Christmas Eve Food Traditions

[NigellaEllaElla]

Hi All,

We always go to the Crib Service late afternoon on Christmas Eve and then come home watch Santa do a fly over and then eat dinner. I have 4 young children and want to have a dish that is our Christmas Eve dinner tradition every year.

So I'm being nosy, what do you all eat on Christmas Eve for dinner?

We have a proper candle lit dinner of fillet steak these days but when the kids were little I used to do a little buffet with all the things they liked best. It is a bit of a faff but they loved it and looked forward to choosing their own bits and pieces with nobody worrying them about the lack of healthy options such as salad/veg etc being absent from their plates.

We go out for pizza, fries and salad then home for a movie and bed.

Something comfort food-y like shepherds pie. This year it's going to be beef chilli with black beans which I'm making in advance and sticking in the freezer.

Christmas Eve is a busy day in our house as we put up the decorations and dress the tree with the DC just before they go to bed.

It's become tradition that it is what DS calls 'snacky buffet day' food wise, French bread, ham, cocktail sausages, coleslaw, maybe jackets, crudités, nice cheese, grapes, clementines etc. No big meal as we are saving ourselves for the full Christmas dinner the next day.

Somehow our tradition has become takeaway pizza and whatever bits we've picked up massively reduced at the supermarket on the way home from the Christingle. Not exactly what I envisioned being our 'tradition', it just evolved, but it's so much fun!
Nigella's ginger gammon and macaroni cheese might be a good one, you could get it pretty much done in advance so just warm through and serve when you get home.

We have lasagne that I make in advance and freeze, means I'm free from cooking on Xmas Eve and it is a complete change from Xmas dinner.

Sausage and mash and peas.
Nice sausages bunged into oven to cook without needing attention. Pre made mash I cN also cook in oven or microwave and frozen peas. All with gravy.
Tastes fun. All kids love it. Minimal washing up and effort.
Win win!

Fish pie for us too. Specifically Jamie Oliver fish pie from one of the Naked Chef books.

Oh yeah. And the metric tonne of parmesan!

Snacky bits for us, it's usually such a busy day and we have fussy eaters, this keeps everyone happy. Either that or pizza.

Fish fingers

We're having a carpet picnic whilst watching Elf - tortillas with either a home made chilli or just some dips, mini burgers, garlic mushrooms, salad kind of thing.

Big pan of bolognaise or similar, made earlier in the day (or in the week and frozen) for exactly the same reason - our crib service finishes at 5:30 so my trio are ravenous by the time we get home. It's also easy to adapt to various gluten free and dairy free members of the family. They bring their own pasta and omit the cheese! (I am more accommodating when it comes to Christmas lunch, my bro was quite touched by my inclusion of gf yorkshires last year)

We have an Indian usually, sometimes fish and chips. Always takeaway so no mess or pots

We have a takeaway, usually chinese. It leaves the kitchen clean for the next day.
My two youngest kids don't have traditional christmas dinner, I make them a wee buffet of party food so I have plenty cookin to do on the day itself without thd day before too

My Christmas Eve Lasagne is an institution! Home made, stodgy and as big as a cot mattress, so leftovers can be grazed on by hungry drop-ins during the pub-crawl/winter sales week after Christmas.
It's great hangover food.

Another lasagna household here too! Usually with salad and mincepies and satsumas for pudding.
Have had it for years! Its easy to prepare in the morning and just bung in the oven 45 mins before tea time. Slides down a treat and everyone loves it!

I usually do hot roast beef sandwiches and soup. It's really easy as I put the beef in the slow cooker with onions and it makes its own gravy. The soup takes 5 minutes prep and can be made ahead. Everyone loves it as the beef is so tender and delicious. If I can be arsed I also do roast potatoes cooked in goose fat.

I do a buffet. Cook a gammon and then nice bread, cheese etc.
The kids love this tradition.

I've got 4 young kids and I buy Xmas themed party food boxes from eBay and they have their favourite 'freezer' food and chips to order.. chicken nuggets, sausages or fish fingers. They sit infront of their Xmas movie in their onesies eating out of the food boxes on the sofa.. A huge treat.

www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/281436106364

Something in the slow cooker. Lamb casserole, beef hot pot, stew etc. Then apple pie and custard and hot chocolate with marshmallows.

That sounds lovely partybugs

Fish pie here, DH makes it.