As delicious as Christmas dinner can be, the amount of effort such a feast requires can add to the existing pressures of the festive period, especially for those with young children to care for. One exhausted mum has decided to opt out altogether this year, explaining that she'd rather spend time with her kids instead of in the kitchen.
The fed-up woman - who is mum to twins and a six-year-old - says there's 'no way' she'll be rustling up a full turkey dinner this year, and says she'll be opting for 'party food' instead, but does now wonder whether she's doing the right thing.
Taking to Mumsnet, where she goes by the username @thelifeoofme, the tired mum wrote: "I've bought party food, pizzas, pigs in blankets, picky bits and I'll lay a spread on the table. We don't have a dining table either so it'll be a pick-n-mix - I've been called all sorts for this but I am SICK of spending Christmas Day in the kitchen when I should be with those kids."
Turning to fellow Mumsnet users for advice, she pondered whether this swap made her an 'awful mother', fearing she could be depriving her children of the 'whole dinner experience'.
One person advised: "Do what suits you best, and what you most enjoy! In our family, we have always done Christmas dinner as an evening meal. Works well because the cooking doesn’t clash with peak present excitement and can be fitted in flexibly throughout the day. Enjoy your day!"
Another commented: "The kids won’t be deprived! It sounds lovely and they’ll remember spending time with you and playing. Plenty of time for Christmas dinners when they are teenagers and don’t want to leave their rooms.
"You could always do the dinner another day, Christmas Eve like the Germans do I think, or Boxing Day? But only if you really want one. Sounds like a lovely Christmas Day."
Are you opting for an alternative Christmas dinner this year? Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com
