How long before Christmas Day do you get your turkey?

[Beginningtoffeealotlikexmas]

I'm planning to collect our fresh turkey on 22nd, using Waitrose collection service, but I'm fretting that it will be out of date by Christmas Day or Boxing Day (was planning to make stuff with the leftovers). But surely I wouldn't be sold a turkey that has a use-by date before Christmas Day? The website says that the personal shoppers always select the product with the longest shelf life, which is reassuring.

Do you think it's reasonable for me to get the turkey three days in advance?

22 or 23, as 24th is ds2 birthday so always busy. It will be fine.

Thanks, Shiny.

I collect our fresh goose from the farm on the 22nd. that's 3 days in the fridge. I hope it will be ok.

I don't collect mine until the 24th, mostly because the butcher has got a much bigger fridge than me. It could well have been sitting in his fridge for months for all I know.

oh my god. I just read my post back. Doesn't that sound the ponciest pile of stealth boasting shit you have ever read.

I get a goose, not a turkey
I buy it from a farm

I am actually cringing. please don't hold it against me, I didn't mean it like that

Hecate - oh, it could have been worse. You could have been buying an organic woodcock and picking your own chestnuts for the stuffing .

Anyway, it sounds as if collecting the bird on 22nd is perfectly reasonable. Now I just have to hope I can fit it in the fridge.

I could indeed.

To check if it will fit in the fridge, ask one of your children to get in there. If they fit, the bird will fit.

Otherwise, you're screwed.

This year I'm collectiong all Christmas meat on the 19th!

Going to freeze it myself then defrost on the evening of the 23rd.

Our Butcher's is crazy busy all week, so I'd rather get there early and just freeze it all. Last year I queued at the Butchers' for 40 mins! Not what you want on Christmas Eve or the 23rd.

Ran round like a mad woman last year Christmas week - this year I'm going to be organised and enjoy it!

Mind you I'm not having a huge turkey, I'm having a chuckling which is about the size of a large chicken-ish

Absolutely no room in my freezer for a turkey, Boys. I agree with you about not wanting to queue for ages at the butchers - that's exactly what I wanted to avoid. What is a chuckling? I will have to google it.

Hecate - thanks for the tip. Unfortunately, neither of my children fit in the fridge . The smallest one does, however, fit snugly between the bins and the empty wine bottles, outside the kitchen door, which would be a perfect place for the turkey if it's cold enough.

The 24th from M&S, purely so that DH can get out of the annual extended family christmas walk the lucky sod

Picking it up from the butchers on 24th purely down to lack of fridge space at home. Hope I don't need to wait too long at the butchers though as it is also dd1's birthday so try to minimise c christmas stuff that day.

hecate- it doesnt sound poncy at all. i had a goose from a farm last christmas, my sister bought it as her contribution to christmas dinner. this year however i will be having 2 ducks from sainsburys and a joint of beef i bought in asda last week which is currently sat in my freezer.

Mine is being delivered on Christmas Eve.

We (DH) collect it from a local farm on 24th. There is always a massive queue and it takes ages.

I always collect it from the butcher on CHristmas Eve morning. It takes up too much space in the fridge otherwise

A chuckling is sausage meat inside a deboned duck, inside a deboned chicken. We get it every year, it's yummy.

Could your butcher not deliver it?

im collecting my pre ordered turkey from sainsburys around 9am on fri the 23rd. ill get all my fresh foods then too (potatoes, veg, starters etc). yes, the fridge will be full but i dont care, i just want it in there so when i get up on xmas eve i can just spend the day prepping the dinner and pottering around the house with the kids, not shopping. dont know what well do for dinner on the 23rd or 24th actually but ill take that as it comes and maybe just send hubby out to get the dinner around 4pm and ill cook it right away, then dont need fridge space.

Normally pre order and collect on the 23rd

Normally get it on the 24th before I go to work, chuck it in spare fridge in garage until 25th. But this year 24th is a SUnday so I don't know if our butcher will be open.

I probably need to get my act together and go and order it don't I?

Get it from the butchers on Christmas Eve, then it sits in the garage overnight as no room in the fridge!

I buy a frozen crown from Iceland or Tesco. I bought a fresh turkey once and i was aghast at the price for meat. Never again!

24th probably. We use a local butcher and order in advance. 24th is a Sunday this year. He usually opens on a Sunday, so hoping he will on Christmas Eve.

I get it on the 23rd or 22nd, and keep it in the car or the shed.