Critique my Christmas dinner menu

[shouldistop]

We'll be feeding 8 adults & 4 children aged 1-7.

Starter: sweet potato & butternut squash soup (people can add chilli flakes or crème fraîche)

Mains:

2lbs Roast beef
2lbs Gammon cooked in cider
2lbs Turkey joint

Pigs in blankets
Stuffing
Mashed potatoes
Roast potatoes

Broccoli
Carrots
Parsnips
Sweetcorn
Peas
Sprouts

Dessert: sticky toffee pudding with either custard or ice cream

Surely you have the sprouts on already?

Surely turnip is a festive must?

Sweetcorn?!

Is that enough meat for 12? It really wouldn't be in my house

Way too much food. Does anyone really want a bowl of soup before a massive roast?? Would lose the gammon, mash, peas and sweetcorn AT LEAST. Where's the bread sauce??

You need more than one dessert option, it's Christmas!

You need Yorkshire puddings!!

Ditch the sweet corn! Add Yorkies. Add Christmas pudding. More meat.

Sweetcorn and peas, no chance.
Where are the Yorkshire puddings? Broccoli and cauliflower cheese?
Only one pudding option?
Aside from the meat festival this is a poor show OP, sorry!

I don’t like soup before a big roast but that could just be me.

I like braised red cabbage and cauliflower cheese with Christmas dinner. Stuffing?

I’d also have a lighter dessert option even though I love sticky toffee.

Personally I would ditch the soup, and have olives and crisps with drinks beforehand, and instead have the squash and sweet potatoes roasted alongside the main course (in place of the peas and sweet corn!).

I'd add another pudding choice too, something lighter and maybe fruity - lemon tart, mixed berries with white chocolate sauce or something.

Need Yorkshires....gravy? and Christmas pudding.
I'd ditch peas and sweetcorn (unless only liked by kids) and add leeks in cheese sauce (make a freeze).

Also there is no mention of Yorkshire puddings or gravy even though you are serving beef

I agree with pp about Yorkshire puddings and perhaps a chocolate dessert option also 🎄

We never have a starter on Christmas Day - it fills you up before the main event!

I would lose the soup & the sweetcorn! Add in cauliflower cheese, gravy and Yorkshire puddings.

We also have multiple options for pudding (although it's usually eaten at least an hour after the main course was finished):
Christmas pudding
Trifle
(And this year's addition) banoffee pie.

Yorkshires, braised red cabbage, cauliflower cheese, bread sauce, cranberry sauce.
Maybe loose the sweet corn!
Maybe swap the soup as well or loose it completely.
Another dessert option as well.

If this is similar to what you’ve cooked in previous years, OP, I’m guessing it’ll be fine

I would give the starter a miss as people will be to full to appreciate the rest.Maybe choice of puds -one hit one cold -make it slightly easier if it’s a cold one you can make in advance? Tbh it sounds great so go with what you want to do! Anything goes at Xmas

Ditch the sweetcorn, agree you need Yorkshires (and horseradish)

Pig in and out of blankets and three times the amount you think you need.

Echoing others about getting rid of the starter. Maybe 1lb more of each meat, another rich side like cheesy leeks or cauliflower and one more dessert. I’m not a fan of Yorkshire puddings so I make extra roast potatoes instead

You NEED cauli cheese! Broccoli!
Lose the sweet corn, it ain’t a salad!
Need to offer mince pies I think if no Christmas pud

You need croutons for the soup.
Why only 1 dessert option?
Do you have a separate drinks menu?

In our family we have the starter and main course at lunch time. We then have a break. Then we have our desserts whilst watching the Queen's speech as after a few hours our main course has digested and we can fit more in

I will also echo what others have said that you do not need a starter, but it is nice if you wanted to keep it.

Are you not having Christmas pudding?

Swap the sweetcorn for swede and carrot mash or cauliflower cheese

You could hand the soup (in cappuccino cups) to your guests after they remove their coats after arriving to aid their warming up :)