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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Christmas Eve dinner

66 replies

Mallowmarshmallow · 22/09/2017 06:08

What do you all have?

I always find whatever we choose a bit of a disappointment. I don't really want a take away and we go to the carol concert on the green at about 4ish so it would be nice if it was something we could come back to fairly easily.

OP posts:
MoonfaceAndSilky · 22/09/2017 09:36

So we eat our Christmas 'lunch' in the evening on Christmas Eve - turkey, ham and all the trimmings and when I wake up on Christmas Day I know I don't have to cook.

That is such a good idea, I'm surprised more people don't do it (I don't have to because DH cooks Christmas dinner Grin )

2014newme · 22/09/2017 09:36

Usually a beef casserole or something else that does not require too much attention

OliviaStabler · 22/09/2017 09:48

Salmon mousse, salad, crusty bread and lots of wine!

Dabisadancemove · 22/09/2017 09:53

Christmas ham, Daupinoise potatoes and veggies. I boil the ham in advance (usually on the 23rd) so it only needs 45 mins in the oven. If potatoes are prepped upfront they only need an hour or so. So we come back from the 4pm church service and just pop everything in the oven and it's ready by about 6.30pm.

daisydalrymple · 22/09/2017 10:05

We cook a gammon joint on Christmas Eve, and have that for dinner with jkt pots and red cabbage. Bit of prepping, then easy cook in the oven and means we've got ham and red cabbage for over Christmas too.

SnowiestMountain · 22/09/2017 10:07

Steak here! And a cheese board while watching TV later on

Mustang27 · 22/09/2017 10:21

Take away or buffet food as I’m normally harassed prepping for Christmas dinner lol

BiddyPop · 22/09/2017 10:56

We have a buffet type spread.

A mix of cooked and cured meats: nice ordinary cooked ham, salami (maybe a couple of types), parma or serrano cured ham, braseola, etc. There is usually also either some cold spiced beef (if we have got a joint) or else some nice pastrami.

Smoked salmon and prawns would be on another plate. Maybe some of the squid rings that M&S sell, or other nice fishy bits.

Cheese plate - manchego, good strong vintage cheddar, a soft cheese (brie or camembert or something nice that's perfectly ready for eating), and Shropshire Blue/stilton/both. Maybe some baby mozzarella balls.

Crackers, breadsticks, flatbreads....some kinds of carb-y bits like that. Or maybe some really nice sourdough or proper French baguette type bread.

Veggies: Carrot sticks, pepper sticks, cherry tomatoes, olives, - nice crunchy salady things. We tend not to have lettuce unless a small bowl of crispy cos, but we might have something like a nice potato salad or some roasted veg couscous or similar (depends on how hungry we might be, what I have available at home or what I've picked up in M&S).

Dippy things like hummus, tapenade, pesto, garlic and herb sauce and maybe some salad dressing.

Some years, I have some pate, other years a terrine, others I have nothing. On occasion, I have put out some sausage rolls or mini pork pies.

Basically, a spread of nice things that we will enjoy eating and that are a bit of a treat mostly. But that take almost no cooking or effort on the day (things like carrot sticks I will do when I am already doing the veg for the next day during the afternoon).

iamapixiebutnotaniceone · 22/09/2017 10:59

We have Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve. Keeps me out of the kitchen Christmas Day too so I can actually enjoy Christmas Day with the family x

picklemepopcorn · 22/09/2017 12:19

Interesting how many people have Christmas lunch on Christmas Eve!

I do think people who do church enjoy Christmas- it gives structure!

winterinmadeira · 22/09/2017 12:23

We have a buffet with naice ham and smoked salmon etc some French bread and chips if people want that.

danTDM · 22/09/2017 12:29

pickle on the continent, France, Spain, Italy at least, the big celebration is Christmas Eve. The day itself is rather flat (to me)

YessicaHaircut · 22/09/2017 12:33

Following with interest as I've volunteered to host Christmas Eve supper this year. Was thinking of a buffet with hot and cold options, some great ideas here, thank you!

ilovetocook · 22/09/2017 12:35

We always have ham. What we have it with is another matter and can change from year to year.

PantPlot · 22/09/2017 12:37

It's become a thing that we have slow cooked pork in cider on Xmas Eve.

It's great because it can go in the sc with minimal prep in the morning, and look after itself whilst we do other things.

Come time to sit down and eat, we just slice some crusty rolls, open a bag of rocket and a jar of apple sauce.

juneybean · 22/09/2017 12:38

Some kind of fish with potato salad.

And a thousand and one chocolates.

Needalifeoverhaul · 22/09/2017 12:51

Another one who does a buffet here...normally buy the fresh packs of 'party'food , flatbreads, dips, crisps etc. Dd is vegetarian so it tends to be mostly veggie stuff. We pull crackers and use paper plates so no washing up!

user1471546359 · 22/09/2017 17:07

We have fish pie - traditional in European culture to have fish on xmas eve but this is a nice wholesome British way of doing it!

tootsieglitterballs · 23/09/2017 17:59

We always have a ham, homemade pate, cured meats, our very favourite cheeses, homemade chutney and breads, complete with mulled wine or mulled cider. It's lovely. If hubby is working, we may do the ham the day before (which I nibble a LOT on during the day) or save it for Christmas Day.

Christmas Eve is my very favourite day of the whole year!

blueskyinmarch · 23/09/2017 18:02

For some strange reason we always have lasagne on Christmas Eve. I have it all made and ready to pop into the oven. We have it with garlic bread and salad and lots of red wine.

twilightcafe · 23/09/2017 18:06

I cook a big curry a few weeks in advance and freeze it. I make pilau rice on the day, and heat up a few portions of supermarket vegetable masala.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 23/09/2017 18:12

For lunch:
We do fish fingers or fish in breadcrumbs for the non-vegetarians (depending on what they prefer)
Vegetable grills or those Quorn Vegan Fish Fingers which are ok if they're baked in the oven and go a bit chewey

Hestons Triple Cooked Chips (prepared ahead then 3 minutes to flash fry)
Dips and salad
Ice-cream or trifle

Late night buffet-
French bread
Cheeses
Maybe a baked camenbert
Crisps
Fresh salsa

tootsieglitterballs · 23/09/2017 18:21

Thinking about our Christmas Eve dinner has made me go out and buy cheese and late for dinner tonight!

secondhoneymoon · 23/09/2017 18:28

Hot roast pork baguettes with homemade coleslaw while watching a film. We don't usually eat in the lounge and our children still find it a treat now they are young adults!

NC4now · 23/09/2017 18:30

We have a buffet too.

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