What’s your Christmas menu

[DuckDuckGoose23]

I love hearing about what everyone else has for Christmas lunch and their family traditions (and possibly stealing some last minute ideas!)

What is everyone having for Christmas lunch/dinner this year?

We’re hosting and have 9 adults and 3 toddlers this year (it’s my first year hosting without having lots of people with different dietary requirements so it’s a pretty traditional and simple menu for us).

Breakfast:
Smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels
Pain au chocolat
Fresh fruit
Bucks fizz (clementine juice for me because I’m pregnant and the kids)

Lunch (served at 2pm):
No starters. Just nuts, olives and crisps for people to graze on as they arrive.

• Turkey
• Stuffing https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/mid-atlantic-mushroom-and-chestnut-stuffing
• Pigs in blankets
• Honey and mustard glazed ham (cooked and brought by my brother)
• Bread sauce (brought by my husband’s friend because he’s the only one who likes it)
• Cauliflower cheese
• Roast potatoes
• Roasted root veg with honey, butter and thyme (carrots, beetroot, parsnips, sweet potatoes)
• Sprouts (with pancetta)
• Mashed swede
• Braised red cabbage (I’m trying the Gordon Ramsey recipe this year unless anyone has any better recommendations, I’m yet to find a recipe I love)
• Gravy
• Cranberry sauce
• Wholegrain honey mustard

Pudding:

• Mixed berry pavlova
• Christmas pudding
• Yule log
• Custard/Ice-cream/clotted cream

Evening food:

• Cheeseboard with figs, grapes and chutneys
• Charcuterie board
• Baked Camembert
• Crackers and bread
• Olives, cornichons, piccalily, nuts, crisps, pickled onions.
• Mince pies, Christmas cake, leftover Yule log
• Tin of quality streets

Drinks will probably just be sparking apple juice or wine/Prosecco (my husband will probably make old fashioneds in the evening once all the kids are asleep).

It sounds like a lot but most of our guests will eat a fair amount and I have plans for left overs so there is no food waste:

• leftover ham goes home with my brother and SIL
• Turkey, preserved lemon and green olive tagine (https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6555-chicken-tagine-with-olives-and-preserved-lemons).
• Turkey, leek and mushroom risotto
• Roasted veg soup (this can be frozen) or a roasted veg and cheese pie.
• ‘Pigs in blankets’ bangers and mash with red cabbage and peas.
• Bubble and squeak (with eggs and bacon/ham).
• I’ll freeze any leftover cauliflower cheese for my son to have as a quick dinner after nursery.

We’ll share out any leftover cakes, biscuits etc with our guests for them to take home.

My toddlers both love cheese, cold roast potatoes and olives so they’ll happily eat them for snacks.

I’m very excited!

I'm assuming my invite got lost in the post, OP?

That all sounds really delicious. And a lot of effort put in by you.

Not sure what my dinner will be this year, as other family members are hosting. But both are bloody good cooks (one quite experimental, the other more a Christmas traditionalist...am curious to find out who won that battle!)

I know whatever they produce will be great.

Well ours is very different!
breakfast Croissants and chocolate

lunch: various party foods, chicken ones, cheesy ones, sausagey ones, cheese and meat platters, dips and a variety of crisps, salads, breads, olives, cheese twists, pigs in blankets and sausage rolls

dinner: chicken pesto pasta with dough balls and lots of red wine

Ours is not so traditional as I have a house full of very fussy eaters. I have managed to get something everyone like:
TO SHARE
Leg of smoked Turkey
Southern fried chicken
Seafood Thermidor
Grilled side of Salmon
Macaroni cheese
Vegetable Gratin

SIDES
Hassleback Potato’s
Garden vegetable
Mixed salad
Savoury rice

DESERT
Bailey Yule log
Apple pie and cream
Mince pies

Ours is going to be a bit different this year
Starter tandoori prawns
Main Slow cooked Indian lamb (home cooked)
and veg from our local takeaway
Dessert not sure as DS is making it.

We're usually so full that that we don't need to eat for the rest of the day.

6 adults (1 vegetarian) and 4 children

Breakfast (served buffet style)

Square sausage
Black pudding
Bacon
Eggs (scrambled or fried)
Potato scone
Tomatoes
Beans
Toast
fresh orange

Veggie sausages

Dinner

Starters

Pate with Melba toast
Salmon mousse with Melba toast
Melon and raspberries
Prawn cocktail

Main

Turkey
Sausage meat sage and onion stuffing
Chipolatas (no blankets)
Carrots
Parsnips
Sprouts
Mashed and roast potatoes
Yorkshire puddings
Gravy

Pudding

Tiramisu
Key lime pie

Cheeseboard and oatcakes
Mince pies

Evening

Leftovers

We eat breakfast about 10-11am and then start dinner about 3-4pm but take a long time over it with 45 mins between courses so it's very relaxed

Forgot the veggie main which is mushroom filled with stuffing and goats cheese and a red wine jus.

Lots of lovely ideas here. We are at our in-laws for Christmas lunch,
I host my family for lunch boxing day (13)and then tea for both sides in the evening (24).

Lunch-
Turkey
Honey glazed gammon
Cranberry and orange stuffing
Sausage sage and onion stuffing
Pigs in blankets
Roast potatoes
Mash potato
Yorkshire puddings
Cauliflower cheese
Swede and carrot mash
Spring cabbage with onion and bacon
Honey roast carrots and parsnips
Peas
Gravy

Dessert
Christmas pudding
Chocolate orange cheesecake
Berry rholard

Tea time
Left over meats
Pickles
Homemade sausage rolls
Creamy smoked haddock
French stick
Crackers
Pate
Cheeses
Crisps
Nuts

Christmas cake
Mince pies
Yule log
Fudge
Shortbread
Trifle

Breakfast - bagels, cream cheese & bacon or pancake stack with maple syrup

DInner - 3 Bird roast
Baked Gammon
Roast tatties
Roast parsnips
Carrots & sprouts
Kilted sausages
Skirlie
Bread sauce
Gravy
Cranberry sauce

Boxing day - all the leftovers will be chopped up, topped with fresh gravy & a puff pastry lid added to make Leftover Pie

Due to various illnesses and things we all agreed to keep it relatively simple this year. Hosting my PIL and SIL.

Breakfast will be a grab your own as our small child will be up long before Grandparents. I have got croissants and pain au chocolat in as a treat.

Lunch - we're skipping a starter, then main is:
Roast beef
Roast potatoes
Yorkshire puddings
Pigs in blankets (mostly because DD won't eat beef and we all love a p-i-b)
Simple steamed veg - carrots, green beans and sprouts
Gravy

Puds are a choice of:
Sticky toffee pudding (courtesy of Cartmel)
Cherry and almond tart (courtesy of Waitrose)
Chocolate cheesecake (courtesy of Tesco)

Puds will spread out over the few days they're here so that's why it seems a lot for 6 people.

Dinner/supper will be leftovers from Christmas Eve buffet and a cheese board. DD will probably have a bowl of pasta but everyone else likely to be just nibbling.

Breakfast
Christmas biscuits and drinks of choice in our bed.(kids all pile in)
Lunch
Turkey
Roast potatoes
Roast parsnips
Red cabbage
Broccoli
Carrot/swede mash
Sprouts with bacon & chestnuts
Kilted sausages
Stuffing
Gravy/ bread sauce/cranberry sauce
Later on
Trifle or icecream
,

Smoked salmon, prawn cocktail, melon

salmon en croute
veggie Christmas wreath (Jamie recipe not tried before)
bacon rolls
roast potatoes
stuffing
sprouts
spring cabbage
carrots
peas

speculaas cheesecake (making today)
Christmas pudding

Various cheeses and plenty of champagne 🥂🍾

OP, that all sounds absolutely divine!

It's just me and DP so we will do:

Breakfast - crumpets, fruit, yogurt

Pigs in blankets with a cocktail while chicken is roasting

Lunch about 4pm - roast chicken, roast potatoes, carrots, sprouts, gravy, bread sauce
Christmas pudding and brandy cream OR custard (will see what mood I'm in)

Later (optional) - cheese, chutney, crackers, mince pies / Christmas cake

We’re having our Christmas dinner on Xmas Eve this year.

No starter.
No turkey!

Roast chicken
Nigella’s ham in Coke with treacle glaze
Pigs in blankets
Roast potatoes, parsnips & carrots
3 types of stuffing - sage & onion, chestnut, spiced cranberry & orange
Cauliflower cheese for the kids
Yorkshire puddings
Brussel sprouts, peas
Gravy, cranberry sauce

Xmas pud & extra thick double cream
or Trifle for pudding.

On Christmas Day:

Breakfast - croissants & coffee for me, smoked salmon & cream cheese bagels for DH & DS, waffles with berries & maple syrup for DD

We’re going out for a curry late afternoon.

I’m saving the cheeseboard & cold cuts, Xmas Eve leftovers and a couple of other desserts (Pavlova, a different type of trifle) for Boxing Day & beyond!

Breakfast:

• for 5 people

Smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels Pain au chocolat for the kids Bucks fizz

Lunch at midday or thereabouts:

• for 11 people

Pumpkin soup Maybe cheese and crackers

Dinner at 4/5:

• for 11 people

Pigs in blankets Mushroom pate on toast Wee peppadews stuffed with Boursin cheese

Roast pork and crackling
Roasties
Parsnips with maple butter
Carrots with cumin and pomegranates
Apricot and lemon thyme stuffing balls
Spiced red cabbage
Apple sauce

Meringues
Lemon tart
Raspberries
Chantilly cream

All the veg is home grown and I'm pretty chuffed about that!

@TheLesserBabka you’re very welcome, the more the merrier! It sounds like you’ll be having an excellent lunch yourself though (I’m intrigued to know what it’ll be, what a fun Christmas surprise)

@TheGirlWhoLived a Christmas lunch buffet sounds delicious. We always used to have one at my grandparents’ on Boxing Day and it makes me very nostalgic. I hope you’ve got plenty of garlic butter for your dough balls, yum!

@prettydesertflower I’ve hosted for people with lots of dietary restrictions in the past and although you end up with a slightly eclectic mix of things I actually quite enjoy that. The salmon and veggie gratin sound particularly delicious (in fact I might need to make a veggie gratin on Boxing Day with the leftover roasted root veg and any cream/cheese that’s left).

@GettingStuffed my husband would be so jealous of your lunch, it sounds amazing (although I think my MIL might cry if I served a curry- she’s a bit of a traditionalist and even my stuffing might be a step too far for her, I’ve got some emergency Paxo just in case 😂)

@MissBuffyAnneSummers your lunch sounds pretty similar to ours but your breakfast sounds incredible. I love potato scones but mine never turn out quite right. Your veggie main also sounds delicious.

@Frankcat19 I’m impressed at your mass catering skills! I love the idea of cabbage with onion and bacon rather than sprouts, it sounds so good. I might steal the idea for a roast lunch later in January.

@BarryKentPoet Great username! What’s skirlie? Everything else sounds delicious so I’m sure it’s something good. I love a leftover pie on Boxing Day.

@SquigglePigs I hope you’re all feeling better. That menu is pretty impressive for something that’s been simplified. I’m also doing shop bought puddings and I’m so relieved that I’m going to have a less frantic couple of days rather than panicking over a flat, brown meringue (RIP 2019 pavlova wreath 😂)

@Harrriet I think we’re having pretty identical lunches! Biscuits in bed for breakfast is a great call, I’ve got toddlers so sadly there would be far too many crumbs for us to try that this year (maybe next year!)

@Sourisblanche I’ve made that veggie wreath, it’s really nice (although I highly recommend also adding in 50g of vegetarian Parmesan if your family like things cheesy, the cheddar on it’s own lacked a bit of punch). I’m also very jealous of your salmon en croute, it’s one of my favorites.

It's a Scottish oatmealy stuffing!

Only 2 of us but having a 4 day festival:

Day 1: Delia's salmon en croute, Nigella's chocolate chestnut refrigerator cake
Day 2: Anna Jones squash and chestnut roast, leftover cake
Christmas Day: Tournedos rossini (sort of!), Anna Jones chestnut mont blanc pie
Boxing Day: Stuffed pheasant, leftover pie

Plus bacon sandwiches for breakfast

@Lottapianos pigs in blankets and cocktails sound a great combination. What cocktails are you having (I’m pregnant and not drinking this year so I’m keen to live vicariously through other people!)

@SnowRoomAtTheInn I’m glad to hear someone else isn’t doing a starter either. I was really tempted but from previous years I’ve learned that it ends up being too much and there’s also a limited amount of time the toddlers will sit at the table so I’m focusing on the main course (they’ll be happy to sit still for pudding 😂).
I’m a nurse so I’ve done Christmas lunch a day early a few times and it’s really nice, especially because it tends to mean everyone is free rather than having to split time with in-laws etc (I also imagine it’ll make Christmas Day itself a lot more relaxing).

@Tintackedsea well done on growing your own veg, it’s going to be so delicious. I like your twists on more traditional dishes they sound so good! Lemon tart is my absolute favourite dessert so I’m very jealous of that.

Merry Christmas to all of you!

Yum, it sounds delicious

That’s a great menu. I hadn’t thought about chestnut Mont Blanc pie before but it sounds divine. I might propose a 4 day eating festival to my husband for next year!

bucks fizz for breakfast with baked hot from the oven croissants and mini pastries.

olives, crisps, carrots, cucumber with dips, smoked salmon etc

partridge, roasted wrapped in bacon, served with roasted parsnips, potato roasted in goose fat, Brussels with bacon and chestnut, red cabbage then some peas, carrots and broccoli

Christmas pudding or sticky toffee pudding

cheese board and homemade savoury biscotti biscuits.

bubble and squeak with softly poached egg for brunch on Boxing Day

Thanks @DuckDuckGoose23 the aim was not to be eating leftovers into March and not be spending hours in the kitchen.

I think I have achieved the leftovers bit but not the hours in the kitchen.

We have rellies staying for 4 nights so the meal plan is quite detailed! I’m doing a breakfast bar with people to help themselves to each morning as it’ll be enough catering lunch and supper.

Christmas Day :Have a festive clementine,cranberry and pecan Bircher muesli and then having pain au choc, panettone and toast items out.

Midday ish shall rope in rellies to make some smoked salmon blinis and cook some mini sausages and sausage rolls I’ve made that are in the freezer. Will have this with some champagne whilst we all pootle about.

Will have main about 3-4pm, the usual turkey, roast potatoes, honey roast parsnips, sprouts, carrots, pigs, stuffing balls, bread sauce, cranberry sauce, gravy. Not bothering with Christmas pudding or cake this year but if anyone has space have Yule log and mince pies I made and froze.

Probably that’ll be it but turkey and ham sarnies etc later plus cheese etc if anyone has space (having ham hot Christmas Eve so will be leftover cold).

Love these threads. I am cooking this year for a change for 5 adults and 3 teens and we are having.

Breakfast: bacon or sausage (or both!) buns, coffee, bucks fizz or OJ.

Nuts, olives etc for grazing if people wish

Lunch: No starter.
Roast sirloin of beef, glazed ham, veggie roast
Roast potatoes. May also do mash as the kids like it
Honey glazed roast parsnips and carrots
Sautéed Brussels sprouts with chestnuts, peas
Homemade Yorkshire puddings
Beef gravy, veggie gravy, horseradish, mint sauce

Dessert is choice of
Christmas pud and baileys cream
Trifle
Yule log

For the evening I will be serving full cheeseboard, grapes, pickles, pate, olives
Mince pies if anyone fancies.

I haven't decided what time to do lunch, I don't like it too late as the nobody feels like smashing a cheeseboard later and I feel it denies me an additional eating opportunity! However, it's likely we won't be breakfasting before 10 as no small kids getting us up early. We'll be dragging the teens up!