Ideas for family pre-Christmas meal

Newdawn says Christmas is being spent at the other granny’s , so this is Newdawns family meal including the grandkids. I don’t think she has to ‘stamp anything out’.

I make what I call black forest trifle for a slightly different dessert. A chocolate sponge base, soaked in a mixture of warmed black cherry jam, with defrosted frozen cherries and a little alcohol. If you don’t want alcohol, increase the moisture by adding a little apple juice. Leave to absorb the mixture overnight. I top with pink jelly fluff, then whipped cream on top, sprinkled with grated chocolate, or, crushed Cadbury’s flakes.

Lots of great ideas for you. I wouldn’t try to compete with Christmas Day festivities but would do a Christmas buffet or a simple chilli dish. For presents set a very small budget with people having to choose daft or funny gifts. Follow all of this with fun games. There’s all the traditional ones like charades, spin the plate (aka toilet), etc or Twister type games or bounce the ping pong ball into a cup, pass the balloon under / over- lots of ideas on the net too.
We do a pre Xmas get together each year and my eldest child said this was the best ever and it reminded the younger children that Christmas was about being together, not expensive presents.
Enjoy your day.

I'm doing something similar and I'm planning braised brisket, baked potatoes and veg, followed by chocolate fudge pudding and cream.

I'd go for M&S party food. No stress, and you could choose a variety of options.

Lasagne? Fish pie? Something not roast and not involving poultry.

I would make a couple of big pies, maybe one chicken and one diced beef, you could make them before hand and freeze them.

Is the fish and chip shop open?

Probably not!

We do get invited to DC's now on Christmas Day/Boxing Day which is lovely, but what I miss are leftovers, which is daft, I know. Not having to think too much, just ring the changes with leftover turkey and ham.

Allira

^We usually have a nice big joint of gammon for our pre-Christmas meal, the children love it and we have leftovers to add to the white meat left after Christmas^

We used to do that as well, cc.

However, we're out on Christmas Eve this year.

I'd probably put something in a slow cooker eg boeuf bourguignon or beef in beer, goulash, a luxury cottage pie or lasagne.

Followed by a pavlova or fresh fruit salad.
Not poultry if you're having Turkey on Christmas Day.

Some of the suggestions here sound great and appealing to all.
We're going to our holiday home this year for Christmas and just taking two of our adult children and two grandchildren. It will all be very simple which is hopefully going to be restful.
My daughter goes all-out for Christmas usually, more presents for her children than she really needs to do, but I'm hoping that we can turn it down a notch to avoid having to cart so much about.
I'm having an Ocado delivery there on Christmas Eve so will have to hope that there aren't too many substitutions or our Christmas fare will be very simple indeed!

What about jacket potatoes with chilli and/or assortment of other fillings and they can help themselves

Sausage with cannellini beans (like a sausage casserole, but a bit posher) we’re having theirs on Boxing Day.
Served with mash, green beans & garlic bread.
Followed by a no bake cheese cake.
Both can be made ahead.
Or
Salad, cold meats, chips etc
I wouldn’t give any gifts.
What about games, that everyone could join in with??

I would go with the fish or gammon alternatives. Coq au vin is the right balance between every day and special feast but anything with poultry is surely in "competition" with the Christmas turkey.

The children won't appreciate anything special, so they will be happy with fish fingers. Festive food would normally involve wine or something children don t like, anyway. As a pudding, ice cream with some sprinkles and a little umbrella will be special in their eyes.

Usedtobeblonde My dgc wouldn’t like any of that, although I’d be very happy to come and share . Like Newdawn’s dgc, mine like plain pizza, chicken nuggets and fish fingers. Not always that! They have zero interest in food - in fact an aversion to trying new foods. They’d have a Christmas tree shaped pizza with absolutely no pressure to eat it, no veg, and cookies for afters. I’d make it easy for yourself and do a special one pot meal for the adults with DH’s lovely dessert and nibbles out for afterwards. Include little table gifts for everyone. Absolutely no pre-Christmas presents for little ones without permission from parents. Have a lovely day.

Surely the children will eat marry me chicken too?

A salmon?
Whole or a side or two?
Keep the rest simple, baby potatoes, a green vegetable or two and a sauce (M&S do tubs of sauce I think).

The children might want something else, something simple you can also put in the oven although ours have always liked fish.

Re all these suggestions, who doesn’t like ham, jacket potatoes, salads and pickles, chutney etc ?
Very few and children love it.

Our grandchildren are with us on Christmas Eve. They absolutely love a buffet where they can pick their own food and have especially asked if we can have this on Christmas Eve. Just another suggestion, it could work for your family too. As for presents I would be guided by the children’s’ parents.

We usually have a nice big joint of gammon for our pre-Christmas meal, the children love it and we have leftovers to add to the white meat left after Christmas

We used to do that as well, cc.

However, we're out on Christmas Eve this year.

I'd probably put something in a slow cooker eg boeuf bourguignon or beef in beer, goulash, a luxury cottage pie or lasagne.

Followed by a pavlova or fresh fruit salad.
Not poultry if you're having Turkey on Christmas Day.

Festive nibbles to start.

Ham, cauliflower cheese, cold salad, rolls.

Bread and butter pudding.

Do give them presents!

I’d do pulled pork (I’ve got a large slow cooker) with rolls, coleslaw and pickles, it’s easy and informal. Something in a roll for the children, burgers? You could do a load of oven chips too.
A small gift for the children to open perhaps.

We usually have a nice big joint of gammon for our pre-Christmas meal, the children love it and we have leftovers to add to the white meat left after Christmas.
I boil it first, pull off the skin and then bake with sugar or honey on the fat. You can have pineapple and roast potatoes if you like though I like the traditional parsley sauce and mash or new potatoes myself.
Everybody seems to like a baked camembert as a starter, though you'd need to do a few if it was a meal for a large family.
The baked alaska sounds very nice, though I'm a big crumble fan myself and often use frozen berries with some chunks of apple to stop it being too wet.

Thanks..lots of ideas.

I was going to suggest a ham, salad, coleslaw type of thing which could also include things the children would like.

This is my easy meal- a good ham with relushes ,coleslaw, salads and baked buttery potatoes - simple,but delicious .
If anyone is vegetarian -a baked Camembert .
I wouldn't attempt a baked Alaska with a houseful of visitors.
For dessert -a homemade ice cream cake .
Make a crumb base and slightly melt three different ice cream which go together .
One should vanilla and that goes in the middle of the "sandwich. "
I layer them on top of the crumbs .
Careful - you can bend a spoon doing it if the ice cream is a bit hard .
And finally decorate with whipped cream and cherries.
And refreeze.
Have a wonderful celebration.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

I’d do something like Hungarian Goulash with baked potatoes. The children could skip the goulash if not keen and have baked potatoes with cheese & beans. Or chicken nuggets as a side … 😂

A grannie after my own heart. I did a Railway Man’s curry for the nine adults, pushed the boat out making coconut rice and raided the Indian supermarket for chutneys and breads, yes a veg curry alongside.

I often make my own chicken nuggets with home made chips for the children but only if I’m feeding them not a gang of adults as well. So I’d prep home made nuggets and serve with frozen chips with sides of raw carrot, mango, cucumber, strawberries to avoid drowning in guilt on the veg front.

I’m going to lie down for a rest just reading this tired me, I last did this when mr I was here to chop, stir, wash up and sing as we prepped