Who decides your Christmas dinner menu?

[SecretLimonadeDrinker]

We're hosting this year, I was planning on our usual turkey, gammon and pigs in blankets with all the trimmings but DBil/Sil have said they want beef instead as DSIL doesn't eat turkey (so she would only have gammon and pib). DH says we should accommodate them but I was looking forward to our dinner plus our Boxing Day dinner requires leftover turkey.

Would love to hear how you decide your menu.

Dh and I discuss what we would like. My brother is coming this year and he is vegetarian so I will be making something different for him. He's been talking about turning Vegan so that will be a bit more of a challenge if he does before Christmas.

I do the catering so I decide however I'm hosting quite a few people so there will be a big variety of dishes. I do email a menu round to ensure that there is something everyone will eat but if someone will eat gammon then I don't bother that they won't eat turkey and they can just help themselves to as much gammon as they want. I will be doing turkey, gammon, beef and a salmon as well as a vegetarian dish so there is something for everyone.

We kind of alternate it - no one really likes turkey we just do it because its Christmas so do it once in a whole but this year I think its going to be rib of beef. I am cooking but we will be at mil's house so a joint decision.

DH declares though that we must have prawn cocktail starter otherwise the world will end and it wont be Christmas.

Oh as he buys and cooks it all. He would be prepared to be accommodating depending on the guest - I know for a fact that if it was one in particular the answer would be tough in the hope that they don't come!

I cook so I decide. I do allow for one vegetarian option if we have guests.

"I was planning on our usual turkey, gammon and pigs in blankets with all the trimmings but DBil/Sil have said they want beef instead as DSIL doesn't eat turkey (so she would only have gammon and pib)"

So she wants beef AND gammon? On the same plate? TBH, It just wouldn't occur to me to do two meats. If she is so keen for that then maybe she should bring the beef with her? There is only so much space in anyone's ovens.

Host decides on the menu; I do turkey and a vegetarian alternative. No gammon, no beef.

The person who buys, prepares and cooks it decides.

Having taken into account the preferences of the guests.

Guests who wish to provide something special should say so beforehand.

Evening all,

Just realised I hadn't updated, sorry about that.

Yes, they are major pita so I did think I could be letting that control my judgement.

We invited both sides of family a while ago and said there would be turkey, gammon, pib, veggie option plus roast potatos and veg. We have another non poultry eater and the nans prefer a traditional dinner with turkey. DH/DS prefer gammon to beef hence that being the second meat. Text from DBIL/DSIL saying they would joining us followed by one saying they would like beef.

DH thought we could do beef in addition to turkey and gammon. I hadn't thought about beef in a slow cooker.

Well I use this one but I don't flash fry. It comes out perfect each time.

You're a good host if you're thinking about it.. I would be telling them to bring a cooked one.

www.mummymishaps.co.uk/2011/11/slow-cooker-roast-beef.html

I think wanting a whole different roast is ok, provided you offer to bring it or some other contributions. Demands not accompanied by offers are pretty off, in my view.

I guess it depends how much you like SIL! I think she's unreasonable to expect you to do a third joint, however, if you make something in advance it only needs reheating on the day. I wouldn't make it especially for SIL'S benefit, more a pot roast with a nice piece of brisket cooked until nice and tender earlier than Christmas. Cut off slices/portion for SIL'S Christmas dinner and freeze in gravy from the cooking juices. Eat the rest yourselves as you would a roast dinner.

By doing it this way you save time and oven space on Christmas day, you get to enjoy the beef yourself, and Sil's portion is actually your leftovers! I would definitely not buy a prime topside roasting beef joint unless I knew I would need it for Boxing Day guests.

I hope that if SIL doesn't let you know she will be bringing her own beef, that she will be generous in contributing something else to the meal.

Out of interest, do SIL and BIL ever host Christmas dinner, and if they do, have they ever taken into account everyone else's food preferences?