Mother wants to bring a chicken to my vegetarian Christmas dinner

[queenofthepirates]

That's kind of it in a nutshell. We've invited 10 people over for Christmas dinner including my mother. We're veggies and I've put together a lovely Scandi veggie menu. She's told me she's bringing a chicken and I've said please don't. Firstly because we're veggie and I don't really want a dead bird on the table and secondly I can't see why she can't last a few hours without meat.

My relationship with her is very strained this year, she's been pretty horrible to me and I'm getting to the end of my tether.

AIBU to tell her not to bring meat or stay at home? She could always come over after lunch if she's going to insist.

I am curious. Why chicken and not turkey?

We have chicken because none of us like Turkey, and if she is just bringing it for herself then a whole turkey would be too much.

On reflection, I think the fiendish Christmas veggie dishes are the OP's way of disinviting a bossy Mum
Her Mum may choose Icelandic ram's testicles when it's her turn to do the invites

Wow, I've just looked at the recipe for the squash thing and it is a heck of a lot of work - are you premaking it OP? And presumably making two, because of the number of people?! Sounds stressful.

My family still speak in hushed tones of The Christmas When The Trifle Jelly Wouldn't Set... I'm not normally prone to weeping in the corner drama, but Xmas gets a bit stressful at the best of times, and I needed the workspace to move on to the next thing, and... it wasn't pretty.

I would be thought a whole chicken would have been a bit large. I make a nice turkey breast roll for the meat eaters at Christmas.

That's why some folk (oh no, never me, Waitrose is quaite different ) would order in from the other Iceland.
Saves grief / embarassment / cannabalisation of goldfish & parrot by hungry guests

YANBU. You are hosting and she can fit in with your plans / menu.

Yes sweet and sour would be far nicer...

If I was the OPs mum I'd be tempted to tell her to stick her non-Scandi squash up her bum and head off home with an M&S Christmas meal for one, a tin of quality street and a bottle of something nice to watch Downton and Call the Midwife in peace without having to endure her boring plans / menu

YANBU. I can imagine how sick a dead bird would make you feel. If she can't live without meat for one meal she can cook her chicken at home.

I think the ram's testicles are ideal.

"I know you felt Xmas dinner wouldn't be the same without meat, mum, so.... surprise!!!"

Ideally that would involve one of those posh serving trays with the domed lid, of course.

Ooh SirChen - I think you must be my sister from another mother. Kindred spirit. That is Exactly what I would do!

Ach away. It's a few slices if traditional festive food.

As a veggie, I'd be pissed off if I didn't get my roast potatoes, veggies and Christmas pud. More pissed off with a scandafakian meal.

Boulevard You have provided the perfect solution to the OP's question.
She maintains her rights as host; her mum gets (gristly, sour, Icelandic) meat.
Honours even

What happens to the rest of the ram? It's not a common meat is it?

I can imagine how sick a dead bird would make you feel. If she can't live without meat for one meal she can cook her chicken at home

I do wonder how such very strict vegetarians manage when they are in a restaurant full of people eating dead birds and cows and sheep. Do you tell them all to go home, or will you just sit there for the entire evening feeling sick?

What happens when you are invited to dinner by friends who eat meat? Do you refuse the invitation, or sit there all evening feeling sick at the sight of some meat on other people's plates, even though your hosts have served up a vegetarian meal for you?

I'm feeling the sisterhood too Evans

Could you be bothered sharing a table with someone whose constitution was so delicate they couldn't bear to look at a bit of white meat on someone else's plate, or who served such a dull Christmas meal?? I couldn't - I'd be happier on my own, eating what I wanted, without having to self-flagellate at the alter of vegetarianism.

Chin chin!

I know what I said earlier, but I have smelled that shark stuff and the smell alone plus the threat of having to eat, it would certainly get rid of your dm/outlaws pretty quick if necessary.

This is the squash dish. The recipe says to halve and hollow out the squash, put in a layer of stuffing (lots of cheese and mushrooms included), put in a hollowed out aubergine half, more stuffing, hollowed out courgette, stuffing, spring onions etc etc, reassemble and bake. I think it sounds lovely and I am planning to make it soon, probably for Christmas Eve. We're not vegetarian but try not to eat too much meat.

The only thing I hope the OP takes from this thread is that it might be a good idea to have a choice between two dishes for each course, given the ridiculously strong antipathy for squash and beetroot some people seem to have.

mavis - the ram becomes a ewe named Anika and entertains the rest of the sheep in the field by belting out I Will Survive.

True, but little known, Icelandic fact.

Better not tell them about my childhood holidays in France and seeing dead horses. Or the local butchers who have half sheep and pigs on display (which also take me back to my childhood).

How can people be so squeemish?

Squash and beetroot is horrible though.

Can I join the sisterhood Birchen?

SirChen!

That's the Christmas faux-Scandi squash dish??

Bloody hell. Show me the nearest M&S.