A Cheats Christmas

Chocmonster7

Doozergirl wrote:

We've started to eat dinner later now as Chistmas seemed to be over by about 4pm before. Now everyone has something to look forward to.

My family have always eaten dinner in the evening on Christmas Day. The routine seems to be leisurely breakfast (usually eggs & smoked salmon), then open presents, head to the pub for a few drinks at lunchtime and back for sandwiches. A walk in the afternoon then dinner at about 7pm. We also have small presents which we leave on the tree until after dinner as well as personalised crackers. Means the day is full and we know we've still got presents to look forward to!

Doozergirl

Chocmonster7 wrote:

My family have always eaten dinner in the evening on Christmas Day. The routine seems to be leisurely breakfast (usually eggs & smoked salmon), then open presents, head to the pub for a few drinks at lunchtime and back for sandwiches. A walk in the afternoon then dinner at about 7pm. We also have small presents which we leave on the tree until after dinner as well as personalised crackers. Means the day is full and we know we've still got presents to look forward to!

Sounds perfect to me!

lil_me

I've never made a Xmas dinner yet, shocking I know but especially with DPs parents being seperated we get several onvites every Xmas, don't have the room in our home or a dining table to play hosts so I get away with it every year. I always help when we go elsewhere, washing up, serving etc. I might end up cooking this year, but because of the limited things my family will eat I can see it being same as when I was at home, Lasagne wasn't unusual as Christmas dinner. Like my Dad always said 'Whats the point in eating it if you don't like it?'

When I was at home we always had dinner on the evening, and now we have started to go to other relatives they are starting to change to later in the day aswell, not because of us, just the way thigs have worked out.

I was shocked last year on GMTV they did a FULL microwave Christmas dinner, it had everything, looked fab and all microwaved.

As for milk, I can't stand the UHT stuff and can tell the difference immediately, normal milk can be frozen but isn't very nice that way so I tend to buy that Cravendale is it that lasts longer if I need it to.

Christmas cake I am getting made locally for much less than it would cost in a shop. I'm not a baker myself, but can still have a homemade cake.

As for paper plates, they go soggy with gravy, aswell as creating more rubbish.

Tomthumb

We cook the turkey on Christmas eve as it does taste better cold, but we cook a joint of beef on Christmas Day as the roast potatoes taste so much better with beef juices!

If you don't like UHT milk you could try Cravendale it has really good dates!! I can't wait for Xmas now

ailuro2

We always have a ham--don't like turkey-- which can be stuck in to cook in the morning, doesn't take as long, then can be left on top of the oven while the roast tatties are cooking, along with the shop bought (in November and stuck in the freezer) bags of ready prepared sprouts,

Tesco's honey roasted ready done parsnips are lovely

Tesco fresh mash is microwaveable in a few minutes-again can be frozen so no need to panic when they run out on 24/12;) .

troll35

My DH has a large family. Most years Xmas dinner is for between 15 and 20 people. How to survive.....Different people bring different parts of the dinner eg someone will bring the prepared sprouts, someone else the prepared potatoes, stuffing, pudding etc etc. This shares out the cost of the meal. His Great Aunt who is 85 likes to buy the turkey.

Next you need a detailed timetable of when to start cooking the various aspects of the meal. Pin this next to your cooker the night before. This is very very important because on Christmas morning we have a champagne (actually it's usually cava) breakfast which completely removes any associated stress. The morning flies past. Dinner is perfect.......because DH can follow your very detailed timetable YIPPEE!!

Madam_Ra

When I was little, we always had our full christmas dinner on christmas eve (my mum didn't like turkey so we always had 2 chickens or a freakily large chicken!). My parents wanted to spend christmas day spending time with us and we usually had smoked salmon for starters and a steak with jackets, mushrooms and onion rings on christmas day And christmas pud for pud!

Now I have my own little family, I enjoy cooking the meal on christmas day (1st time I had turkey 2 yrs ago I love it!), I have everything prepared the night before so it ready to go! I start cooking quite early as all the excitement makes us really hungry! We eat at about midday. AND we save our family and friend presents (under the tree) for after dinner.

In the evening we have leftovers, or turkey sandwiches, then we have visitors, who we exchange gifts with, so the day doesn't stop until bedtime!

I'm all excited now I love christmas!

lessonlearned

Like the other posters we do as much food preparation in advance. On Cristmas Eve the whole family gets roped in to peeling veg, wrapping bacon round the sausages etc. We put on some Christmas music, pour ourselves something nice to drink and with everyone mucking in together it seems to get done in no time.

We have family staying over during Christmas itself and also other family members who visit between Christmas and New Year. Storing the extra food needs a bit of lateral thinking. I use the bottom of wardrobes for dry goods ie extra teabags, sugar, all the packs of nuts, crisps and nibbles etc. The garage is always freezing and is great for vegetables etc. I keep extra fresh milk in the garage and it has always been fine.

Christmas dinner is usually as it gets dark about 4 or 5 ish (When it's ready basically). We set the table the night before - I really like to go to town on the table with greenery in from the garden, cones, candles, best crockery the lot.

Breakfast is usually something simple like croissants and fruit (dead easy). Lunch is drinks and nibbles - usually with friends/neighbours who we are not having dinner with. Throughout the day I leave a selection of snacks and eats on the kitchen table and if anyone is hungry they can just help themselves.

Grandparents usually stay for a couple of days and any visitors are always welcome to sleep over if they want. (They tend to come prepared with their own pillows and sleeping bags.) The grandparents get the comfiest beds of course.

Nightime is spent dozing with a good film whilst we digest our dinner (a new DVD if there is nothing on the TV) - followed by games & quizzes etc. The teenagers (and young at heart grandfather) often stay up into the small hours with a game of late night poker and yet another snack!!

The grandparents tend to be a bit frail and therefore get waited on hand and foot but everyone else mucks in and helps with clearing up whilst the dishwasher works overtime.

For me Christmas is a time for relaxing with family and friends and I don't think it's worth getting too stressed over. We give the house a good clean the day before Christmas Eve and again just before New Year's Eve and that's it. We do it together as a family and it doesn't take as long then. The bathrooms get a quick daily wipe over as well.

If visitors don't like a bit of dust and clutter - then that's just too bad. Oddly enough they don't seem to mind.

helenhugs

I prepare the veg & bits christmas eve.
But for the most relaxing stress free cooking I simply make hubby do it lol. I taught him how to make a roast & he enjoys doing it & I get to play with the children.
We once went to the inlaws for christmas dinner & I hated it, not only because I don't like their cooking, but, it just didn't seem right now we have our own family. So my rule now is we don't leave our house christmas day. I'm happy to have visitors after dinner, which is around 3pm usually, but not before, that is family time.
Just do what is right for you, if that means paper plates then do it. I might try that myself lol either that or see if i can persuade hubby to get me a dishwasher for christmas.
Just remember it is only 1 day & you have as much right as anyone else to make the most of it & enjoy it.
Hugs
Helen

*Louise*

I don't buy a whole turkey...takes too long to cook and I can't be bothered (rather spend the time with the kids than cooking)

...so I buy the thick slices of turkey breast - much quicker to cook:D