Christmas alone

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Jooniewoonie, I'd suggest a guinea fowl, they are delicious and taste how "proper" chicken used to be, and they're cheaper than turkey. Some sausagemeat stuffing cooked separately - plenty of leftovers there, plus a small selection of roast potatoes, roast parsnips and carrots. Green veg if you feel like it, and some red wine gravy, perhaps?

An easy bowl of trifle, a small Pannetone, a selection of good cheese and special crackers .. hang on, I think we'll all be coming to yours!

Have whatever you want. You can buy venison steak in most supermarkets and have it with usual roast vegetables. Always possible to buy small single person Christmas pudding, the choices are endless, just enjoy doing whatever you want.

I will see one family before Christmas, the other after, and may be on my own though need to find out whether a friend is in the same position and wants to share the day - or not. Nothing will replace busy past Christmases and I don’t want to try, so will enjoy the memories and the not having to cook myself into a frenzy. As to what to eat? Not sure but minimal effort and clearing up will be necessary.

I don't eat meat so I buy a Quorn roast. The rest is traditional...roast potatoes etc., plus a small Christmas pudding with brandy cream.
Being alone doesn't mean missing out....plus you don't have to share your chocolates with anyone!

holidays alone are a nice time to catch up on some cozy reading. the stories can keep you company

BA69, I know of one lady who didn’t want inviting to either family,friends or neighbours taking pity on her inviting her for Christmas lunch that told everyone she was volunteering to wait on the local people’s Christmas dinner and would be very busy from early on in the morning and would be exhausted by the time she got home late afternoon!
Everyone said how marvellous she was and how unselfish!
I was very honoured to be let into her ‘white lie’

BA69

This is my first Christmas without my husband of 53 years, he has just passed. We always went out for Christmas dinner to a restaurant as we have no children, I have been invited to my brother in laws and his family for the day although we never went before. It is kind of them, but I know I will be out of my comfort zone and now having read all these suggestions for dinner I quite fancy good cheese and biscuits with a bottle of red wine watching something on TV. The only thing is I don't want neighbours etc. feeling sorry for me, feeling they have to invite me. They put out these things on tv about visiting anyone on their own on Chistmas Day. Know everyone means well but makes me feel like a charity case.

Like Witzend, I understand about not wanting to feel like a charity case, and I do offer you condolences. A day pleasing yourself may not be as daunting as you fear, so do just that.
The Bodach and I went away at Christmas, as once the children were grown neither of us were fans, so when he died, for the last two years I’ve gone away to the sun on my own, which I’m happy to do, and it avoids me feeling that my children are thinking they have to invite me. They are all quite happy to have Christmas day in their own homes with their children, and meet up another time. Mind you, if I am no longr fit to travel, I’ll be quite content to spend the day with food and drink!

Unless you want turkey, I’d be making myself a nice lasagna. Bonus that it can be done in advance!

Have a turkey roll with stuffing. They are very nice. We have had them from M&S and Aldi. Both good.

BA69, so sorry to read about your husband.

I absolutely get what you mean about feeling like a charity case. If on my own I know I’d never want neighbours to be thinking, ‘Poor old thing, hadn’t we better invite her for Christmas Day?’

I’m sure I’d far rather be at home, eating and drinking what I want whenever I want it, and watching whatever I like on the TV. Or feet up on the sofa, immersed in a nice new book!

I've been on my own for over 12yrs. I always feel uncomfortable going to other people. I always tell myself be kind to myself and treat myself to what I fancy for dinner normally end up with a nice piece lamb. Eat on my own then put my feet up and watch what I like when I like. Try it you might enjoy it. Good luck

If i do, I won't be doing much cooking, more assembly. I would
have a bottle of champagne, to be opened after 12. A steak and mushroom pie, that I had made and froze, loads of greens and a few roasts and gravy, or failing that a salmon wellington with lots of greens. A m and s trifle, ginger cheese and biscuits and a tin of Quality Street. A bag of walnuts and my favourite tv programmes and no stress. I might not get dressed I would have to see. Boxing Day I would try tovwalk it all off,

My own personal choice would be steak and chips. A good quality thick cut sirloin, cooked exactly how I like it, with my favourite oven chips (McCain triple cooked Gastro chips) and some button mushrooms. Not much on puds but my favourite (and very old fashioned) starter is a home made prawn cocktail - in a cocktail or wine glass with shredded lettuce and spring onion in the base. To finish, later on would be Irish coffee and a couple of really nice quality chocolates.

Eat whatever you want and enjoy it. Before I remarried I was on my own for many a Christmas. I remember having fish fingers and chips the first year because I just couldn’t face cooking anything else.

I might be on my own this year and am already wondering what to have, you ladies have given me a lot of great ideas thank you.

shysal

Last year when I was alone for Christmas Day I asked myself what was my favourite food. The answer was Baked Camembert, so that is what I had with a garlic baguette, all done in what was then my new air fryer. I think I also made a dessert to last over the holiday. This year I am already looking forward to doing the same again.
Enjoy your day doing as you please! 🎄

That’s the spirit!😃
Have whatever you like best.

Someone in here said they ordered Indian food on Christmas eve, then ate it on Christmas day.

That sounds quite appealing.

Give me good beef any day. But wouldn’t turn my nose up at a traditional festive roast turkey as long as there are lashings of cranberry sauce and gravy, and it is served HOT😋

Get the smaller turkey crown and do enough veg for two then there will be enough to make gorgeous bubble and squeak.
Ps. Don’t forget the brown sauce juniewoonie!

A lot of people arent even that keen on traditional dinners though.

Thats the joy of having nobody else to please, eating whatever you want.

It is possible to cook a traditional Christmas dinner as a tray bake. Just use turkey breasts or chicken breasts add the usual vegetables and stuffing balls put it in the oven. All done in one dish and minimal washing up.

I live on my own now and really missed roast dinners. Found M&S chicken breasts with skin on so now roast one, skin on keeps the chicken juicy basted with butter and onion salt. Cooked in oven same time as roast potatoes and mixed veg.

Why not spoil yourself and go out for a meal.
Or if you have a slow cooker make one of your favourite meals the day before