From slaving away late at night over the food prep to spending hours locked away feverishly in the kitchen on the busiest day of the year, it's safe to say that cooking Christmas dinner can be quite the ordeal.
But not for mum-of-two Kerry Davies, 40, who plans on spending the big day conked out on the couch with a glass of her wine in her hand just like the rest of us, as she reveals she's never cooked an Xmas dinner for her children.
Advert
Kerry, an estate agency sales director, from Crewe, Cheshire, says she has only cooked Christmas dinner for her husband Kevin, 44, once in over 20 years of marriage.
Instead they and their two kids - Gabriel, 15, and Zachary, 11 - spend each year alternating between her mother-in-law and sister-in-law's homes.
Kerry told the Sun: "I've never cooked Christmas dinner for my kids. In 20 years of marriage, I've only done it once, in 2003.
"At the time, Kevin was in the police force and working Christmas Day, so I made dinner for when he got home. It was all from frozen as I'm not very good at making things from scratch.
Advert
"Now we tend to go between my mother-in-law's and my sister-in-law's, alternating each year.
"We just turn up, which I know sounds really bad. We'll have dinner, stay for a bit in the afternoon and then go home to have a snooze and sleep it off.
"I've never offered to host at ours. But my in-laws know we have my family over on Boxing Day, so I think they don't want me to have to cook two days in a row."
Advert
And as for what Kerry's Boxing Day special consists of? Well, that's between her and Aunt Bessie, with the frozen food giant on hand to offer up a smorgasbord of oven-based delights that are ready to serve in 45 minutes or less.
Kerry says: "The only thing which will be fresh is the meat.
"We'll decide which joint everyone wants in advance and I'll serve it with Bisto gravy.
Advert
"My friends laugh at me and say 'oh she's having an Aunt Bessie's Boxing Day again'. I don't mind, that's just who I am.
"I'm not the kind of person who cooks from scratch, I don't see the point.
"Food tastes the same to me regardless and yes, you could argue it's healthier, but for me it's all about convenience.
"I don't want to stand there cooking all day, I want to enjoy the company of my family at Christmas and enjoy my time off.
Advert
"At the end of the day, it's still going to get eaten and I think it tastes just as good."
Featured Image Credit: Kerry DaviesTopics: Christmas Dinner, Xmas