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Christmas

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Original poster

NO Christmas lunch on Christmas Day!!!

335 replies

Staringatthetiles · 09/11/2021 20:01

Has anyone ever done this and if so what was your alternative?

I don’t want to go into the reasons why but would love to hear if anyone opted out of cooking Christmas dinner especially any creative alternatives that will appeal to a family of 5 with 2 preteens.

OP posts:
beachtosunset · 09/11/2021 20:29

I have found my people Smile

For years mum had suggested we all sit down to fish n chips instead of the tasty but labour intensive Chernobyl sized turkey and sides.

I have pointed out that the chippy wil be closed Grin

This year we are having steak and ale pie and in the days following possibly slow cooker beef. At New Year maybe the chicken. But all of this is very flexible. No queuing at the butchers anymore at 7.30am on 23rd Dec.

We are definitely going the much less labour intensive route and just going to enjoy a,leisurely Christmas.

If we want to cook someting we have it. If not we won;t.
If there is a news item on the mad panic buy on rarely available lorry driven Brussel Sprout trees then we will just be glad we weren't crushed in the avalanche.

Ultimately one poor soul ends up babysitting the turkey and exhausted. We will enjoy an easier less structured Christmas. Wink

yoshiblue · 09/11/2021 20:31

@shylatte my DH is cooking for a start! 😂 A lot of it he can prep in advance. He cooks his own curries and is really good at it.

Rightly or wrongly, I always feel a bit on edge doing the Christmas Day meal around the ILs. My MIL interfered the other year and screwed up my gravy. 🙄 It takes up a lot of time so I've said this year I'm not cooking and having a break from it.

Daisydukes79 · 09/11/2021 20:33

Last year we had chicken fajitas - much less hassle

beachtosunset · 09/11/2021 20:34

@NavigatingAdolescence

We don’t have our winter meal on 25th Dec. So we have fish pie or curry or Thai or beans on toast —in pyjamas—.
@NavigatingAdolescence

You speaka my language. Especially the pyjamas bit!

TrudyRuby · 09/11/2021 20:35

Last year I served a help yourself style dinner, all in throw away foil containers.

Festive ham, sliced
Coleslaw
Macaroni and cheese
Parmentier potatoes

All from Nigella Xmas book

Plus a diced green salad with apple

I sliced the ham in bit sized slices, so everything was easy to eat

userxx · 09/11/2021 20:35

@beachtosunset babysitting the turkey 🤣🤣. So true.

actiongirl1978 · 09/11/2021 20:38

Last year we had filet of beef (so a big steak essentially!) and marks and spencer goose fat chips.

I hope I never have to cook a Xmas dinner again. I've done 13 in a row.

chrisrobin · 09/11/2021 20:39

As children we always had Christmas dinner on Boxing Day, Mum said she wasn't going to spend all morning cooking a full meal and wrestle the 3 of us away from our new toys when we were too excited to eat. On Christmas Day we had bacon sandwiches at about 11am and were allowed to eat Christmas sweets whenever we wanted. We had a picnic dinner with our choice of food from the cupboards and fridge. It was fab because we could play with our new toys or watch TV without interruption except when we chose to get our own food.

My parents still do the same and my family join them on Boxing Day for a Christmas dinner. DH insists on cooking a roast dinner at our house on Christmas Day but it's a relaxed affair and incorporates the DCs favourite foods too. It's fine by me as he cooks it all and I get to chill with the DC while he enjoys the novelty of cooking using every pot, pan and dish we own.

MrsSkylerWhite · 09/11/2021 20:39

Curry. Probably do it this year too. Eldest and family here on Christmas Eve and we’ll probably do the traditional meal then.

Kim82 · 09/11/2021 20:44

We ordered a curry last year from the local takeaway and it was so good not having to bother with cooking and I could just enjoy the day that we’re doing it again this year.

whyiscakesodelicious · 09/11/2021 20:46

We normally do the whole Xmas lunch thing but this Xmas I'll be 39 weeks pregnant so have decided to order an Indian!Smile

ivykaty44 · 09/11/2021 20:48

moving the roast to xmas eve, means just the cooking - without the presents and it spreads out the day

leaving cold meat and bubble for the big day

my neighbours do this

I just stick to a roast on th day but its all prepped two evenings before, so just a bit of bunging in the oven - we love a roast though.

khaleesi71 · 09/11/2021 20:51

We always have a European style Christmas - which is a celebratory meal on Christmas Eve - a small gift and we have a formal dinner at 8 and bring in Christmas Day. Then we get up and eat left overs in our PJs on Christmas Day - it works for us and the meal always feels more special in the eve.

pennysays · 09/11/2021 20:53

Yes a couple of times. We had lamb and gnocchi with purple sprouting broccoli and brownies with ice cream.

This year I think we just have quiche!!

Tay17 · 09/11/2021 20:57

Yep we had pizza one year! Just myself and my husband and it was bloody lovely!

Ted27 · 09/11/2021 20:57

Lasagne, followed by apple crumble and custard

At some point over the holidays I will do a roast, usually pork or gammon

YesThisIsMe · 09/11/2021 20:59

We do Christmas Dinner at 6pm Christmas Eve - it's much less stress because you don't have to start cooking at 9am and if you realise you've forgotten anything you can dash to the shops.

Then we have cold turkey and gammon sandwiches/salad etc for Christmas Day lunch and a turkey hash Christmas Day evening. It just takes the work away from Christmas Day itself. Also we're all normally travelling on Boxing Day so it gives us a chance to make inroads into the leftovers before we set off.

AcrossthePond55 · 09/11/2021 21:02

I'd happily spend Xmas Day in my jimjams and have a sandwich and crisps as long as I had a scrumptious pudding! But as usual, I'm cooking the family Xmas dinner.

I used to do 'full dinners' one Xmas Eve and the other Xmas Day (long story). But about 4 years ago I put my foot down and said I'll do one but not both. The family opted for Xmas Day. Xmas Eve is now so relaxed and peaceful. No company, no cooking. It's really helped me enjoy the holidays so much more.

beachtosunset · 09/11/2021 21:05

[quote userxx]@beachtosunset babysitting the turkey 🤣🤣. So true. [/quote]
@userxx

It is though isn't it?

Lugged it up the road like Tiny Tim from the local butchers having parted with just shy of £90, finding somewhere cold to nurse it for 2 days that doesn't involve the fridge door pinging open intermittently because its drumsticks never fitted anyway Grin. Getting up at 5am to stuff it and roast it and baste it wish it a Merry Christmas every hour for 9 hours.

...i need a lay down just thinking about it...

It's fabulous when kids but that's part of the all the magic and pleasure, roast and Santa etc. When your older the magic and pleasure comes in having the hard work removed. Well that's me anyway.

kiki22 · 09/11/2021 21:05

I started doing this 4 years ago because we were having family on boxing day for a big meal and i wasn't cooking 2 days in a row! It was life changing honestly now I actually enjoy the day with my children

bettertimesarecomingnow · 09/11/2021 21:07

Takeaway curry for us and lots of booze and chocolate. 👍

lovablequalities · 09/11/2021 21:13

I wish this was me. I HATE Christmas dinner. I'm not fond of roasts at the best of times but I have zero desire to cook one when the kids are all up to high doh with presents and every other bugger has "expectations" and everything has to be hot. Every year I scratch my head at how to make it special +easy+enjoyable +stress free+traditional. Every year I fail and spend weeks dreading the fucking performance of it all. One thing I definitely got shot of was the total nonsense of eating in daylight. There's a limited amount of light I'm not wasting it eating when I could be out for a walk! Dinner at 5 earliest!

ThePoisonousMushroom · 09/11/2021 21:14

@lovablequalities

I wish this was me. I HATE Christmas dinner. I'm not fond of roasts at the best of times but I have zero desire to cook one when the kids are all up to high doh with presents and every other bugger has "expectations" and everything has to be hot. Every year I scratch my head at how to make it special +easy+enjoyable +stress free+traditional. Every year I fail and spend weeks dreading the fucking performance of it all. One thing I definitely got shot of was the total nonsense of eating in daylight. There's a limited amount of light I'm not wasting it eating when I could be out for a walk! Dinner at 5 earliest!
Have you got a partner? If so, get him/her to cook this year. We alternate year on year.
slaybellsringing · 09/11/2021 21:16

I refuse to have anyone over on Christmas day, as I know given half the chance dhs family would all be sat here on Christmas day, laughing and enjoying themselves while I slave away in the kitchen Hmm dh almost accidentally invited everyone the last time we were all together and I very clearly said that actually no, I would not be hosting on Christmas and it would be 'just us'.

Having said all that, I really enjoy making an Xmas dinner for just us so that's what I'll be doing Grin dh and I usually do it together - and then the dc help with the cleaning up, so it's a joint effort and never just me holed away in the kitchen.

We have take aways and other kinds of food throughout the year, and so on Christmas it's our opportunity to really make something special, dress the table and make a special moment out of it Smile

gettingolderbutcooler · 09/11/2021 21:23

Last 2 years we just did nibbles on Christmas Day- hot dippy things like bao buns etc. then big meal with friends on Boxing Day.
Because the kids are munching on sweets etc and don't really want a sit down meal. I can relax, then we all enjoy a proper Xmas dinner the next day!
#winningatlife
😊