Christmas Lunch + Traditions

DH wants to do a Christmas meal at our place too. I'm thinking a green salad, another type of salad, potatoes, ham, roast chicken and a couple of desserts. I love the idea of a BBQ. It sounds less stressful!!!

We don't really have a tradition! My parents were divorced, so we'd alternate Christmas eve each year so we spent equal time waking up on Christmas morning with each parent. Then at about midday we'd swap to the other parent's house. It was always different and so much fun. I guess now is the time to start traditions in our little family!

My side of the family changes every year depending on whose house it is. If its at my parents place they have ham, all types of salads (hot and cold) and bbq. everyone brings something along and a dessert as well. There's always tons of food if everyone brings a plate

i remember one year when we were younger and the neighbours had their hangi down in our yard. because the men were too eager it was down too early and out too early and we had a late brekkie over there of wild hangi pork and all the trimmings then the roast port was ready at our place about half an hour later so we just ate bits of that then had dessert. a memorable xmas lunch that one!

We always have lunch with my family.  One year it is my turn, then the next my auntie, then my mum.  This year it is my mums turn.......

We open presents with DH, and kids in the morning, then when we get together with my family for lunch and open more presents.

We have chicken, ham, pork, turkey, along with new pots, peas, carrots, cauli and gravey and of course the best of all is my nana's stuffing!!!

Hope you all enjoy....

Yeah Mum and Dad would always make that first present something that could keep us occupied for a while. Like colouring books or board game etc. I think it was just their way of not having us wake them up at 5am wanting to open pressies, and because there was 4 of us we all got to play/fight with each others toys which kept us busy for quite a while.

As kids we had our own tradition which was to sing "why are we waiting" until we got the rest of the pressies

we are going home for xmas this year we have ham and chicken, seafood my grandad has cought salads and spuds ummm and pudd is triffle,pav icecream ect umm i cant wait

I think we're still 'finding' ours!! LOL

When I was a kid, we used to wake up to stockings on the end of our beds with little things to play with - $2 shop type items and a few choc's etc. We wouldn't do much in the morning but it was a mutton roast at lunchtime, then opening presents one by one until 4pm then dessert for 'dinner' (because we were so stuffed at lunchtime haha). Pretty much was ice-cream, ambrosia, pav, or variation.

DH's side goes like this: the minute someone wakes up, everyone is awake. 5 minutes later all the presents are opened and you're still trying to get your head around what you opened and who it was from cause it happened so fast!!! Then bum around with movies and nuts and chippies etc until lunch. Usually some roast with all the trimmings plus salad but there have been a couple of bbq's thrown in for good measure. Everyone is expected to contribute towards the meal. (While this is helpful for someone who is starting out or on a smallish budget, it doesn't open the way easily for someone new to try hosting because they feel that they have never had a 'break' from doing Christmas lunch... IMO.)

We used to try to do DH's family in the morning and my family in the afternoon (since they live 5mins apart) but that became stressful and overwhelming with little kids. So now the idea is that we spend Christmas morning here, opening presents in relaxed fashion and giving the kids some time to play/rest etc before going to one set of parents for lunch/afternoon tea and dinner. Then we go to the other set for New Year's day (which is basically like Christmas all over again incl with that side of the family's gifts). We decided to spread them out so far since it was all a bit much with DH's bday on 23 Dec and DD1's bday on 27 Dec LOL

For the sake of practicality...
- pressies are wrapped before Christmas but not under the tree until Christmas Eve after bedtime
- smelly nappies and pj's are changed before pressies (photos)
- usually breakfast is done first as well so that the youngest doesn't 'die' of hunger

We have a big family and our tradition has changed as the family has grown. We usually have Santa presents and breakfast at home. Our family do lunch and everyone brings food. Typically ham, turkey and other meats, salad and/or veges and loads of deserts. Pressies are either before or after lunch. We've set cost limits, only bought for the children, only bought for our own families. This year we'll do a secret Santa so everyone buys and receives one gift for the extended family.

Mid to late afternoon everyone disapears - either to another meal with the in-laws, to drop the children of split families to their other parent, or to just go home.

One of my brothers has an 'orphans' dinner for friends without kids/partners that don't do anything much on Xmas night. Sometimes we go there so the cousins can play a bit longer.