Who's coming for christmas dinner at your house then?

[Kbear]

My parents are coming and I've just what was I thinking? invited the ILs too.

Ding Dong Merrily on High
I'll have to drink more sherry

now don't panic me, it'll be fine

i'll do all the cooking

hannahsaunt had the INSPIRED idea of cooking the turkey in advance. might have some ham too.

puddings and starter will be very very simple

just my Mum (apart from DH and DCs) Am regretting all the years I moaned about having all 4 parents (mine and ILs) because there's only Mum left now and am wishing I could have them all again, without moaning about it.

Hmm, we normally go up north but this year they're coming to us. This is my mother and my brother. DH's mum too, and possibly her boyfriend. It's the first time MIL will have met my brother. He's not the easiest of people to get on with. Might go abroad next year

Fair point, Lilolil, sorry.

dp, dd (18mo) and my eldest sister as she single and everyone else got someone to eat with!
last year me and dp cooked for 7adults 2babys at my moms as her house bigger lol

Hey, Peaches, don't feel bad... I used to moan about it and probably still would if they were all still around!! It's just that time of year when you miss them, regardless of how painful the reality was back then!

Me, DH, DD1 and 2
MIL FIL

SIL BIL + 3 DDs
SIL BIL + ds and DD

my mum

Which makes.... far too many for a christmas dinner virgin cooking on a blinkin lovely aga.

ooh mrs pink! Don't have an aga, so prob can't help other than to say get as much as poss cooked or prepared and frozen ahead of time. Good luck, brave (or mad?!) lady

With an aga you pop the turkey in the simmering oven overnight and it's beautiful on Christmas day.

Families, eh lilo? Tricky to live with, tricky to live without.

Don't envy you Mrspink. Lilo's right, get as much prepared in advance as possible. eg chopping carrots, spuds, sprouts etc. Amazing how much time it takes which you'd rather spend with DCs on the day itself.

Absolutely Peaches, hindsight is a wonderful thing. On a more practical topic: I make my stuffing, sausage & bacon rounds, cranberry sauce, bread sauce and stuffing way ahead and freeze for the big day.To make rest of the holiday period more relaxing, also make ahead a couple of stews, pies, puds and cakes (Marslady- bought some lemons today to make and freeze a pre-drizzled lemon cake!)

Went to a christmas aga demo today, which has panicked reassured me now! Thing is, I am such a control freak I know that I will want to do everything myself and expect it to be nothing short of perfect... I wont be volunteering again for some years. Usually MIL does it, but she is getting a little older now and it is becoming more of a big deal... so its down to the children to do it, am guessing this joy will be mine every 3 years!

Mars - the chap said today that the turkey had to reach 60 degrees within an hour or it becomes a health hazard, so you had to blast in the roasting oven first to get it to temperature ....?!

A useful tip was to do sausages or pigs in blankets etc on a skewer so that when you turned them you only had to do a few skewers rather than individually.

We are going to my parents this year. The inlaws go to BILs who doesn't invite us or SIL!
MIL doesn't like eating at mine as we have a dining kitchen (2 up 2 down) and announced loudly on the first visit to my house (it was my house before I met dp) that she could not possibly eat a meal whilst looking at dirty pots.
So no plans for moving/extending here then .

another tip... if you were interested was about custard??

We don't use custard, but might do another day. go one, what's your tip?

when its hot in the jug, keeping warm, if you sprinkle the top with a few grains of granulated sugar it stops a skin forming.

I like the skin though

califrau. I'll be stuck over here. Just me and DS. My dad is threatening to visit too

no 1 just me dh ds

Oh no, Califrau - that's an awful way to spend a day. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I am having Visa issues too but thankfully mine don't involve visits to the gateway to hell Embassy, just lots & lots of $$$$$$$. Would much rather spend the $$$ (that I don't have) than do it your way though.