To ask if there are other WOMEN who can't produce a Xmas dinner

[JudyShakes]

Every year on MN there are threads started by women saying that are fed up of doing Christmas dinner, or they don't feel well enough this year etc. And posters will pipe up "get DH/DP to do it!"

DH does the Christmas and most other cooking here. Am I the only FEMALE who would really struggle to produce a Xmas meal that was special enough to deserve the name?

My husband does all of the cooking in our house. Works for us.

"the roast dinnerers" I am dying.

Unfortunately I, too, am one of those insufferable people who believes Christmas dinner is just a roast and therefore quite easy. But I don't mind being made fun of for this.

My DH never cooks a Sunday roast but makes Christmas dinner look easy. He also enjoys basking in the copious amounts of praise he receives

I absolutely detest cooking and am really crap at it. People who know me are always a bit bemused by this as I’m naturally a very creative person.

If it was left to me, Christmas dinner would be a bowl of cereal or maybe some toast. DH does all the cooking here. If he’s away I eat out. In my 40-odd years you I am yet to produce anything cooked that anyone would want to eat, despite many attempts.

So what are you going to do about it ? Letting your dh or dp do it all the time is a cop out.

I can't cook/mow lawns, DH can't do clothes washing/iron sure we could learn each others skills but why?

I can do it, but choose not too.

This year I have frozen cook Christmas food already delivered, I'm capable but would rather not be standing in a kitchen all day. And I love to pop to our local pub on Christmas morning and meet friends without a schedule buzzing in my head.

@seayork2020

I can't cook/mow lawns, DH can't do clothes washing/iron sure we could learn each others skills but why?

Because one day you'll need those skills. What did you do before you were together ?

I hosted Christmas for 8 the year before last. I thinked I cooked a ham and the others brought the other dishes (which I had asked them to bring). This is absolutely normal in NZ and most-sanity preserving, and guests feel instantly part of proceedings.

I don't cook, don't know what I'm doing in the kitchen and would certainly never attempt a roast let alone a Christmas dinner. DH does all the cooking here.

@HandleTheJandal

I hosted Christmas for 8 the year before last. I thinked I cooked a ham and the others brought the other dishes (which I had asked them to bring). This is absolutely normal in NZ and most-sanity preserving, and guests feel instantly part of proceedings.

It's the best way. The last summer Xmas I did we spent the day on the beach and everybody bought something.

It is, redkenso, yes. Summer Christmases might lend themselves more easily to guests bringing a plate - as more of the sides will be cold or room temperature - but the principle could well be adapted to more hearty fare. Eg, garlic bread, etc.

I don't even cook a Sunday dinner, nevermind a Christmas one.

No..I am diagnosed autistic, possibly undiagnosed adhd, child with same conditions married to a muslim. Autistic child can't sit at table for long and one child only eats the meat other child only likes meat potato gravy and carrots. No one in the household is bothered enough about Christmas dinner to justify the effort. We go through the motions of doing a roast with a few extra bits. What dh and I really enjoy are cheese board and crackers with pickles cold cuts etc in The evening. The kids like croissants and not chocolate for breakfast and filling up on their sweets Christmas dinner is the least important for all of us of the day.

@Petronius16 see, time and sanity saving as your roast may sound, it's unacceptable. You use Bisto.

Another reason I don't cook roasts is because I have yet to master the perfection that is DMs gravy, made with proper Comptons gravy salts and I only like her gravy. Plus, whether I know how to do it or not- bugger the stress of that on Christmas Day, it's quite involved!

I can do it, but choose not too.

This. I’m not big on roasts. Didn’t really enjoy them growing up and they are more hassle than they’re worth IMO. My husband loves them so he cooks them while I eat the Yorkshires. Saying that, this year I’m doing lamb shanks for myself (thanks M&S) and my husband is doing the traditional turkey for himself.

I could do it with practice, but my mil has always done it so I've never tried. When the time comes I'll hand this chore over to dh.

I've never made a Christmas dinner. I'm a single parent so DS and I usually get invited to my mum's or another family member's. I just bring a bottle and dessert.

Looking like I'll be on my own this year as DS is at his dad's and my grandad is going to my mum's. I'm getting a takeaway.

I could. But I don't.

@redkenso

So what are you going to do about it ? Letting your dh or dp do it all the time is a cop out.

Yes. Yes it is. Just as is my DH not doing the gardening. Your point being?

Christmas dinner is easy either myself or DH can do it no problem.

I do make a banquet and that’s what it is every year for a celebration that is from my Fathers home country. I have to travel 50 miles to a specialist shop. I then spend three days prepping food and I make multiple different dishes. I make four different fillings and make the wrappers for miniature I suppose you would call them maybe dumplings. though they aren’t, make the sauces, four different meat dishes, four different vegetable dishes, two soups, fortunately fruit is the pudding. That’s the event that requires real effort. I have taught DS a few dishes.

Yes. Yes it is. Just as is my DH not doing the gardening. Your point being?

There is no excuse for adults not being able to cook, do gardening, household jobs like ironing and laundry. Not doing them is one thing but being unable to do them is ridiculous. You aren't always going to have somebody else to rely on to do it for you.

Despite posting what I thought was funny stuff about Christmas, I disagree with most of it. But there are two of us and we enjoyed making Christmas something special, no Bisto here. One of us will happily spend time making gravy, long before JO was even born. I agree it’s a fairly easy meal to produce. All the children have continued that tradition.

As far as possible kids/grandkids sat with us, though that depended on total numbers, occasionally we had to have two tables.

Never a problem getting help with washing up.

But if you don’t like cooking, don’t like turkey, have a lazy family etc., do your thing. Neither of us are keen on turkey crowns, prefer dark meat, one year we got a leg, it was huge but lovely.

In our childhood Christmas was the one day Mum could afford a chicken. Chicken once a year.