What do you eat Christmas Eve?

[Magnalux]

So I always host Christmas dinner, I’ve 22 to cook for this year! Needless to say I don’t fancy cooking much on Christmas Eve, I’m also doing some prep for the next day. I’ve a DH and three teenagers to cook for.Just wondering what kinds of meals you serve up on Christmas Eve that are low effort but still nice ! Looking for inspiration. Thanks

A take away!

Sausage rolls, which i make in advance and freeze, some sandwiches and pancakes. Occasionally some little "party food" things (the mini burgers were popular last year). Basically a warm in the oven light easy meal. (Though the children are all younger, I appreciate teenagers may need something more substantial.

A takeaway, always - whilst watching a Christmassy movie!

In previous years we've had either a takeaway or frozen party food but this year I'm making a beef shin ragu with tagliatelle. It sounds complicated but it slow cooks for hours and is really tasty and indulgent.

Pizza Hut

Whatever is really quick and easy, we are also hosting for a similarly large amount of people as we do every year, Christmas Eve and the day before is usually spent prepping so Christmas Eve dinner isn’t an event at our house - too busy!

We are picking up a seafood platter , that and some nice bread and sauces / drawn butter will be perfect for us two

My DHs dad was a butcher and every Christmas ever he would bring home a joint of pork and make pork and stuffing rolls with apple sauce or gravy so we do that with our kids and note grand kids. I’ve upped it to include a few nice buffet bits too like fruit skewers and chocolate dip and cheese and picked onions/cornichons on sticks. Any left over pork gets sliced and put in sage an onion gravy ( my nans recipe) for Christmas Day to go with the lamb or beef fit the main meal. Boxing Day is honey roast gammon and a buffet.

We usually have a takeaway, however last year we had a katsu curry and this year we are having a cheese board.

Take away

Fajitas and nachos. This year we're mixing it up and having tacos instead of nachos 😆but always fajitas..

We don’t have a usual thing but last year we spent the afternoon making pasta with the kids and it was fun and the meal was excellent so I think we’ll do it again.

Takeaway or picky bits, sometimes go out for a meal

We do a buffet of party food, laid out on the coffee table. We eat in front of whatever Christmas special is on. All Creatures Great and Small the last few years.

Takeaway curry 🍛

Fish usually - salmon en croute with green veg was really nice as felt special but not heavy for the next day.

Samosas and mince pies. I try not to eat too much on Christmas Eve so I can pig out on the big day

Last year I cooked a gammon joint and made bacon and leek pot pies on Christmas Eve, along with a cheese board and mince pies. I might do the same this year.

Boil and glaze a lovely joint of ham, and have it with jacket potatoes and salad in front of a Christmas film!

We always go out for a meal. Enough cooking to be done the next day.

Seafood platter (that someone else has made). If not. A takeaway (as a child that’s the only time we had one as my parents didn’t really go in for that - but we lived in an area at the time there was only Chinese, Indian, and fish and chips!)

Chinese always, either takeaway or restaurant

We always have Chinese - and a mix and match so everything goes in the center of the table and you can have a spoonful of everything.
It always feels a bit more 'festive' that way rather than everyone just having their own duck and rice or whatever.

Normally honey glazed gammon with mash or chips. Really fancied a take away last year but I think you need to pre order

M&S party food, nice bread and cheese, olives, etc. Lay it all out on the sideboard and everyone grazes whilst playing our watching TV.

If I was you I think I'd order in pizza tbh. I'd be perfectly happy with pizza and wedges.