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I'm not sure yet! It depends on whether I stay home or if I'm popping in to family around Auckland. How about you?

I have a more taxing question - what to serve to a total of four people for a pre-Christmas Christmas dinner on a work night? I've made the pud, it's the mains. Tracking along with the idea of stuffed chicken thighs, rejected ham as I really don't want to have so much left over, and the various roasts I'd llike to do all take too much cookin'. So stuffed chicken seems like a good compromise. But any other suggestions would be very welcome

How about throwing a chook in the crockpot? Then you've just got the veg to worry about when you get home. Sounds fun!

Chicken is good Maryanne . Hard to beat, because there is just so many things you can do with it, and it is sure to please everyone.
Other than that, there is seafood - salmon perhaps, or lovely big fat prawns . Or , succulent little lamb cutlets cooked to perfection.
I was out the other night and the hostess had made some wee pastry cases in mini muffin pans, put a dollop of Pesto in each one, and then topped them and a tiny red tomato .. We had 3 each on a white square plate and the colouring of the wee tarts made them look very festive. I heard her tell another guest that the recipe was in the latest Foodtown book.. I thought it was a good idea really and easy peasy. You are a good girl aren't you coming home from work and then entertaining your friends. Me... I come home and clock out into a Nana nap these days. My get up and go has went.

Wish I could get away with snacks....... So I decided to fix a Ham, potato salad,baked beans, and DIL will bring spagitti salad, Missy will bring a chocolate revel pie, Shelly will bring deviled eggs,.... I'll make stuffed celery sticks, a pumpkin pie, and of course an angel food cake with whipped cream & pinapple frosting.... Be a simple meal and no mess. Then we'll open packages, and everyone will gather up all their stuff and leave and I'll sit and wonder what happened. all the running and fuss and in a couple hours its over......I think everyone for got what christmas was all about.....OR so it seems.............LOL....

I am taking the Christmas cake, the Christmas pudding, (cooked in cloth) the homemade cocktail sauce & the home made Mayonnaise to # 3 Daughter's house. She is doing the rest.

Great ideas, I do like the idea of the wee tarts, Katy, and the crockpot is definitely an option to give me more chook cooking time.
Katy my love are you sure you don't need something more than a nana nap? Anything from an iron tonic to a good jaw wag with a person who knows about these things? I'z a bit worried about you losing your oomph. It may be something beyond how you're feeling. Low iron, Vit B, zinc, all of these can wipe out energy.
I was talking to my mum about Xmas dinner and I cannot shake her conviction that 16 people require a Ham AND a turkey AND chickens. I have never won the "what part of overcatering do you not understand" argument that has only ever been overcome in the years when Xmas dinner has been at my house!

Mid morning, chocolate strawberries, with pink or white fizz.

Traditional midday meal.

Pickled pork, ham & smoked chicken, with roasted potatoes & veges. Also boiled new potatoes with butter.

Peas. Carrots in orange juice. Broccoli, followed by dessert.

Plum boiled fruit pudding boiled in cloth, filled with threepences. Custard, cream & Brandy sauce.

For tea? Fried leftover veges, creamed pavlova, fruit salad, fruit mince pies.

Later satiated & bed, !