Christmas dinner police

[Namechangesecretsignature]

Can’t sleep and endlessly reading MN. Oh how I loathe the Christmas dinner police. Policing what “should” be on a Christmas dinner, calling it Christmas lunch (urgh), all the formalities and “musts”. Reminds me of my ex DP who was aghast for about 4 years straight that no one in my family liked turkey so we had beef for Xmas. His mother called my mother to clarify it was true (after a drink) and I’d go round to theirs over the Christmas period and the whole (large) family would be saying things like “I can’t believe you don’t have turkey on Christmas dinner.” “It’s not Christmas dinner without” “without turkey it’s tasteless” (????) “you must buy a turkey and a ham for Xmas even if it doesn’t get ate its tradtition” from the same people who buy 3 turkeys (Xmas day, New Year’s Day redo, then another on Easter(!!!!))

anyway I digress, I loathe it!

My mum said it was bad luck to keep the decorations up after Twelfth Night, and they only went up on Christmas Eve - but it may be that was her excuse not to have the house cluttered up for too long.

We usually put the decorations up a week or so before Christmas, but I still have to have them down by the 6th of January. The tree etc will go up this weekend - we have spent this week travelling from Glasgow to Penzance for FIL’s funeral yesterday, and then ds2 and his girlfriend arrive from Australia on Saturday, so they will do the tree when they are over the jet lag.

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius ours always came down then because it also would be unlucky after then - and I still follow this tradition - this superstition doesn't seem a very Christian to me!

Oh, they are SO having notions! The most stuck-up people I know have goose. When you just know they're secretly DYING for turkey but they have to be all posh.

We have goose, @NewNameforThisPost2025 - because it is delicious, and dh is not a fan of turkey.

Goose is soooo much nicer than turkey, and you can have all the usual lovely English Christmas stuffings and side dishes and sauces with it. I love it! Darn it, now I wish we could have it this year, but it is not to be!

I struggle to make larger Yorkshire puddings work. The small ones are usually ok. I started a thread if you're interested - Creative ideas for leftovers ❤

There is so much fuss about xmas dinner lunch whatever you call it, do what you want its yout meal and ignore anything else. I have a microwave meal just this once no fuss or bother. Happy xmas

I’m rubbish at cooking but find road in the hole quite straightforward. It’s all in the temperature of the oil prior to putting the batter in. It has to be really hot.

Oh that’s quite acceptable too.
Golden syrup used to be my fave as a child with *leftover Yorkshire puddings (when I say *leftover, I mean a tray of ‘extra’ ones cooked specifically to have with something sweet. )
or raspberry jam.
Never tried them with clotted cream but I’m certainly going to. Infact, I’m going to scoot off and put some on tomorrows tesco order and I’ll try it on Sunday (roast pork fyi).
**theres never any leftover Yorkshire puddings when my mum is around. She begrudges the extra one I make for the dogs.

My yorkshires used to be hit and miss until I tried Jamie Oliver's recipe. Now they turn out lovely every time.

I agree with others that you style your Xmas dinner to be what your family wants.

For us that means ham made on Xmas eve then served Xmas day and Boxing Day. A 3rib of beef, the only time of the year I buy it as it’s so expensive but the whole family loves it. A small stuffed and bacon wrapped turkey portion for the one turkey lover, roast potatoes, roasted carrots and parsnips, red cabbage, savoy cabbage as no one does sprouts but insist on something green 🤣 2 types of stuffing as one only likes the packet stuff, pigs in blankets and Yorkshire puddings. Mash has been known to to make an appearance so has cauliflower cheese but only if someone specially requests it. And massive amounts of homemade gravy.

Boxing day is leftovers plus buffet items

New years eve is rack of lamb with dauphinois

Puddings vary but normally involves those reindeer shaped ice creams from Aldi, a chocolate log and a trifle.

I put mine up 12 days before and take them down 12 days after. So 13th and 6th.

Never eaten turkey in my life.

My mil is like the roast police though, won't have yorkshire puddings unless it's a beef roast dinner and will only have sprouts, carrots potatoes and parsnips with turkey at Christmas. (I get a veggie option though.) She wouldn't even do peas or broccoli let alone a different meat. But I find it amusing and sort of sweet.
Am sure she is utterly baffled by my family having cauliflower cheese with a roast.

I’m starving reading this thread!

Eat what you like on Christmas day but don't call it Christmas dinner or Christmas lunch unless it's turkey (or other suitable bird) and trimmings and Christmas pud to follow.

Swan, @oviraptor21? 😉😁

If its a main meal eaten on Christmas day then it is "Christmas Dinner" (or lunch if one prefers).

The ingredients do not define the meal.

Lunch is a light meal. Dinner is the main meal. Tea is a light meal. Supper is a light meal or snack.

A big roast meal is Christmas dinner whether you have it at lunchtime or teatime.

I agree with MIL - parsnips, carrots, sprouts, potatoes with turkey at Christmas - broccoli is Mediterranean and peas are a summer vegetable.

I’ve never had turkey for Christmas Dinner, can’t stand the stuff!

We usually have chicken, or if I can stretch to it, beef. It’s just DD and me at Christmas, so we have whatever we fancy. We also don’t like sprouts, and the comments we’ve had about that!

Am I supposed to buy and cook them, just for them to sit in a pan, and be thrown out? 🙁

Have what you want OP!

I'm from Kent and where I come from it's definitely lunch if eaten at lunchtime (middle of the day). Dinner is only eaten in the evening.

No, they are completely and utterly pointless, and their apparent popularity is wholly mystifying to me.

We're also having lamb (literally never had turkey for Christmas where I've been making it!) - would you mind sharing your recipe please? Are you doing anything fancy with your roasties?

And if Yorkshire puddings (as a food stuff and a name) are bad (which they undoubtedly are), the word ‘Yorkshires’ is from the fiery depths of hell

In’t north, yes.