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Christmas

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

Original poster

Odd question - hoping another Christmas fan can help me!

36 replies

FollowYourOwnNorthStar · 05/05/2018 11:17

I’m in Australia. I’ve been reading through the Christmas message boards because, well, I love Christmas.

I see in the UK there is a lot of talk of reserving slots at supermarkets to get Christmas shopping, and talk of some pre-cooked items being ordered from those supermarkets too.

My question is, how do you know what is available? Is there a Waitrose Food Catelogue or M&S Booklet you can look over and select choices?

I’m curious, and would love to look over it, if this exists. Nice to get new ideas for Christmas food, and to dream of what it would be like if we had the same here!

OP posts:
jollyjester · 05/05/2018 11:25

In the lead up to Christmas M&S have their Christmas food section on their website and they also do a catalogue in store. I'm not sure about Waitrose as I'm in Northern Ireland but I imagine irs similar.

Original poster
FollowYourOwnNorthStar · 05/05/2018 11:29

Thanks. I might see if there are any on eBay Smile

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Original poster
FollowYourOwnNorthStar · 06/05/2018 04:38

Thanks RJnomore1 but the website must read cookies as to where I am from, as it just directs me to the Australian Marks and Spencers......no Christmas food there :)

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Slitherout · 06/05/2018 08:11

You want to get hold of a Booths catalogue, looks like it's still online here - www.booths.co.uk/christmas-book-2017/

madvixen · 06/05/2018 08:20

All the supermarkets do Christmas Food to Order books from around September. They're usually available online at around the same time. I don't know if you'll be able to see them on the Australian sites though. If you remind me nearer the time, I will happily post them out to you.

Ski40 · 06/05/2018 11:57

If you download the free Issuu app to your phone, you will find hundreds of magazines full of Christmas menu ideas and recipes, including supermarket brochures. I have a huge stack! Xx

Original poster
FollowYourOwnNorthStar · 06/05/2018 12:16

Thanks MadVixen! that is very generous of you.

If your offer is still there next Christmas I will take you up on it - and insist on reimbursing you for postage and packing costs Flowers

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SideOrderofSprouts · 07/05/2018 08:46

I love the Christmas catalogues

NoWordForFluffy · 07/05/2018 17:00

Me too. I think we still have the last two years' Booths' catalogues in the front room!

bimbobaggins · 08/05/2018 19:51

Getting the Christmas gift guides and food catalogues is one of the highlights of the run up to Christmas for me!!
Are you coming to the U.K. for Christmas?
We were in Australia last year for Christmas.

Ski40 · 08/05/2018 20:02

How does the typical Australian Christmas meal compare to the UK? What is normally had? I know I could easily google the answer but chatting is nicer 😁 x

bimbobaggins · 08/05/2018 20:12

I don’t think pigs in blankets are part of the traditional meal

AnnoyedByAlfieBear · 08/05/2018 20:22

Go I wish we had Booths in Essex! I love Christmas catalogues. Food especially but gift guides too.

NoWordForFluffy · 08/05/2018 21:05

Booths does deliver, but not the whole range, sadly.

Original poster
FollowYourOwnNorthStar · 13/05/2018 11:12

Hi! Sorry for the late reply!

I wouldn’t want to speak for a whole country, but......

I think most people either do a baked dinner English-type dinner, or a cold, seafood or BBQ type dinner. But our baked dinner is usually a ham, and/or a turkey roll. Usually people have baked veges or (more and more now!) people have things like salads and potato baked.

What people have depends somewhat on where they live. In traditional country towns there is still more of the bake dinners, but the cities have so much seafood.....you have to have your order in weeks in advance.

I’ve been interested to read about things like pigs in blankets (had to google them!) and that people actually do big turkeys in the UK! I’m really excited to see some of the food catalogues. As far as I know, we don’t have anything like that here. All the food must be cooked from scratch. I’m so curious to see (and copy!) some of the things I’ve read about on here!

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madvixen · 13/05/2018 11:20

Ohhh I meant to stick a reply on here for you the other day. Hubby is insisting that I need to cut down on my recipe magazines (I do have rather a lot) and I have some Christmas ones. Would you like them?

Ski40 · 13/05/2018 18:47

Seafood for Christmas is so nice!. I always do some as starters. Last year I recreated the salmon mousse pearls from M&S, served in a huge scallop shell and dusted in edible shimmer to look like a pearl, they went down very well and looked stunning.I didn't take a pic but will google a photo of the M&S ones I copied. I will be doing them again this year 😊

Ski40 · 13/05/2018 18:48

Here 😍

Odd question - hoping another Christmas fan can help me!
Original poster
FollowYourOwnNorthStar · 01/10/2018 09:21

Hi Everyone,
I’m just coming back to this thread I started a few months ago, as someone kindly told me earlier in the thread that the ‘food to order’ Christmas books would be out in late September.

I was wondering? Would anyone feel inclined to put one (or many!) on eBay, so I could buy and pay postage for them to send it to me? I thought if it was done via eBay and PayPal everyone can feel comfortable that everyone is legitimate.

I was thinking maybe a Waitrose one, M&S and any of your other big supermarkets that would show lovely Christmas food for me to get ideas from. We don’t have anything like these ready to order Christmas meals in Australia!

Thank you in adavance and sorry, MumsnetHQ if I am not allowed to ask this.

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Original poster
FollowYourOwnNorthStar · 01/10/2018 09:25

Ski40 that dish looks amazing - absolutely stunning.

Any chance of the recipe??

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Butterflycookie · 01/10/2018 15:46

I always love getting the supermarkets’ Christmas brochures. M&S being my absolute favourite, they look so delicious and the photography is 10/10 lol. If you were to get one then get the M&S one. Waitrose doesn’t look as good in my opinion. I’ve only ever ordered a boneless turkey from M&S but a lot of their other party foods can be bought in store. They should have on their website so you may not necessarily need to purchase from eBay. Do you know anyone in the uk that can send it to you? I would send one to you but I don’t have an eBay/PayPal account. Tbh I haven’t even gone in store to get a brochure.

Butterflycookie · 01/10/2018 15:50

I’ve checked the website they’ve not put their Christmas food to order up yet. But here is what they have already:www.marksandspencer.com/c/food-to-order

DunesOfSand · 01/10/2018 16:00

When the M&S stuff comes out, go to the M&S page, and click on the flag (probably the Australian one!) Right up at the top. You should be able to select the UK store there. But there is no Christmas food yet that I can see -- it Saudi have managed to block anything to do with Christmas!)

thenewaveragebear1983 · 01/10/2018 16:08

I was in Tesco today and their Christmas food catalogue is already out, plus various things in the freezer section (like a Christmas tree shaped pavlova......just sayin’)