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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have kebabs on Christmas Day?

53 replies

LewisAndClark · 03/08/2016 13:04

We've decided (mainly driven by the teenagers) to do Christmas at home and just us for the first time ever.

We also have a five year old.

We were talking about Christmas dinner (yes I know it's only August...) and the kids said they don't really like turkey or goose so could we have something different. I said that's fine, it's their Christmas and they can have whatever they want.

They want kebabs. Not from the takeaway, but nicely made with a marinaded joint of lamb and all the accoutrements.

I'm fine with this but I do wonder if it will fall flat, particularly for the younger one, and this will forever be 'the Christmas that wasn't'.

I think because it's our first solo one I'm conscious that it's already going to be more low key than usual, and without a big festive meal in the middle it might not live up to their expectations.

What do you think? AIBU to break with tradition?

OP posts:
toadgirl · 03/08/2016 13:21

If you can't eat what you want on Christmas Day, when can you? We had salmon one year.

AllMyBestFriendsAreMetalheads · 03/08/2016 13:21

Sprouts - cut in half, steam for 10 minutes. Then they are almost edible even though fussy 5 year old would happily eat sprouts for breakfast

liquidrevolution · 03/08/2016 13:26

I remember when I was younger we had steak and chips for Christmas dinner one year. My mums reasoning was that we ate a lot of chicken and turket because it was cheap so we had something that was more of a treat.

You can have what you want, just make sure there are crackers on the table. Grin

MotherKat · 03/08/2016 13:27

We have pizza every year as my daughter goes to Spain with her dad (we do our "Christmas over October half term), now we have babies we'll probably have to do something on the day now.

OneMillionScovilles · 03/08/2016 13:32

One year when I was still vegetarian, my mum cooked a selection of Indian dishes for Christmas Day - it was epic! You do you, OP Smile

toadgirl · 03/08/2016 13:33

If you can't eat what you want on Christmas Day, when can you? We had salmon one year.

VioletBam · 03/08/2016 13:34

YANBU. We always have chicken because we like it better than turkey and it's always DH and I with 2 DDs so a turkey isn't needed...too much meat! We don't want a turkey crown because it's just not as nice as a chicken!

BobbinThreadbare123 · 03/08/2016 13:35

My mum dropped turkey years ago. Nobody likes it.

She did a Delia lamb recipe, all studded with cloves and with garlic and that was much more festive! Then we've had roast beef, goose, capon, duck, Beef Wellington and one year, a huge picnic of all nice things (scotch egg, pork pies, samosas, spring rolls, pate, crackers, cheese, cake, hot chicken drumsticks etc) sitting in our pyjamas. I'm not a xmas fan but now I've made myself hungry...

Warl · 03/08/2016 13:37

Well we had bacon & egg bagels one year so even kebabs sound quite festive in comparison.

DoNotBlameMeIVotedRemain · 03/08/2016 13:38

You're worried that you might opt for roast lamb instead of turkey for Christmas ... in August? That is such I tiny thing I wouldn't worry about in December but I certainly wouldn't be worrying about it now. That lamb is still frolicking in the fields for quite a few months yet Confused

MitzyLeFrouf · 03/08/2016 13:40

What about when the Dinner Inspectors from the Ministry of Crimbo Grub call around to ensure you're eating turkey and brussel sprouts?

EveOnline2016 · 03/08/2016 13:41

I am working this year, so I'm having beef.

hotdiggedy · 03/08/2016 13:46

I think its fine, you can still make the table all christmassy with decorations and what not.

BiddyPop · 03/08/2016 13:54

ButtFace - you are sooo late getting them on, try the pressure cooker to help and they might be just about al dente!! Xmas Grin!!

Lewis, that sounds great - a dinner they'll love done with all the accoutrements that you don't normally have time to make. A bowl of pomegranate seeds glistening in the middle of the table - how festive!

Come on over to the Christmas board - we'll make anyone welcome there who wants to dream, plan, organize or just enjoy some Christmassyness, no matter what time of the year!!

Xmas GrinXmas GrinXmas GrinXmas Grin

ShatnersBassoon · 03/08/2016 13:59

It just occurred to me, is this thread prompted by you getting a super early booking for an Ocado Christmas slot? What did you have to do to get that? Grin

I genuinely can't think of another reason to be having a family meeting about Christmas dinner already. And I really, really love Christmas and get far too excited far too early every year.

ButtMuncher · 03/08/2016 14:05

We had a takeaway curry one year. We'd had DSS with us and did a two hour round trip, got home and I certainly couldn't be bothered to cook. Last year I did the full works as we had DSS. Not sure what'll happen this year as assuming all is well, I'll have a 3 month old to add to the mix too Grin We may go out for the first time!

esiotrot2015 · 03/08/2016 14:08

Eve : does beef cool quicker than turkey then Wink

esiotrot2015 · 03/08/2016 14:08

Cook oops !

DoNotBlameMeIVotedRemain · 03/08/2016 14:17

Thinking about it my MIL hasn't asked me what DCs and I want for Christmas yet. That normally happens in Aug. I don't think the early planners know how much it annoys the late preparers to be asked about Christmas at the wrong time...

limitedperiodonly · 03/08/2016 14:27

Selfridges opened their xmas shop yesterday.

I work near there and I might go next week to check out the cards while it's quiet. I'm usually loyal to John Lewis's cards though. I think Selfridges' ones will be a bit flashy.

To answer your question OP: your kebabs sound nice. We don't have turkey at xmas, not because we want to be different, but because it's too big.

We've had rib of beef (lovely but really expensive), goose (expensive and shrinks to the size of a budgie), duck (okay), capon (very nice but I had to order it and it was expensive), chicken (nice), veal shin (husband's choice after seeing it in a River Cafe cookbook, nice, not really worth the ordering hassle and expense), pork loin (my favourite)

sashh · 03/08/2016 14:49

I have had kebab delivered on Xmas day.

I phoned up before to check they were opening, the guy answers, "yes, you know that guy Scrooge? My boss is the Muslim equivalent"

Unless you are following a particular faith then there are no rules/laws about what to eat when.

BolshierAryaStark · 03/08/2016 14:49

Kebabs sound lush tbh, the 5 year old wont give a shit-mine are 4 & 6, the main requirement for Christmas dinner is that it's a 'feast' make of that what you will...

TheNaze73 · 03/08/2016 14:51

Go for it OP. Even organic turkey is bland & insipid. Sounds like a great idea.

squoosh · 03/08/2016 14:56

I haven't eaten turkey in yonks and have no intention of ever eating it again. So bland! As long as it's a celebration meal that everyone loves you should just suit yourselves. I'm convinced loads of people are slaves to turkey even though they don't particularly like it.

kurlique · 03/08/2016 14:58

Go for it! Kids only focus on the crackers and the puddings (& perhaps the little sausages... 😜)... You can get the most amazing puds in shops now if you don't fancy making one yourself... May be that could be the 5 year old's contribution, to choose the pudding and then they feel part of the revolution too!

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