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.

We've done this before.

When D.C. were little and money was tight we'd have a roast dinner with whatever meat was cheap in the supermarket the day before.

When I was growing up my parents worked shifts and the premiums for working Christmas Day were massive. We'd often 'shift' Christmas so DPs could work Christmas Day shifts and then celebrate Christmas on Boxing Day or the 27th. Those days we'd have ' treat teas' with nice things like sausages or coleslaw (we had simple tastes). We'd normally also have a selection box and a couple of new library books to help the day go by. I remember them as very peaceful, low key days in what was normally a chaotic and aggressive household.

DH and I have spent Christmas just the two of us since 2013 and have always cooked the full dinner, with the exception of 2016, when we got eye-waveringly expensive rib eye steaks and had those with some lovely sides. I find it stressful so by the time it's served, I'm too hot and annoyed to even want it.

Last year neither of us could be arsed so we bought loads of beige party food and just stuck it in the oven to snack on throughout the day as we fancied it. We just drank Bailey's and ate finger food in our pyjamas, it was great.

eye-wateringly*

Thanks, autocorrect

DH managed to burn everything but the veggies 2 christmases ago so we ordered a Chinese last minute instead.

We redecorated our bathroom on Christmas Day and I cooked us a Curry...another year we weren't feeling well (fluey cold) and had fish fingers.

Just have a meal that you'll all eat.

Yes Christmas Buffett with all the foods from m and s or waitrose you like, spread out to pick at during the day.. with small kids this is just brilliant and stress free ! Then traditional sit down meal Boxing Day - salmon wellington for us x

I hate these threads as I read them and end up feeling sorry for myself. I never cook a Christmas roast dinner because there’d only be me eating it and I wouldn’t get any pleasure from it.

Most years I cook some type of curry for DH and I and for DS, chicken nuggets and chips as that’s what he prefers. I don’t particularly want to eat curry on Christmas Day but equally, it’s the only hot food that DH will eat and at least we all sit at the table together. He lives on cold salad type dishes and sandwiches most of the time and never eats with us as he isn’t interested in food and sometimes he even has to be reminded to eat. He’s a lovely person who has serious food issues so it’s a compromise.

My last actual Christmas dinner on Christmas day was when my mum was alive, more than 20 years ago. There are no other family members so it’s just the 3 of us so it won’t change for the foreseeable.

I would say it doesn't really matter what other people do, just do whatever you fancy. You say there are reasons for viewpoint that you don't wish to share, so no one can really suggest an alternative to you that will definitely work for your circumstances.

Personally, I couldn't go for takeaway because I couldn't support and encourage businesses to open on Xmas day when they don't need to, those poor staff. I work Xmas day but in an essential service so it can't be helped, but bloody Dominoes is not essential, I am disgusted a poster says their local opens!

Anyway, rant over!!!!

@Staringatthetiles IDK if this would help you, but I get the deli counter sliced turkey so I don't have to do a turkey, which makes a big difference. It's the same or better quality. Also Aunt Bessie's everything possible, which is actually really nice.

We order a Chinese. It’s just me and my kid, she doesn’t enjoy the full roast so it’s pointless. I do go and eat the full Christmas dinner at my parents house during the holidays so it works out fine. Might as well eat what you all enjoy!

@FatBettyintheCoop

I hate these threads as I read them and end up feeling sorry for myself. I never cook a Christmas roast dinner because there’d only be me eating it and I wouldn’t get any pleasure from it.

Most years I cook some type of curry for DH and I and for DS, chicken nuggets and chips as that’s what he prefers. I don’t particularly want to eat curry on Christmas Day but equally, it’s the only hot food that DH will eat and at least we all sit at the table together. He lives on cold salad type dishes and sandwiches most of the time and never eats with us as he isn’t interested in food and sometimes he even has to be reminded to eat. He’s a lovely person who has serious food issues so it’s a compromise.

My last actual Christmas dinner on Christmas day was when my mum was alive, more than 20 years ago. There are no other family members so it’s just the 3 of us so it won’t change for the foreseeable.

Why wouldn't you cook it for yourself? You could get easy options, it doesn't all have to be from scratch? I have cooked roast dinners for myself many times and loved it. Don't forget, you will get a few days out of it. Your DH can make sandwiches from it too. Maybe you could try and tempt your DC to try some too? It is concerning that he seems to be picking up on the food aversion thing. You poor thing

@FatBettyintheCoop

I hate these threads as I read them and end up feeling sorry for myself. I never cook a Christmas roast dinner because there’d only be me eating it and I wouldn’t get any pleasure from it.

Most years I cook some type of curry for DH and I and for DS, chicken nuggets and chips as that’s what he prefers. I don’t particularly want to eat curry on Christmas Day but equally, it’s the only hot food that DH will eat and at least we all sit at the table together. He lives on cold salad type dishes and sandwiches most of the time and never eats with us as he isn’t interested in food and sometimes he even has to be reminded to eat. He’s a lovely person who has serious food issues so it’s a compromise.

My last actual Christmas dinner on Christmas day was when my mum was alive, more than 20 years ago. There are no other family members so it’s just the 3 of us so it won’t change for the foreseeable.

Wait till the pubs start doing Christmas lunches and go with your DH to the pub for lunch, he can have what he wants and you can have a Christmas dinner.

Personally, I couldn't go for takeaway because I couldn't support and encourage businesses to open on Xmas day when they don't need to, those poor staff.

@PrivateHall It's extra money for the staff, which I'm sure they appreciate. Also any Muslim staff for instance aren't always bothered if it's Xmas, it means nothing to them and they don't all acknowledge it. They're glad of the extra work, and might actually be paid extra by some businesses for working those days. It's just another day to them either way, so they've lost nothing by working.

That's bleak if you like a traditional Xmas @FatBettyintheCoop . BigFatLiar is right, you could have a meal out where you can have it in the run up to Xmas maybe. And again if you can tolerate making another meal for yourself, you could have the proper turkey slices off the deli counter (where you can find one nowadays) and make an Xmas dinner.

@BigFatLiar

Sounds a lovely idea but DH hates pubs too. He doesn’t drink alcohol and can’t stand seeing people getting drunk. He manages sitting in a cafe for coffee very occasionally, although not since Covid.

One year when DS is older, I might take him to the pub.

We have our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve at lunchtime, then spend the afternoon watching Christmas movies and eating popcorn and Pringles.

I cook a gammon joint overnight in the slow cooker and on Christmas Day we have that on a buffet with left over turkey, part baked ciabatta and pickles. Plus each DC picks one hot and one cold item for the buffet, that way everyone has their favourite food.

So we usually end up with turkey, ham, bread, pickles, cocktail sausages, pigs in blankets, sausage rolls plus twiglets, Pringles, cheddars etc and we just leave it on the table and snack all day - best bit is the only cooking I have to do on Christmas Day is the part baked bread and sausage rolls, takes 30 mins max.

Had an Indian takeaway one year. Everyone loved it. Fantastic.

My favourite Christmas Day, was the year my parents went away and asked us to join them and we said no (very brave saying no to my mum who can sulk forever) we had lost my father in law that may and my Nan in the January, and my husband our son and I hired a cottage in Weymouth by the harbour, Christmas Eve we went and saw carols being sung on the harbour then got chips, Christmas Day we watched mad people swim across harbour in morning which was brilliant and my husband cooked steak with colcannon mash and we curled up watching tv, then friends joined us for two days whose kids were same age as ours, it was bliss.

I've been out for a Balti on Christmas day before.
That was great - I hate turkey, and most roast meals I find boring.
Also no washing up afterwards.😁

Honestly, unless there is a large proportion of staff who don't celebrate Christmas most of us definitely do not want to work Christmas but we can't all have it off.
Luckily I do have it off this year and thought I could get out of cooking a roast so I told my 6 year old we could have whatever she wanted....she wants a full Christmas dinner so that plan backfired but I don't do turkey because none of us like it which does help slightly.

We’ve had Christmas lunch on the 24th before due to various people working Christmas Day.

On Christmas Day we either had a buffet - lots of nice party food from M&S, nice picky foods and desserts. We have also had festive baguettes with the leftovers which worked really well with everyone assembling their own.

We have our Christmas lunch between the 21st and 23rd. CBA on Christmas day. Spent too many Christmases being slave to the kitchen! SO I haven't done it for about 5 or 6 years (since DD left.)

We have snacks and nibbles on Christmas day (during the day.) And maybe just salmon for dinner, or just sausage and mash or something else really simple. Then savoury nibbles for supper with some port. We go for a meal around 20th December with DD and her boyfriend. We see her Christmas day sometimes, depending on if her boyfriend is working, or DH (her dad) is working. They are both in jobs that are open 365 days a year, and every 3rd year, they work Christmas day, and Boxing day.

We do a buffet on Boxing day or the 27th.

This year DH is off from 18th december to 4th Jan though,

Insecure, low self esteem and a husband that never says a good word to her. Gently tell her she is good at what she does, but please stop all the texts with lists. 1 text am, 1 pm max every day.