AIBU - to say Christmas Dinner is not the meal to go wild on flavours?

It will be fabulous! Your sister is a fun person.

It will not spoil the togetherness. It will end up as One Big Fail where everyone is gagging and laughing .. or one room full of very impressed diners eating delicious surprises.
You have to support your sister.
Ask her which drinks to bring to accompany her flavours?

It will create memories. The outcome will dictate whether she does it again.

It would be so sad for her to cook the old roast when, all along, she has been dreaming up variations.

Yep, and went higher with sprouts, cheese and preserved lemon.

It sounds quite overpowering when written down, but I bet it’ll be delicious.

I grew up with a mum who would simply boil vegetables with a roast, even the Christmas one. No pancetta and chestnuts roasted with the sprouts, no maple syrup or honey with the parsnips etc. It was all bland.

PS - I’d like to ban the word ‘roasties’ on here. As you were.

Out of interest are there any children or people who have more simple tastes coming to Christmas Dinner? I’d eat all the veggie food from there happily (though maybe not on one plate) but as a child I’d have struggled. If there are guests with more simple palettes you could point out that Uncle Bill or little Elsie might struggle and while it sounds amazing to you, having a few plainer dishes might make it work for everyone.

I agree with you that I wouldn’t fancy those dishes for Christmas dinner, especially not all served together. But as she’s hosting I don’t think you can say anything.

Sounds delicious. She's the host, she gets to cook what she wants.

I think it sounds amazing. Nothing there is particularly outrageous for a roast. If it was a curried turkey I'd see your point but these are flavours that will compliment the traditional food.

I mean it could work, but there's Lots of competing flavours there...

Lots of use of cheese...!

She’s obviously going to lot of effort to cook for you. If you don’t want to eat it, don’t go! But does it really matter? Can’t you make a “traditional” version yourself the day before or the day after and just go and enjoy her company?

I hate truffle, the smell makes me gag. So I’d be politely declining the invitation.
It really doesn’t sound like a nice combination all round.

Op I feel your pain. It made me feel queasy just reading that list, I still don’t think you can say anything. It’s rude, as it’s her Christmas extravaganza.

Just order a turkey and have your Christmas lunch on Christmas Eve and be open to a new culinary experience - you might be pleasantly surprised. I wouldn’t be eating anything for breakfast in preparation…. And have lots of water rather than wine…

Sounds diabolical. I've never even heard of half of it.

Disappointing she didn't manage to find a way to "elevate" the Yorkshire puddings 😂

I admire her pushing the boat out, but some of these are just weird and the flavours don’t compliment each other so why would an experienced cook even do this? Tuna and Rosemary gravy? Am I reading that right or is there another Bonito that I’ve never heard of?

edited to add, I would eat all the Italian type stuff and miss out the rogue Asian dishes I think.

I might nick some of these for mine! Not all of them though 😂

well she knows how you feel now, because if this post isn't outing I don't know what is. Sounds marginally revolting - too much - and I love strong flavours and asian food

That does sound a bit much. Is she happy to spend her entire xmas day cooking? Maybe gently suggest it might be a bit much if she wants to spend time outside the kitchen. Otherwise you'll have to smile and say its delicious. And then host it yourself next year.

For me, Christmas dinner is about good quality, simple food cooked really well. So it doesn't - and shouldn't - go all fancy.
But you're the guest so it'd be rude to say anything...

I think I would go and enjoy it - and maybe do my own Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve?

This! It is why Xmas can be awful, everyone bringing their own expectations instead of being open and grateful.

I often get cooked for at Xmas. It isn’t as nice/to my taste as I’d make it (I would be so happy to have a cook like your sister in the family!). I focus on connecting with my relatives, enjoy the parts I like, contribute nice wine and appreciate the warmth and the full belly.

This is what I think too - most of those things are just going go be extra heavily described, rather than particularly oddly flavoured. Like when you buy fancy “red West Country extra mature cheddar and french shallot with Italian balsamic thick cut crisps” and they’re just cheese and onion.

I honestly think it’s mostly going to taste just v nice, there might be the odd dish where the extra piece is too intrusive (am thinking maybe the truffle cauli?) but I bet it will mostly taste not too far from the norm.

Christmas dinner is just a roast dinner with a few change outs. She’s hosting and cooking, so maybe don’t tell her what to cook? Just say thank you, and try it?
My god, nothing bad will happen if your roasties are flavoured with marmite instead of rosemary 🤦‍♀️

Marmite roasties sound ace.

Christmas dinner can be dull. So a bit of a change up, especially if someone else is cooking, I’d be delighted.

As a guest, the only correct response is "thank you. That was delicious"

You’re “gutted” that a meal of things you acknowledge will be delicious and well cooked is being made for you by someone who is spending a lot of time and effort to host?