Christmas Day Menu

[FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee]

I usually go to my mum's for the day, where we have prawn cocktail/Turkey/pudding but I want to make the day my own, not recreate hers.

So, what's your menu on Christmas Day? I'm looking for inspiration (especially starters).

Thank you.

No starters here either.

We’re a gang of 7 and we are having:
turkey
gammon
pigs in blankets
stuffing
roasties
dauphinoise potatoes
broccoli
green beans
carrots
peas
sprouts <shudder>
cranberry sauce
gravy

Followed by a flaming Christmas pud, brandy butter, custard and chocolate ice lollies for the people who don’t like raisins 🤣

We have croissants and pain au choc for breakfast with clementine bucks fizz.

No starter, Beef Wellington and gammon with alllllll the trimmings (cauli cheese, yorkies, honey carrots, stuffing balls etc.) and Chambord triffle.

OH does it all from scratch - even bakes a maderia cake for the trifle base, jelly from fruit and gelatin, the lot. It's ace!

Is it? No one else seems to think so.

I had actually intended to book a restaurant but when I looked today, the good ones had been booked up already.

My mum usually hosts, as I said, and it's always over the top and spectacular. I've tried once before and it felt a bit flat. I want to make it amazing for everyone this time around. While also not missing out on time with my young sons.

And all your replies have really cheered up my crappy Saturday night, so thank you all.

Our tradition is bucks fizz and cinnamon rolls for breakfast:

we have canapés while we open presents instead of starters.

then transitional Christmas dinner.

desert is usually late - Christmas pudding and trifle.

We have lamb! It’s our favourite meat.

Soup or prawn cocktail. It's not Christmas without a starter.

"Last year we had an Indian take away. It was really good. We ordered it Christmas eve and just re heated everything."

Why?! Surely the fun of a takeaway is not putting the oven on!

We don't usually have a starter, but on the odd occasion we have, it was smoked salmon on v thin slices of brown bread with posh butter (and Buck's Fizz)

Then turkey with all the trimmings (with prosecco or red wine)

We don't bother with pudding, but have a cheeseboard that people can pick at for as long as they like. Plus all the Quality Street etc. With port, madeira or pudding wine

(and no, in the "Christmas" topic, it's never too early)

@myrtleWilson That sounds like a delicious meal, I'd love to try that one year.

@Ibizafun there's always one isn't there? The OP posted quite rightly in the Christmas topic so it's not time limited.

We gave up starters a few years ago. We have bacon sandwiches around 10am and then main course at 4, with drinks and nibbles in between!

I apologise!!!! I'm definitely the one today.. didn't see the Christmas topic.

I’ve no idea why I’ve never considered not doing a starter. Suddenly Christmas dinner sounds so much more simple.

Stealing the pie idea 💡

Last year is the 1st year I've done Christmas Dinner, usually at my parents. I did a big 'picky' breakfast around 10am with bucks fizz (croissants, crumpets, nice bread, smoked salmon, sausages, scrambled egg and a big fruit platter. Nutella, Jam and cream cheese to go) which stayed out to nibble on all day then no starter and turkey with all the trimmings around 3pm.
Pudding - cheesecake and ice cream and jelly with lot's of sprinkles and fun stuff for the kids.
Ooo this is getting me so buzzing for it this year!

We have small espresso cups of soup for starter! I top with a little homemade crouton (a slice of a baguette lightly fried with garlic, butter and parsley). I usually do butternut squash soup or tomato and I freeze it so I just heat it through on the day.

Actually that's my top tip for making sure you enjoy Christmas Day! If you enjoy cooking and want to have a feast, but also want to enjoy time with the kids make stuff ahead bit by bit and put it the the freezer.

I make ahead:

• soup for starter
• carrots parboiled (I then put in a roasting tin from frozen with some goose fat, halved clementines and thyme on the day)
• parsnips parboiled (these get roasted from frozen finished with a honey mustard glaze on the day)
• big tray of homemade chestnut, sage and onion stuffing with bacon lardons and sausage meat (freeze raw)
• bread sauce
• gravy
• red cabbage and apple
• cauliflower cheese

I just pick a dish every now and then in the lead up to Christmas, make it and freeze it. Takes all the pressure off! All I have to bother with is the roast potatoes, Yorkshires and popping the Turkey in. Everything else gets just loaded in to the oven.

No starter for us either. But we do have some tasty canapés to hand around with drinks beforehand.

I love a traditional Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. But we usually vary the meat either lamb or slow cooked beef. Dessert is always Christmas pudding with mince pies. We tend to have the cheeseboard later on in the evening.

OP the food is obvs the main thing on the day but if you want to make it special don’t forget drinks, crackers, festive napkins and table runners, making the table Look special etc. We play board games and have a bit of dance around the living room too

Not really! We are already booked to go away for Christmas after I discovered that all the twin rooms in the Hotel we wanted were already booked when we checked 2 weeks ago two weeks ago😯😯We have a family room though which will come to the same thing!

If you don't mind, how long do these things take to cook from frozen?
I love the idea of doing this but I have to follow instructions/recipes. I wouldn't know how long to cook for off the top of my head.

They probably don't deliver Christmas Day
We go to an Indian restaurant on Christmas Day who usually do takeaway but they stop it for that night

No starters. Salmon wellington with all the usual trimmings as a main. Home made Yule log with a rich chocolate ganache icing for pudding.

• no starters, just shop bought canapés, crisps etc
• turkey, gammon, veg medley usually including carrots, sprouts, parsnips, etc, roast potatoes, pigs in blankets
• xmas pud, chocolate log

We don't have starters either.

And all your replies have really cheered up my crappy Saturday night, so thank you all.

Me too - Love reading everyone’s Christmas menu and getting ideas. Never too soon!

I'm going to buck the MN trend of pretending to eat nothing and share our completely OTT Christmas menu.

Breakfast: full English (inc black pudding) plus smoked salmon, cream cheese and caviar. Buck's Fizz as well.

3pm lunch (for 10 adults and 4 children): Turkey, venison and beef, Yorkshires, mashed and roast potato, cauliflower cheese, 3 types of homemade stuffing, all of the veg, pigs in blankets.

Dessert: cheeseboard, Christmas pudding, chocolate cake (for the kids but adults often join in), one other dessert (apple pie/sticky toffee/bread and butter pudding).

No evening meal because we would explode. Leftovers do us until NYE if supplemented with chips/rice (for curry)/an extra batch of stuffing.

We used to do prawn cocktail starter but it got too hectic so we just stopped and had an extra glass of wine before the meal instead.

Takes 3 days of prep inc Christmas Day but so worth it!