Where and what do you eat on Christmas Eve

[RevolvingPivot]

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.

Until last year my parents always had a party for about 40 people on Christmas Eve, last year let them retire it gracefully.

This year for the first time ever in my 43 years, we won't be having Christmas at my parents house, and are hosting at mine. I am beyond excited to be able to host my first "grown up" Christmas!

The fridge and cupboards are full to bursting with food and drinks for Christmas and the house will be given its final spruce up tomorrow so its spotless.
I am just so thankful we can host them and hopefully give them as fantastic a Christmas as they have always given us. I have never felt so much Christmas spirit, I am bursting with it!

We're going to have Reuben sandwiches. Fried sandwich of salt beef (actually pastrami as it was all I could get and inky thought of the idea last week so too late to salt my own), on sourdough bread with a marie rose style sauce, gherkins and cheese.

I wanted something completely different to the roast and party food of the following days, but tasty and a treat. It's our first year ever at home as a family so it might bea new tradition for us!

We have our Christmas Dinner on Christmas eve

Pizza Express on Christmas Eve.

There is a particular branch that also used to be two other different restaurants. It’s just round the corner from my secondary school. Over the years I I’ve gone there a lot in it’s different guises.

This year and last year it’s takeaway though.

We are using the raclette with meats, cheese and veg. The kids love cooking their own stuff on it and it gets all the family together.

Then we all watch Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Top the night off by reading 'Twas The Night Before Christmas.

Happy days.

Take away. By time we've gone for a long walk to tire them out. Baths for them all. Bit of crafts etc I just want to chill when They go to bed, before getting the presents down from the loft once they're asleep which gets later each year. 3am for the ' then 8 year old'! Due to excitement

We normally treat dcs to a mac d or whatever after walk. Then they'll have a treat out of their Xmas eve box after bath when doing crafts

Christmas Eve is always fish pie for us. Everyone likes it, I can prepare it in advance, I serve it with frozen peas so it is easy, and it is completely different from any of the festive food. Having something delicious but easy is essential for me as all the veg prep etc. gets done on Christmas Eve.

One of us is usually working at christmas. This year we both have christmas day and boxing day off. But DH is working xmas eve (NHS). I will alone for the evening. I will be watching Patrick Stewarts Christmas Carol and drinking port whilst tucking into my extensive cheese and crackers selection. I just need to get more grapes and cherry tomatoes then my night is sorted. I can not wait.

Chinese takeaway, we get all the starters and have a wee buffet.

We eat out with friends, it gets everyone in the festive spirit. Then home for a family film and sweets.

I've ordered a luxury fish pie but my kids don't seem keen on it so it will probably be homemade lasagna. I'm collecting my son at 8pm 70 miles away so we won't be eating it together! He'll have the lasagna heated up.

Nice bread, meat, dips, and this year everyone has requested a different flavour of Doritos. We've done this for the last four years, and apparently it's now 'tradition' and my suggestions of other things we could eat, were met with expressions of horror.

We usually watch a film with hot choc and marshmallows, but the DC are too old now and can't agree on a film, so I think we might teach them to play poker instead!

Another who has big meal on Xmas eve.

I am spending tomorrow baking - am so excited as I love it:)

Then Xmas eve walk/yoga in the am. Walk will be via the butchers to get meat and a festive coffee. Back home and dm should arrive at about 2. Then we are having the works but with a roast duck and a salmon wellington for me. Probably about 4ish.

Then board games/drinks/something sweet about 7ish and then I think I am planning to watch die hard. Which I have never seen. But this depends on language/sex content for dds - I can cope with the famous line as long as it's not through the whole film. My 75 year old church going mother's favourite film is Kingsman so no worries there.

@WeeFae

Chinese takeaway, we get all the starters and have a wee buffet.

This is an absolutely brilliant idea - may I steal it for next year, please, @WeeFae?

Go for it, it's a total game-changer for us! Cooked and delivered hot and no washing up or using the cooker!

These are so lovely to read.

I think we will watch Encanto in the day then Elf. Although it might just be me.

This is the first year Dds don't believe so this year will be a strange one on where I leave the presents etc.

@ThankYouVeryMuchGerry

Until last year my parents always had a party for about 40 people on Christmas Eve, last year let them retire it gracefully.

This year for the first time ever in my 43 years, we won't be having Christmas at my parents house, and are hosting at mine. I am beyond excited to be able to host my first "grown up" Christmas!

The fridge and cupboards are full to bursting with food and drinks for Christmas and the house will be given its final spruce up tomorrow so its spotless.
I am just so thankful we can host them and hopefully give them as fantastic a Christmas as they have always given us. I have never felt so much Christmas spirit, I am bursting with it!

Sounds exciting.

My mum / late grandma and even my younger siblings have had Christmas dinner at theirs. We have not. Although we have the smallest house and DS and DB don't have kids and I'm a worrier / autistic.