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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think Christmas dinner is actually a posh Sunday roast?

180 replies

wineoclockthanks · 14/12/2019 17:07

I was chatting to a friend who was stressing hugely about her Christmas dinner (for 6 people). She was saying she would have to be up at 5am at the latest to start preparing and would need to be in the kitchen for at least 5 hours etc

I know everyone does things differently but I'm not quite sure what the heck she'll be doing in there.

How much time will you (or your other half) be spending in the kitchen?

OP posts:

cardibach · 14/12/2019 17:10

Well, yes, essentially it’s a posh Sunday lunch. The poshness is what leads to it taking longer/being more complicated. A large turkey will need hours and hours too cook but you don’t have to be with it all the time. If she’s also doing something fancy for a starter, making alternative puddings and organising a cheese course then it will take a while.

Blueshadow · 14/12/2019 17:12

I spend about three hours- but not all the time in there. And yes, it’s just roast with a few extra bits.

TheBigFatMermaid · 14/12/2019 17:12

Well yes, but I do all the prep on boxing Day, this year with the help of 14 year old DD and 13 year old DD!

I cook a turkey crown, a joint of beef and ham in the slow cooker, in bags.

Iwantacookie · 14/12/2019 17:13

Yanbu apart from doing pigs in blankets it is just a posh sunday dinner.
Only thing I'm cooking on the day is veg, mash and roast potatoes everything else can be done xmas eve.

AllergicToAMop · 14/12/2019 17:13

for 6 people). She was saying she would have to be up at 5am at the latest to start preparing and would need to be in the kitchen for at least 5 hours etc

Fuck that. Some people just want to make their lives difficult...

Is she planning on eating at 10AM?

MyEnormousTurnip · 14/12/2019 17:14

Well I do beef as we’re not keen on turkey and it takes the same amount of time as any other roast so YANBU. I might do a few extra bits but nothing worthy of hours and hours in the kitchen. Maybe a tray of pigs in blankets and some cauliflower cheese and/or cabbage.

managedmis · 14/12/2019 17:14

5am?

Who's she feeding, Henry the 8th?

DrWAnker · 14/12/2019 17:15

Usually make dessert the day before amd sometimes yule log.
Starter also mostly prepped, usually soup or prawns or smoked salmon.
Peel and prep all veg on Christmas eve.
Chuck whatever meat in the oven in the morning. Nothing strenuous or stressful, just a bit more faff than usual, but nice faff .

managedmis · 14/12/2019 17:15

I cook a turkey crown, a joint of beef and ham in the slow cooker, in bags.

For one day?! What?

countrygirl99 · 14/12/2019 17:15

That is why M&S desserts exist ( other nice desserts also available)

AllergicToAMop · 14/12/2019 17:15

I have to say that I am starting to understand why are some people starting to hate Christmas... Their own doing though imho...

AllergicToAMop · 14/12/2019 17:16

Try goose, people. Soooooo good! Unlike that fugly turkey

Ponoka7 · 14/12/2019 17:18

It depends if she's buying in prepared or making side dishes etc herself.

It isn't posh, but it has lots of extras.

I go to other people's to eat a dinner but me and my youngest DD are making our own chocolates and a yule log. My DD who is hosting is picking a cake for us to make. So Christmas Eve we'll be baking etc. Christmas day decorating. My youngest DD is a professional Chef. We're toying with the idea of making Profiteroles, as well.

Babamamananarama · 14/12/2019 17:21

I honestly think that Xmas dinner has morphed into an opportunity for martyrdom for some people.

YANBU, it's a Sunday roast and needn't take much more time and effort. Except it's usually served with a side-helping of resentment and a gallon of stress, which nobody really wants on their plate.

If you don't want to spend hours and hours in the kitchen then simplify it or don't do it at all. Be in charge of your own life, don't moan on and on about something that nobody is forcing you to do.

Lulualla · 14/12/2019 17:25

This is true. My mum makes the roast, but I make all the sides and puddings. Those are the fiddly time consuming parts and it does take ages!

Willow2017 · 14/12/2019 17:26

Why on earth will she need to start at 5am?
No matter what she is cooking it won't take 8 hrs to cook (no matter how big a turkey if she is doing one 2.5 -3hrs max unless it's bloody huge! then rest it while everything else cooks!)
Just a Sunday roast chicken or pork joint with extras here. Prep veg Xmas eve job done. It's not worth stressing over.

BikeRunSki · 14/12/2019 17:28

Well yes, but I do all the prep on Boxing Day

Nothing like being prepared, but does it really last that long ?

ToEarlyForDecorations · 14/12/2019 17:28

Yeah, the only difference to a normal roast dinner on Christmas Day, I've realised, is the side dishes, i.e. sausages in bacon, bread sauce. Followed by sherry trifle. We have Christmas pudding on Boxing Day.

I love to watch the Christmas cooking channel. The high falutin' things people think they have to do to prepare a meal on Christmas Day blows my mind !

People can do what they want to do. Or not.

ilovesooty · 14/12/2019 17:29

Self inflicted torture. Why do it?

Teachermaths · 14/12/2019 17:29

Even large turkeys don't take more than 4 hours. If you're eating at 1, it needs to be in by 9, hardly crazy early.

You are right OP.

Yetanotherwinter · 14/12/2019 17:30

It’s absolutely just a roast dinner with a few extras. I don’t think there’s anything to be stressed about unless you’re cooking for double figures. I don’t understand why anyone would need to start prepping at 5am. I think women put so much pressure on themselves for everything to be perfect.

ToEarlyForDecorations · 14/12/2019 17:30

Just a Sunday roast chicken ……….. with extras here. Prep veg Xmas eve job done. It's not worth stressing over.

Yep.

easyandy101 · 14/12/2019 17:30

Always takes me ages cos we're all drunk by about 9am

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 14/12/2019 17:34

Maybe she has an early lunch? We always eat in the evening anyway🤷‍♀️
On another note, I’ve just managed to simmer a whole bottle of mulled wine away down to nothing😱😱😱

Phillipa12 · 14/12/2019 17:37

Just a bigger Sunday roast, its all in the prep and delegation. 1 sister was in charge of cheese board, the other posh nibbles, puds made the day before, the only tricky bit is the last 45 mins and getting it all dished up and on the table hot, and i had 19 for lunch last year, mind you im rather pleased im not cooking this year.

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