Christmas packed lunch for DH - help please!

[Batbear]

My DH works in A&E and this year has drawn the short straw and is working 2 long days on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (9am-10pm).

It's been a tough year and we haven't got heaps of free cash, so for his present the DS's (3 and 6) want to make him a really nice packed lunch to offset the misery.

Anyone got any nice ideas? So far all i have is a boat load of chipolatas!

I would do a homemade version of the m + s Christmas sandwich, bacon, sausage, cranberry sauce, stuffing and Turkey

Smoked salmon sandwich for tea

Selection box for snacks but knowing the NHS the staffroom will be stocked with goodies !

You could get one of those 'Decorate your own gingerbread man' kits for the kids to do for him. Pop it in the bottom of his lunchbox as a surprise with a little note?

A clementine.

Wrap his sandwich in festive paper and a bow.

Don't forget the mince pie!

Pigs in blankets! Just a big tub of those really, nothing else needed

Cheese and crackers? If you slice the cheese and wrap the crackers separately they'll stay nice and crisp.

Chocolate coins?

Are you having a Christmas cake you could cut a slice of?

Add a festive hat or something else he can wear.
A stash of chocolate coins.
A cracker.

Can you celebrate Christmas on Christmas eve instead? Which would give you a great day together, and good stuff for sandwiches and easy food for you. Make it a family tradition for the times when he has to do it again - but still expect Father Christmas on 25th. Before that, make Christmas biscuits with the kids as a surprise for his lunch box - easy to eat on the run and to share.

And a special breakfast if there is time?

Yy to having xmas day in xmas eve.

I'm NHS and as I explained to dd when she was little father xmas comes a day early for the children of parents who have special jobs and have to work on Xmas day.

Then xmas day it's turkey sandwiches and xmas pudding leftovers. Most hospitals provide buffet platters for staff on xmas day and colleagues will bring in loads of food as well.

He needs Christmassy napkins. A turkey stuffing and cranberry sarnie, pigs in blankets, and a potato salad (you could add sprouts and chestnuts so it's a Christmassy Waldorf). Then he needs a mince pie.

For tea he needs a pre cut chessboard. And some Christmas cake.

He needs an LED candle and a cracker too!

Thank god for people like your DH working in A&E on Christmas.

I hope you all have a lovely Christmas sometime after/before

Thank god for people like your DH working in A&E on Christmas.

Here here!

Yes every Christmas tea needs a chessboard

What about a mini trifle?

there is an article about this here
www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-make-christmas-day-packed-lunch

Loads of brilliant ideas already. LED candle would be a great trick. My plan was as many chipolatas as i could spare! Clearly help was needed although i would appreciate a box of cooked sausages

My folks are coming for Christmas Day so I'll be doing cooking then too, but I have some tricks up my sleeve for Christmas Eve so he has some nice surprises.

I'll start shopping!

Bless you OP. My Ex (also NHS) is working Christmas day too and Boxing day.

Does your DH like cheese OP? I saw a cute little wensleydale snowman in Asda yesterday for £1. It can pass for adult stuff as bought myself some

Make mini trifle or Eton mess in a screw top jar (Bonne Maman jam jar would be the right shape).

Posh crisps, maybe a Christmas flavour.

Small sausage rolls.

Put in a little gift, key ring or lip balm.

A card written by the children.

Falafel and a tub of sour cream dip, put a few cocktail sticks in for ease of eating.

Christmas napkins.

Sliced or cubed Spanish omelette.

Cherry tomatoes and cubes of cucumber.

Cubed melon and feta cheese, olives.

I'm loving some of these : lip balms and posh jars, just order him to the staff room to stuff himself with the free nosh

I'm doing Dp turkey and stuffing sandwiches and a bazillion pigs in blankets.
I will get him his favourite cheese as well, if he doesn't scoff it all before hand he will have that too

Ordering him to the staff room for the free nosh isn't quite the same as giving him a thoughtful gift from the children though, maybe you missed that part of the OP.

I would mostly go with snack type foods as most hospitals do a fairly good spread for Xmas dinner. And while a+e is unpredictable Xmas day is usually quieter than usual (and Boxing Day usually very busy).

Can you wrap the sandwich in greaseproof paper? In advance, get the DCs to draw a Christmas picture on 1 side, the outside, as a nice surprise?

YY to nice paper napkins.

Does he have a favourite crisps or sweets that would normally be open at home that day? Could you put in a small tub of those, especially if it is part of the packet that you will be eating - so he is sharing with you even if not there?

There are some lovely ideas already though

Actually whenever I work Xmas/New Years (this year will make 4 NYE in a row!) I always take in a nice soft drink- fancy lemonade etc. Makes the day feel a little more special!

I can't belive nobody's mentioned pork pie (and a small tub of pickled onions).

I'd wrap up absolutely everything individually in tissue paper (over the cling film or whatever!) and get the Dcs to decorate with stickers, little hand written notes, hand prints etc. I would feel so loved if someone did that for me, I'd love the notes and the festive silliness.

Pork pie is a good call, though I would raise you to gala pie with the egg inside. Would require a small tub of brown sauce though

No has mentioned chocolate there will be lots in there staff room I am sure but does he have a favourite?

Drawing pictures and stickers is amazing! Also DH loves trifle so a mini trifle would be excellent (how i make it without him knowing is another question!) I am sneaky though

I know there will be food there, but canteen turkey doesn't quite feel right and i'd like him to get a nice surprise when he opens his lunch.