Well what is your dinner of choice for Christmas?

We have decided to eat Christmas dinner on Christmas eve and leave the day itself for visiting and feet up. With nibbles throughout the day including of course Turkey sarnies.

We were considering going out for the day but have now realised Mom's swallowing (or lack of it) is not up to it. So this is the alternative. Should be fun if not enjoyable.

Goose. :-)

Yes Goose here as all although I think we may look at a beef rib not sure yet .

Defo not Turkey as think it is really bland

Three bird roast again for us.

We've made the big decision to go out for Christmas lunch for the first time this year. My FIL is very poor on his feet and would have a lot of trouble getting into our house, steps, gravel driveway, let alone getting upstairs to the lounge and comfy chairs (we have an odd house!). I've been the chief cook and bottle washer for far too long now since the children didn't want to go to grandparents for Christmas Day and then the parents became elderly and couldn't manage anymore. To be honest I've just had enough and it didn't help that my little helper in the shape of my daughter, has asked if we would mind her not coming this year as she would like to go on holiday to Cambodia with a friend.
So we are all off to a pub for a full Christmas dins with no washing up afterwards, result! We will, however, be buying a turkey crown so we can enjoy those all important turkey sandwiches later on in the week. :-)

Roast beef with all the trimmings on the Sunday before Christmas for six of us as my son and DIL won't be with us for Christmas Day itself. Then a traditional turkey on Christmas day for three. A very quiet day for us - just being very thankful for having our daughter with us and remembering loved ones.

Mother in law always does traditional turkey and trimmings but my parents are a bit more unconventional....we had chinese one year. Delivered from takeaway on xmas eve and reheated for the banquet on xmas day. Weve also had steak one year and oeking duck another

We always have to have Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve at my MILs (German)    I really don't like having it again on Christmas Day, but this is what OH wants :-(     I'm 'over it' by then.

My favourite Christmas Dinner was when OH worked in Community Care and was working Christmas Day.   DD and I had grilled Salmon, baby potatoes and steamed veg - it was so lovely after such a heavy meal the day before :-)    We then had Christmas Dinner late on Boxing Day (and opened the presents)  when he got home :-)

When I lived at home, dinner on Christmas Eve was always Fish with steamed veg.      Quick and light because of all the work going into the prep for next day :-)

Well, as I won't see or hear from anyone I really have no reason to plan in advance.  It's just me and the dogs. 

One year I had bought an MFI flatpack (never again:-(  It took so long that I really couldn't be bothered and did scrambled eggs on toast!

> One year I had bought an MFI flatpack (never again:-(  It took so long that I really couldn't be bothered and did scrambled eggs on toast!

I had no idea MFI did flatpack Christmas Dinners.... The mind boggles.

ROFL!

It was a bl**dy sideboard.  Never again.

Don't worry Jean.... I recently made a trip to Ikea and spent a whole weekend swearing at the Swedes (sorry Marianne!). Mind you, the unintentional innuendo kept elderly mum entertained ("Dammit, this screw is far too long for such a short knob!" etc.)

we are still deciding when to have christmas dinner ! dil is working danughter and sil  are at his parents family dinner boxing day and they still want a mums christmas dinner. Question is when can all six of us sit down ?
Xmas eve is no good either dil is working ( nurse)

As for what to eat ? who knows ?
Atm I am thinking of volunteering at local salvation army if most of us are not around the I could at least make good useof the day

I supose it could be easter sunday lol

> As for what to eat ? who knows ?

Cook up a storm and have cold cuts, bread, salad and all the trimmings available as a buffet?

We generally have a cold buffet with the traditional christmas meats cooked the day before (pork and turkey or maybe pork and a 3 bird roast).

The only hot food we have is roasted baby new potatoes and a potato bake (for the kids).

There's always loads of seafood as well.

Turkey alas. I would love to have goose one year, but I expect the family would rebel!

I recently made a trip to Ikea and spent a whole weekend swearing at the Swedes (sorry Marianne!).

LOL, I do as well. It really is taking cost cutting too far to not have ANY text with the instructions at all, in any language -just silly pictures!

We also have Christmas dinner (immediately followed by the presents being handed out) on Christmas Eve as of course to Swedes it is the right day. When I was married to my ex it was followed by the English version on Christmas Day, but now when my kids spend Christmas with him, we don't bother. I love Christmas Day because all we do until it gets dark is walk the dogs. All day. Then we come home and slump in front of the TV, exhausted, and don't cook because we have lots of left overs. (Well okay, hubby cooks a Christmas meal for his mum, but it's usually something quick to do, turkey slices with veggies or similar.)

I can't watch anyone eating dead birds, of any kind, so I'm very glad there's never any turkey here -I'd have to leave the room.  As a Swedish vegetarian our Christmas dinner has evolved over the years to involve a variety of food to suit everyone (my son has turned into a veggie as well now) and it's not really all that much traditional stuff. For the sake of my mum and the meat eaters, I go to IKEA and buy the Swedish Christmas ham, meatballs and prince sausages. Then I cook my own Santa porridge (very similar but not quite the same as rice pudding, which you put cinnamon and sugar on top of and pour milk around) and then just have an assortment of vegetables, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, various party food -anything vegetarian I can find in the supermarket really, Swedish bread, and lots and lots and LOTS of homemade cakes and biscuits. (Including, of course, ginger bread biscuits in the shape of dogs -the Swedish Christmas tradition altered to suit me! I even have a Malinois biscuit cutter shape.) Julmust to drink (which I now have to order online since IKEA stopped selling it), fruit juices etc -no alcohol.

Roe Deer haunch ;)

Jodi, I am doing exactly the same as you this year, for 20 years Christmas has always been at my place and I've loved it for many, many, years. I love all of my family, but as my brothers children grew and married instead of making their own Christmas's not only did they bring their spouses and children but also the in-laws, it just got too mad, and I couldn't say no, I never wanted anyone to be left out, but I've had enough.......... getting old. :-D

Soooo...... this year, hubby and I and our boys and their girlfriends are all doing a hotel stay this year, no cooking, no organising and plenty of feet up, I'll either love it or hate it. :-D

But, to answer your question Kazz, always Turkey/s on Xmas day, goose on boxing day and roast beef the following.

We will still have Turkey this year, IMO it's not Xmas dinner without Turkey, it's just part of it all for me, but boy I am looking forward to someone waiting on me this year. ;-)

Wish I could like your post!
You sound so happy.

Jodi, I am....... :-) :-)

Normally, I'm ordering the Turkeys and other foods and organising the day and sleep overs at this time, I don't have to do a thing except buy Xmas presents this year...... brilliant!

Enjoy your Xmas dinner out too, it will feel great, the pressure is off. :-)

I think that's the thing we build the pressure............"we" being women I think.
But I love the way every house has a different tradition for Christmas and it seems to evolve.
I have often thought of going away for Christmas but not sure I would like it however I could easily sit and do my own thing (ie nothing at all and see no one)

I am volunteering again at Sally army not sure doing what couple years ago I was the "trainee" potato putter on plates.......may try for simply title of "vegetable putter on plate" branch out a bit.

I still think my most "ideal" Christmas Day - which is becoming the most memorable - was the one I spent in Goa.
It felt like a hot Sunday in August, beginning with a leisurely walk along the paddy-field dykes to the beach for a swim in the morning, and hot buttered toast at a beach cafe, then another walk in the afternoon under shady palms, followed by a special meal cooked for the residents at at the guesthouse (Portuguese Colonial House built in the 1930's) by the housekeeper, and a short sortie to a local bar with other guests for a few drinks later on. Okay so I didn't have dogs then, but the guesthouse dogs more than made up for that.

That sounds fantastic.

Three bird roast and possibly whatever else is lurking in the bottom of the chest freezer. I used to do the catering for both families on both days as I didnt like leaving the dogs but it got progressively harder work so for three years running we ate out with just parents which I really enjoyed even though I was designated driver. Nowadays the families are bigger and further away and with pups I doubt if we will see anyone which I don't mind, maybe I'll get a chance to veg out providing my OH doesn't start yet another DIY job on the day as he has been known to. I would absolutely love to be on a beach somewhere as I can't abide the scrum that is the run up to the day.