Am i brave enough to change the christmas menu?

[mareseatoatsanddoeseatoats]

For the last 10 years my parents have come to us for xmas, and I seem to have got stuck in a rut of serving the same menu (we host from christmas eve to 27th). Last year i suggested doing something different and everyone pulled faces. Would love to just do something totally different.

Just cook what you want.

In my world the host gets to choose the menu.
Everyone else is lucky to get a meal cooked for them- it's not about being brave- just do it and present it to them.

I'm surprised too by the number of people eating three meals on Christmas Day.

We have breakfast and then a late Christmas lunch, with no starters by candlelight at about 4.00pm on Christmas Day. Boxing Day is always cold meats, salads and cheese and fruit.

A good friend of mine does her Xmas roast on Xmas eve then does a buffet on Xmas day as the children are so busy playing with their gifts they don't want to stop to eat and my friend gets to play with them rather than spending all day cooking, I love this idea

i agree change it but dont mention ahead we have the same christmas food menu every year to i admit even i am a little fed up with it
christmas eve
buffet lunch
roast dinner

christmas day
breakfast generally to busy for that but sometimes fry up
lunch the full works with a m& s fresh luxury turkey
something light various
christmas pudding mince pies etc

boxing day
big breakfast pancakes for the children or what ever they ask for
lunch another big roast dinner,
tea a curry of somesort using meat already cooked

Your family would hate it in our house. We have our Christmas meal on Christmas Eve and then most of the work is done for me.
Christmas Day we have bacon butties or croissants depending on what we fancy for breakfast. Then for our main meal we have a Seafood platter. Most of it bought already prepared then I do some extra stuff. Doesn't take long and means a far more relaxing day for me. Even dd was happy with that as she said it was better than me being stuck in the kitchen and missing out.

mareseatoatsanddoeseatoats please can DD and I join you? We will bring extras and are happy to cook, wash -up or whatever. DH & DS have just informed us they are going to Aberdeen to see my my lovely SIL Boxing Day for a week. Oh and could one of us take them to Gatwick Boxing Day!!!!!!

I've been going through a bit if a similar thought process but only hosting Christmas day for around 18.

This year we're away for four days before Christmas, traveling back Christmas eve.

I'm doing alot of prep in advance and then freezing in disposable baking trays.

Some stuff will cook straight from the freezer like roast potatoes which get frozen on a disposable baking sheet after parboiling and fluffing, carrots and brussels are cut then blanched and frozen ready to tip in a pan, pigs in blankets and various stuffing balls wrapped in bacon get frozen on disposable trays and allowed to defrost before sliding in the oven. The kids will want yorshirepuddings whic i'll pre cook and freeze too. I'll make a gravy using chicken wings and roast veg and probably some wine and guess what - freeze it!

I'm doing from the freezer canapés of salmon and cream cheese pin wheels, wrapped well and frozen and salmon/bread/dill stacks, mini salmon savory muffins, followed a bit later by ikea meatballs and lingonberry jam (hot microwave from frozen), scotch quails eggs and shot glasses of mildly spicy tomato soup.

Starters will be mini dough balls and a sort of italian style sharing platter of mixed sliced meats, stuffed peperdew, olives and bread sticks possibly followed by a veg soup.

Puddings will be xmas pud with cream/ jam/ brandy butter and defrosted from the freezer chocolate roulade.

Finally we'll have cheese on Christmas cake, grapes, chocolates and free flowing spirits.

I'll have platters of nibble food for the children and no doubt some of the adults to graze on come evening.

This is very pared down on the range i'd usually do but i've done my plans and worked out this gives the traditional meal some nice bits without so much of the traditional kitchen slave bit.

OP, the problem you have is that you seem to be the only one doing all the cooking. No wonder you are bored and want to change things.

Suggest to your guests that either they start to provide/cook some of the food items and bring them, or you will change the menu to suit yourself, or they can host instead if they want everything exactly the same as previous years. Is there any reason why they can't make/buy things and bring them to yours?

If someone cooks for me I accept whatever they choose to make, and whenever they want to serve it, it's the host's decision and I think guests should accept it.

yes girlywhirly that is the problem i think, as always there's a complicated family back story.

i have made the decision that i am going to change xmas eve dinner to something that suits me. I am going to warm croissants and leave people to help themselves for b'fast on xmas day and i am going to stick to the traditional dinner but move it later in the day. I am not going to do food in the evening til people ask for it, and am going to just put out some cheese and biscuits/nibbles. Haven't quite decided about boxing day, but may order something from M&S.

I will not be mentioning any of this in advance. I am going to do myself a bingo card to pin up on the fridge and award myself a slug of gin for everyone i predict :)