Christmas Day Lunch.....

[Free at Last]

There is no law which says we have to eat turkey and all the trimmings on Christmas Day. We don't go out, but neither do we bother with cooking a traditional Christmas dinner. We just cook a nice meal of whatever we fancy and enjoy it, why bother slaving over something that just feels like a chore?

[costakid]

10 hours to prep and cook, 15 minutes to eat. Is it worth it for 2 people?

[gruff]

3 years ago we had Christmas lunch at the Tanit. Normal menu, no menu del dia. Unfortunately it was pouring down but they had the heaters on. 2 years ago we had Christmas lunch at Berebere. Again it was the ordinary menu but there was something special about Christmas lunch on the beach in the sun.
This year I don't know. I feel Berebere has gone downhill of late.

[IreneD]

Like-minded people! Lovely! But just to prove I can do it - here is a cropped photo from 2007 - that year I cooked for 11, you can just see the children's table. The most I've ever cooked for is 15 for Christmas dinner.

[ashtondav]

10 hours to prep and cook, 15 minutes to eat. Is it worth it for 2 people?

Blimey, thank gawd I'm not at your place. You could breed a blo*dy turkey in ten hours!

[alisonb]

We've kind of compromised for the last few years. After the year before we learnt, when we went out Christmas Eve and absolutely nothing was open, we now have a traditional Christmas dinner on the evening of the 24th and go out on Christmas Day. Last years lunch was a sandwich mixto on the seafront at Torre deal Mar, followed by an ice cream

[El Cid]

That's what the Spanish do. The celebrate with a big meal on Xmas eve, not Xmas day, which is many of the restaurants are closed on the 24th.

Sid

[Wicksey]

What I've done in the past is to cook a free range chicken a few weeks before, stripped the meat off and frozen portions and on the day have defrosted and reheated it and it tasted fine. I wouldn't do a turkey for two but it is the only time I ever cook the full roast thing. I have also made my own stuffing in advance and frozen it and have done as much as poss beforehand so it's more an assembly job on the day! For some reason I just don't like doing the roast dinner - it's just not a meal we eat at home. Perhaps it's also because I have a gas oven which doesn't cooker very evenly if I have things on both shelves.
I know you don't have to have the traditional Christmas dinner, but if I didn't do it it would just be another day. There's only the two of us, we don't have any family, so if I don't make a special meal it doesn't really feel like Christmas day (apart from the Queen's speech on TV).

Blimey Irene .... looks like it's all round to yours this year ....

[IreneD]

Ha ha, Wicksey! I was looking for the 15 for lunch year........I have a great photo of 15 plates on the floor of the conservatory (not enough room on the kitchen worktops) and my daughter and I picking our way between them, dishing up all the components of the meal.

I think that all those past years, when the family came to us, all the cooking, the children being excited with their pressies etc. .......that's all way in the past now and maybe I don't want to do it just for us two as it would make me feel sad. Since we've lived in Spain, apart from 2 years ago, when my OH came out of hospital on the 23rd December here in Spain and we just didn't 'do' Christmas at all, as his diet was very restricted, we have gone back to England and one of my daughters has done the cooking, with me as sous chef. This year is a bit of an experiment, to see if we like being away from all the hoo-ha.

I am looking at El Charco restaurant in Los Romanes, anyone been there? I would prefer the coast though.....I suspect it will be Bahia Tanit as I do like everything about that place, situation, ambience, food.

[Lyric]

Well you have set me off looking, best yet is 85€ pp, or half a weeks pension, next is 65€ pp. Two places that won't be getting our custom. Just toying with 46€ pp which is a nice menu and includes a live band and dancing if you must.

[IreneD]

You are talking about a UK type Christmas dinner, I assume, Lyric? I don't want that, no way am I paying those sort of price for a turkey dinner.

[Lyric]

Yes, one of those is eight courses which I don't expect we could manage. It is strange isn't it, different strokes I suppose, in the past we have been happy to go for a curry or a decent dollop of international, then suddenly this year Senior Management wants trad, but does not want to do it, well it would be me that did it but you know what I mean.
We don't really like Turkey, find it overrated.

[El Cid]

I'm not doing Turkey this year. A 3kg Entrecote instead. Yorkshires instead of stuffing. It will make a change!

That said, I have been very impressed with the turkeys we have had in the past from our local market - about a third of the price of turkey in the UK.

Sid

[markwilding]

Every year the same.
As Sid says, the Spanish celebrate the main Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve so we go over to the in-laws. They come to ours on the 25th and my wife, who loves to cook a Turkey dinner, starts preparing weeks before because she enjoys setting up the table.
When I was a kid, we didn't have Yorkshire puddings with Christmas dinner but she does the lot, Roast potatoes, plenty of veg, Yorkshires, stuffing, sausages with bacon, gravy....and Christmas pudding, although I'm the only one that eats the pudding.
This year most of it will be paid for with the money accumulated on our Eroski card.

[costakid]

10 hours to prep and cook, 15 minutes to eat. Is it worth it for 2 people?

Blimey, thank gawd I'm not at your place. You could breed a blo*dy turkey in ten hours!

So how long do you think it takes to prep and cook a proper traditional dinner. If you do the job properly with punch, homemade xmas pud and the full trimmings 10 hours is not long. Women take pride in preping a proper meal and start planning weeks ahead. I never said 10 hours in one day.
Any its irrelavant because your not invited. Enjoy your pot noodle or boil in the bag curry. HA HA

[IreneD]

Costakid, it does take a long time, you're right. Even on the day, last year, my eldest daughter was in the kitchen for about 8 hours. I prepared the stuffing and peeled some veg, that's all I was allowed to do. Talking about it is making me wonder if we're doing the right thing, staying here......there is something very special about Christmas dinner with family or good friends. Anyway, I hope all Andalucia dotcommers enjoy it, wherever we are

[Pamela1]

I have wondered what it would feel like to spend Christmas in Spain. I know they have all the works on Xmas Eve etc but i remember my hubby telling me that they never used to have Xmas trees in their homes and the presents he and his siblings received were based around what was needed for school..When he came to the Uk 35yrs ago he was the biggest kid on Xmas day, he loved Christmas here but now in his older age he just says it's ok!
I have often thought about going to our house for Xmas but now we have grandchildren it's a big no and besides they all come here and there are no less than 10 of us...My sister tends to go abroad somewhere and loves not having to put up a tree and doing all the Xmas shopping...I on the other hand don't enjoy all the chores but i like Christmas at home...I imagine our house in Andalucia to be cold and not as cosy and welcoming as our home here.I'm mostly judging that through having been to the house in colder climates when it seems to feel warmer outside than inside lol...For those living permanently in Spain i'm sure you will all have your homes prepared and rearranged in order to make it cosy and inviting during the colder weather and have a great Christmas

[markwilding]

Maybe Christmas trees are a relatively new tradition here. My first one here was in 85 and they had them then. Most people round here put one up. We are even starting to see the outside of houses with lots of lights.

The day they give presents varies from region to region. Traditionally, it was the 6th January, however, many receive them on the 25th as well, particularly in Catalonia and here in the Basque Country. I believe Andalucía prefers the traditional 6th

Actually, the generations tend to dictate when . Younger parents prefer the 25th and older ones and Grandparents the 6th. These days presents are the same as the UK.

[chrissiehope]

I suspect my Xmas lunch will be a sarnie in front of the TV - there's only my son & I, and as he has had the last Xmas (or two ?) off from his catering job, he will be working this year. For us Xmas Day will be Boxing Day !

[Pamela1]

Mark, It's interesting how it varies from region to region..I think you are right to say that Andalucia prefer to give out their gifts on the 6th...How long that will last for i really don't know because as well as having Christmas trees as you say they are now lighting up the outside of their homes..that is something that never really happened where i live in the Uk when i was a child but i suppose it was just a matter of time before we jumped on the American bandwagon...
When i asked hubby what Christmas was like for him when he was a child he told me that most homes had a nativity scene in the corner of the room and that it was traditional to give hot chocolate to well wishers...I laughed and asked where was the alcohol? he said don't worry there was always plenty of vino..