What time do you sit down to eat Christmas dinner?

[KiwiDollar]

Just a quick lighthearted question! I want to serve around 5pm so it’s not such a rush in the morning to get everything done for midday. My mum always did this as it felt more Christmassy in the evening with all the candles, lights and fire on etc. What time do you usually aim for?

I prefer eating my chocolate after dinner.

My family would be dying of hunger by then. Including me.

About 5 but we dont eat a traditional meal

It's just me DH and MIL so tend to eat around 4-5pm ish

3pm as we have buffet brunch around 10.

Yes, but I don't cook a full turkey. Just the crown, so 2 - 2.5 hours when rested. Dinner gets prepped during the 9-10am lull too.

Plus I like everyone to be gone when we put the kids to bed at 8ish. After 10 or 11 hours of hosting i'm done in after the kids bedtime! :)

Would usually be a 2pm approx Christmas dinner but this year, to fit around toddler’s meal schedule (and to not be stuck doing the majority of cooking during nap time where it would be nice to chill for a bit!) we are aiming for dinner around 5pm. Going to have pastries for breakfast, then brunch at 11/11.30 to keep us going.

We usually aim for 1pm. DDs are little so up early and it's just the four of us for Christmas lunch. Breakfast around 8/9am so we're ready to eat by 1pm.

A walk after lunch before it gets dark and then Christmas pudding when we get home around 3 or 4pm.

We always have friends pop over for drinks in the evening on Christmas Day so by that point I can put out a cheeseboard and pour some drinks, all the hard work is done and I'm free to chill out for the evening.

I aim to sit down for around 4-5pm now the DCs are grownup.

I do some prep the day before so I don't get overwhelmed. Loose schedule these days and only 4 of us this year.

9-ish - Prezzies opened including the cat's stocking
10-ish - Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs/croissants + Bucks Fizz.
1-ish - stuff like pate, small toasts, tempura prawns etc. as relaxed plate starters. More fizz/wine.
4-ish - Turkey dinner + WINE + lighting the Christmas Pud
6-ish - games and chocolates
8-ish - Christmas TV + Cheese plate snacking (tbf no one usually makes it this far)
10-ish - Turkey and crisp sandwiches around 10pm if DH insists LOL

Usually about 1pm

We are are up at 5am and have dinner at 11.30am. We don’t have breakfast and then we all troop to my mums for 3pm and eat at hers again around 5pm. Go to bed a stone heavier 🤣

Christmas dinner is at 1pm as is Sunday lunch - that’s what my family did growing up& myself & siblings have continued.

first time I had Christmas dinner at husbands parents they didn’t eat til 5pm, I was starving by then !

1pm. My kids can't wait for food longer than that and to be honest I like to have it at a normal time. Then the afternoon is for films and games.

3pm ish

2-3ish and then we all relax on the sofas with a Christmas movie on and play games.

We eat at 12.30-1pm. It’s an ongoing bone of contention as my family have traditionally always eaten at 12 noon whereas my Dad’s partner wants to eat at 4pm-ish. 12.30-1pm is the ‘not-really-willing-to-compromise’ compromise. 😂My family have always been early risers (my Dad and I used to be up at 5am to put the turkey in the oven) whereas my Dad’s partner would happily stay in bed all day and rarely surfaces before 11am.

2pm-ish. We tried doing it in the evening once but the day just didn’t flow as well as usual. Usually it just works like clockwork. Also, I was absolutely knackered - I like to relax in the evening on Christmas Day.

We usually have a big breakfast brunch type thing after the pressies. Then eat late in say 4pm. This is the first year for decades there won’t be a houseful for the full dinner. DD1 with partner and grandson are off to his mums, but she asked if they can all still come to brunch so will see them later on. Two of our other kids are grown up and also spending it with other family so it’s just us and youngest for the main meal. Will mean a lot less prep though lol. Will be odd being so quiet although will see a lot of family on Boxing Day this year.

When it’s ready! We aim for a time but it’s usually a bit later than that!

I don’t even know what particular joint or poultry were having yet. I’m doing Waitrose roulette on Christmas Eve, secure in the knowledge that we’re happy with any of the things we like - Guinea Fowl, beef, pork. Even a really good chicken.

Used to be 3pm, but I run a pub and we are open between midday and.2.30pm
So we will be eating dinner around 4pm but we do have a very nice breakfast.

Around 13:00hrs so that we can go out walking for a few hours afterwards

A couple of years ago we started eating the starter on Christmas eve, the main on Christmas day (around 1 pm) and the pudding on Boxing day. DH has always been a small eater as he has digestive issues. Both DCs are on life long medication that affects their appetite and I usually have a glass of fizz and most of the selection box and then lose my appetite as well. It sounds joyless I admit, but it really works for us.

(I am 3 stone overweight before anyone accuses me of competitive under-eating).

My late DH and I are famous for having served up a Christmas dinner at midnight. Someone forgot to turn the oven on. Only four of us, so okay.
Usually? c. 2 pm followed by table games and pudding at some point.

Our normal evening meal time 7pm. Always struggle to eat a large meal before then. Makes for a more relaxed day too.

5:00 for the same reasons as you,
earlier if I have out of town guests