What do you eat on Christmas Eve?

[TinkyDinks]

I really want to have a meal which becomes our traditional Christmas Eve dinner. I don't really want anything too "meat and veggie" cause of the big Christmas Dinner. Nothing too spicy either as 3 young children who aren't keen.

We normally go to church for an hour ish at about 4pm and stop at pub on way home, just for one.

Really want a "go to" for Christmas Eve meal. What do you have?

Should have read: The tradition in my house...

What a great thread! DH has made beef Wellington in the past which is lovely, but so heavy with the full Xmas feast the day after. I'm also loving variations on the ham / gammon idea. Feeling very festive now :-)

Beef bourguignon, fresh mash (M&S) and green beans. I pre-cook the bourguignon on 23rd so it's ready to heat up and serve after Christingle on Christmas Eve. DCs will have hot dogs!

Always cheese fondue with delicious bread and pickles. So easy but such a treat

We always go to see the Christmas show at our local theatre (matinee) then head home for a buffet with everybody's favourites - kids and adults all catered for!!

We normally change our Tesco vouchers for pizza express and go there for dinner.

Salmon or gammon

We normally have Thai king prawn soup.

One year I was discussing with DH what to have on Christmas eve and DC chorused: It has to be spaghetti bolognese. it always is. it can't be anything else. hadn't realised that it had become a tradition because you can make it in advance and I knew DC would eat it as it was their favourite so it would calm them down when hyper before Christmas. Now they are six foot teens but it still has to be spag bol and salad leaves. With chocolate roulade log afterwards.

KFC takeaway. No cooking, minimal cleanup.

We found out last year that this is quite the thing in Japan too, so I feel in good company www.buzzfeed.com/eimiyamamitsu/did-you-know-that-kfc-is-a-huge-deal-in-japan-on-christmas?utm_term=.ncD5DVvqk#.lmV865NjB

Christmas ham, mash and pickles lots of wine.... but more wine then up till stupid o'clock wrapping presis till we run out of paper or tape and unwrapped presis get paper bags or put away till the shops open again and we play 'oh wow look Father Christmas put this one right at the back behind the tree and we missed it'

Christmas ham :)

I do an enormous joint of ham on Christmas Eve which then feeds all the ILs on Boxing Day as well.

Christmas ham, baked potatoes , cauliflower cheese washed down with mulled wine

This thread is making me all panicky!

Salmon mouse with crusty bread and salad. And a large glass of white wine

Another vote for Christmas Ham - This is my first year away from home but DM has always left a cooked ham and french stick for everybody to pick at in between pub visits / present delivering

Has to be fish for us on Christmas eve, it's a big evening (and my favourite meal)

We normally have a takeaway, usually a chinese but I am thinking this year I may steal the hot sandwich idea or cook the ham and have that the night before with mash and veg.

Then copious amounts of mulled wine or baileys while finishing the wrapping and playing Santa! :D

I'm thinking of starting a cheese fondue tradition

Pasta bake for us. It's what my MIL used to make so we made it part of our tradition.

We have carbonara - it is simple and light. This year I may take it up a notch and make my own pasta and use some of the cooked ham

Soooo many good ideas! Spoilt for choice now!

I'm thinking of starting a cheese fondue tradition

Sounds great!

I put a veggie sausage casserole in the slow cooker. Christmas eve is always busy with spending the morning playing carols with the local band, then the afternoon helping backstage with the pantomime so by the time we get home at 6.30 pm it is great to have a hot tasty meal ready so i can then chill with a glass of wine...(Or frantically wrap presents that I have forgotten..)

These are great ideas and could cheer up many a winter weekend!

My mum often served smoked salmon, eggs and posh bread and butter.

An ex bf's father once served spicy lamb chops and various moroccan type things, which felt fun and festive.