Christmas Eve food help

[HappySonHappyMum]

I am embarrassed to say I've never mad much of an effort on Christmas Eve. We've often ended up grazing on a buffet at someone else's house but this year it's going to be different as we'll definitely be at home. I usually focus on Christmas Day cooking but thought it would be really nice to have a Christmassy meal the night before as well as there'll only be four of us. What do you all usually do? All suggestions welcome!

I usually cook kedgeree on Christmas Eve - it's quick and easy, it uses one pan, it's tasty, it can be eaten in one go with no leftovers, and it's special (if you use posh smoked haddock without the dye), but also not traditional Christmas food - we're happy enough with all that from Christmas Day onwards - and usually sick of it by the end.

We have a candlelit fillet steak/champagne dinner to kick off the celebrations but we're all adults here so try hard to do things to make it feel special. After dinner we all have new P.J's and play a Christmas themed board game. [Christmas monopoly this year.] This has generally been preceded by a lunchtime outing to a local garden centre for fancypants hot chocolate and enormous slices of cake.

We usually do takeaway Christmas Eve and then cold meat and cheese fondue type gubbins on Boxing Day (so I'm basically stealing all of the ideas for elaborate and calorific melted cheese in this thread for then!)

I do the Christmas ham for Christmas Eve dinner, with potato croquettes and salad. Have it cold on Christmas Day.

@Wannatrim

AriettyHomily

Do you deep or shallow fry the dick?

Deep. Definitely deep

XiCi my advice is to try it out before - I've not yet managed to make a fonue that hasn't split. Very frustrating!

We've done a big ham previously as recommended by Nigella - it works nicely as I like having cold ham on boxing day etc, but it's too much to cook on xmas day.

loving this thread at the moment. I needed cheering up.

We tend to have fish, I think a left over from Mom's Italian Catholic family? But it totally varies what kind of fish we have. Usually on the lighter side as we will be eating so much the next day!

Now having read the thread....

Crispy dick pancakes fgrin] (why isn't there a crying with laughter emoji when not on phone?!)

We have a mixed fish and antipasti platter and graze on it while chatting/ playing games now the kids are adults/ teens with lots of champagne.
I prefer it to Christmas dinner to be honest as it's so lovely and chilled and a treat !

Nigella ginger ham here. We either have it with dauphinois potatoes and vegetables or with chips. It’s very easy in the slow cooker and nice to pick at on Boxing Day.

I am torn now reading this in what to cook.

Swerving between fillet steak or nice platter.

Got to say a platter type meal sounds good - but I'm also quite excited by that slow cooker ham - which I've never done. There are some really good ideas though, which would be great for the big void between Christmas and New Year. Keep them coming - this thread is so helpful.

@XiCi, we dip chunks of bread, new potatoes, meatballs, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower/broccoli, brussel sprouts (it is Christmas after all!) and then have salad on the side. Can’t wait!

CoffeeChocolateWine that sounds lovely. I think I'll drag it out for a trial run at the weekend

@AriettyHomily

Oh FFS. DUCK. DUCK. DUCK.

I’m having what you’re having

We're normally popping to people's houses on Christmas eve too but we would normally have (between houses) sausage rolls, honey glazed gammon in rolls, cheese straws, mince pies and cakes. MIL will generally do lots of pastry style things such as croissants and cinnamon swirls for the afternoon. And hundreds of different toasties in a toastie maker (there's now 12 of us if we all go at Christmas and we all like different ones!).

Crispy dick made me LOL

We also usually go to someone else’s house for a buffet... hoping to do the same this year 🤞🏾

We have marks and Spencer freezer party food. Spring rolls, sausage rolls, sliders, crisps, quality st.

I don't drink on Xmas eve as I'm too tired usually and find it ruins Xmas day even if I have one glass of wine. There's only ever me, dh and DC.

This year I am delighted we are having fillet steak for Xmas lunch and for the first time in 13 years I am not colling a turkey for us and my parents!

We always go with the roast ham and macaroni cheese option from the Nigella Christmas book. Usually catering for a lot though, so don't know if we'll do something else if it's just us quite looking forward to that aspect

I'm sorry but I'm far too distracted by the crispy dick to take this seriously

We keep it simple, in preparation for the feast ahead - lentil soup, with bread and a bit of cheese.

We always have lasagna. A tradition my mum started for some reason and DS insists on it every year. Every year I hope for a change.

We are moving house soon and will have a nice pub in walking distance so thinking of a late lunch there this year and then some cheese and biscuits etc later if anyone wants.

Fingers crossed.

If not maybe crispy dick. Or spotted dick. Either could be an option.

A takeaway...either Chinese of fish and chips. Both are within a 5 minute walking distance and theres no messing up the kitchen

Not sure how it started but lasagne seems to be what we have since DC arrived. Spend the day slowly assembling it between different bits of prep and then chuck it in the oven to bake while we are at the Christmas Eve children's service.

Although last year I hosted Christmas Eve for my parents and DB and we had a lovely buffet. I really enjoyed doing it so might do that again. Not much fun just for the four of us though.

We’ve got 2 adults and 2 small kids here. We will probably just have a platter type thing. Cheeses, olives, deli meats, smoked salmon couple of things you can just pop in the oven, crackers, baguettes. Fizz for the adults. There’s usually heaps left but we use that for starters for Xmas meal.