Christmas Eve Dinner

[ChristmasCrumpet]

Just looking for some ideas really.

We don't want to to the "Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve" thing, which does sound lovely, but we'll have the whole family here Christmas Day, and they'll want a Christmas Dinner, and so will the kids.

Christmas Day evening, we put out a late buffet for the adults when the DC have gone to bed, charcuterie, cheeseboard, canapes etc...so don't want that Christmas Eve either.

We don't really want a heavy meal like a Chinese or Indian takeaway either.

I know this is a lot of "don'ts"...

What we do want, is something special, just the two of us, as DC will have a pizza, yet as low maintenance as possible, as we'll be doing the last minute house prep/wrapping and would like to not be faffing with fancy cooking.

Any ideas?

Ooh that sounds delicious!

We get the Gressingham half duck from the supermarket which comes with pancakes. Chuck it in the oven, cut up some spring onion and cucumber and you've got yourself almost as good as a takeaway duck pancakes. Can always throw some spring rolls in as well if you want a bit more food. Easy and delicious.

The seafood platter from M&S is sooooooooo good!

Takeaway or easy prep eg ham , egg and chips, fish and chips, spag bol.

You don't need to overthink Christmas Eve .

Do you live near a Booths supermarket? They do amazing fish / seafood platters to order, one of those and a nice baguette, pile of fancy mixed leaves, and a good white wine

If not condolences but I'm sure any good local fishmonger could supply similar

Steak and chips for us

A generous starter and a pudding

@OP I'm guilty of not reading your post properly 😂. So a light, romantic dinner for two is what you're after.

Scallops with (a tiny amount of) black pudding and celeriac purée
Langoustine with a champagne sauce
Beans on toast 😂

We were visiting relatives last year and I was introduced to Booths, I’m so jealous we don’t have them in Scotland, their produce is amazing.

This does actually sound delicious, and is a forerunner.

I go all out at Christmas, not present wise, but I'm really big into traditional things, and they lack the convenience of a more modern Christmas. I love it, but it's time consuming. Everything is wrapped and done well in advance. Wreaths made. Carol concerts done. Lights all around. As much prep as physically possible is done as early as possible.

So, Christmas Eve is special for DH and I. It marks the end of all the work I've put in, we put a film on for the DC who have pizza and popcorn, we do our Christmas Eve traditions and then off to bed they go....and it's just us, starting our Christmas.

I always forget something, and it's never as relaxed as I plan, but we try our best to get all the presents downstairs, stockings filled and set up, and the little DC large/main presents ready and set up for instant play in the morning. I set the table for breakfast, and if all has gone well, this is done by about 7.30pm, and we have a nice romantic evening to ourselves. Fire on, candles on, the quiet calm before the hullabaloo of next morning.

Seafood does sound the way. I do like the idea above, and it lends itself to munching it in front of the fire with a glass of wine.

I also wondered about sushi... although I don't know if I want cold food on a late December evening.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/creamy-garlic-lemon-spinach-salmon

This is very tasty, sharp with the lemon which means it isn't heavy, but also some luxury with the marscapone. The sweet potato mash balanced the citrusy fish. Very easy to make, easy ingredients to get in salmon, spinach, sweet potatoes, marcsapone, lemon.
About 20 mins from start to finish.

We always do a side of salmon and a gammon.
Have with new potatoes and salad then have the remainder on boxing day buffet.

I would probably do seafood (probably mussels in white wine sauce and/or prawns and scallops in a garlicky chilli sauce with crusty bread and salad), or a seafood platter if you can buy one in for ease. Either that or a Thai green curry with chicken or prawns and lots of lovely veg (I know you said no Chinese/Indian but Thai is really light and fresh and is easy to make at home so long as you're fine with a pre-prepared paste).

I don't think I could handle some of the heavier suggestions here like fish and chips or macaroni cheese the day before a full Christmas roast tbh!

It isn't what we do, but given your guidelines, I would go for scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. Still special, but not a buffet meal (which rules out pate/cheeses etc).

Aldi did a bang in the oven lobster Thermidor last year and it was lovely. We had that and the scallops with a bottle of cremant. Hope they do it again!

We always have a whole baked camenbert with a crusty baguette, some serrano ham, olives and other crudities. I enjoy my christmas eve dinner more than christmas day.

We had lidl Deluxe salmon en croute one year. Just with steamed green veg and a few buttered new potatoes. It was perfect.

We have a Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve and seafood, ham and salads on Christmas Day. Maybe you could do your the other way around. We have a couple of crayfish already cooked, prawns, a cheese veg and biscuit board and a couple of salads. It’s fairly easy.

We get a takeaway on Xmas eve

DD and I have paella. We love it and it's a one pot dish so easy enough to clear up.

We’re having fried chicken and waffles with ice cream and maple syrup :)

What about Coq au Blanc. Lighter than Coq au Vin, can be prepared in advance and kept in a low oven. Serve with some crusty bread

For the last few years we've had Cornish pasties and a blustery seaside walk on Christmas Eve

Which is much nicer than it sounds! Usually there's twinkly colourful lights swinging in the breeze but reflecting off the sea.

And a local pub for half a pint.

Then home for a warm, satisfying and easy meal.

We typically have a cheese fondue (with French bread, conichons etc) just me and DH when kids are in bed

And I know it's not the solution you're looking for BUT last year we ended up grabbing a McDonald's drive through due to circumstances out of our control (stuck in a traffic jam due to an accident for hours etc etc ..) and it was delightful 😂 no thinking/effort or washing up involved, we are considering doing it again! Lol

We have developed a tradition of having baked camembert with nice breads, vegetable crudités, Pringles (only bought at Christmas), grapes and something nice to drink.