Menu critique please

[Cravey]

So tonight is the family get together to plan Xmas. Secret Santa hat and take away for all. We host and I cook so I plan the menu as usual. Could you just have a Quick Look and tell me what you think. There’s 15 of us this year. No vegetarian or allergies. Lovely brother is in charge of all drinks so I’m totally covered for that.
23 takeaway for all, Christmas cake and fruit salad for after
Xmas eve bacon or sausage baps, cereal or toast can be grabbed
lunch is help yourself to whatever fridge will be full.
Lasagne, salad, garlic bread with trifle or fruit after.
Xmas day pastries or cereal or toast,
no lunch as dinner is at 5 but will have snacks and dips etc out.
Turkey / beef, pigs in blankets, stuffing, roast spuds, cauli cheese, sprouts, carrots, parsnips.
No pudding but again plenty of sweet stuff about.
Boxing Day, bacon or sausage baps, cereal or toast.
No lunch as beach walk so hot chocolate in flasks and goodies.
Buffet dinner prepped by others. Lots of sweet things about.
27 some are off home but for those left it’s literally leftovers.
Anything missing ?

It does all sound like a fabulous Christmas get together, for various reasons we don't have the big family gatherings of my childhood which your post reminds me of, well done to you for hosting ❤️

Agree lunch.

If breakfast is parties, cereal and toast that won’t last until 5pm dinner time.

so breakfast either needs to be filling (so eggs for protein etc), lunch needs to be better nibbles and/or dinner needs a dessert.

Sounds like it’s all sorted - great work!

We don't have Christmas dinner until 5pm and don't have lunch but then breakfast is brunch about 1030/11.

I think we will be eating breakfast later too so maybe shove a few more substantial bits out.

Christmas Day sounds scant on food.
A more substantial brunch would be needed to see you through until 5pm dinner

Call me old fashioned but you are missing ham. I would be cooking a ham two days before and having it in the fridge for picking at over various meals. I’ve no problem with it not being on the table for Christmas dinner - just the having none at all.

Exactly why I’m going to do a cheese / charcuterie board, keep them going.

We don’t eat ham, would be a couple of people maybe having a slice and to me that’s just too much waste.

We’re also not ham eaters and never have it at Xmas. Stick to your guns on that one, disgusting stuff!

We never have a ham at Christmas either, there's enough rich food without it.

Definitely lunch or bring dinner forward to 2pm and have snacks, cheeseboard, hors d’oeuvres etc at 7pm. I personally can’t eat much in a sitting so do eat 3 times a day as do everyone else. Alternatively I’d be doing substantial brunch about 10.30am/11am eg bagels with smoked salmon, full fry up, frittatas, etc

I agree with everyone

If I skipped lunch for a 5pm dinner, I’d either eat so many snacks that I wasn’t hungry or I’d go past the point of being hungry and pick at my evening meal.

You definitely need a pudding.

Boxing day lunch could be soup in flasks and some crusty bread rolls.

sounds lovely

How about bringing the pigs in blankets forward and having those as a lunch/brunch? Go nicely with a glass of something.

Where’s all the best bits of Christmas? The cheese board with nice crackers and chutney. Smoked salmon for Christmas breakfast with scrambled egg, blinis and then more at the buffet. The nice Christmas pates with crust bread and crackers. Baked brie or Camembert with cranberry. Homemade cheese twists and sausage rolls.

Or do what I did one year and make “Christmas ice cream” mixing up a tub of vanilla with bits of gingerbread, Xmas sprinkles, broken up mince pies etc. :-)

That’s bloody inspired @Talipesmum and I’m stealing it for this year, thank you 🤗

Haha excellent, try not to get carried away and start adding chopped up club biscuits and chocolate digestives and caramel sauce too - kids reckoned I got a bit unhinged 😂. It was great though!

This is now going to be the kids pudding on Xmas day they now think I’m the best aunty ever 😅

So we all decided to go with the original plan and chuck in a charcuterie board on Xmas day, sister is going to do that. No pudding Xmas day although sweet stuff is available along with the ice cream bar idea. Boxing Day is going to be to be brunch then a walk then a buffet, all agreed to keep Xmas dinner at 5. Cheese will be available at all times for those of you who were asking. Mum and dad love cheese so they’re on that. Lovely brother has his drinks list, he knows his stuff so looking forward to that, he’s also decided it’s cocktails all the way on Xmas eve.

Sounds lovely op, I’m jealous of such big family traditions. I hope you all enjoy the plans