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 like vegetarian food and often eat meals without meat. But not for a xmas meal. I like a traditional meal, otherwise it is just like any meal with family."

So turkey- even if you're a vegetarian? .

Oh, and how does a traditional Christmas meal differ from a Sunday roast?

I'm gasping for a real turducken now.

Skoda What does it taste like? (Honest question)

I'm sorry, but I don't agree it should be 'Your house, your rules'. Would that be reasonable in reverse, should the OP have to eat meat at her mum's house because its 'her house, her rules?' Of course not.

I do agree the OPs mum is being a bit rude. For any other meal I'd be a bit put out. But this is everybody's Christmas, just let it go, and let everyone enjoy their Christmas dinner, they're family after all. This isn't the same as a regular dinner party. I do think that some vegetarians are so militant in their beliefs that they can't see that not everyone wants to eat like that, especially at Christmas.

I guess we should be grateful that it's taken 28 pages for the word "militant" to be used to describe a vegetarian

I'm dying to name change and start an identical thread but changing "mother" to "mother in law"!

do it Bertrand

I've never had one, derxa, but I'm guessing cooking all three together must change the flavours. Sounds like an awful lot of work, there's more to it than shoving a duck up a turkey's bum.

Radicalised vegetarians? Maybe that's a Thing these days.

Just for the the record, I got tofurkey about 5 years ago and I can still taste it when I burp. DS still begs me every year not to get it again, and he only had a taste as he always has the real stuff.

I usually get veggie haggis for the veggies at Christmas. And burns night. I love it.

I think it's about time the vegetarian community came out and openly condemned the radicalised vegetarians spreading the message of meat hate in health food shops that are often only a cover for the teaching of extreme doctrines of aggressive rennet avoidance and stuffed squash peddling.

I am aghast at the attitude of some people on here. If you go to someone's house you respect their choices. Yes if you have dietary requirements like allergies or cultural choices like being a vegetarian you inform your hosts in advance and of they can't/won't accommodate you, you don't go.

However, going to the house of a vegetarian family and not having meat for one meal doesn't count. Nobody needs meat at every meal. Taking a chicken to a vegetarian Christmas dinner smacks of entitlement. Just don't go if you don't like the food FFS, and eat your chicken at home. Rude!

Taking a chicken to a vegetarian Christmas dinner smacks of entitlement. Just don't go if you don't like the food FFS, and eat your chicken at home. Rude! I agree, it is rude. But it's also Christmas, the season of goodwill and all that. Why does it really affect the OP if her mum brings a bit of chicken? She's family, would the OP really rather her mum turned down the invite?

I think if most vegetarians were invited to a meat based meal they would either see if they could have stuff without the meal or choose not to go. Going and demanding your own special meal at someone else's house is odd. Tell your potentiL host what your dietry requirements are, if they can't be met decline.

Well. I'm not a vegetarian, but this thread had almost radicalised me to become one just to disassociate myself from the appalling attitude of some of the meat eaters!

I'm veggie and wouldn't give a toss if mum brought chicken. God bless her she was in her 70s when she died and I can imagine get not really 'getting' a non Turkey Christmas dinner.

What would people who get all het up do if someone brought a bottle if non veggie wine or haribos? Incinerate them?

I'm veggie but I wouldn't force my meat eating family members to miss out. I'm doing Turkey for them and nut roast for me.

The buggers always nick my veggie haggis!

I suppose my vegetarianism us about me and my thoughts and ideas about the meat industry and farming.

originalmavis
I'm veggie and wouldn't give a toss if mum brought chicken.

Mavis. You have indicated that you have meateaters/meat in your household, so it's a non issue for you. The OP says she has been a vegetarian for 25 years and has given the impression that she doesn't have meat in her home. Your situation is not the same as hers.

Dumbledore isenglas (isonglas?) is made from fish swim bladder and it clears the particles from wine and beer by clumping them together prior to the final decanting.

I'm veggie and pretty conscientious about making sure I don't eat non-veggie cheese and meat stock and so on but usually forget about the wine I tell myself that it clumps together with the particles and is strained out.....

Firstly, the OP has talked only in terms of Christmas dinner - nothing to suggest a 'compulsory vegetarian day'

Sorry, Fascicle - you are now contradicting yourself. I mentioned the compulsory vegetarian day in an earlier post, you corrected me with your comment above, but now you agree that the OP doesn't want to have meat in her home. So, it surely follows that the vegetarian day at the OP's home is, after all, compulsory.

Many posters on here have agreed that meat is not compulsory. Most have said (including many of the vegetarians) that OP's menu sounds neither appetising nor Christmassy. I (and others) have pointed out that we think the issue is not the fact that OP's Mum wants to take some chicken, but more to do with the fact that OP does not actually want her Mum to be in her house for Christmas Day and is trying her level best to make Mum feel awkward.

There are many, many vegetarian recipes that would be absolutely PERFECT for a Christmas lunch (I suggested several yesterday, but MN site was playing up and I lost my very long post, unfortunately). Borscht and aubergine-stuffed squash, quite frankly, do not fit into this category. That menu really does sound utterly revolting. (Sorry OP, but it does).

As a starter, for example, even a colourful salad (with possibly some red cabbage and/or pomegranate seeds and/or coloured salad leaves) served with a small baked Camembert or goat's cheese or some fried brie-bites in breadcrumbs and possibly a slice of crusty bread would be imminently more festive and intended for a special occasion. Borscht is a bit - well ..... run-of-the-mill.

I've got so many nice ideas for veggie recipes, I might have to plan a New Year's Day feast

Is this still going?
My tuppence worth: Let her bring the bloody chicken. I like vegetarian food but your Christmas main does not appeal to me at all as I am not fond of squash, aubergine or courgette, particularly when cooked because it tends to go mushy and slim while tasting of bog all. I'd far rather a nut roast or take a chicken along myself.
Sorry but that's my mosy honest opinion. The main does not look nice.

*slimy
*most

I have discussed this with my husband too. He thinks you're cruel to offer up and insist upon such a revolting dish. I kind of agree - so sorry!

wow - 28 pages? can't read it all...

but, YANBU. why bring a whole chicken? I'm with the poster that suggested a few slices in a tupperware box - or maybe some pre-cooked slices in a packet? it can go straight from its container onto her plate.

And squash, aubergine and courgette are NOT 'Scandi' either.