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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

No Christmas dinner this year!

58 replies

TheSaucepanMan · 24/05/2021 19:35

What shall we do instead? For the first year for many we are staying at home just the two of us..NO PLANS! Grin

I don't want the day to whizz by as just another day but I'm not cooking the usual, so what can we do instead?

OP posts:
LittleOwl153 · 25/05/2021 09:10

I think it depends whether you like cooking. If you/whole household does then I'd go spectacular and cook together as an activity. If not however I'd get some fancy tray bake food and focus your day elsewhere!

TheSaucepanMan · 25/05/2021 10:19

Yes to the chateaubriand the Bert Grin cocktails and cheeses. Thank you!

I'm not phased by the 'it's May' bollocks, it's says more about the person posting than me. I bloody love Christmas I'd have it twice a year if I could!

OP posts:
MrsLCSofLichfield · 25/05/2021 17:43

Good for you, OP! Some lovely ideas here, wishing you very happy Christmas planning! Star

NoWordForFluffy · 25/05/2021 17:51

@garlictwist

It's May..?
Bloody hell. First post in! Xmas Hmm
NoWordForFluffy · 25/05/2021 17:53

@TheSaucepanMan

Yes to the chateaubriand the Bert Grin cocktails and cheeses. Thank you!

I'm not phased by the 'it's May' bollocks, it's says more about the person posting than me. I bloody love Christmas I'd have it twice a year if I could!

Aldi's upcoming Christmas in June is created just for you, OP! 🎅🏻🎄🎅🏻🎄
Waitwhat23 · 25/05/2021 18:04

None of my family like the traditional Christmas Dinner- it seems a hell of a lot of faff for what is essentially a Sunday roast.

We just each bring the things we like best to eat, and put them on the table as a massive buffet to help ourselves. It tends to be really nice pates (Aldi does a beautiful Wild Boar, Cranberry and Hazelnut pate at Christmas), crusty seeded sourdough bread, various seafood, blinis with Smoked Salmon and (a recent discovery) Mrs Bridges Sun Dried Tomato Mayonnaise etc etc. We normally have a huge table of different desserts, then cheese, then coffee etc. It takes all day because we take breaks between courses to play games or make cocktails and it's the best!

So much better than eating a huge meal all in one go and then sitting around feeling stuffed and sleepy imo.

Squirrelblanket · 25/05/2021 18:47

The weather is definitely autumnal at the moment so I can understand it. I wrote out my Christmas shopping list this week. 😂

StCharlotte · 25/05/2021 19:13

@Squirrelblanket

The weather is definitely autumnal at the moment so I can understand it. I wrote out my Christmas shopping list this week. 😂
Agreed. I am so befuddled by the weather at the moment. I can't bear that in less than a month it will be the longest day and we haven't had a sniff of summer. Talking about Christmas today seems entirely natural Grin
BiddyPop · 25/05/2021 20:15

Happy Rudolph Day OP!! (A tradition by many Christmas preppers and planners and nuts to have some Christmas fun and do some Christmas Planning every 25th of the month, so it is less stressful come the Christmas season and we can enjoy it more!).

Yes, I would think ahead, lots.

I am rethinking Christmas again in this house (although we may well have to travel again this year, having not done so last year) - but teen DD was totally not up for a traditional day so threw many, many strops on the day (ASD and teen hormones combined with Covid restrictions).

I am thinking proper seafood feast - lobster, crab, prawns, scallops......

PLenty of good wine (maybe even bubbles) that gets opened early.

Possibly something slightly complex for breakfast like cinnamon rolls or something like that which needs overnight rising/proving before a morning bake, with good fresh coffee.

A good cheeseboard and port to start scoffing mid afternoon.

What you and DH need to think about though is what YOU both like, what is a treat for you both, and what kind of day do you both want? Something with a long energetic walk and lovely festive themed picnic? Morning swim followed by a warming hot port/hot chocolate? No cooking, lots of cooking, or something in between with a little bit of gently moving some oven trays around? Middle of the day meal with light breakfast and evening tempting nibbles, or later meal with a more substantial breakfast but no lunch, or a whole day of grazing on nice things?

This is why days like Rudolph Day are so important - as thinking about all these things takes time, and then there is the actual meal/menu planning once you've figured out what kind of day you want, and then organising where to get everything (is it all from a local shop, or do you need to order things with a good butcher/fishmonger, artisan producers etc?) in plenty of time.

Enjoy!! Xmas Grin

TheSaucepanMan · 26/05/2021 06:57

@BiddyPop

Happy Rudolph Day OP!! (A tradition by many Christmas preppers and planners and nuts to have some Christmas fun and do some Christmas Planning every 25th of the month, so it is less stressful come the Christmas season and we can enjoy it more!).

Yes, I would think ahead, lots.

I am rethinking Christmas again in this house (although we may well have to travel again this year, having not done so last year) - but teen DD was totally not up for a traditional day so threw many, many strops on the day (ASD and teen hormones combined with Covid restrictions).

I am thinking proper seafood feast - lobster, crab, prawns, scallops......

PLenty of good wine (maybe even bubbles) that gets opened early.

Possibly something slightly complex for breakfast like cinnamon rolls or something like that which needs overnight rising/proving before a morning bake, with good fresh coffee.

A good cheeseboard and port to start scoffing mid afternoon.

What you and DH need to think about though is what YOU both like, what is a treat for you both, and what kind of day do you both want? Something with a long energetic walk and lovely festive themed picnic? Morning swim followed by a warming hot port/hot chocolate? No cooking, lots of cooking, or something in between with a little bit of gently moving some oven trays around? Middle of the day meal with light breakfast and evening tempting nibbles, or later meal with a more substantial breakfast but no lunch, or a whole day of grazing on nice things?

This is why days like Rudolph Day are so important - as thinking about all these things takes time, and then there is the actual meal/menu planning once you've figured out what kind of day you want, and then organising where to get everything (is it all from a local shop, or do you need to order things with a good butcher/fishmonger, artisan producers etc?) in plenty of time.

Enjoy!! Xmas Grin

Grin

I love the idea of of morning swim and a Christmas picnic. Port and cheese sounds delicious, so many lovely suggestions!

Thank you 🧑🏻‍🎄

OP posts:
Lemonlemon88 · 26/05/2021 07:02

Ooh I would have eggs Benedict for brunch, a massive cheese and antipasti platter to graze on all day and then some sort of seafood for tea. And copious amounts of bubbles.

Roselilly36 · 26/05/2021 07:04

My friend & her DH have a Mediterranean buffet on Xmas day, I always thought it sounded wonderful for just the two on them,

Cadent · 26/05/2021 07:06

@Chicchicchicchiclana

It is the Christmas section ... but ffs.
What are you doing in the Christmas section that is more worthy?
TheSaucepanMan · 26/05/2021 11:28

I find it really amusing how angry some get talking about Christmas before December!

Some really cannot just live and let live, they have to let their anger and disapproval be known and clutter up quite a nice thread.

So far I shall be stuffing my face with cheese it seems oh and warm cinnamon buns, mulled wine and lots of other lovely festive foods.

OP posts:
habibihabibi · 26/05/2021 11:33

Last year was brill , we had lots of cocktails on xmas eve. Woke late. Kids did lego . Around 2pm we got an amazing xmas dinner delivered and then watched televison. Bascially a hangover day with turkey.

SummerHouse · 26/05/2021 11:39

I absolutely welcome a Christmas thread at any time. If you don't, there is the option not to click on it and enrage yourself further.

I would be storing up the very best films to watch or re-watch. I would absolutely second a swim. Our tradition is to go on Christmas Eve to calm ourselves down. Grin. I add to your cheese board a baked cheese dip thing. They have them in most supermarkets and usually come in a tapas style pot. Obvs you need cranberry sauce as an accompanying condiment to your board and caned Bert.

canihaveacoffeeplease · 26/05/2021 11:58

I am one of those people who get angry about people talking about Christmas before December. And yet, when I click on the Christmas board, I absolutely am looking for Christmas chat at any time, so please go ahead!!

We had our first alone Christmas when I was heavily pregnant with dc1 (had her 11th jan) and it was magical. We had m&s nibbles, baked Camembert, beef Wellington (no pate), and pavlova for pud, the day was beautiful so we went for a fantastic walk up the local hill, it was frosty and gorgeous and we could see for miles, and we just generally chilled out in front of the fire with presents and ikea non alcoholic mulled wine. I absolutely LOVED it and would do it again in a heartbeat, just with much more champagne and naughty non pregnant cheese!

MustBeTheWine · 26/05/2021 22:00

As PP said Christmas Dinner baguette! Layer some turkey (or other meat), pigs in blanket, stuffing and whatever else you fancy 😍 the sauce shop has a Brussels sprouts ketchup they sell over Christmas and its to die for in a Christmas Dinner baguette. I'm so hungry after thinking about the baguette now 😂

thelegohooverer · 26/05/2021 22:21

Lovely thread - I’m really enjoying all these suggestions. For my part, I’d still want a traditional Christmas meal so I might downgrade the turkey to a big chicken, but that’s it. But I love cooking at Christmas so I’m no help.

Flidina · 29/05/2021 23:19

We do the same, chilled day with no hassle, no one really likes traditional Christmas Dinner in our house.

ProbablyGryffindor · 30/05/2021 14:29

Enjoy your planing OP!

We are putting our tree up for one day, with one gift each, when we finally see my parents. They haven’t seen DD since Feb 2020 and have never met DS (born Oct) so we are having a mini Christmas for one day!!! Mad? YES!! But I can’t wait!!!

SnoopsCaliforniaRoll · 01/06/2021 12:20

@CrazyBaubles

No need for posters to be rude. This is the Christmas section - the exact place Christmas questions are welcome all year around 🙄

If it were me, I'd have steak, potato gratin (can buy frozen so no fuss), and have it with a nice (bought) sauce and some veg.
Would then buy cheese, crackers, chutney, more cheese, and maybe some chocolate / something sweet and some stuff to make cocktails and bottles of Buck's Fizz.

Early-ish steak lunch then grazing on cheese for the rest of the day. Perfect

This is the perfect special Christmas Day for two menu for me! Excellent taste @CrazyBaubles and I agree about the snarky posters who are being deliberate arses.

I would also want to have a special breakfast - smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, bake at home pastries perhaps? Something to start the day feeling a bit special and celebratory.

BorderlineHappy · 01/06/2021 12:25

My ideal Christmas day if it was only my do and I would be.
Staying in bed and having everything beside us on a board.
And just reach over and eat and drink.

New PJ's and a few decent films.
That would be heaven to me.

FlibbertyGiblets · 01/06/2021 12:27

@Holothane

Please not yet even though my plans saving have changed this year August I start until Christmas not thought of.
What does this even mean?
FlibbertyGiblets · 01/06/2021 12:29

TheSaucepanMan deffo cheese, all the cheese.
Plus some party type food to wang in the oven.
Delightful!

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