Anyone Else Not Make Christmas Dinner

[Kwasi]

Does anyone else not bother with Christmas dinner?

I love Christmas and hate cooking, so the last thing I want to be doing is prepping food in the days leading up, as well as spending time in the kitchen on Christmas Day itself.

I also think it's a massive waste of money on top of the other Christmas expenses. I honestly don't know how people afford it.

Does anyone else not bother with Christmas dinner?

We have haggis because we asked the DCs what they want to eat and that's what they wanted.
We do also have pigs in blankets, but mostly so we can reheat them for Boxing Day breakfast sandwiches.

Last year I ended up binning the whole Xmas dinner bar my portion so I’ve said I’m not doing it again! Instead I’m ordering a Chinese takeaway the night before and re heating it! Everyone can choose what they want and can have multiple dishes if the like!

We have a fry-up at about 11am and then pizza for tea 👍

It's just me and DP, so we do a roast chicken with roast potatoes etc. Totally get why people might not be arsed cooking anything. I think it's a great idea to get your favourite takeaway delivered on Christmas Eve, then heat it up on the day

We usually do a Sunday roast, but I’d even rather not do that as DH goes full Gordon Ramsay… I could do without the stress.

I hate Christmas dinner with a vengeance, by the time I’ve cooked everything I’m not hungry and eating the leftovers for days afterwards makes me feel ill.
This year we’re having a porchetta joint with salads and french fries, simple and delicious.
Pudding will be panna cotta with raspberry purée.
I’m never cooking another Christmas dinner, after 46 years of doing it I need a bloody break!

Normally do Xmas dinner and all the trimmings but this year I’ve decided to do a buffet

It's just me and DH this year, so I'm debating just cooking a nice steak and chips with a ready made trifle for pudding.

We go to Toby Carvery on Christmas Eve and then on Christmas Day we have a carpet picnic. I might have pre-cooked some gammon, and we have rolls, crisps and other party food bits from the Christmas aisle!

If we are at home pizzas, chips or similar are favourites. One year the DC asked for spaghetti hoops on toast and still talk fondly about it. My brother gets an Indian and reheats it. It is his family's favourite and none of them like turkey or chicken.

If we are out, usually on a long hike, then it's sandwiches. DH likes to add a mince pie to his lunchbox.

I have never cooked a traditional Christmas dinner in my life and nothing drastic seems to have happened.

Not bothering this year as just me and him indoors as not my turn for adults children this year. Keeping it simple so he wants a steak and I don't know or really care. Maybe all the cheese with port.

A big part of Christmas for us is that special meal that we dont have the rest of the year.

We have moved away from traditional turkey now our parents are no longer with us and get a very nice beef roast instead which is much easier. Easy starter and a couple of nice desserts from local places, the Christmas table cloth and a bit of table decorations and it is low effort.

A lot of my Christmas memories include sitting down for a nice meal (much more than any long forgotten presents!) and I want those memories for ds too.

Buffet food here but I like the idea of Chinese delivery the night before

@Favouritefruits what happened?! I love Christmas dinner, but it's a lot of work for a 20 min scoff!

Beef joint here as none of us are turkey fans. Nice starters and desserts are what makes it more special than our usual Sunday roast. Last year DH made profiteroles, they were amazing.

@nottaotter covid happened! Kids refused to eat, husband threw up after the starter and everything just went downhill from there 😂

I am nearly 60 years old and I have never made Xmas dinner. Mainly because I don't like roast dinners, and especially not turkey (yuck!). Also, there are usually only 2 of us, so I can't see the point. If we're not away on holiday, we'd just have smoked salmon and buffet-style nibbles on Xmas Day. Who needs all that sweating in the kitchen over a meal that will just be horrible?

I'm mid 60s and never made one. Never will. We are very non traditional in our house.

@Favouritefruits ah fair enough, at least you can laugh about it! Chinese sounds like an excellent idea.

We've never made Christmas dinner. We go out to eat on Christmas Eve and then just have a table buffet with goodies for the day.

DH cooks so I don't mind at all 😂

Last year we had tartiflette, you can prep in before hand and it feels more of a treat as Christmas Dinner isn't that different to a roast which we have often.

so what will you be eating on Christmas Day, OP?

I feel like it's quite a cost effective meal tbh, if you make some tweaks.

I love Christmas Dinner, it's one of my favourite meals.

Buy an Indian takeaway on Xmas Eve and heat up on Xmas day for delicious feast!