What time do you eat Christmas dinner?

[basicbitch16]

Or lunch?

Ours is always late, around 5-6pm, whether it's me, mum or MIL hosting, as it is if we eat Sunday roast. And every year I wish we had eaten earlier, like 1pm maybe, then cheese/crackers/nibbles in the evening...

How does your Christmas Day food pan out?

Late afternoon 3-4 ish.

I usually aim for 1.30pm and it generally ends up being around 2ish.

When I was a kid we always had it at 1, because at 2 it was Christmas Top of the Pops, then the Queen at 3 and Billy Smarts Circus afterwards. Then time for toys and board games before tea at about 6.30 and then the Morecambe and Wise show

Somewhere between 5 and 6. We found when the dc were little that if we tried to do it closer to lunch time they wouldn't eat it (too excited by their newly opened toys etc). I'm sure it'd be fine now they're older but the habit has stuck!

Around 2pm, to be done by 3pm for the Queen’s speech. Deserts and coffee after it.

1pm, as I can't relax until the food is out of the way. Mind you, one year we had lasagne that I made the day before and it was the best day..

I have tried it early and Late (6.00 pm), but when eating later, I found we wanted something to eat after breakfast, but before dinner, and my carefully laid table would get messed up, etc., and then we could not eat all the dinner.
After experimenting, I have found that 2.00 pm (or 2.30 pm) works for us. Then in the evening we just have a few nibbles / mincepies, while watching TV, etc
I think it also depends on how old your children are.
If you have young children, and you are up at 6.00 am, then dinner around midday may work better for you, then the kids can still get to bed at a reasonable time.
If you have teenage kids who can't get out of bed before 11.00 am, then a later dinner might be better.
So, there is no rule, and you should do what works best for you.

About 3ish. Can't eat any earlier as we have healthyish breakfast to justify grazing on chocolate, sweets, booze etc all morning.
Then we have turkey at 3. Spend the rest of the day grazing on puddings and cheese and crackers and more booze.
Bloody love Christmas Day food. The kids are allowed to eat whatever they want from present and stockings. They love a roast dinner so happily eat that a bit later on.

1pm Starters
3pm Turkey
5pm Desert
7pm Cheese and crackers

Between 1.30pm & 2.30pm. We dont really have breakfast, kids may have cereal & we'll nibble so we're starving by then & well ready to eat.

We have a big breakfast after presents are opened in the morning. Christmas dinner is at 3pm-ish, then we have a break, go for a walk, visit neighbours etc and then come back for dessert. If anyone is still hungry in the evening they can just pick at leftovers and cheese etc

Around 6 -7 here

I don't finish work until about 2.30pm and get to my Mom and Dads about 3pm, everyone waits for me and we eat about 5pm after we've done presents

We have a small starter at around 2pm, main course around 4pm, and dessert/cheese throughout the evening whenever people feel like it :)

5pm. We have Christmas dinner as we’ve got 2 little ones and it’s just easier that way as we can play and not cook so much during the day.

About 5 pm. Late breakfast, no starters, but canapés (usually M&S) an hour or so before. Usually have a break between turkey and pud (brought flaming from the kitchen).

No actual meal needed later, but there's always so much to pick at if anybody wants. Though usually all too full.
Any small Gdcs will have earlier breakfast and a simple lunch as usual around 12 or one-ish.

I find 5 pm far less of a rush for the cook, plus it leaves plenty of time for a walk in daylight. And it's not too late for small Gdcs.

Always 5 or 5:30 pm. I grew up in 1970's rural Ireland and it was always thus. We did Santa, mass, visitors (neighbours calling for a drink), quick visit to the grandparents, walk the dog and then aperitif and delicious dinner. Presumably all the while my mother was slaving away in the background though I don't remember any stress. And she always had several elderly rellies as well as just us.

Since I have been married I have hosted Christmas dinner (MIL too ill to cope alone or travel and dh an only child) and I (probably childishly) insisted on hanging onto my 5pm dinner time even though MIL would have preferred 1pm . Anyway it's just my family of four these days and 5pm still suits.

I admire those who are organised enough to do it any earlier.

We normally eat around 6 (it's a bit late for me really and our son is normally past it) but we eat at the in-laws so fit in with them, when I'm willing or want to cook Christmas tea for 11 people I can then decide on the time, until then I happily fit in with the majority.

I would prefer it around 4 if I were preparing it.

Between 5 and 6. It feels as though we have something to look forward to all day then. We have a big breakfast and snacks lunch too.

About 4pm. Starters about 1pm, then play games, then dinner then dessert. Children to bed then cheese & port.

We have canapés and Champagne at 2 then lunch at 3.

We aim for the three but usually it's around 4. We don't usually eat in the evening as we're still full.

Growing up it was 7ish to allow for church and walk, now 5ish to fit with young DC.

Any earlier seems really odd to me!

Always lunch, usually around 2. I love Christmas Day tea when you can have leftovers from lunch, maybe in a sarnie, with Hellmans & some posh cheese etc. One of the most delicious combinations I discovered a few years back was cold roast potatoes & double Gloucester with onion & chives. So so good!

2-3ish same with a roast

About 2.30pm unless the DS's are working and then we have to wait for whoever is working so usually 5or 6pm. I prep it all the night before and put turkey in the oven before I go to Mass. Not my job this year as one of the Ds is cooking. I will ring and make sure he is awake! Then I might pop around to make sure he has it in the oven after Mass.