What in God’s Name did Mrs Cratchett do with that bloody great turkey?

[Mybalconyiscracking]

Strikes me every year. How the hell is she going to cook that.. or store it for more than a day or two?

Typical thoughtless man gift!

I always think that! How on earth will they get it cooked in time for lunch?!

Ha, same as PP in that they’ll never get it cooked in time for lunch.

Didn't they have a goose in the original story? Far less meat per weight than a turkey.

It would have been sent to the bakers to be cooked in the big ovens, same as most people. It is described in the bit where the ghost of Christmas present is showing Scrooge all the people enjoying their Christmas. Drop off meat first thing, go pick it up later. Brilliant system, I want to bring it back!

It would have taken hours to cook that thing though and I’m sure the local oven was booked out for days, plus she would have to pay to use it.
We have a bake house in our village, sometimes they fire it up and chuck a few loaves in. Quite a walk from our house on Christmas morning though.

Well in the book he drops it to them first thing in thr morning and Christmas Dinner would have been served in the evening- then they'd go full "MN chicken" and eat that cooked meat for the rest of the week.

Definitely a Turkey @ArblemarzipanTFruitcake.

'Do you know whether they've sold the prize Turkey that was hanging up there?...' etc
I read it every Christmas so I've got it right here.

I've always thought the same OP. But since the rest of it is fantasy and allegory I give it artistic licence on that one.

They would have had a spot booked for the goose, so they send the turkey along instead.

Thanks Campion - it's years since I last read it.

Would a goose have been a considerably cheaper meat back then? I know that the point was that the turkey was a big prize turkey etc, but would a goose have been the cheaper option at that point?

Just curious, have never really seen goose as an option! Xx

They had both a goose and a turkey!

When the Ghost of Christmas Present is showing Scrooge what the Cratchits’ Christmas is like, they have a goose that’s only just big enough to feed them.

Then, on the real Christmas Day, Scrooge sends them the massive turkey instead.

Ah, I thought I remembered a goose featuring somewhere.

We have goose and it's more expensive than turkey nowadays. A fresh one can cost upwards of £50. We paid £22 for a frozen 4kg bird.

It would have been cooked using a meat hook in front of the fire.

I don’t know, but I suspect goose was cheaper then.

Not the same, but my mum always says that when she was young chicken was expensive and a luxury, so they rarely had it, whereas now it’s the cheap option compared to other meats. Maybe turkey was the expensive choice in Dickens’ day compared to goose.

When I was a child we only had chicken at Christmas. When I was first married frozen chickens were available and fairly cheap, but had very little taste.

Boiled turkey in the wash house copper.

Goose would have been much more common, and therefore cheaper. My Dad, growing up in a farm in the 50s always had goose because it was still cheaper then.

Ha ha, I watched The Muppet Christmas Carol the other day and Scrooge arrives with the turkey and lots of guests ...and I was left thinking oh good the gift of a day hosting everyone. I think he does say "would you join us" but I'm sure they were all staying there..