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Christmas

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

Original poster

Where and what do you eat on Christmas Eve

92 replies

RevolvingPivot · 21/12/2021 14:56

Just that really.

We stay in and have a small buffet style tea with cheese and crackers etc.

I always imagine the four of us watching a film together. Truth is non of us like watching the same stuff. I'd watch anything just for us to be together.

DH (as usual) will go to bed to watch tv and either both dds will watch a bit of tv with me or they will go to their rooms to play on their phones. Might play a board game with dd9 but dd11 gets bored way too quickly.

OP posts:
Caspianberg · 21/12/2021 14:59

Will probably do homemade sausage rolls and mince pies.
Followed by muelled wine whilst we try and build Ds Christmas present once he’s asleep

Original poster
RevolvingPivot · 21/12/2021 14:59

When younger every year we went to a pub with an amazing kids section. Lots of games where you won tickets and could cash them in for toys or sweets (like you can at the arcades near the coast).

Some of my parents friends and their kids would come. Then on the way home some of the dads would say they could see Santa's sleigh flying across the sky. Ah memories. Most of the dads are no longer with us. I hope my kids don't look back thinking our Christmas was dull.

OP posts:
Yesthatscorrect · 21/12/2021 15:05

This year we will just be out of isolation so fuck it we're eating out. Going to all order whatever we want and I'll have a cocktail too.

We usually very rarely eat out on Christmas eve. It's usually party food from m&s or something like hot beef sandwiches or a pork dip with homemade chips.

CrimbleCrumble1 · 21/12/2021 15:11

We have a buffet at home and some Buck’s Fizz. I’ve done this every Christmas Eve except one year since my DH and I got together 26 years ago.
We always exchange one small present and a Christmas card and have a glass of bubbly. It’s our special time before the busy family Christmas Day.

GiltEdges · 21/12/2021 15:16

We don't really have a Christmas Eve eating tradition, but this year we're having fish and chips. I can't wait! It'll also probably be washed down with a glass or two of champagne once we finally get DS in bed. It's been a hard year so I feel like we deserve it Grin

Nc123 · 21/12/2021 15:29

Buffet at home with nibbles and wine!

emmathedilemma · 21/12/2021 15:32

We went through a spell of going out for dinner although I never really understood why when we having a big meal again the next day. I think it was because we saw relatives who we didn't see on Xmas Day. I've no idea what we're having this year - something easy with minimal washing up!

tarheelbaby · 21/12/2021 15:38

We either do something as a foursome or with DH's family (mine all live in a different country).

  1. pizza party with our children and BiL's children of similar age plus DH's parents. less likely now but it was a huge success every time we did it.
  2. evening service (crib/Christingle) at local church followed by smoked salmon, seafood and champagne. sometimes DH's parents come too.
DH's mother was a physio and one of her clients was the Duchess of York's grandmother who gave MIL a side of salmon every year at Christmas. So they always had watercress soup and salmon on Christmas Eve. It was easy to do and didn't clash with the roast dinner on Christmas Day.

When I was a child, my parents with my father's parents held a huge party with eggnog and loads of nibbles. Lots of people in our town did the same. Most people went to church for midnight mass so there was a natural end. And people had to go home to assemble presents and fill stockings. Until COVID, my father was still having a party on Christmas Eve.

RadioSixMusicLover · 21/12/2021 15:47

We always have lobster rolls, lemon Mayo and fries with a nice pudding and champagne.

Lifeispassingby · 21/12/2021 15:52

Ham egg and chips here- we cook the turkey and gammon on Xmas eve so have the ham hot with triple cooked chips and fried eggs. My parents will come (providing DH covid test comes back neg before 🤞) and we will eat together and have Prosecco. Last Xmas we had DFIL funeral Xmas eve so did nothing until Boxing Day and then it was just us so we are looking forward to return to tradition this year all being well x

LaTomatina · 21/12/2021 15:55

Overcooked salmon at MiL's. Followed by presents for the kids, not because we don't see her on Christmas Day (we do) she just can't stand the suspense. Bless her.

jingscrivvens · 21/12/2021 15:57

Chippie tea!

I'll have spent the day running about like a blue arsed fly trying to clean and prep and suchlike that having a fish supper carrot dangled in front of me will keep me going. Once I'm in from the chippie and I'm sitting eating it on the sofa watching something vaguely Christmassy it starts the internal Christmas day clock for me. Love it

NeverDropYourMoonCup · 21/12/2021 16:01

I have to have a lasagne and homemade cheese straws like branches, apparently. I was hoping that DP would give this up now I've been diagnosed celiac and have to avoid dairy, but no, he's insisting upon making gluten and dairy free versions instead.

I'd rather have salmon or cod with dill sauce and New potatoes, but no, Christmas Eve is his choice and he's sticking to it.

MrsDThomas · 21/12/2021 16:22

Im working till about 5, so buffet for us too. Kids are 19/17/13 so no running around and sneaking presents quietly round the house. Relax and a drink.

ohidoliketobe · 21/12/2021 16:26

Our house, Christmas Dinner.

We have 3 young DC (under 9) and have found it easier to do main meal late afternoon Christmas Eve. It's a lot less stressful, the kids are more inclined to actually sit and eat it as even though they are giddy, they aren't distracted with presents. Christmas Day is dedicated to leftovers, opening presents and playing with toys

desperatehousewife21 · 21/12/2021 16:37

Party food stuff at home, so mini pizzas, chicken skewers, pigs in blankets, prawn bites etc etc then we’ll put a mince pie etc out for Santa and the kids will disappear into their rooms and play Roblox etc and DH and I watch tv. Then when kids are asleep we’ll take all the presents down and arrange them around the tree Xmas Smile that’s actually one of my fav parts of Christmas

Woofwoofbarkbark · 21/12/2021 16:39

We have our Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve. Means we have all day on Christmas day to spend together and play with the kids.

plixy · 21/12/2021 16:39

We always have Chinese take away. My mum always did it when I was young as she didn't want to cook the night before doing the turkey.
We have stuck with the tradition and my mum still comes round for Chinese with us.

crazyjinglist · 21/12/2021 16:41

We don't have a particular Christmas Eve food tradition. We're usually away staying with family. My DM used to often do a game pie on Christmas Eve though, which was fab.

cheeseisthebest · 21/12/2021 16:44

M and s picky bits. Yum!

alwaystakethetrip · 21/12/2021 16:49

Raclette! 😋

BeyondMyWits · 21/12/2021 16:52

@Lifeispassingby , ham egg and chips here too!

Boogaloony · 21/12/2021 16:55

I do some buffet food and traditionally we have festive pulled pork with stuffing on a roll.

APurpleSquirrel · 21/12/2021 16:55

We usually go out for a meal on Christmas Eve - it's a tradition from my childhood when my mum wanted the break from cooking before the big roast on Christmas Day.
However, last year it didn't happen, obviously, & this year we're thinking it's too risky as we have young DC & see CEV family the next day. So we'll be having take away.
Hopefully we can revive the tradition next year - we usually go to Zizzi & have Italian.

Peabody25 · 21/12/2021 16:57

Pre DC and when he was younger, we didn't really have any set traditions, no that he's older (8) we do a Christmas light drive round then Christmas film and take away.