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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

What to take as a food contribution to Inlaws at christmas?

63 replies

GoEasyPudding · 22/10/2011 18:04

We alternate Christmas between my parents and my DH parents. This year it?s at the In-laws and I always ask if we can bring anything. They always say no. I always suggest to my DH that we should take something anyway and he says they don?t need anything and doesn?t support me by helping me choose or by supporting my ideas.

We have of course turned up with things anyway, Wine of course but it?s never good enough as they are really into wine and we never get it right! (We are told at each stage what we are drinking and how much it cost!) We took the starter last time by arrangement, a pate', but this was served with "From waitrose! Not homemade!"

If I have tried to impress in the past and got a generous selection of posh & well regarded cakes but this was proclaimed to be too much cake and was laughed about for the entire holiday. (The in-laws are a very tiring bunch!!!)

What do I take that?s not too cheap and not too posh and wont take up Christmas fridge space? I want to make an effort and feel confident in the choices I make, (so when they laugh at my humble offerings I can just shrug it off)

OP posts:
Chandon · 22/10/2011 18:48

more budget options needed I guess too: I find people go gaga for the chocolate covered gingerbread from Lidl. It`s only 2 quid though, so it only works with people who don´t know the bargainous treats to be had there.

bagelmonkey · 22/10/2011 18:50

gourmet popcorn

scarevola · 22/10/2011 18:50

Ooops, a trickle of cheese does sound positively disgusting (damned predictive keyboard!)

I meant "truckle" of course. The important thing is getting an entire one (perhaps a different cheese if you know they have a favourite that they can't grumble about) as it looks luxurious and much more confident than a selection.

Original poster
GoEasyPudding · 22/10/2011 18:51

Yes, Beamur, a selection of things like that sounds good, thank you. I shall get me to a deli and have a good look around.

Cheese board, excellent solution.
You guys are very clever with your "good eats" ideas!

Hey BertieBotts, my MIL is never happy with the coffee either, she likes one chain and one chain only. I can never remember which. She will tell us this whilst we are not having that coffee.

Its quite exhausting hearing her preferences on every food stuff and liquid in the entire universe every time we see them.

OP posts:
scarevola · 22/10/2011 18:51

BTW: if you go for gin, take Feverfew tonic and some poncey lemons too.

Bibbit · 22/10/2011 18:51

Jar of olives, box of water biscuits, bag of posh crisps. All things that tend to run out and can be stored if not needed. They sound horrible Sad

Putrifyno · 22/10/2011 18:53

Go continental. In Belgium it is considered rude to take wine - as mine host is obviously an expert, or food. Nice flowers or posh chocolates are always acceptable.

HappyCamel · 22/10/2011 18:55

I'd offer to pay for the turkey. Itll be about £40ish. Either get them to organise or source a Kelly's one, maybe have it delivered to theirs. Farmer's Choice do deliveries.

Putrifyno · 22/10/2011 18:55

They DO sound a nightmare though. No member of mine, or DH.s family has every complained when we turned up laden with the contents of the on-board duty free shop.....

Original poster
GoEasyPudding · 22/10/2011 18:59

The ideas are still coming they are all excellent!

Theres some wild ideas here, a whole cheese? That is such a cool idea! We could roll it at them when we arrive. No, no it is a very cool idea.
There are also brand names here I havent come across before so this is fun to look into!

They arent so much horrible as just wearing, and tiring, and eccentric over certain details.

I'm gonna roll a cheese at them and plonk down some gin and shout "get it down yer!!!"

OP posts:
gregssausageroll · 22/10/2011 19:06

I think either a good cheese plate or a good champagne and may be some hotel chocolat choccies.

scarevola · 22/10/2011 19:12

If cheese rolling is your thing, perhaps add Old Spot sausages?

I think what you are looking for are things which are excellent examples of their type, and not things that people usually make at home.

Channelling the spirit of Christmas past: dates, nuts, poncey tangerines?

Putrifyno · 22/10/2011 19:14

John Lewis Hamper? I was looking at the catalogue that came with the Times today. I would find it VERY hard to criticise anyone who came bearing one of those Grin

scarevola · 22/10/2011 19:14

More Christmas past: Bendicks After Dinner Mints, candied lemon halves, chocolate dragees, sugared almonds.

And a nutcracker?

Traditional German style to channel the ballet, or the Margaret Thatcher one that smashes them between her legs (which, bizarrely, is top of DD's Christmas list).

brokenwingedflier · 22/10/2011 19:16

One year I crushed a valium and put it in a gin and tonic and gave it to my mother. We had a lovely Christmas that year. No turkey. We grazed on the smoked salmon and watched Eastenders.

Peachy · 22/10/2011 19:18

What are you like at cooking? GHI October hads a recipe for a damned easy fig and plum jam, for Christmas breakfasting: I am making some for a similarly PITA BIL. Anything posh is laughed at or accompanied by a comment about how many of DH's weeks wages did this cost ( Hmm ) and anything cheap they have in buclketfuls- they are addicted to lidl.

So a homemade cake, pud and some jam is theirs, along with a polite excuse as to why we will be absent on the day. Whilst we eat the real yummies at home mwahaha

BertieBotts · 22/10/2011 19:20

GoEasy - does she like to repeat herself as well? Using the exact same words or phrases to describe the offending coffee every time?

WhollyGhost · 22/10/2011 19:24

I agree with the continental idea - posh chocolates or nice flowers, leaves little to moan about.

Don't try to contribute financially, they sound the sort who would consider that a faux pas, and a source of jibes, don't make anything yourself, because then it is hard not to take the rudeness personally.

PotteringAlong · 22/10/2011 19:30

Take a whole Stilton. Bodge some holes in it. Cover it in port. When the port's sunk in cover it in a bit more port.

Tis a delight and hopefully in laws will be just drunk enough to fall asleep!

FreeButtonBoo · 22/10/2011 19:43

LOLOLOL at the valium. That's properly brilliant.

I second a nice selection of cheeses, chutney and crackers. Also good chocolates. Small box of expensive ones sounds like it might be better than bigger box, given the snide cake remarks. (ps you're welcom eto nring copious amounts of cake round to mine anytime!)

brokenwingedflier · 22/10/2011 19:49

It is hard to get valium. A pal had had a hernia operation and he was given some which he did not take. I gave her a mortar and pestle that year as a present, and used that to grind it up. Have never admitted this to the kinship, but it was a great Christmas. We went home on Boxing Day so we escaped the turkey altogether.

brokenwingedflier · 22/10/2011 19:51

Was that a criminal act.

WholeLottaRosie · 22/10/2011 19:59

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LifeOfKate · 22/10/2011 20:09

How is there such a thing as too much cake?! Shock Confused Come to mine instead :o

WitchesAreComing · 22/10/2011 20:17

Oh God, that gourmet popcorn site. It's a Paypal one too so was just far too easy to spend £12 on it without having to enter any details but my password. But thanks! DH loves apple and cinnamon anything so will be a brilliant present Smile

OP your ILs sound horrible. I'd second chutneys - love them myself. Have never tried valium but that might be a goer Grin