Anyone not cooking this Christmas, what are you doing instead?

[LazySusan11]

I love Christmas though I find Christmas Day itself a bit of an anticlimax. I feel under pressure to make the perfect Christmas lunch/dinner and to keep it magical similar to how my mum did for us when I was growing up.

Last year I cooked for 9 and hated it, I don't know how people gather the masses and don't bat an eyelid at cooking! I missed out on spending time with my family because I was in and out of the kitchen.

This year it's just dh and I so we're having our Christmas turkey on Christmas Eve at our favourite restaurant. Christmas Day we're planning on putting on our wellies and having a nice long walk somewhere, a flask of mulled wine and no pressure to get back for the main event. We'll have fresh bread, homemade soup, cheese and cold meat platters and other bits and bobs that we love.

Completely different from anything we've ever done but I'm actually looking forward to it! I do need a Christmas pudding alternative as neither like it if anyone has any suggestions?

Anyone else doing something 'non traditional' this year?

I really want to do something different this year,
Im not keen on Xmas food and neither of my kids like roast dinners really.
But Dh does.
I like the idea of a running buffet.
Im thinking of asking each person what they would like and just do that and leave things like bread, crackers, cheese and fruit out all day for snacking on

i hate the cooking over xmas too. I would love to just have pizza and garlic bread . Dont think noone else would go for it though.

I am sadly working from 2pm, which I do on alternate years. When I'm working dp always does the cooking so I can enjoy the morning with the kids.

Feel for you at I too work alternate years I just got lucky being able to have this year off too.

Marks and spencer

I'm planning to precook and freeze all the bits I can. And I'm starting drinking at 9am. I'm also reinforcing the guests welcome between 10 and 11.30 only. I have two very small kids and we eat at 12. Family like to pop in in the morning for a cinnamon roll and present swap. I spend the whole time in the kitchen and then have to be borderline rude as I'm trying to serve and they are still here. This year I'll be more present and have as much done in advance as possible.

I'm lucky in that I'm usually a guest on Christmas day. Before with my in laws and currently with my parents. We've done Christmas dinner twice ourselves and it was fine but that was before DS was born. If I ever have to do Christmas dinner while he is still young, I'll definitely be splashing out on mostly pre-made stuff.

I'm working over Christmas so we have a mezze style meal on Christmas Eve with lots of little nibble bits that can be either prepared or bought from M&S. I buy stuff as I see it on special offer and freeze down so that there is minimal prep other than haul it out of the freezer and lob it into the oven. On Christmas Day I'm too shattered to cook (a month of carol services does that to a vicar) so if the family want a roast then they do it themselves and there will be lots of veggies prepared ahead of time and bought everything else. I haven't made Christmas cake or pud or stuffing for years.

DC1 will be about 3 weeks old if all goes well with the pregnancy. So I plan to do some high quality sitting about at my parents house

I fancy doing the exact same as you op this year. Last 2 years we've gone to our local curry house & the 2 years previous to that we've eaten out. I will not spend the day slaving over a turkey dinner that the dc barely eat so I'm planning on a lovely buffet. May do a piece of pork in the slow cooker with stuffing & gravy at some point in the day.

2 years ago I refused to cook as I just don't like roast dinners and it's so much work for no pleasure... we had a huge Italian style feast. Cold meats, warm ciabatta, stuffed little peppers, olives and I made a posh potato salad. Was fab. I'd be happy to do that every year ...

We are at home this year so I'll prob do a chicken.
I love roast chicken but hate turkey
Then rest of the day can be soups/nibbles/treats.
I might do pancakes for breakfast :)

Slow cooked pork is a good idea honey, will add that to my list. Last year we did the M&S pre prepped, I was queuing outside my local store at 5am on Christmas Eve, I did think then what the f am I doing everyone's still in bed next time I'm not doing this.

I was a bit disappointed with the food considering how much it cost. Dh isn't really a big Christmas lover so it makes the decision to do something different easier. Feel like I may actually enjoy this Christmas as there's absolutely no expectations or pressure, both of which I put on myself.

We're going for an Indian again. It was lovely last year and not too expensive. I think it's going to be our new tradition.

We have taken flasks and sandwiches to the beach before. Really lovely.

This year we are going to a family member - there will be more than 40 people for a traditional Christmas lunch .

We're going out to a local pub, repeat of last year which was perfect for multiple related reasons. We've chosen the last sitting so we won't be rushed out.

Before that I expect we'll go out for some exercise in the morning and maybe a snooze when we get back from that.

We go on holiday a few days later so also prepping for that.

We usually get an Indian. We get a takeaway so we can buy disgusting amounts of food with no shame.

We had bacon sandwiches in the camper van at the beach one year, followed by a fondue for dinner. It's still talked about as the 'best Christmas ever' by the kids

Actually might try to wangle out of a big family Christmas and do it again this year!

What you're doing op sounds perfect and in fact we will be doing something very similar. We will have an 8 week old baby by Christmas, all being well, along with DS who will be 3.2yo so we've said to family we are having our first Christmas Day together as a little family unit and I can't wait!

We've got a private room booked at a local posh pub. There are 17 of us sitting down and no one had the space or inclination to host everyone. Drinks at one house before we go, presents at another after.

I'm thrilled. Even with wine, it will cost us less than we spent last year on the world's most expensive goose

I'm also very much looking forward to being able to miss the mad trolley dash or the sitting on the computer waiting for the supermarket Christmas slots to open up.

It's been lovely having the traditional Christmas and I may well do it again but for the foreseeable if this year is enjoyable I can't see me wanting to cook again!

In preliminary discussions re Christmas this year. DH reckoned he'd miss roast potatoes (which he cooks) so currently planning spag Bol with roast potatoes by the side...

I bought the whole shooting match from M&S one year as DS was only a couple of weeks old. I've been doing it ever since as it was so much less hassle and fuss. Take cardboard sleeve off food, stick in oven, set timer, eat Christmas dinner. A good compromise as we have PILs who would have a fit at anything other than a turkey dinner. I do the cooking I enjoy well in advance.

Going to my mums

Letting DMIL cook turkey at roughly midday, (although possibly that will be DSIL actually hosting - right next door), and then letting DM cook turkey for (allegedly 6pm) roughly 9pm.

I'll do some prep the day before in both houses, and bring some bits like naice cheese for 1 house, and chocolates or something for the other.