Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve?

88 replies

Auxbutteschaumont · 19/08/2025 13:46

Does anyone do, or has anyone made the switch to, having Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve?

I’m toying with the idea this year. We’ve got two DC who are 5 and 2 and I think I’d just like a more chilled Christmas Day but I love all the trimmings with a dinner so don’t want to give that up.

At the moment, as with most parents I assume, it feels like I don’t really sit down on the day itself even with DH’s help. Up early with the kids, all the fun of presents, getting everyone ready, putting the toys ‘away’ for people coming over, the cooking and the clean up etc. We always eat around 1pm because my DM goes back to her house around 4 for the family going to hers for the evening about 5 so the morning just feels feel on, then I’m knackered by mid afternoon.

The only thing putting my off doing the dinner on Christmas Eve around 4pm is the whole ‘tradition’ thing. Will it still feel like Christmas Eve/Day or will doing the lunch the day before take something away from it?

Anyway, forgive my ramblings! What do your days look like if you do The Dinner on Christmas Eve?

OP posts:
TigerRag · 20/08/2025 10:54

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 20/08/2025 09:59

So your Mum cooks on Christmas eve if she's working Christmas day?

Show quote history

Yes

So..?

Armychef30 · 20/08/2025 11:10

I've done this every year since 2002 my then DH was on tour in Bosnia and I had a nearly 3 year old and under 1 in Germany on my own. It meant we had our dinner and in my personal experience made Christmas day better as I had the time to actually sit and play/take toys out of the boxes ect for the kids. We had a great day. The kids now in their 20s have never known any different and still come for Xmas dinner on Xmas eve. Even 20 odd years later Xmas day still feels chilled and unrushed and there's about 12 of us on Xmas eve now instead of those 3 x

Allthings · 20/08/2025 11:22

I’m the lone voice in our family wanting to have Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve.

The current set up is to prep as much as possible on Christmas Eve (I would normally take annual leave) which saves a lot of time on Christmas Day. If we are on our own, we prefer to eat after dark and DH is more likely to have chicken breast rather than a full bird (saves loads of time). I much prefer eating after dark and it feels as if less of the day is taken up with cooking and all that cooking entails. Tbh I can’t see how producing a buffet on Christmas Day is any less effort than a Christmas dinner, ime a buffet takes longer. If we ate our main meal on CE, we would have leftovers on CD as we now do on BD.

The appeal for having dinner on Christmas Eve is to make Christmas Day feel more laid back and not feel quite as pressured.

If Christmas Eve works for you, go for it.

GiveDogBone · 20/08/2025 18:09

This is quite common in other cultures. Wouldn’t give it a second thought if it makes life easier for you. Although things are open on Xmas Eve that are shut on Xmas Day, so you’d be missing out if you wanted to do any of that.

vickylou78 · 20/08/2025 18:23

I've considered doing it on Boxing Day. Christmas Eve wouldn't work for us as sometimes it's still a working day and also sometimes I'm still wrapping etc!

Also on Christmas Eve we tend to do Christmas Eve boxes a film etc (if not working or wrapping!)

Maybe I should give it a go for boxing day and I'll let you know. I feel exactly same as you about Christmas Day!

LimoncelloSpritzplease · 20/08/2025 18:37

A close friend used to do Christmas dinner on Christmas eve and have a chilled day Christmas day with turkey and chips, lazying around and watching kids open presents etc. She loved it then went to her mums on boxing day. She totally enthused about it.

GrumpyExpat · 20/08/2025 18:39

We do this, but it was also a tradition in my family as my parents are German descent and Christmas Eve was always when family got together when they were growing up. Since I’m the one who cooks, that’s what we do, and my DH doesn’t care. I do all the normal Christmasy food… it feels a lot less stressed to me. On Christmas Day we lay around in our pyjamas, open presents and pick at leftovers. I usually make a big breakfast too. Sometimes we go out to a Chinese restaurant for dinner, since these are always open on Christmas where we live.

Hotcrossbunandtea · 20/08/2025 18:40

In most European countries Christmas Eve is the big day and Christmas Dinner is eaten on Christmas Eve evening. So you would be bang on trend for most places in Europe. I say go with it! Or just don’t cook a traditional Christmas Dinner? Have something equally special but quicker to make.

dimsiaradcymraeg · 20/08/2025 18:41

Yes, we started doing it about six years ago and it was the best decision we’ve made!

LittlePigRobinson · 20/08/2025 18:52

I really love the idea because I hate the way Christmas day revolves around what is basically just a big roast dinner 😁

Shrimpybaby · 20/08/2025 18:59

We eat in the evening with a nice lunch of bread cheese etc at lunchtime.

I'm not cooking all morning, rushing pressies to eat a huge meal at a weird time.

We eat about 7 and our 4 year old will eat with us.

ChrisMartinsKisskam · 20/08/2025 19:14

Yes kids are grown up
so last year we went out to a very posh steak restaurant and it was lovely really felt Christmasy

Then came home and just chilled out and relaxed with some snacks and wine

walked the dog on Xmas day
went to the pub for a few drinks
and had regular meal at home on Xmas day

have just booked to do the same this year

SB2527 · 20/08/2025 19:19

Lived in France for quite a while. It's customary to have the meal on Christmas eve. I much prefer it as it's like a big dinner party. You can then chill on Christmas day, eat whatever and whenever you want without all the fuss.
Now back in the UK and still do this.

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 20/08/2025 19:30

I can't recommend it enough! We live in Denmark so it's the norm, but they normally open their presents after dinner. I don't like that - the DC have to wait ALL DAY and there are so many presents at MILs it takes hours. So we do presents on British time followed by turkey sandwiches.

JamPotJenny · 20/08/2025 19:35

Do it!

Nothing better (imho) than Christmas dinner rolls dipped in gravy - our usual Boxing day evening meal in front of the TV. With little ones, I reckon you are more than justified in claiming this for your Christmas Day. Wish I’d done it when the DC were younger.

Ilikegreen · 20/08/2025 19:45

We do a big cook Christmas Eve - Ham, Turkey, stuffing, spud etc etc and then the reheat Christmas Day with a few tweaks. My DH and I drifted into this three years ago, trying to balance young kids versus cooking, and its a lovely way of having Christmas. When cooking Christmas Eve, we open wine, put on movies and chill out whilst cooking. I highly recommend it.

Washingupdone · 20/08/2025 19:59

This is or was the French tradition depending on children in the family. However, they don’t have Boxing Day or another Bank Holiday on the 26th, so it’s back to work.

Allthesnowallthetime · 20/08/2025 20:05

Yes, we've done this for the past couple of years. Love it! Makes Christmas day so much more relaxed.

Mumoftwoandcats · 20/08/2025 20:39

They celebrate Christmas on the 24th in certain parts of Eourope so it’s not weird. I think it’s a brilliant idea, which I’d done it when mine were little. I say do it. And have a brilliant time, 2 days instead of one x

AdoraBell · 20/08/2025 20:43

It wouldn’t feel right for us but if it makes it easier for you OP then do it this year to see how it works for you and your family.

Zaichik · 20/08/2025 21:00

Why are you even thinking about this in August?! 😃

RebeccaRedhat · 20/08/2025 22:20

We do boxing day as its my eldests birthday on xmas eve. On xmas day, kids pick what to have for lunch. We've ham cheese crackers or hot dogs some years, but it took 5 mins to sort. In 2019 my dad had a heart attack a few days before xmas, and I was allowed to bring him home late on xmas eve and return him to hospital 1st thing on boxing day so that year I made a xmas dinner. That's the only year I have and I could hear them all laughing and playing whilst my mum and I made lunch. I hated it and have never done it again!

ToadRage · 20/08/2025 22:31

We don't have kids but we have our own traditions. We always have a cheeseboard on Christmas Eve, it's quick and easy and means my husband can chill, cos he'll be cooking on Christmas Day. When I was young my dad loved cooking and would have been so disappointed if somone suggested he didn't do Christmas lunch. While your kids are young they probably wouldn't notice if it was the night before as long as they got fed and you could make it your own family tradition.

LilySLE · 20/08/2025 22:47

Yes! We started doing this in Covid when we only had ourselves to please. Our oldest is autistic and this really reduces the demands of Christmas Day. Once we went back to hosting again it took a while for parents to get on board, but they’re ok with it now. They can still see us on Christmas Day if they want to; there just won’t be a big meal on offer. Often they actually choose to have Christmas Day by themselves.
I can’t see us switching back until such time as both kids are old enough that present opening is no longer the big thing it is now

Redragtoabull · 20/08/2025 22:48

We haven't done a roast on Christmas Day for a few years now and we wish we'd done it years ago. So now, we get up when we want, open a few presents with our pets too, have a champagne brunch, last year that was at 2pm lol, open a few more presents, go for a nice walk under duress I might add, come home, watch a film with a charcuterie board or order a take away (some places are open), more presents, play games, drink loads. So chilled, our Christmases are bliss. Then out for a meal on Boxing Day with everyone. Do it, you won't regret it