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Christmas

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

Original poster

What are you doing differently this year?

85 replies

WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid · 27/09/2017 22:51

I'm not changing much. But I definitely need to buy better chocolates this year.
Bought Roses and Quality Street last year and they were crap. I'm investing in better chocolate this year.

Will probably ditch a starter on Xmas day. Dh and the kids just aren't arsed and it makes life tricky.

What are you going to do differently this year round?

OP posts:
mamalovebird · 27/09/2017 23:01

Going out for lunch. I always cook and want a year off. I've never had my Christmas dinner out before so just fancy seeing what it's like. I like the idea of walking to somewhere nearby, enjoying the atmosphere (DH normally de-camps to the pub late morning but I never go as I'm busy with the food) and enjoying a stress free meal. Then walking back and having not having a mountain of dishes to get through.
Although my DM has already said that the picking at all the leftovers is the best bit of the evening so can I make sure we have some picky bits in for later.

Wondermoomin · 27/09/2017 23:32

I'm not pre-ordering a turkey. Going to take advantage of having a smaller Christmas and just take my chances for a reduced one on Christmas Eve.

Lj8893 · 27/09/2017 23:34

We are hosting this year for the first time ever!

Wondermoomin · 27/09/2017 23:35

Also.. at the end of last Christmas, as I was packing up all the decorations, I gathered up all DCs' Christmas books and wrapped each one up. They're stashed in the loft ready to bring down at the end of November so they can unwrap a different book every day in December up to Christmas. They're not new obviously, but it's all part of the excitement and build up.

elQuintoConyo · 27/09/2017 23:36

We aren't hosting this year! Which means no one is, which means we can be in pyjamas and eat mint flavoured Matchsticks all day if we like!

I cannot bloody wait. We will be cookkng non-traditional food, bar mince pies and a couple of other bits. Cheese and wine will feature heavily. There will be laughter. I'll be relaxed in my own home.

wobblywonderwoman · 27/09/2017 23:37

Not going to in-laws. My parents calling here in the morning if they want to see Santa gifts etc

Sick of driving all over the place. In laws won't come here and mine don't either (for dinner) so we will have it ourselves.

Other than that - I am just going to take more videos as the DC are just at a good age for 'getting' santy

3wayburger · 27/09/2017 23:57

Just plan on buying less stuff.
Going for a more cosy Christmas, we are not hosting this year, so will have a lovely relaxing Christmas lunch.
Going to have a few drinks parties with friends on the build up.
And we are doing a reverse advent this year,
Putting a thing a day in box and then taking it to the food bank on Xmas eve

PodgeBod · 28/09/2017 00:31

Not ordering my food online after half of it didn't turn up last year. To add insult to injury I was never fully refunded either- thanks Asda Hmm

GrockleBocs · 28/09/2017 00:41

Nothing. We have it honed to perfection in our eyes and that's all that matters.

HollyBollyBooBoo · 28/09/2017 05:14

Grockle would you mind sharing what works so well?

HollyBollyBooBoo · 28/09/2017 05:15

I'm torn over doing a full roast or not. Only 3 of us and DD are none of it last year and it's so much effort. Thinking of doing a buffet but worried it won't feel Christmassy.

DD also had the sad conversation of 'does Santa really exist' so I feel like that magic has gone as well.

NoWordForFluffy · 28/09/2017 08:11

Holly, I do a buffet now. First time last year and it was great! I love buffet food so it suits me! 😁

I do a roast on Boxing Day, but not turkey, just a standard roast but with pigs in blankets as the nod to Christmas!

Mum2OneTeen · 28/09/2017 08:32

Really enjoying all these Christmas threads... getting me inspired to actually think about Xmas a bit earlier than the week before.

Usually we (DP, DD, Dog & myself) stay home and have a relaxed lunch on our verandah hoping it's not too hot (Australia). Then laze about playing games or reading/eating our Christmas pressies. Very nice & low key, but not really very "christmassy" (although we always have a tree decorated).

My dad died earlier this year, so this Christmas we are driving 3 hours to a nearby city to see various family. We are staying in a dog friendly BnB and will be having my 83 year old mother for lunch with us for the first time ever.

Pretty excited really, and am going to try and impress her conservative tastes with my vego cooking prowess. Planning on having some sort of roast veg terrine w/ sauce (cold) and maybe a tiramisu thingo for dessert. Plus many finger food/ meze type things, as well as some salady stuff.

Not sure at all about pressies. Anything will have to be carted up in the car (no chocolates because they always melt Sad) Dog will probably get a bone and a frisbee; he loves opening presents!

Hopefully it won't be too hot there and the air-con will be working in our accomodation. We'll have to take some decos with us & maybe a tree branch in a vase with fairy lights to decorate.

WreckTangled · 28/09/2017 08:33

Op the Sainsbury's tubs of chocolates are really nice. Much better than quality street or roses.

I'm going to buy less for the dc's stockings. I refuse to fill it with tat but that always means I spend too much. I'm going to get all stocking bits from tiger and primark.

NotAPuffin · 28/09/2017 08:43

We love the Moser Roth chocolates in Lidl-or-Aldi (they're more or less interchangeable in my head, I'm afraid!). I haven't bought the big brands in more than a decade, they're vile.

DD asked me yesterday if they got presents from us last year as well as Santa, and if they could this year. So we're going to move to doing just stockings from Santa and the under-the-tree stuff from us. I think it'll make it less of a wrench when Santa goes.

MuddlingThroughLife · 28/09/2017 08:45

I love the way we do christmas and don't want to change anything, but we may have to tweak a few things as ds has recently finished cancer treatment.

For example the elves usually leave treats every night in December which is usually some sort of festive chocolate. However ds has an aversion to chocolate since his treatment so not sure what treats the elves will be leaving this year. Luckily I came across a Haribo advent calendar the other day so he has that this year instead of a choccie one. Will also have to play visiting relatives by ear as he will probably still get very tired, so may have to cut short some visits or cancel altogether depending on how he's feeling. 🎗

crispsahoy · 28/09/2017 08:45

We having Christmas at home for the first time ever. We've always gone to my parents or out for lunch.
We can be in our xmas pjs all day if we want.

I've made an early start on presents and buying less tat!

MistyKnightsTwistout · 28/09/2017 08:59

Staying at home "just our little family" for the first time ever. Intending to order in food from M&S and have a nice day. There's been a family rift so I'd rather do this then sit with my idiot brother all day. I think it will be really nice with no rushing about or driving.

tootsieglitterballs · 28/09/2017 09:11

I echo OP - decent chocolates this year (except for the obvious chocolate organs)... pink Marc de champagne truffles from C et W instead of the mounds of tubs / boxes etc etc.

More cheese than normal as a lot more grazing will be done this year.

More pigs in blankets because there are just never enough, especially now DS1 is almost 3 and loves them too! Plus a spare pack in the freezer to pull out to have with leftovers.

No going 'out' on Christmas Day this year. We will have a newborn (3-5 weeks old ish) so if anyone wants to see us, they can come to us!

Proper stockings this year - we've always done stockings but they usually just end up by the tree with our regular gifts in, so this year there will be stockings in bedrooms and gifts under the tree. Just need to find some nice stockings now.

Hoviscats · 28/09/2017 09:21

Inspired by a MN thread we are going to have Xmas dinner on Xmas eve and leftovers on Xmas day. I am hoping this will give us more time to play with the DCs on Xmas day and also meet our friends and their little ones for a festive drink at midday without stressing about getting back to cook!

36plusandtrying · 28/09/2017 09:26

Our pool will be ready so I'll be lazing about that, drinking fizz and crying because I'm homesick and trying not to melt in 40 degree heat !

AnnieOH1 · 28/09/2017 09:38

For the last couple years we have done Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve, keeping that up again this year too. I'm planning on freezing some of the leftovers too rather than letting them go to waste. Last year we binned far too much come the first week in January, that is something I need to address.

We buy real trees with roots with the intention of planting, haven't done it yet but will definitely try to this year!

Wanting to create some more traditions for the kids to enjoy. We do a book and film for advent each day, along with the obligatory snack and drink for Santa, but I want to look at doing some other stuff that they can look back and remember fondly. (This is going to sound insane but for me a bowl of Twiglets and watching only fools and horses brings back many Christmas memories, I want my two to have a similar experience).

YesILikeItToo · 28/09/2017 09:41

I'm going to up the decorations in the hallway/staircase.

girlywhirly · 28/09/2017 09:57

We like the M&S Big Selection, which is similar to Roses/Quality St but much nicer.

We may not have Christmas dinner on Christmas Day here, DS and his fiancée had Christmas with us last year and may go to her parents this year. Nothing arranged yet, but I'm not going to be a MIL who gets upset about who is where at Christmas!

A few less presents, as I went a bit overboard last year.

PJBanana · 28/09/2017 10:42

I'm hoping that me and DP will be spending the day at my Mum's this year, with my side of the family. The last few years have been a bit stressful because we've had to travel 40 miles between his parents and my parents on the day to keep the peace. Not happening this year!

Our usual Christmas Eve tradition is out the window due to friends being away, so I'm thinking about something new we could do Smile

We're also off travelling in 2018 so we won't be asking for any presents or 'stuff'. Me and DP will buy each other rucksacks and I'll just be getting chocolate to unwrap on the day which is fine by me!