Christmas dinner... On Christmas Eve??

[surreygirl1987]

Hi all. I've never 'done' Christmas myself - always been at my parents' or in-laws and just fallen in with them. But now we have a little family of our own and get to choose exactly how we want our Christmas to be - yay!

I'm not much of a cook and am intrigued by people who have had the traditional Xmas roast on Christmas Eve instead. That idea actually really appeals to me... I don't think I've ever finished a Christmas lunch on Christmas day as too much chocolate! If you do your main Christmas dinner or Christmas Eve instead, what do you do for food on Christmas day instead? I've read of some doing a buffet? And what are the pros and cons of doing it this way round? I'm on mat leave with my second child at the mo so getting ahead thinking about Christmas plans while I have loads of time! Thanks! :)

[Cherryrainbow]

My brother lives in Germany with his girlfriend and their xmas day is basically xmas eve as a tradition, so they have the dinner etc then as far as I know they do leftovers and buffet stuff xmas day x

[adarkwhisperinthewoodwasheard]

We've done this for the past few years. Big 'posh' traditional dinner on Christmas Eve at around 5/6pm with lots of friends and family. Those not staying over have time to get home before public transport stops. We have time to clear up (and take turns to go to the pub). Then a relaxed Christmas day with leftovers and a few extra veg just cooked simply (boiled/steamed).

Though it helps to have a back-up for Christmas day, just in case you forget how many people you've invited underestimate how much people might want the night before.

We started doing it this way because I'm the only cook in the house and I wanted to have a relaxed 'day off' with the family. Before I just found myself getting stressed with timings and people not coming back from the pub in time on Christmas day, meaning the food was all slightly overdone and my efforts felt pointless

[snugglyblanket]

We have had our Christmas meal on Christmas Eve for the last few years.
We tried it because we found that we were too busy in the kitchen to sit with the DCs while they enjoyed their presents so one parent always missed out. Then later they just wanted to play and were distracted by all the toys so didn't want to sit at the table.
By doing the big meal on Christmas Eve, the kids sit nicely at the table, engage with us and will happily play a board game afterwards. After bath & bedtime, DH & I can watch Die Hard with a glass of wine, smug in the knowledge that the hard work is done and we have leftovers in the fridge for next day 😂 Then the next morning we can chill with a brew while the kids open presents & play. It's so much more relaxed, we spend more time with the kids on Christmas Day & nobody feels rushed because there's no timetable to follow.

[BuddhaAtSea]

I’m from the continent, I always have Christmas Eve as ‘the day’. ExH was English we have a DD.

So Christmas Eve is like this: tidy in the morning (that’s a weird thing I have since childhood, since we had to make space for the tree, always bought on the 24th).
Then I start cooking, we meet friends for the crib service then everybody comes round to ours for an ‘eat on your lap’ buffet. We ignored the kids completely, they did whatever they wanted.
Because Santa comes on the 24th but we’re in England, I reached a compromise: DD always got new pyjamas and a book on Christmas Eve and all the presents from my family and from our European friends are opened on the 24th as well, in their presence.

And then on the 25th we’d go to his mum and have the painful waiting round till dinner was ready (2 ish), watch the Queen and open presents at 5 pm-ish etc, the English Christmas.

In effect DD grew up with 2 Christmases.

Which suits me fine now we alternate having DD at Christmas, in effect I always have her.

[SqidgeBum]

We used to do this as my dad used to work Christmas day. It was lovely. We all got to be together for a proper Christmas meal at 6PM (so no cooking at 8am. I never understood why people do that to themselves), the next morning we opened presents before my dad went to work, and then we sat and watched all the great things on tv and played with our toys and my mom served leftovers for dinner. No stress. We also never visited anyone at Christmas so no panic getting dressed and into the car. It was just us in pjs. Now I have my own family, we dont leave the house on christmas day either, but luckily we dont have to work.

[Lockdownseperation]

Place marking because we will be having Christmas at home for the first time. I’m sure Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve would work for us as we will be trying to get over excited children to bed and present out.

[Armychefbethebest]

Hi I have done xmas dinner on christmas eve for nearly 20 years now the reason why was when my eldest was born her day and her first christmas came along I found myself in and out of the kitchen ,prepping ,cooking ,cleaning and there was stuff to get out of boxes stickers to put on toys ect ,her dad was away on tour and I just made my mind up there and then it was my house and from hereon we would have the big dinner the day before and this freed me up to actually enjoy xmas day with the kids , this turned out to be ingenious when the other 3 came along we have spent many years now in our pjs playing all day with the big dinner done and dusted the day before , foodwise I'll make some bacon butties or bagels and stolen for breakkie and let them have a free for all on the chocolate and nibbles and then teatime we have a buffet with Turkey butties of course ,absolutely wouldnt change it x

[surreygirl1987]

Sounds lovely!! Though I don't want to miss out on Christmas Eve fun either 😂

[LadyofMisrule]

Always Xmas eve. I do the veg prep the day before. Husband takes children out to see Santa or similar on Xmas Eve morning, and I start cooking. We start to eat at around 6 - starters, dinner, desserts, cheese. We often have friends and family to join us - Usually about 12, but I think the most we've had is about 22. The children love eating by candlelight, and they love all the company.

On Xmas day we start with fizz, croissants, smoked salmon, sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, beans and toast. My husband and son are in charge of that. We then do presents.

I do a buffet mid afternoon that lasts for the evening, and we play games, watch films and chill. I love it, and I'm not stuck in the kitchen, so don't miss out on all the fun.

[SnuggyBuggy]

We also always try and get some nice bread for leftover sandwiches

[surreygirl1987]

Great! Okay I think I'm sold on the idea. At least while the kids are young. I want to spend Xmas day with them, not worrying about the food! A grazing buffet on Xmas day with leftovers reheated and maybe some extra party packs sound ideal :) exciting! Thank you!

[sashh]

Thanks @BiddyPop I thought the 24th was a day of abstinence (been atheist for years but my dad and brother are church goers) and that's why lots of other European countries have a fish on the 24th.

I remmeber the 24th in my house as a kid

Me and db: can we have x
Mum:no it's for Xmas
Me and db: can we have y
Mum:no it's for Xmas
Me and db: can we have z
Mum:no it's for Xmas
Me and db:What can we have?
Mum:There's a kitchen full of food

[ArthurChristmas2]

We’ve done it and absolutely loved it, wished we’d started it much sooner when the kids were smaller. We did a walk/trip out on Christmas Eve, with dinner in the evening. Christmas Day was then free for presents, breakfast, relaxing. Kids loved it, they felt they saw me more, we were more relaxed and chilled. We did food that could be left on table and picked at through day, cheese board, nibbles, meat platter, salads etc. Everybody was more than happy and we perhaps ate some of the Christmas nibbles that would normally get left behind!

[MrsJonesAndMe]

MIL does this and I hate it!

When we're at home, we do the prep on the 24th and cook on the day itself. Works for us.

[GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER]

I wouldn’t want it on Christmas Eve.
We always have ours at around 5 pm on the day. Far less of a rush for the cook, time for a walk in the afternoon, and everybody’s that much more ready for it.

A big Christmas dinner at lunchtime is the last thing I’d ever want now. But the smell of the turkey cooking is an essential part of the day in this house.

[HumphreyGoodmanswife]

I've never even heard of doing this before but I'm completely sold on the idea! Spent years running around after extended family/having dinner when they want it etc, stuck in the kitchen most of the day.

Last year I put my foot down and had a blissful Christmas day, just me, DH and DCs.

This year I'm definitely going with this idea though. Chilled out Christmas bubble and squeak/buffet on Christmas day sounds bliss. And the excitement of a Christmas dinner before snuggling down to Muppets Christmas Carol and treats for Father Christmas /hanging stockings on Christmas eve sounds a fab idea.

Thanks guys

[Mumtothelittlefella]

We started this a few years ago and it’s the best tradition ever! We have a full Christmas dinner at about 5-6pm, play games, the kid set everything out ready for FC. Then we watch movies and finish wrapping presents.

The next morning is a breeze. Up with the kids, lovely breakfast and then full buffet of leftovers all warmed up and delicious at about 2-3pm. We get out and have a good walk which I never got to do as I was always in the kitchen. Then we relax into a contented nap after playing with the kids toys.

I can’t recommend it enough.

[Squirrelblanket]

We used to do Christmas dinner on Christmas Day, then on Boxing Day we have what the husband calls Christmas dinner 2, which is basically exactly the same but reheated from the day before. We felt that we enjoyed the second dinner more because everything felt so much more relaxed. I do enjoy cooking Christmas dinner, but reheating leftovers obviously takes much less time!

Last year we experimented with doing the first serving on Christmas Eve and dinner 2 on Christmas Day. It meant we still got a dinner on Christmas Day but everything was much more relaxed and we even managed a pub visit! Doing it again this year.

[surreygirl1987]

These are all great ideas. It's so interesting to hear what everyone else does, thanks!! Lots to think about!

[lachy]

At the moment DH is working on Christmas Day, so not sure whether we will do a dinner, I'd prefer to do a buffet, and a roast dinner at the weekend.

DD is 4, so I don't want to miss her excitement by being stuck in the kitchen.

Which reminds me....I must do my Tesco Trolley 🛒 Trick

[Titsywoo]

We have done our big meal on xmas eve for the last few years. I really enjoy it as we have a big lunch with family and friends and some more come for drinks at 5ish then we go outside as we have a big light show on our house in the evenings in Dec and xmas eve is a big night (100's turn up). After that's over we count the charity money from the show and have a few more drinks and a tidy up.

On xmas day we watch lots of TV after opening presents and everyone has whatever they want for lunch. Last year DH had pizza, DD had a cheeseboard and me and DS had beef wellington (the Cook one so just bung in the oven - no prep on xmas day allowed!). It's lovely and relaxed.

[JMG1234]

Fair point. We eat our Christmas dinner around 1pm so cooking the turkey the day before saves me getting up too early to sort it all out. Each to their own though, resting does free up the oven as you say.

My friend always goes out for Christmas dinner which sounds quite lush though I'd probably miss sweating over hot veggies really.

[NoWordForFluffy]

See, I'd never cook the day before. A well-rested turkey takes as long to rest as everything else takes to cook, thereby leaving the oven empty.

[JMG1234]

In recent years, I've cooked the turkey on Christmas Eve then had a free oven to cook everything else on Christmas Day. I also cook stuff like red cabbage and bread sauce in advance and reheat.

I was against it at first but you don't notice the turkey is cold once you've poured some hot gravy on it (my mum puts her turkey in the microwave for a few seconds but she likes her food to be mouth-blisteringly hot).

I also find that my interest in cooking Christmas lunch is inversely proportional to the amount of Prosecco I drink on the day, and by the second class, my standards have dropped considerably.

[Backtoschoolnotsoonenough]

When I left exh he refused to let me see the dc on xmas day. Supposed to be 50/50..
Not to be deterred by his ever continuing abuse I hatched a Cunning Plan..
Santa posted a letter to my dc that he knew they would not be at my address on the 25th so he would indeed make special arrangements to come the eve of the 23rd instead. So he did.
We had Xmas dinner on the 24th and our presents. Had an amazing day.
Had fajitas on the 25th with adult dc.
And imagine exh was too fuming to eat at all!!.

Never done it since but it was lovely!