 2/3ish and don't finish till about 6/7ish.

1pm here, sometimes earlier, I like to stuff my face and then spend the rest of the day recovering, wouldn't want to be cooking later in the day.

Christmas lunch. 1pm.

Tidy kitchen then all day to enjoy nibbles, chocolate, port and stilton, movies games etc.

I'm aiming to have our's ready for 5 because mum doesn't finish work until 4 on Christmas day, will probably just have crackers, cheese and ham for lunch at about 12 before my nan and her partner come round.

Inthedark I'm gluten free too and your post has made me so happy! Going to have a good look in our asda free from section next time I'm there. I love their own cheese crackers so I'm going to get a couple of boxes for Christmas/ boxing day