Would you still do a full Christmas Dinner if it was just you and DH?

[EarlofShrewsbury]

Starter, turkey plus all the trimmings, pudding?

Would you bother?

It’s essentially me and DH, as with the past few years, as the kids won’t eat much. Chicken or Turkey crown but all the trimmings. I’m veggie so nut roast. Did Turkey breast last year for DH! But all the trimmings indeed. The trimmings are the best bit of Christmas! Sadly we can never agree on the pudding so usually a Yule log for the kids which I find a bit of a let down. I’ve never had a started for Xmas dinner in my life, just a waste surely as you need all the room possible for the roast!

No - I'd do a steak

If I was married I definitely would.

Ha ha DP has never cooked. Clears up well though.

Fascinating that so few people will have a starter. I would opt out of the pudding course but DBIL, who is in charge of Christmas lunch and takes it seriously, has us all allocated contributions. Ours is wines, cheese and chocolate, plus clotted cream as we live in Cornwall. It is always a meal to linger over and enjoy, but we spend a long time cooking and eating it, before playing parlour games. The rest of us will do jobs, walk dogs and entertain the small fry. And everyone will get stuck into the washing up. There will be lots.

I'd not do a roast but I'd have an indulgent special meal which might take as much time to prep as a roast.

I did for years. He enjoyed it 🤷🏻‍♀️

I don’t like turkey I’d rather have a corn fed chicken.

Of course! Why not? Not necessarily Turkey though, but often it is just me and DH and we see the other family members on different days over the festive period. But if we aren't eating out, absolutely yes, I cook a special meal with starters and puddings. You don't have to buy a whole turkey, there are plenty of smaller pre-prepared options ( we like Duck, although Beef Wellington is another favourite,) but I do all the trimmings and we take our time and spread the courses out a bit

Oooh yes, definitely.

I make turkey and stuffing because that’s the only part of Christmas dinner I like. My husband wants ham and all the trimmings too, so he makes that himself even though only he eats it.

I have done. It's OK if you're happy to eat leftovers for the next three days! Not doing it this year but that's for reasons of economy mainly.

Absolutely yes - and I would cook it for myself if I was on my own. Never have a starter before the Christmas meal anyway but I really enjoy a well cooked roast Turkey meal. And I am very happy to eat leftovers for a couple of days.

I wouldn’t buy a Turkey for two.

Yep, we did in lockdown with just the two of us and a pre-weaned baby. I would never not eat Christmas dinner on Christmas Day. It's not that much effort either, it's just a roast.

Of course! During Covid it was just DH, DS2 and I but I cooked anyway and then took 'doorstep care packages' to DS1 & DiL and DBro the next day.

We don't have turkey, that's for Thanksgiving. We do traditional family dishes that our family has been eating on Xmas for four generations.

Last few years there have only been 3 of us on Xmas day
we still have starters then full on Xmas dinner with more than one choice of main and multiple vegetables and other accompaniments
no one can manage a dessert!

Absolutely! Our first Christmas on our own with 3 week old ds1 we still did a full turkey dinner. If I remember rightly the turkey weighed about the same as the baby!

This year we will be having smoked salmon - prawns and a lobster terrine to start with salad
Then roast chicken, Guinea fowl and a stuffed cushion of venison with home made stuffing and pigs in blankets
roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, mashed butternut squash mixed with sweet potato, carrots, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower cheese and braised red cabbage - all home made
I quite enjoy cooking anyway - tonight had lamb with 6 veg choices and jus or gravy

No way! The two of us will be having the finest sirloin steaks with peppercorn sauce. Fuck this Christmas turkey shit.

I couldn't be arsed if I was cooking but I know my partner would

I love Christmas dinner and the starter is the best bit.

We've got kids but this year they are with their other parents (we don't have any joint DC).
Normally we would go to my mums when we don't have the kids but she's away.

No where else we could go really.

I've just realised though thanks to this thread that because it's just us it wouldn't be too expensive to get nice fancy M&S pre prepped stuff.

Yes!! We did for two years before DS arrived. Plenty of time to cook it, ate it when suited us - brilliant!

No we don't. Christmas Day is cheese, meats, pickles, more cheese, bread, wine, grazing all day.

Boxing Day is a Turkey, Brie, pig in blanket and cranberry sandwich

I've been known to cook a full roast dinner just for myself! But then I enjoy cooking and then usually make soup with left over chicken/veg.

If you enjoy cooking then yes, go for it. If you find cooking stressful then do something you'd enjoy.

Yes, and we do. Full works, it's our favourite time of year. We buy a turkey which is meant to feed 8-10 people too, because we both love leftovers.