How many have you done?

46 family Christmas and still counting! Do all my prep from real food. Nothing frozen... after all it’s just a bigger Sunday lunch!

In 49 years of marriage I've cooked every year bar two. Once went to in laws, all very understated and not particularly great and once at a hotel with husband and adult son. OK but all a bit forced jollity imo. This Christmas we're going to our son and daughter in law's and darling granddaughter 1 on 3rd Jan. I adore all three of them and will be delighted with whatever food I'm given (which will be great I'm sure). The company of loved ones with food cooked for me will be wonderful.

60, this will be the 61st. The first one I was 12. My Mother was a useless cook and if we'd waited for her we'd still be waiting. Prior to that my Gran did it all. I did the cooking and my sister did the washing up and assisting me - and I've done it ever since.

39. My husband offered to do it this year, but I said no, I want it to be edible1

Coming up to 40 I should think - I've done it most years since we were married.

I make my own Christmas pud, brandy butter, Chr. cake, mince pies, pigs in blankets, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy.
The only things I buy ready-made are plenty of nice canapés - usually fishy ones from M&S - to have a couple of hours before dinner, which is never before about 5 in this house - I never do a starter.

I enjoy doing it all, and my elder sister (who's hosted at least as much as I have) also said the other day that she enjoys it too, ditto her long grown up daughter.
Maybe we're a bit weird - so many people seem to find it a massive chore.

However I don't do lots of different veggies/side dishes that some people do, let alone more than one type of meat, roast potatoes and mash, etc.

I always make a list of timings (worked out backwards from when we're going to sit down to eat), starting with oven on to preheat for turkey at X hours. I do find my list essential (especially after rather a lot of Buck's Fizz!) - it goes on the front of the fridge for ease of reference and to avoid getting mislaid/splashed on, etc.

In 52 years of marriage, maybe about 45. I make everything except pigs in blankets to save too much last minute prepping. Last year for the first time I handed over the carving and serving up to my DS and SIL (too much fizz by then).

I am gluten intolerant, after much experimenting my pastry mix is about half gf plain flour, the rest a mix of gram flour and fine polenta plus a pinch of xanthan gum. An egg to bind then rest in fridge if poss for half hour, it rolls out perfectly and tastes fine. I even manage to use same ingredients for puff pastry when I have the time.

For sponges etc I always use ground almonds and GF s.r. Flour, it’s always delicious.

38 on my own, and the last 10 before I took over entirely from my mother were a question of me doing as much as possible without hurting my mother.

I bake three kinds of Danish Christmas biscuits during December and prepare food for Christmas Day and the following days, before starting Christmas dinner including dessert which we eat on Christmas Eve.

Buying and decorating the tree is my job too, plus taking it down on Twelfth Night. Writing Christmas cards and letters is my job too. Has anyone a husband who does that?

Oh, and I forgot the house-cleaning which is an ongoing task from the end of November nowadays. When I was young I did the whole house in two days.

And what does DH do? He appreciates it all! And puts up his own nativity scene and buys me a Christmas present, so I have nothing to complain about, as I love Christmas.

Yes, WItzend, I time my cooking in the same way as you at Christmas - the rest of the year, we eat when it's ready.

In 51 years of marriage, I think I’ve done about 45, MIL handed over the job to me after about 3 years of marriage. Recently my AC have invited us and we have accepted, but as we are still working (farming), there is always a few hours work to do before driving 4 hours. We stay the night, then drive back next morning to feed the stock again the next day. This year we are staying home, I will cook and DH will see to the animals. Looking forward to it ?

I have existed through too many xmases, many with just my husband and me, and we were already so bored we just eat junk food over xmas and don't bother cooking. In fact I think that's probably why my kids stopped coming home for xmas and prefer to see other friends and family. I just find the whole event so boring, claustrophobic and depressing. I used to enjoy xmas all my life right up till my kids were in their late teens and started inviting their partners to join in. They always seemed to pick whiny partners or ones who got drunk and had melt downs. I think I said one year I wasn't going to do anything for xmas, and never went back to it. I usually see one lot of grandkids and their mum (son's ex) for a visit in the gap between xmas and new year, and my daughter and her little boy spend xmas eve with us, stay over and leave late morning on xmas day so they can go to someone who is cooking a proper dinner.

52!!! My Mum left home when I was 16 & I took over the cooking. I have had Xmas dinner in my house every year.
I do it all from scratch but to be fair I do love cooking & I do love my sons & their families coming to us.
Sometimes it is on Boxing day though as we take turns with in-laws.
Wouldn't want it any other way.

Isn't it lovely, Readymeals?! I encounter so many people who tell me they "hate Christmas" and "wish it was all over" but have no answer to my "well, why do it then?" I send maybe 5 cards (neighbours), the grandchildren get a few pressies and a couple of others...nothing big. And that's about it!! Will have a light lunch, drop in on my mother and look forward to being back to normal (somewhat) with Boxing Day sales!

I've probably cooked about 30 but not all have been the traditional turkey with all the trimmings, sometimes we had salmon or duck. We always lived in small houses so never hosted as big sister got in there first - with her three children it was easier for parents to go to hers.
Since losing my DH eight years ago I'm in an even smaller house after downsizing so I still go to hers. I try to help with the washing up if I'm allowed and always take a little gift with me like a nice bottle of something.
It means I always drive there in all weathers - I dread the snow even though I probably can cope.

I've done 38 but the last 3 years I've been heavily involved in cooking for upwards of 70 people on Christmas day.
This year my D & SIL are taking their 4 children out to dinner on Christmas Eve then having a bbq style meal on Christmas day. Very informal and the 4 children are excited about it.
PS, they live in the UK.

38 Christmas dinners and 12 of us sitting down again this year. It’s the result of having the larger house and a husband who is totally enthusiastic about the whole thing. We are like two dead ducks by the end of three days of food and overnight guests! This year I’m in plaster up to my knee, non weight bearing in one leg and the house looks like the geriatric unit with wheelchair, Zimmer frame, etc, etc. But still they come!! Never mind, DH and SIL are going to do the meal and I’ll sit on a velvet cushion and watch!! Well that’s the theory....but how on earth do I restrain myself from giving them cooking tips? Will have to sit on my hands! Can’t imagine the state of the kitchen afterwards....not my problem however!!

That sounds a sad Christmas for you and your daughter Annsixty - but hopefully you will be able to cheer each other up - good books music and food.

32 then came the divorce, not done one since!

I think 37/38 don't do it now.

60 and that's it. I refuse to cook another Christmas dinner. OH is going to have his with DD and family and I am going to ENJOY a solitary meal , ribeye steak and simple veg, with no turkey, no trimmings, no vast cooking session, no mammoth washing up, no family histrionics---just peace and a good book!

I make everything from scratch. I normally don’t like cooking, but at Christmas I absolutely love it, I feel this what Christmas is all about and it always brings a Christmas feel. This year I’ve just bought a separate freezer to my fridge freezer, so that I can prepare in advance, I can’t wait to get down to it next weekend.

I think about 40 some were with mil some with daughters. I never enjoyed the cooking and now family is too large to gather in one place. I do ask if I can help if I’m out to dinner and having just lost DH my family are being super kind and inviting me out I’ll be happy to never cook Christmas dinner again.

46, with one year off when I gave birth on the 19th December.
I was still expected to do the washing up though.

None. Hubby does it all - okay, I might peel a few carrots but that's about it.

For heavens sake stop making Christmas purgatory for yourselves. There's no need for everything to be made from scratch, so many good products in the supermarket now. I'd rather have more time to enjoy being with family.
Be good to yourself, you deserve it.

This year will be my 46th year of cooking the Christmas dinner. But nowadays I don't do everything from scratch. Christmas pudding and mince pies are bought - they have improved so much over the years that I no longer have that chore. The main meal, though, is all cooked from scratch, though I do as much prep in advance as possible. Roast spuds are cooked in advance and frozen; veg are all prepared the day before and ready to be steamed or roasted; gammon is cooked the night before and sliced, ready to be heated through. The turkey crown is cooked on the big day, because Christmas morning without the aroma of a turkey roasting would just be wrong!