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!

The people you are talking about in real life do sound annoying, but imo most people posting on MN about this are comparing opinions and traditions, and personally I don't think most of them are seriously trying to tell other people what to eat. Most of those who appear to be 'policing' on here are doing it with a dash of humour/tongue-in-cheekness imo.

Goodness, that reminds me of the year when for various reasons , some related to alcohol, some to selective martyrdom, we sat down to our Christmas meal at 10.00 pm.

(A lot of satsumas, chocolate oranges, peanuts and boxes of after eights were eaten that year to stave off hunger pangs)

Bread sauce is definitely a British thing, my Welsh mum used to make it every year. It sounds disgusting and would probably work as wallpaper paste but I have to confess that I quite like it.

I'm vegetarian... never bought a turkey (or any meat substitute in its place either).

Two words - Yorkshire pudding!

As the Grim Reaper has been working overtime in my family recently its only 3 adults and one child for Chritmas dinner/lunch. This year irs going to be a Jo-bery Carvery (play on my name) of help yourself dishes set out on the kitchen side comprising turkey thigh as none of us like breast meat, gammon and beef, yorkies, bread and cranberry sauces, gravy, pigs in blankets and M&S pigs in yorkie blankets, parsnips, carrots, sprouts, chestnuts, roasties and cauliflower cheese. We can have as much or as little as we like in any combination we like.

I’m Scottish and I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone mention it!

Luncheon or even nuncheon to be more pedantic.

I’d never have a ‘face’ on, or mention it, but have to admit that I’ve felt disappointed when having 🎄dinner at someone else’s house, and it’s beef. I love beef, but to me it’s just not Christmassy. Nor is a SiL’s idea of a perfect 🎄dinner - a whole salmon - but thankfully we’ve never been invited there.

The smell of the turkey cooking is part of 🎄day for me, and then of course there are all the lovely leftovers.
Roast pork would feel fairly Christmassy, too, maybe because my DM sometimes used to make it on Boxing Day. She must have been mad to make roasts 2 days running, but my DF used to help a lot.

Philomena Cunk explains bread sauce perfectly.

https://youtube.com/shorts/0CbpC9MwQA?si=EbkTNVliRasPVxp1

It was meant as a joke, @Damnloginpopup - I don’t think I deserve your ire.

@Damnloginpopup - Well, I was quoting someone else (SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius) in my first sentence, and was concentrating on the goose factor, and my memories of my still much-missed (French) father, rather than the historical one. I must admit, that wasn’t necessarily clear in the way I quoted.
Also, my disgust with Farage and his blasted Brexit have meant that I have not returned to England from the EU after retirement, as originally planned, so you’ve got me totally wrong on that score.

Bread sauce is breadcrumbs in milk, flavoured with onion and mace. It does sound like pap, but I love it. I can see why other people think it’s vile, though!

I agree, it sounds disgusting but it is actually delicious when properly made, with loads of butter, fresh cream, nutmeg, cloves, and bayleaves. It certainly livens up boring roast turkey.

@Jaichangecentfoisdenom - I assumed I was being called the Farage following, flag shagger (nice).

🤣How very dare they, the packet stuffing Philistines!
I wonder how some mother in law's of yore reacted when the traditional goose (if you could afford it) got replaced by the American turkey? My mum didn't like either much & used to buy Capon which I think might be illegal now in the UK? I might be wrong though. Her mil used to tut disapprovingly.

Does anyone really care what goes on someone's plate? Isn't part of the fun eating whatever you like? I absolutely love Yorkshire Puddings and I call the meal lunch ! Shoot me now

We'll have Turkey Christmas day, but there's also Beef and a Gammon joint.
Yes there will also be Yorkshire puddings.

We eat what foods we like and not what's traditional.

Edited to add, after reading the above post..
Seems I'm also a tramp so anything goes.

It seriously doesn’t matter. My mother insists they should only be put with beef but my kids demand Yorkshire puds with chicken. Traditions don’t need to be so rigid or where’s the enjoyment?

MN likes to Police everything and make judgements on people doing things 'differently' as if they are the arbiters of anything.

Ignore and do what you want.

Turkey is expensive and tastes so boring.
Beef or chicken or both instead.

I'm Australian and never had bread sauce until i came to the UK. I LOVE it. So much. I made it for my parents once and they had no idea what to do with it. Mind you, I offered pickled walnuts with the cheese course and my father speared a whole one and popped into his mouth not realising you are meant to take a little slice at a time, so their judgement on English food-related matters is a bit shaky anyway.

I'm going to commit the ultimate sacrilege this year and use Aunt Bessies roast potatoes.

Turkey is seriously dullsville. Never have it. It’s venison this year.

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius - I had assumed, maybe wrongly, that you were joking, in any case. As you and any fule kno, goose has been a traditional Christmas dish in England since Medieval times.

My comment is too 😉 no ire, and apologies for coming across that way.