Any ideas for a special dinner on Christmas day for 4.

[booboo57]

After a bit of help from yhe hive mind please. As a lot to if family are away for Christmas day I'm hosting full blown Christmas dinner the week before. I go full on and there will be 10 plus children. DH and I had planned nibbly bits in front of the fire for Christmas day. Now my dd 27 and new boyfriend are coming to stay. I feel I want a sit down meal to punctuate the day a bit. But can't get inspired about what to cook. Rather want to steer away from a roast as it would be just like a Sunday lunch. We're omnivores but DH not too keen on fish. Tia

For us this would be either:
lasagne garlic bread nice salad
stew and dumplings
chick and bacon pie
mince beef pie
cottage pie
toad in whole

Depending on the tastes of the people involved, I would do one of two things:

1. homemade steak pie with red wine and bacon gravy, garlic mash, tenderstem broccoli and baby carrots

2. a homemade curry feast: two different curries, pilau rice, homemade naans and poppadoms with all the trimmings, bhajis, pakora, chutney, raitha, onion salad etc

I would roast an individual poussin each, and then some interesting warm salads alongside.

Feels luxe but not a lot of tedious cooking and some can be done in advance

I’d see about getting some platters - prawns, cheese, meat, lovely bread, salads. Do a sort of very luxurious snacky meal. Minimal effort but still feels like a treat because it’s more than I’d spend on a normal Sunday meal. Plus some fizz - because you can graze on it I can stay at the table a while which has the nice effect of breaking up the day if that’s what you’re after!

Duck ragu
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/venison-sausage-chestnut-casserole Venison casserole or Wellington with creamy mustard mash
Champagne risotto
Luxury truffle macaroni cheese

Good ideas guys. Thank you!

I'd put a beef casserole in the slow cooker and serve with roast potatoes and dumplings