I'm not having a traditional roast next Yr.Anyone else?

[MintyGreenDream]

I had a lovely beef dinner with all the trimmings but I was very meh about it this year I always find a roast overrated on Xmas day and I don't know why!
Next year I'm going to have seafood fuck it

I literally just posted on someone else's thread about this but yes! usually stress so much on Christmas day, I never enjoy dinner and most of the day is wasted spent cooking. Dd and dh were both poorly from covid this year so I didn't cook yesterday and I actually had time to enjoy the day!
Just did a normal beef roast today as they felt better and will do the turkey later in the week if ds can come round.
Think I will do the same next year.

spot the Radio2 Liza Tarbuck fan

I don't even like turkey so I don't know why I pressure myself to make it. Next year I'm having roast chicken instead.

I'm not buying and cooking another meat joint I've decided. So it will be fish or vegetarian in future for Christmas. And if I want a roast dinner I will go out for one.

I have found my people. I hate roast dinners.

Christmas dinner this year had nine different vegetables and three different stuffings. To even have a taste of everything my plate was overflowing. It's obscene but everyone else thought it was marvellous.

I thought I bought and cooked far too much food this year but we had a full turkey dinner for three days and thoroughly enjoyed it. All gone now though.

I don't understand the drama about Xmas dinner OR why it takes ppl so long!

Took 90 mins start to finish here. Beef, pigs in blankets, Yorkshire's, stuffing, roasties, parsnips, carrots, cauliflower cheese, roast broccoli and a veggie alternative.

It's an easy meal to cook. Much easier than many others

@WaterBottle123

I don't understand the drama about Xmas dinner OR why it takes ppl so long!

Took 90 mins start to finish here. Beef, pigs in blankets, Yorkshire's, stuffing, roasties, parsnips, carrots, cauliflower cheese, roast broccoli and a veggie alternative.

It's an easy meal to cook. Much easier than many others

How many were you cooking for? Our turkey crown for 6-8 took three hours of cooking. Veg for 6 took an hour or more to prepare. Add in starters and desserts and the whole thing is a faff!

I love the traditional Christmas Dinner.
One year DH was ill and not eating anything, so I decided to save the Turkey until he was better and cooked lasagne for me and the children. It's usually a family favourite but it didn't feel festive at all and none of us enjoyed it.

I didn't have to cook on Christmas Day this year which was lovely. We had a nice dinner with family although they didn't cook a lot of the elements we usually have so I cooked 'our' version on Boxing Day and the children said it was the best Christmas Dinner they'd ever had.

It is a faff though. I know everyone loves to say 'it's just a fancy Sunday roast' but cooking a roast is a lot of work to me any day of the week! However it's a labour of love and it's only one part of one day over the Christmas season, Boxing Day and the day after for us are usually the relaxing days when we have leftovers and other easy food and play with the toys etc. We save some presents for those days and play board games over breakfast.
I can see why you wouldn't cook the full Christmas roast it if you don't enjoy the end result though.

Me & DP were on our own this year as kids were at their Dads so we had Beyond Burgers & chips and it was epic!!

I don't understand the drama about Xmas dinner OR why it takes ppl so long!

Took 90 mins start to finish here. Beef, pigs in blankets, Yorkshire's, stuffing, roasties, parsnips, carrots, cauliflower cheese, roast broccoli and a veggie alternative.

I can see how that would take 90 mins to cook but much longer to prepare.
We had Turkey, Gammon, pigs in blankets, pork and chestnut stuffing, roast parsnips, roast carrots, cauliflower cheese, sprouts and leeks in a creamy sauce, bread sauce and gravy with mince pies and trifle for pudding.
I was in the kitchen for four hours without much of a break not including preparing the meat and the base for the gravy and trifle which I'd already done.

We had a seafood starter, steak and frites, a selection of cheeses with wine. All delivered in a box from Cote at Home. Fabulous

First year we didn't this year! Had steak and chips together after DDs went to bed. They chose bacon and chips for their special meal. We eat breakfast together while watching an Xmas thing on tele.

Next year I would like to do a Turkish feast ordered in, but may do Persian as DH is half Iranian. The food lasts 3 days from when it's prepared (besides the rice) and we all love different aspects of it.

I find roast dinners on Xmas Day to really detract from the fun and rhythm of the day. Also, grew up with a DM Martyring (not a word I know) herself over the roast dinner. It's not a magical memory I have of the festive season.

Next year I think that I want a festive pub lunch. And I may even order the food from the local Sainsburys instead. Rather than a traditional Christmas Day breakfast, I'm going to only prepare a quick meal of beans on toast. No fuss and no pain involved at all.

For Xmas lunch, I will obviously still do turkey and all the trimmings however. When it comes to the festive dinner, I am going to make each family member help me cook some part of it, as I think that is easier. I kind of have the menu planned out in my head already.