Has anyone regretted doing Christmas lunch on Christmas Eve?

[liveeverysecond]

DDs are with their Dad from Christmas Day lunch this year and we have guests Boxing Day so thinking about doing our Christmas lunch on Christmas Eve then a buffet Boxing Day... I'm worried it won't feel the same and will regret it.

Home Christmas afternoon with DP and we're looking forward to a long dog walk then lazy afternoon so will get in easy food!

I'd still like to try this but dc's are very suspicious of any changes. Christmas Day is often exhausting with being up early after staying up late to put out presents under the tree before Father Christmas does the rest. Then so much cooking and clearing and everything rushed because dds go to their dad's about 2pm. Im the only adult able to do anything too so it's a lot of work.

My kids used to be with me Christmas Eve to Christmas Day lunch time then back Boxing Day. I now have them all 3 days, we used to have roast gammon on Christmas, Eve not to clash with their turkey with their dad on Christmas Day. We still do a big buffet on Christmas Eve as that's when family visit

I would love to have our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve by candlelight and then bubble and squeak on Christmas Day. But sadly I was outvoted. DH does the bulk of the cooking, so I guess it is more his call than mine.

I would love to have our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve by candlelight

Ooh I'm totally going to do that this year!

I have the opposite problem this year - will probably not have Christmas dinner until the 26th due to Dd working Christmas Eve & Christmas Day. So trying to decide what to have instead on Christmas Day.

Don’t really want to do the full roast two days in a row. Any suggestions? Kids are all adults.

What will you be doing on Christmas Day? I would take that as my starting point. If I was still going ahead with celebrations minus the Christmas dinner, I would have something I like but not the usual sort of food I eat regularly. I would also possibly have something that can be prepared before hand. For me it would be a lasagne or curry.

if I was saving the Christmas celebrations until Boxing Day I would just eat ‘normal’ food.

As an alternative, how about party food?

Not done it yet but we've booked a cavery for tea on Christmas eve this year and are hoping a decent takeaway wi be open and delivering on Christmas Day 🤞

It will be lovely!
Why would you regret it?

P.S, I mean, I would do it as an evening meal, on Christmas Eve, not lunch. Candle lit and magical.

I fostered a couple of children for a few years whose parents had sent a legal letter banning them from eating Christmas dinner ( they cited religious reasons but it was more about control) so we started doing Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve and we still do- it’s a great start to Christmas celebrating and the Actual day is so much more relaxed. We have pigs in blankets and mash on Christmas Day which helps soak all the chocolate.

Christmas Eve is our dinner day. It feels like a much more 'together' experience and we won't go back to trying to squeeze everything into Christmas Day. Enjoy OP!

We did this last year and will be doing it again this year too. Christmas Day was so much more relaxed! We had a beef dinner Xmas eve. Xmas day we cooked turkey and stuffing baps then Asda / Iceland buffet food during the evening.

We have a roast dinner on Christmas Eve and it's fabulous. It feels anticipatory and festive.

On Christmas late morning i set up a buffet of cheese, croissants & bread, olives, cakes, crisps, etc and augmented by leftovers from the fridge it's a daylong feast. I make it nice with candles, fancy serving dishes, little decorations and we just graze from it all day.

If you’re having your roast on Christmas Eve, why not have a traditional Boxing Day lunch on Christmas Day. In our house, that’s a selection of cold meats and pickles, bubble and squeak, hot pigs in blankets and nice bread. I prefer this meal to Christmas Day lunch, I think. And it’s still very Christmassy but much easier.

Just get bigger of everything op. So you then have leftovers and you and dp can do a scaled down version on Xmas day. You can still have everything like an Xmas meal with the 2 of you. lay the table get all the music and movies on. You could have everything leftover or if you want to add a bit of stress you could cook fresh veg and tatties ☺️

Polish soul here. I wouldn't have it any other way. I prefer Christmas Eve. Christmas day is just bland, and food is boring. You won't regret celebrating on 24th.

@primeoflife are you me?? I borrow my Mum's hostess trolley, it comes out on its annual pilgrimage, shedding the vase and photos that adorn it for the other 364 days of the year, and it's a godsend.
I prep everything....like you, my pigs in blankets, stuffing and cauliflower cheese is already done and in the freezer, and on Christmas Eve we have a communal veg peeling session whilst having a drink (or three).
Honestly makes cooking Christmas dinner (always dinner, never lunch!!) a doddle....we eat at 2pm (breakfast is sausage rolls and Bucks Fizz) then play games, eat chocolate, drink Bailey's and thoroughly enjoy the day. I couldn't relax, knowing I'd got to start cooking later on.
We never have the telly on, Boxing Day is for relaxing, eating leftovers and catching up on the stuff we've recorded. Love it all!