Christmas Eve

Big Late breakfast/brunch ,skip lunch , straight into evening supper , merry Christmas hope all goes well ??

Big pot of soup with home-made scones or brown bread. (Made beforehand and frozen).
In the weeks before Christmas, Easter etc when I know we’ll have a crowd, I try to make and freeze a few quiches and a big lasagne. Lucky to have big chest freezer. Had 16 staying last year when DD got married!
Hope your Christmas goes well and they don’t eat all the satsumas.

I used to make a huge casserole of beef stew, so that anyone arriving late had a hot meal waiting.
One dreadful Christmas, we’d all been out to an early evening drinks do and came back to the enticing smell of nothing!
The oven had packed up!

All power to your elbow, winterwhite! If it's my turn to host Christmas Day, as it is this year, I'm up to my elbows in preparation for that on Christmas Eve, with DH assisting where required! I usually down tools at teatime, have a quick bite, and get ready to head out for a festive few drinks with him and whoever else is around to join us, ending up at the midnight service on the way home.

I'm impressed that you sort out a Christmas Eve supper at home for everyone if you're feeding them on Christmas Day. And I certainly couldn't do with them all getting under my feet in the kitchen. If nobody else is willing or able to do the work, I'd be booking a table for everyone at a local pub!

I'm with Maggie! I'd be ordering in pizzas ...

Agree with the pot of soup idea, maybe do two so people have a choice e.g.carrot and coriander, leek and potato, broccoli with stilton , couple of baguettes and a fruit bowl and job done, anyone around can help themselves.

I have my son and his family arriving sometime on Christmas Eve. If they are here by lunch time it will probably be pizza and salad. In the evening it is Chiken Cobbler with possibly cabbage.
Breakfast, big lunch and evening nibbles all sorted for Christmas Day when we will be 8.
Boxing Day it's the pantomime and then to DDs for supper.
Day after Moussaka for 9.
Cobbler and Moussaka will be made , minus their toppings, in the week before Christmas and frozen.
My DiL is great at helping with anything and my 2 DGs are following in her footsteps. So quite looking forward to it all really.

I always admire people who (apparently) get dressed up on Christmas Eve and have a civilised supper at home!
I used to be found doing sprouts and DH peeling away, preparing the turkey, making giblet stock etc etc.

However, we are very lucky to be going to a carols at church on Christmas Eve followed by supper cooked by someone else.

Thanks for some good suggestions. Supper is cold - I precook some gammon and buy a game pie, and do potato and other salads. Plus some better than usual cheese. So it's easy, and fun, but not a light meal. The brunch route might suit.

Brunch and a cup of tea or coffee and mince pies if they feel peckish in mid-afternoon?

We always had Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve when the children were young. That way we could do Chuech in Christmas morning and the rest of the day was playing with the children and a festive 'all day' buffet allowing everyone including guests to eat what they wanted whenever they wanted. Fond memories xx

I feel full up just reading all this, and a bit tired.

winterwhite go with soup, ready made quiches and a big salad.

Sadly just us two this Christmas so its some nice smoked salmon, lovely cheeses, bottle of wine and a cuddle - dressed up though- of course I have the frock ready a black Monsoon velvet number with sparkles.

For a big gathering I would go for two large pots of soup - carrot and coriander, brocolli and stilton - keep it totally meat free as there's likely to be lots of meat over the next couple of days - and crusty bagettes. Follow with a mince pie and cream to get into the Christmas spirit. With that number of people you have to keep your kitchen under control, and this idea is likely to make the washing-up easier.

Get the "scratch around help yourselves" ingredients out onto the dining table and have people help themselves at the table rather than diving into the fridge for themselves. It will be the same sort of meal, just under better control.

Smoked salmon and bung-in-the-oven Christmas nibbles such as three for two Tesco's prawns in filo and sausage in bacon. Serve with a variety of sauces (sweet chilli etc.) and followed by mince pies and cream.

Love the soup idea. I can manage that!!!
We were going to DS & family this year but they've just had a baby so they are all coming to us. DG hasn't said anything yet............! We'd have to eat in relays I think for lunch.

How lucky you all are to have someone (anyone!!!) to share your festivities .... there are some us out here who have no-one at all...... ?

Take them all for a carvery or pub dinner Christmas eve.

This year is going to be very different from preceding ones as we will have 2 little children in the house for the first time in many years and my son here for the first time in about 7 years. My mum always insisted on having a pork pie on Christmas Eve with all the accompanying pickles etc - silver skin onions being essential. We did carry this on when they were able to come round here but we've been on our own for a long time now. I think we've had a treat of a take away a couple of years. This one though who knows - it could be beans on toast or a full on cordon bleu meal as my son is a great cook

What a lovely Christmas you will have Willow500 Doesn't matter what you eat. It will be wonderful to be together. Have a lovely time

Firstly, to everyone's amusement, I pin up a menu and times & meals for the length of time the guests [mostly our children + family] are with us.
Secondly, we have a nice CE meal [usually ham], Xmas Day, we have a light fishy lunch as I refuse to fret abut the turkey when in church, then if desired tea/cake and then the full monty in the evening around 6-7.
Boxing Day, i make soup and let everyone help themselves to leftovers - butstrictly according to menu times!!!
The family finds it hilarious - but at least I know where I am...

Felt sad on reading your post Maidmarion. If you're reasonable fit and able could you volunteer somewhere on Christmas Day so you are not on your own?

Get a fully cooked, holiday ham and some (make ahead) potato salad. Put out some bread rolls, a festive punch and a cookie platter, then let everyone help themselves.