AIBU about Christmas dinner?

[Scarydinosaurs]

Sorry, it's still Summer but I'm being forced into thinking about this following a discussion last week at a family birthday.

It's our turn to do Christmas on Christmas Day. I would like to do Salmon and beef for the main meat. I don't like turkey. I eat it, but out of politeness, I would never buy it and eat it myself.

When I said that I planned to do something other than turkey, I've been told that we can't. It's got to be turkey. By MIL, both SILs and FIL. And DH (obviously!) doesn't want to upset his whole family, so has said our lovely plan to do a huge fillet of beef and a BBQ whole salmon has to be scrapped.

I obviously want to be a good host and give my guests food they like, but they all eat beef and salmon, they just don't want it for Christmas lunch. AIBU to say, I think they're rude for dictating to me what to cook them for Christmas lunch?

No way would I go anywhere that wasn't doing Turkey on Christmas Day! I couldn't even contemplate having salmon for my Christmas dinner.

Why are people so emotionally wedded to turkey on the 25th of December?

I'd rather have the beef. Come to mine OP and we can have beef and salmon.

Why fall out?It's once a year.If you have to cater for family,cook the bloody Turkey and beef < God knows why you'd want to BBQ a salmon >

I would get a £12 turkey crown from Iceland. We do every year anyway and add in a nice ham and a bit of beef. That way, we get plenty of cold meats for boxing day.

I'm off to mamaTj for my Christmas dinner. < BBQ salmon WTAF ? >

A glazed ham looks beautiful and would go with the other meats beautifully.

yes, yes cook for your guests tastes... after all you have been having beef for the last two years, yes?

cook beef. do it your way for once. life is too short to be forever trying to please everyone when it does not work both ways.

Too many beautifuls there I am on a diet.

By the way are you doing Christmas Pud? Is that another thread?

C'mon OP it's Christmas...for the sake of an extra tray in the oven cook the turkey crown....for the sake of Goodwill and Happiness to All Mankind, just do it....for the sake of Marital Harmony and Being The Better Person

think of the smugness next year when SIL only does a dry old turkey and you can gloat about how accommodating you were.

I really think if you do the lovely rib of beef and the turkey crown you'll have the same experience as LastLight

Then next time round you can drop the turkey as there was so much leftover last time!

YANBU. Turkey is rank.

Can you serve beef for people with good taste willing to try something different and get a turkey crown for the traditionalists?

I serve ham for Xmas dinner and chicken and I have never consulted much with my guests that are always family.

I don't think guests should demand or expect anything but it is ok for them to have a preference.

I don't like hosting and this year I get to be on my own with dc so thinking of having a Chinese

"Why are people so emotionally wedded to turkey on the 25th of December?"

For me, it's because we only every had turkey on Christmas Day - it was special because we only had it once a year, on what was a special day - the occasion and the rarity made it special.

Chinese is always good. My Ds's gfs family always goes for an Indian on Xmas day wtf?

Well, I have suggested various changes over the last five years and mine have almost rioted. Always host. Have between five and eight most years.

Xmas Eve: Ham joint, roasties, carrots, broad beans in parsley sauce.

Xmas day: Turkey, as above

Boxing day: Turkey, ham, yummy roasties with parmesan and herbs, green salad, tom, mozz and black olive salad, antipasti, various pickles, cheese comes out, Delia's trifle. Boxing day can be busy with visitors and my lot love boxing day grub which is why they insist on no change. Next day there is the all out favourite that they start talking about on Xmas Eve.

Turkey and ham pie with a Cpl of shallots, mushrooms, glug brandy or sherry, drop of turkey stock, creme fraiche, bit of this and that, mash and a green veg.

Job done - then it's leftovers maximising the turkey stock. Parsnip soup with a dash of curry powder, smoked salmon salad, and other bits which are Christmassy and yummy and heavily reduced after boxing day. Like Christmas cake, stilton, all sorts of bits.

Oh, and we always have a rib of beef on NY day.

Some people are bloody weirdos.

Don't get dragged into discussions on your christmas prep in august! I would have just smiled and said "Oh I haven't thought that far ahead yet" total lie and made vague noises at their suggestions.

It's a weird situation because it's rude to host and feed your guests something they don't want, but equally it's rude to demand your host changes their plans around your preferences. Although I am more of a 'My House My Rules' kinda person so I'd be tempted to not bring this up again til Christmas and just carry on with your original plan, they can do turkey when it's their turn to host. Or - perhaps accommodate their wants and make sure they know how much you dislike turkey next year and get them to do beef for you. Fair's fair.

People who would be annoyed/pissed/avoid others houses due to not getting a certain meal one day a year...blimey. I was once served ratatouille at my uncle's house for christmas. I was just grateful to have anything!

I guess now I have DCs I very much want to start our own Christmas traditions. I don't mind at all eating their Turkey at their homes, but I want my DC to have the Christmas experience that DH and I want. Now they're old enough to really know what's going on, it's made me feel differently about it all.

I'll cook a turkey and all the trimmings like they want, but next year I'm going to insist we host my family for the whole day for once. They'll eat whatever is given to them.

I reckon you need to put more effort into your planning Beaufort

maras2 6 different veg including roast parsnips, also roast potatoes and 'snuggly pigs' what normal people call pigs in blankets and yorkshire puds, there is plenty to go round!

I guess now I have DCs I very much want to start our own Christmas traditions. I don't mind at all eating their Turkey at their homes, but I want my DC to have the Christmas experience that DH and I want. Now they're old enough to really know what's going on, it's made me feel differently about it all.

Then you need to stay at home, your own little family and not bother with all this taking in turns to host stuff! Simples!

Much prefer Turkey to beef. I would be so disappointed in my meal if I had to eat beef. I do eat it to be social, but I don't enjoy it. Turkey is part of the festivities I think, like a tree, or presents.

Invite me instead. I love salmon.

I think the last time I had turkey at Christmas may have been about 16 years ago. I can't understand why anyone would make a fuss over it. I don't see it as inherently Christmassy at all!