Christmas Eve

[warmmfeet]

What do you all eat on Christmas Eve?

Do you have a traditional family meal you eat every year? I think that's what I want to start to do. We'll have the in-laws staying and it will be chaotic I imagine so don't want huge amount of prep but don't mind some. Don't want a takeaway as I live in a crap area for takeaways! They're all mediocre. I want deliciousness!

Would to hear what others eat to get ideas. Thank you 😊

It depends who is here. If it's just us and adult DC & partners, I'll. do hit roast pork sandwiches with coleslaw.
We have in-laws staying this year so will probably do a side of salmon with new potatoes and salad.

Dessert traditionally trifle

We always have this delicious Scandinavian salmon gratin: www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/gratin-fresh-smoked-salmon-beetroot-potatoes-dill

Amazing flavours and feels festive

We always go out for a meal - my mum started the tradition as she didn't want to have to do three big dinners in a row, so since I can remember we've always gone out for a meal somewhere. My mum passed away 10 years ago, but I still do this with DH, DC & PIL.

We do a beige buffet 😁 some choice pieces from M&S and then some bits from Tescos and Iceland. I have half of it in the freezer already. Everyone can graze all evening and leftovers last until Boxing Day. Most of it cooks quick and can be whacked together on a baking tray, and some gets chucked into the hostess trolley to keep it warm for dinner, then bite of meat and cheese etc that can be eaten cold :)

I always cook a ham. We have it with crusty bread, pickles and cheeses. And red wine. The leftover ham gets sliced up for Christmas lunch.

Another vote for ham, but I cook it the day before and have it cold with hot dauphinoise potatoes (M&S oven ready so no faff!) and hot Cumberland sauce to go with it. Pudding is usually a pavlova, again made in advance and then just add the cream and fruit on the day.

We have fish pie. You can make it ahead and freeze if you like. Add prawns and salmon, pipe the mashed potato, etc to make it special.

Boiled then baked ham, with bread, piccalilli, mustard, cheese, pickled onions etc.

we usually have lasagna made by one of dh’s relatives round at theirs. A faff to make but easy to cook and dish out and fine for latecomers coming in from the pub.

or something like fish and salad as the next few days won’t be as healthy….

We always have Camembert with different breads to dip. We have other bits we fancy too, nice crisps and snacky bits … and watch a film while we eat it. Something nice for pudding too, not sure what yet!

Ham here too, with coleslaw and baked potatoes, so easy easy and some of the ham ham then becomes part of xmas dinner

We often have mexican food on Christmas Eve, I like some spice before all the bland roast dinners!

We have toad in the hole and I wouldn't have it any other way. Simple, hearty, delicious.

Last year I made an amazing vegan chilli (got it from the “Tina’s stuffing” thread in Classics, and made a few changes.

This year we’re off for a curry.

Another baked and glazed ham vote here - with jacket potatoes and red cabbage, with leftover ham and cabbage available thereafter...
I've done it for a few years and 18 year old DS said this year that it's one of his favourite parts of Christmas. It feels festive, and different to what we'll eat the next day.

We used to do lasagne with green salad and garlic bread as we didn't want anything at all similar to gravy based xmas dinner.
but this year weve decided to get a McDonald's as we now have one celiac and one dairy free (me) and although I could adapt the recipe to be gluten free easily, dairy free aswell is just more effort and not as nice.

Takeaway.

We usually do either a big lamb & vegetable tagine with cous-cous or pulled lamp/pork in the slow cooker to have in rolls with salads, coleslaw & sweet potato fries etc - something that is low maintenance cooking on the day but packs a different flavour profile than a 'roast dinner'

I normally order a tray of sandwiches in my Christmas food order so after all the shopping is done we don’t have to make a lunch.

Then for dinner we have some kind of shellfish, either crab, prawns or lobster with aioli and fresh bread. Something pre-done but special and no cooking required. DS is 4 and very much enjoyed it last year, (he’s developed expensive tastes 😂).

Used to cook a ham which we eat hot and have leftovers on Boxing Day but I no longer eat meat so I'm stuck now

We do lasagna, salad and garlic bread. DH makes the meat bit and freezes it so it just needs to be put together on the day.

I usually do a cheeseboard with crackers, chutney and grapes and a baked Camembert with crusty bread. For drinks me and my partner enjoy a couple of baileys over ice. Will probably be the same this year but I've also been eyeing up a recipe for coca cola ham in my slow cooker cookbook 😏

We have grazing boards, one cheese and one charcuterie, with a salad, pickles and nice bread. We've always had a buffet on Xmas Eve as we'd have a huge party. Now we don't have the party (since lockdown), but we keep the buffet idea so we can just pick through the evening between drinks and chatting.

Usually fish based, fish pie or salmon cooked with ginger and orange +stir fry and noodles but last year did stuffed mushrooms with hasselback potatoes.
Usually us + parents who like food, but not too heavy or spicy.