When people ask about our plans for Christmas, we always say that we keep it simple. We get up, start eating, then when we have finished eating, we go to bed. What that means is we graze all day.
Christmas morning we all get up, usually woken by mum as she gets so excited at the presents, and then we eat the chocolate Christmas decorations. My brother always tries to get a bowl of cereal before mum notices, but she insists he eat his chocolate with everyone else. I remember about 10 years ago my brother trying to argue with mum that he didn't want chocolate, he wanted Weet-bix, but mum said he would sit down and eat his chocolate decorations like everyone else since it was Christmas. Yes, weird family.
Next we usually have some sort of fancy cooked breakfast. Maybe scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, followed by some fresh fruit like watermelon or mangoes.
Then the nibbles are put out. Chips, crackers, dips, nuts, kabana, cheese, olives, pretzels, etc. That's for snacking on throughout the day.
Next we, well mostly me now, we start making the Christmas lunch/dinner. I usually make the baked ham on Christmas Eve (full leg with a maple syrup, orange marmalade and mustard glaze), and that is served cold. We then either roast a buffet turkey or chicken, and have potatoes roasted in garlic butter, and whatever other vegies we feel like. Mum has wanted a seafood Christmas dinner for years, but my brother isn't fussed on seafood, plus I looooovvvveee my ham, so she misses out. Sort of.
We usually have a starter of prawn cocktails, or last year we had smoked salmon and prawn on ciabatta with crispy pancetta. Was delicious.
Desert is always a tinned plum pudding, though again mum wants to change it. Sorry, if we have to put up with her chocolate for breakfast (trust me it gets real old real fast), then she has to put up with the ham and plum pudding.
After lunch / dinner (usually start about 2 or 3 pm, and ends about 5 or 6, we spread it out), we continue to eat the nibbles or make sandwiches with the leftover meat, or fruitmince pies. Then it's bedtime.
I love Christmas.