Christmas dinner

[Shemadee]

My DS suggested we all go out for a meal on Christmas Day. Wouldn't be my first choice but can see the sense in it! Two overexcited little boys and eight adults! Worked well last time but their prices are higher this year.

What do others do? DD2 said that when they are at the in-laws all the men sit in the living room and eat their dinner on their lap. OH WOULD REALLY hate this. We could do it but not easy and space would be limited but we could all squeeze in somehow. All part of the excitement if we didn't have one really grumpy granddad, one grumpy uncle and GS2 is inclined to hide in the downstairs loo when it all gets too much!

Be interesting to hear what works for all of you!

[Gemini]

Well as I'm sure I have said before, OH and I only see my mum on Christmas Day. Offspring do their own thing. We get together,all of us on Boxing Day, so I focus on that and just hope to get through 25th peaceably!

Like you Shem Christmas Dinner out wouldn't be my choice. If it meant I could see DDs and GC however, I would vote for it!!

[Daisy]

We used to have both DSs + families plus in-law's parents if they had nowhere else to go, but now the DSs are 12 and nearly 11 they want to be home on Christmas Day so it's us, DS2 and family and probably DIL2's mum. Then we do it all over again Boxing Day or the day after with the GSs. However, GD2's birthday is the 27th and after this year I think that might change the pattern again! OH has said if there comes a time when they don't want/can't spend Christmas Day with us then we'll go out, and I agree. It would be nice not to have to do the cooking.

I think that's the big 'thing' for me - I find the catering side really hard and no matter how much I try to get organised ahead Christmas Eve always sees me preparing veg, doing the table etc, and I start Christmas Day tired! Any suggestions to make it easier would be welcome. I'm not grumbling, it's lovely to have such a great family - I need better culinary skills.

[Gemini]

2 ideas for you Daisy. Buy as much ready prepared as you can. It's amazing what you can get these days. Who cares if you personally don't peel the sprouts or wrap the bacon around the little sausages, it's being together that matters! Get others to bring stuff! On Boxing Day there will be 9 adults and 2 children. We decide between us who will do what, to ease the load on DD. Especially this year as she is pregnant!

[Oma]

We always had the whole family for Christmas and anyone who wanted to tag on like one year SIL,s Brother came and brought two friends we didn't mind we had a large house and cooked enough to feed a small village , then when we downsized to our shoe box that wasn't possible so DD having a large house took over and woe betide anyone not turning up , we have said on many occasions that we don't mind if she just wants Christmas day on there own but she won't hear of it , her FIL our friends did suggest a few weeks ago that we go out for Christmas lunch , my goodness you would think he was suggesting murdering someone 😁. If there ever comes a time she doesn't want to do it anymore then maybe we would go out then

[Glammanana]

We used to treat ourselves to Christmas Day Lunch at a very nice local Hotel before I retired (the first time) it came about when both boys where serving soldiers and if they both managed to get leave we would book and all of us go including DD & DGCs,it gave us time to spend with our boys rather than rush about like a headless chicken,we continued with the treat for a few years but now I tend to arrange the day either at DDs or one of the boys homes we do all get to-gether on boxing day I also use ready prepared as I don't relish being bogged down by prep and other boring stuff I like to have time to enjoy the family time.

[Nana]

Off to my brother's again this year. My siblings, OHs & mum. A grown up affair but relaxed & loving atmosphere. Yummy dinner, bubbly & wine glasses overflowing. Short cuts...ready prepared pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, honeyed parsnips, stuffing, Christmas pud & rum sauce leaves little to peel & prepare. We have game crackers. Last year it was tiny bells which we had one each & was 'conducted' to ring in an order to play a tune. A chance to be children again. Great fun.

[Plantaholic]

I suppose I will be at home with DD and SIL's family, I don't think any other family members will be there this year. My DS DIL and their 2 boys will pop in Christmas morning to open presents but now their boys are 15 and 13 they would rather be at home. We would like to give DD a break, although I do help a lot, and go out but our favourite place is full and they charge over £70, so it looks like at home again. We are going to DS's on Boxing day, he cooks loads of curries and their new kitchen should be ready by then.

[Shemadee]

OH's SILs family used to live close enough that everyone cooked part of the meal and brought it to her house. Would require good timing which is not something they are known for.

DS should have all the work done on his house next year. He has actually invited DD1 and family for Easter which seems a little optimistic! They are still waiting for planning permission and the house is being extended in all directions! Not something I would want to face again- once was enough!

[Daisy]

Ladies - thanks for the 'ready-made' suggestions. I'll have to have a good look round the supermarkets - we have two members of the family who are gluten-free and one who is gluten- and dairy-free, so ready mades need careful choice and scrutiny of the small print on the labels. I don't really know why I find it such hard work - it's only a turkey with roasties and veggies - how hard can it be!

[Gemini]

Those crackers sounds fun Nana

[Nanto2girls]

We will be staying at home. When our eldest was married, they used to invite us for Christmas dinner.
I will say one thing for my ex DIL, she was (I suppose still is) a very good cook.

[Shemadee]

Ladies - thanks for the 'ready-made' suggestions. I'll have to have a good look round the supermarkets - we have two members of the family who are gluten-free and one who is gluten- and dairy-free, so ready mades need careful choice and scrutiny of the small print on the labels. I don't really know why I find it such hard work - it's only a turkey with roasties and veggies - how hard can it be!

I did a roast for eight of us on Sunday and I did find it hard going. Was pretty delicious if I say so myself!

[ZIZI]

Whe wne had the house we would have everyone and his granddad for Christmas lunch then as the boys grew up and various people moved on (& passed on) it got quieter. when the boys got serious boyfriends I realised they really wanted to be with them at Christmas so we started the "Family Breakfast" tradition. All boys and girlfriends (and any of their friends who didn't have anywhere to go) would come to us for breakfast and presents and then on to the girl's families and we would eat together. When we closed the business and husband started working shifts it all changed again. He rarely gets Christmas off so we just used to have a quiet Christmas lunch when he got in and visit the kids as and when. Then when grandchildren came along it all changed again. Now if he is working I visit the children and take a picture of them waving at him which I send to him or Facetime him if he can take calls. Then I come home and wait for him to call me to collect him (no public transport of course) and we have lunch together then sometime between Christmas and New Year we have the "Second Christmas" where they all come here and I put a buffet on and presents are exchanged.


Last year we all went out together. I drove to eldest's house and picked up the children and the adults walked the twenty minutes to the hotel. Then same thing back but to other son's house. We stayed there until early evening and got a cab home. We have been to both eldest and youngests at various times. This year husband is not working, youngest has plans and eldest son's wife wants to go to her sisters with her parents. Son says he won't go if we are on our own. We are going to tell him to go for two reasons: one is that we don't want to cause angst between them the other is that her parents live in Portugal and she only sees them four or five times a year. We shall invite middle son to join us as he has recently split from his partner of 12 years and is living in a shared house, doubt if he will come though! When I have them here for the buffet I do buy everything in, I never used to but what the heck!

[Libra Gran]

We have had an invitation for Christmas day, but have politely declined for 2 reasons. A) we had already said we wanted a quiet day just the two of us and B) having a puppy there is no way we can leave him for 6-8 hrs, far too young. Eldest DD was fine with that and understands because there is no way she would welcome a dog into her home.Boxing day was going to be the same plan but youngest DD is a little more relaxed and insists we come along with puppy, so we will take his crate with us so he can hide himself away if the youngest girls get OTT.Oldest pink ones at 13 and 11 want the day in their own home.
We will pop across to see the girls Christmas Day. This year I am off for a whole week. We used to have all the family when we lived in the Tardis and had a few here, but realistically our little bungalow isn't big enough to host large get togethers. Gets a bit like playing sardines.