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!

If you don’t exchange gifts, then what is fun about the day? I find that a baffling step to take

I didn’t even know people actually liked them until I was about 30. For me, their apparent popularity has always been, is, and will ever be a source of mystification.

I said dull not bland. I also won’t eat lamb. Turkey is ok I just wouldn’t want it every week

Are you from a very middle class bit of Kent? I’m also from Kent (not a posh bit), with parents from London (from very unposh bits). Growing up, it was always breakfast, dinner and tea, as it was for all the kids I grew up with. Same with Welsh DH. It’s always been Christmas dinner though, no matter what time you eat it.

The Christmas police can sod right off. I think questioning other people’s choices over Christmas add to the list of reasons people find it so stressful. We love every single bit of Christmas in our house, because we eat, drink and do exactly what makes us happy and sod whatever else anyone has to say about it. The tree goes up when I feel like it and it doesn’t come down until I feel like it. DH would keep it up all year round if he could. It’s been up as late as February before because it was snowing and it looked pretty. We do have a massive turkey because we both love it. DH isn’t a big fan of vegetables but he does like a mushy pea, so that’s the only thing vaguely resembling a vegetable he’s having. I only like sweetcorn and sprouts that have been boiled to within an inch of their life, so sod the parsnips and carrots. I’ll eat them the rest of the year because I know they’re good for me, but Christmas dinner is supposed to be enjoyable. We’re both having yorkshire puddings because we like them. Neither of us want to sod about with gravy, so it’s Bisto, which is guaranteed to taste nice. There’s zero stressing about it because it’s just a roast dinner with a cracker and a daft hat. Boxing Day is cold turkey, hot pigs and stuffing and sprout based bubble and squeak with fresh bread for me. He likes the same but with home made chips instead of bubble.

I cannot wait.

But unless they are policing and eating at your house why on earth does it matter? so you are wanting to police people for policing ie having an opinion on what people want to have or not at Christmas?

OMG the world will end if someone says they dont like turkey call the real police now!

I don't care! We haven't had turkey for years ( I do a beef Wellington because everyone prefers)
Its Christmas! You should have whatever people in your family love!
I do do a pre-Christmas dinner (Sunday dinner before Christmas)which is traditional turkey etc, but its not special enough for Christmas day!
Police away!

Yorkshires are for whenever you fancy them! There are no rules about eating as you like. I’ve never had turkey for Christmas dinner, why would I when I hate it?

We have chicken for Christmas, or occasionally beef, if I can afford it. I don’t do anything different for Christmas, it’s just a normal roast, and not something I cook all that often. To say some people don’t know the difference between them is very strange and quite offensive.

If DD and I fancied a beef stew or spaghetti bolognese that’s what we’d have!

The 25th of December is just a number on the calendar, and people can eat whatever they want.

You both need to go to Christmas lessons. 🤣

You also need to have Christmas lessons!

🫨 Weird, weird, weird!

@WilfredsPies We love every single bit of Christmas in our house, because we eat, drink and do exactly what makes us happy

Happy? HAPPY? What's happy got to do with it? For one day, you should have turkey with very specific accompaniments no matter how miserable it makes you! It's TRADITION! You have 364 days of the year to eat wellies stuffed with beef, like some people on here.

Should be called Mumsnut.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Oooh I'm definitely having notions! I grew up eating goose, venison, veal etc etc. I feel very posh now!
In reality I grew up on a working farm! If goose was required for the Christmas plate one simply selected one and dealt with it before the day🤣

Oh, you big meanie! 🤣

I like my meat already dead. That way, I can reason well, it's dead anyway! Doesn't make any difference now!

I know, I know!
I like to think they had a good life before they were 'despatched'. Believe it or not I have often thought of going veggie, mainly because I wholeheartedly disagree with the way supermarkets have taken control of farming in this country! However that's a thread by itself so I will stop now.

I live in another country and I see that folk here take their Christmas food very seriously.

It is not like that everywhere. We have a more go with the flow attitude.

But one thing that is on every single thread is pigs in blankets. I have never eaten one in my whole life, but there seems to be an obsession with them. Why? They sound more like a breakfast item to me.

Yorkies?

(Please don’t @ me about chocolate or happy little dogs.)

Londoner here. It's breakfast, lunch and tea. DH (also a Londoner) says the same

Agreed.

Oooh! I know I said I was pretty relaxed about Christmas Dinner, but you’re going too far! Back away from the pigs!

And everyone knows that Breakfast on Christmas Day is either a selection bix, a Terrys Chocolate Orange or some concoction involving bagels, cream cheese, scrambled eggs and salmon. There is no fourth option!

Also a Londoner. It’s breakfast, lunch and supper, unless you have people round for dinner, in which case it’s a dinner party (and you’re still living in the Eighties). Tea is at about half past three in the afternoon and is a cup of tea and cucumber sandwiches and a slice of Battenberg.

I’m a lifelong Londoner. I say breakfast, lunch, supper. Never heard any Londoner say tea - to me that’s a northernism.

Tea is a cup of tea and cake around 4pm.

Dinner is only used for formal evening meals either people dining with you or dining out.

Exactly.

I never use the word supper. To me supper is something you eat not long before you go to bed which is something I never do.

Never used the word supper.

Mum and dad said "breakfast, lunch, tea" so I have followed. DH's parents the same. I was born in North London and DH in South London.

Never known anyone to call their evening meal supper. Some call it dinner but most call it tea

if I turned up for someone's for Christmas dinner (at lunch time) and it wasn't turkey I would be put out, but if I don't have to partake, do as you will.

In Essex, at school in the 1970s/80s in the register you were "packed lunch" or "school dinners" (or "home") which I think proves that dinner is the hot main meal, whenever you eat it!