Eating out with kids

[shippa]

As I am making New Year's Day dinner the thought of doing it all again next year is making me feel exhausted so I am indulging in my yearly fantasy of going out for dinner instead!

It's always me who decides agains so I have Boone to blame but myself but just wondering about the reality of doing it with a 3 and 5 year old. Extended family would be invited too. In my imagination there is a winter wonderland serving up all the trimmings just like I'd make with a realistic Santa stopping by as we have a leisurely drink afterwards.

I fear the reality would be hyped up kids and lukewarm sides....

Please indulge me and let me know if you have discovered my fantasy somewhere!!!

I just couldn't bring myself to pay the prices places charge on Christmas day. My cousins went out to an average at best pub on the day and they were charged 60 for adults and 30 for kids so 180 for a family of 4!

My 4 yr old barely eats so I couldn't stand to pay that.

Can you not all take turns to host? I'm lucky that my mam insists on hosting every year and makes the most amazing dinner but we would just keep it low key or make stuff in advance and freeze if we had to host.

We have decided to go out next Christmas I'm fed up spending Christmas day in the kitchen cooking and cleaning between each course .we will have an 9 month old by then and D's,s 16 ,10 and 12 I think it will be fine anything is better than slaving in a kitchen all day and that's with prepping the night before we will give it a go if it's not too good then we will just stick to having it at home but it's worth a try .

Have a different Christmas dinner, something less time-consuming, it doesn't have to be a roast.