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Christmas

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

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Original poster

Have you ever been out for Christmas dinner?

75 replies

Summerdays2014 · 08/10/2017 12:27

Hi,

This year it's the inlaws year and there has been talk about us going out for Christmas dinner. There will be 6 adults and 3 children. I've never done this befor and can't really imagine it. Has anyone else done this? Did it feel the same? Can't say I'm particularly loving the idea. My son will be nearly 2 and won't want to sit still, he is very fussy at the moment, it will be nap time and and it will be really expensive!

But... maybe we should try and it will be amazing?

OP posts:

KungFuEric · 08/10/2017 22:02

Not every waiter gets double time for working Christmas Day either. My local pub doesn't pay their staff anything other than their standard hourly rate, yet they still charge £55per head for a glorified Sunday lunch.

troodiedoo · 08/10/2017 22:16

I wouldn't. Especially not with small children.

I also feel nobody other than emergency services should have to work Xmas day.

pallisers · 08/10/2017 22:26

We've done this -but when the children were much older. I think it would be hell on earth with a 2 year old who doesn't like to sit at the table (well which 2 year old does). It will be fine for in-laws (and maybe even for your husband) but you won't be able to relax at all having to keep him entertained.

Even when the children were older there were pros and cons. Pros - it was a fabulous buffet at a private club/restaurant. So no cost to us. Food was great. That's about it really.

Cons: at a certain point in the day (and xmas day may put schedule to pot so it might be just as your 2 year old is about to keel over or reach maximum overload) you have to get dressed and go out of the house. There are no leftovers - major bummer if the best bit of the christmas is the sausage stuffing and trifle for breakfast the next day

I would consider offering to cook at your in-laws or bring significant amounts of the food if I were you.

Appuskidu · 08/10/2017 22:32

It's their turn to host but they are suggesting going to a restaurant?! I hope they are offering to pay

annandale · 08/10/2017 22:38

God not with young kids. Surely it's for people who need company on the day or who want to host but are too elderly or incapacitated to cook.

heron98 · 09/10/2017 12:03

We did it last year.

I liked it because we got out of the house and walked there and back. And also there was no washing up.

But it felt quite rushed, the portions weren't very big and it's the only xmas dinner I have finished and still been hungry!

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 09/10/2017 20:13

Have never fancied it. Always so expensive, and no leftovers to pick at afterwards! I never cook at all until after Boxing Day - except maybe for jacket potatoes - all that turkey and ham to eat up.
I think it'd be a bit of a nightmare with a 2 year old.

kitchener · 09/10/2017 20:23

One of our best Christmas days was to have M&S party food during the day and a grown-up traditional Xmas meal for adults the evening instead when the (very young) dc were in bed.

Would that work for you?

CottonSock · 09/10/2017 20:26

I wouldn't as I have small kids, enjoy cooking and hate most roast dinners out..

BrieAndChilli · 09/10/2017 20:35

We did it once when DS2 was a few weeks old, we’d gone done to Devon and stayed with MIL so there were about 12 adults and 4 babies/small children.
It wasn’t worth the cost, food was nice enough but not any better than normal Sunday roast out and for the price we were paying I would have wanted it to be a lot more special.
Kids couldn’t just get down and play between courses and felt weird being with other families.
Then you don’t have any leftovers and you are also hanging around for ages before the food is ready (rather then chilling at home, setting up kids toys etc)

I wouldn’t do it again unless maybe it was just me and DH and then I’d probably either volunteer somewhere or just get M&S or something.
When we went out we probably spend £700 plus drinks on top. Crazy amount and cooking at home would have been a fraction of that!

WeeM · 10/10/2017 11:25

We've done it a few times and love it. And we have a young child. If we have it at home it's usually us that does it and it's a lot of work and I feel like I don't get to enjoy it. Going out- no dishes, come home for drinks and party food later. Much less hassle!

iklboo · 10/10/2017 11:31

Every year - but we don't do the 'let's have all the family / go to everyone else' type Christmas so it's fine for us.

iklboo · 10/10/2017 11:33

We go for a curry though. No leftovers? There's enough until the end of Boxing Day where we go

PlausibleSuit · 10/10/2017 11:43

We go out every year, mainly because our kitchen is tiny and cooking a full Christmas feast is a logistical nightmare. Not much family nearby and I dislike travelling at Christmas.

We tend to splash out though, Michelin star places or posh hotels. I don't do mediocre so I save up for it. It costs a lot but it's usually nice. Best one was the Savoy, absolutely packed, very festive and full of famous faces.

Opheliasgoldenwine · 10/10/2017 11:54

We’ve done it but I didn’t like it. Then again, I’ve never hosted it so maybe I’ll change my mind when the time comes

Opheliasgoldenwine · 10/10/2017 11:55

It does save doing the washing up as well.

averylongtimeago · 10/10/2017 11:57

We have, once. With our adult DD and her DP and his teenage DC.
It was fun, the food was ok but we have never done it again.
It was ££££
You still have to buy loads of food for the rest of the holiday as no left overs (no roast turkey sarnies!)
Taxi cost or a long walk home.
Some families had small Dc there who were obviously bored and by then having to be shushed and getting into trouble.

If mil is fed up of cooking for Christmas and wants to go out, why not have a nice family lunch at home then go over for tea, bearing gifts of lovely m&s type treats? Or offer to cook lunch at your house?

Lily2007 · 10/10/2017 17:26

We've done it twice once in Lapland with fireworks, Santa and reindeer and snow so pretty amazing. Second time by the cottage we were renting for the week in the UK, good food, pleasant but expensive, not sure I would recommend it with very young children. Normally meal would have cost around £80, cost around £200 but was nice to get out and about.

singadream · 10/10/2017 22:58

We went out a few years ago with MIL. She was too disabled to cook for us all. My parents had other plans and we felt we should spend it with them (and I am pleased we did as she has since passed away). The kids were 1 and 3. We actually left it too late to get a pub booking and went to a Loch Fyne. It was nice - not hideously expensive, a christmas dinner as well as fish options (I think we had to choose in advance), crackers, jolly staff etc. FIL stayed home as was ill and we opened presents back at their house afterwards. I made sure we took toys for the kids to play with and we didn't try to stay too long.

singadream · 10/10/2017 22:59

Oh and we paid for it as our gift to her so solved that problem too.

userofthiswebsite · 10/10/2017 22:59

Yep, many times. No children on our table but plenty of tables with kids of all ages. Nice atmosphere.

George22 · 11/10/2017 12:54

We went once pre children. It was expensive with no festive atmosphere and I left wishing we had stayed at home. The food was OK but we could have had better at home. I wouldn't take the children as they like being at home on Christmas Day.

Bluntness100 · 11/10/2017 13:19

Yeah, we have done it and I’m not keen to be honest. I like the more relaxed atmosphere and privacy of being at home, even if I’m the one hosting and doing all the cooking. This year we have a lot of friends for Xmas dinner, I offered, one of the group initially suggested going out, but I secretly wasn’t to enthusiastic, and so when I said I’d do it, ever one jumped at it.

However if your in laws wish to do it, I’m going to guess it’s becauxe they don’t fancy cooking, so want to go out as it’s easier. Which kind of makes it more awkward if you decide then not to join them and might make them feel they should cook.

cakeymakey · 11/10/2017 13:34

Yes once. And that probably says it all!

HouseworkIsASin10 · 11/10/2017 14:02

Yes. Done it a few times, always a good atmosphere.

Best thing is no dishes/cooking/cleaning.

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