NO Christmas lunch on Christmas Day!!!

[Staringatthetiles]

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.

@Steelesauce

Hah! Same as me - working the 2-8 shift. As I am on my own, I don't tend to bother with a roast dinner so I normally have smoked salmon and blinis for like a brunch then later veggie sausages. However, I have two mini Christmas puds and some custard, but like you better wait until after work for the carb fest or I will be asleep at my desk!

One of my favourite Christmas was when my husband, DD (16) got dressed up and went to a lovely restaurant on Christmas Eve. The food was a fraction of the price and an amazing atmosphere. We spent Christmas Day eating buffet food! It was bliss…. I can’t wait to do it again… I’ve since had DS who is two and isn’t civilised enough to take to a restaurant 😂

Really excellent quality bangers mash n gravy. Nom.

We go for a curry on Christmas day. Last year we had a takeaway from the curry house as they cooked enough for all that were booked in but couldn't go.

We have a Christmas dinner on another day or 2 over the Christmas period.

Buffet.
Stick it out on the table and graze the day away !

people do this all time its not law its eat what feel like day .Its the one day of the year we eat what we like and enjoy it with the company of our family.

i like roast dinner because i am a weirdo who likes vegetables but it could be what ever your family enjoys most

Definitely a curry 😁

Homemade Pizza with festive toppings is a MASSIVE winner.

Yes you CAN put sprouts and pigs in blankets on pizza (and they are very nice too).
Also see turkey and cranberry.

Had Christmas lunch in a local pub one year. It wasn't great, to be honest, but that was partly for complicated reasons arising out of having made the mistake of asking my mother along.

Dh asked what I wanted. We had curly fries, ribs and coleslaw.

We eat at a restaurant on Christmas Eve and do a buffet Christmas day.

We also usually have a full on beige buffet one night of Christmas week.

Chips, onion rings, sausage rolls and some frozen selection things like samosa, spring rolls, prawn toast, onion bargi etc.

Its epically bad but we only ever do it once a year on a day we really can't be arsed to do something 'proper'. Just stick in the oven and watch Christmas Movies.

We had a pizza last year so we could eat it on a big walk as the family day was cancelled.

We are staying at home this year- just us and going to PIL on Boxing Day.

On Christmas Eve I am making spinach, nutmeg, mushroom and onion lasagne with gruyere cheese sauce, roast potatoes and broccoli and roasted carrots and onions.

French style apple tart and cream to follow.

On Christmas Day we will have a late breakfast while DC open their presents. Then we are going down to the beach for a walk. When we get back we are having Tomato and Thyme soup and cheeses and bread.
Apple crumble and custard for pud.

Snacks for supper - cheeses, leftover lasagne, homemade quiche, crisps, olives, hummus, bread, crackers, homemade coleslaw etc.

Boxing Day MIL will cook a Christmas dinner- I bet.

We shall have a family feast for 8 or 9 after Christmas when rota allows a nurse a day off.
So on 25th it might be Iceland best ready meals for 3. The Slimming World ones are good for meat dishes. Usually micro or oven cook.

• Cake, mince pies and what someone will make for me. Sparkling wine will be Cremant type from Majestic.

Make your own pizzas always goes down well with kids

Last year just the two of us. Roast pork chop dinner. Starter 2pmish. Main course 4pmish. Dessert 7pmish. Cheese, biscuits and port 11pmish. Loved it

I always had a big celebratory meal on either Christmas Day or Christmas Eve night (depending on what country I've been in), but not always turkey or other roast bird. We've had salmon en croute, beef wellington, and roast venison. It depends whether what you want is no cooking at all or just no turkey ...

Yes. We had pasta once. One year we were staying in an Airbnb which only had a microwave. We had very nice ham and tortilla, I think.

We are going out for an Indian, can't wait!

This year I'm eating out. Planned ages ago but then other stuff got in the way. Dont care still eating out.
Previous years have been all the trimmings that will fit in the oven at the same time and temperature plus
Rack of lamb from m and s with 25 minutes in oven, perfect.
Steaks but each one had to be cooked individually so the last person got the remains of the trimmings. Not bad but not as great as the lamb.
Massive pie, lovely but took a lot of room up in oven, less room for trimmings.
Lamb shanks done in slow cooker. No fuss, all the oven spare for trimmings, set up at 9am, cooked with red wine and the gravy made in the slow cooker ready for 5pm. Pretty good.
There are others but these were quite successful.

I've done xmas meal for about 30 years now. I dont want to do anymore. So I'm not.

@MasterBeth

Do what you like but...

For me, a special dinner is part of the special day.

If I'm just going to slob out with crisps in my pyjamas watching TV, why is it special?

For me, it's special because I never do that! I make a home-cooked meal at least 6 nights a week, plus a roast on Sundays, and they're eaten at the dining table, with conversation and no screens!

So a chance to stay in my pyjamas, drink champagne, and have other people warm up tasty party treats and bring good cheese and chocolate, well, that actually feels pretty special.

I may go back to the traditional meal next year, but I'm quite excited to try something different for once.

We are going to a restaurant

We’re having Xmas on the 23rd as eldest DC working over Xmas.
Me and other DC will have an Xmas buffet of Xmas day.

I'm on nights on Xmas eve and Xmas nights plus will have to be looking after my parents on Xmas day so I figured no way did I want to be doing Christmas dinner !