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Original poster

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

113 replies

StacksOfSnacks · 03/12/2025 21:02

TLDR
My sister has just dropped that she is doing an ‘elevated’ Christmas dinner. Can I politely ask her to keep it simple?

Long Version
My sister and I share a love of food and cooking, we enjoy food and flavours from an array of cultures and will often do dinners composed of a spread of small plates - this is to say that I’m not typically unadventurous or fussy.

We are spending Christmas at hers this year, as we have previously, and were expecting her absolutely delicious yet conventional Christmas dinner. However, she has just excitedly shared what she plans to cook and I’ve been knocked for six. I have no doubts that she has the skills to execute it, and that each element will be delicious, but it seems a bit to busy to have all on one plate, I’m not sure they will mingle well together. And I just love a traditional Christmas dinner and think that it should be left to be simple and tasty, this just won’t feel like Christmas dinner to me. I will put her intended menu below.

I know she’s the host and should cook whatever she wants, and I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer, but I feel this has been dropped on me. I know she would reject me offering to bring a dish or two. We’ve each said many times that having people bring a dish to an occasion like Christmas is more hassle than it’s worth. It’s too late to make alternative plans for Christmas without it being a ‘thing’. I’m a bit gutted, can I say something? If so how?

  • Ballotine Porchetta Turkey
  • Nam Prik Pao Smoked Prime Rib
  • Rosemary Bonito Gravy
  • Fried Sprouts + Cheese Foam + Preserved Lemon + Pistachio Relish
  • Honey Gochujang Carrots
  • Truffle Cauliflower Cheese
  • Marmite Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Roasties
  • Parsnip and pecorino stuffing
  • Sticky Pomegranate Pigs in Blankets
  • Champagne Cranberry Sauce
  • Hazelnut and Nutmeg Bread Sauce
  • Yorkshire Puddings
OP posts:
stealthninjamum · 03/12/2025 21:37

I’m a really adventurous eater but I agree with you op, I wouldn’t want that combination of flavours at Christmas. Is she cooking it all from scratch? I’d probably tell her it sounds like a lot of work and to not do marmite potatoes or the cauliflower cheese (which to my mind shouldn’t go on a plate with a roast anyway)

Zhu · 03/12/2025 21:36

I don’t think it sounds lovely at all. It sounds like AI wrote a fancy menu out of things that don’t go together.

Original poster
StacksOfSnacks · 03/12/2025 21:36

Pallisers · 03/12/2025 21:32

I have to say I'd be pretty gutted to find marmite on my roast potatoes and would definitely be making a load of my own roast potatoes the next day.

Otherwise as long as it is a buffet and no one is plating up a bit of everything for me, I'd be fine. Some of the stuff sounds interesting. As a total menu it sounds like it doesn't know where it is coming from - flavours of all sorts of cuisine together.

Still if she is a good cook, it'll probably be lovely to sample some of it.

the marmite roasties are fab to be fair, they're not overpowering but have a little extra umami. They're her staple at a roast.

OP posts:
pinkspeakers · 03/12/2025 21:36

It does sound a bit much written down like that. But I honestly think that you just have to leave it to her. It does have all the traditional elements and maybe the added flavours will be relatively subtle and not as overwhelming as you fear. For example, I dont suppose you will notice the champagne in the cranberry sauce and I dont think I pomegranite glaze will change pigs in blankets much.

RitaFromThePitCanteen · 03/12/2025 21:34

You'll hopefully have many more bog-standard Christmas dinners in your future. I'd suck it up this one time, as your sister is hosting you, and she seems so excited by her plans.

pambeesleyhalpert · 03/12/2025 21:34

It all sounds SO good but too much on the same plate!!! Truffle cali cheese tho😍😍😍😍

Pallisers · 03/12/2025 21:32

I have to say I'd be pretty gutted to find marmite on my roast potatoes and would definitely be making a load of my own roast potatoes the next day.

Otherwise as long as it is a buffet and no one is plating up a bit of everything for me, I'd be fine. Some of the stuff sounds interesting. As a total menu it sounds like it doesn't know where it is coming from - flavours of all sorts of cuisine together.

Still if she is a good cook, it'll probably be lovely to sample some of it.

pixiedust79 · 03/12/2025 21:32

Everything sounds lovely individually but together it does seem like a huge clash of flavours.

Maybe mention all the different cuisines and flavours and enquire into whether this is going to be a ‘small plate’ affair. It might possibly get her to consider whether any of it really goes on a dinner plate together.

There’s not really any polite way to tell her it sounds chaotic though so it might just be something you need to go along with. If nothing else you may have a story for years to come of 2025s crazy gochujang/marmite/nutmeg mash up :)

wiffin · 03/12/2025 21:31

Wtf? Am 100% with you. Individually and on any other day of the year. Yes. That mixture of flavours all together and at Christmas? No.

Christmas is all about Tradition. Which is delicious.

Vitriolinsanity · 03/12/2025 21:29

Way too many combinations to mix.

Original poster
StacksOfSnacks · 03/12/2025 21:27

exactly, if it was any other day I would be really excited. I think it's because her normal Christmas dinner is so good I know what I'm missing out on!

OP posts:
sprigatito · 03/12/2025 21:23

I’d be bummed out too OP - I’m a very adventurous eater, and it all sounds delicious in its own right, but one simply does not fuck with Christmas dinner.

It sounds like she is really into her scheme and wildly excited about it, so I think I would just quietly buy the ingredients to make a proper Christmas dinner when we got home, and suck it up on the day.

Egglio · 03/12/2025 21:17

That sounds like quite a combination. I'd give it all a try though, just maybe not a marmite potato, Gochujang carrot, preserved lemon and cheese foam sprout and hazelnut bread sauce in the same mouthful.

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