Readers Choice- My Christmas Menu or my dream Christmas day

I do not remember a Christmas where there was not some kind of controversy.  Growing up Christmas was always at our place.  Mum would always cook a massive hot lunch which was fine as we lived in England and various family members would come over depending on who was around etc.  Then we moved here and mum still continues to cook a hot lunch even though it is summer which honestly drives me nuts.  More of my opinions on the topic of Christmas and the cooking of a lunch can be found here!!

 Christmas got a lot quieter as we do not have much family here.  Then I met the HOTH and the joys of dividing Christmas began.  Plus I worked Christmas morning for a lot of years as well so the last 10 odd years have become a living nightmare.  One year we made 4 stops and every year seem to spend half the day in the car. 

Then the kids came along and everyone has to see the kids and we made the decision to only see one side of the family on Christmas day and then swap the next year which worked well in theory but in practise was not a viable option.  The guilt factor from both sides is enough to do my head in.  So for many years I have dreamt of a Christmas day just for us and here it is.

• Wake up around 7am ish.  Open pressies.  Let kids play with the pressies.
• Walk down the road and get some fresh bread rolls, come back and have ham and egg rolls.
• More playing with pressies.  Maybe a quick trip to the park if there are bikes, scooters or footballs involved.
• Head down to the beach with an esky of food for a few hours of fun.
• Come home and Nana naps for all
• Wake up feeling fabulous
• Between 4pm and 6pm have visitors.  Fire up the bbq, make a couple of easy salads and kick back with a few cold bevvies.
• All visitors to be gone by 7pm, kids to bed not long after, more quiet cold bevvies reflecting on how great our day was.

The last few years the reality has been the exact opposite.  We spend Christmas day rushing around like blue assed flies and this year is going to be absolutely no different.  I have come to terms with the fact Christmas is what it is but it still irritates the hell out of me.  Add in potentially having Christmas interstate next year with my family and all the logistics that entails and its no wonder I become a cranky grinch at this time of year!!

Back to the topic of the menu my dream would be something like this

• Ham and egg rolls for breakie
• Ham and salad rolls for lunch
• Bbq something maybe prawns, snags and homemade chicken kebabs
• One Mother Hen's watermelon salad, my mango and bacon salad and a noodle salad. (recipes for these will be up on Monday)!!
• Christmas pudding.  I will try my hand at making one one year!!
• Chocolate truffles
• Key Lime Pie depending on how much time is available the day before to prepare stuff!!

I would love to know what other people do for Christmas and whats on your menu.  If you are a blogger you can link up with Musings of the Misguided and share your menu that way or feel free to comment with whats on your table this year!!