Winter Feast?

[Falaffel]

I'm cooking for 12 on Christmas Day. It's not Christmas dinner though - we're all either Jewish (emphasis on the ish), or had crappy childhood christmases we don't want to repeat.

But I do want it to be a celebratory feast!

So what would you cook to make it special that's not a spin on a turkey roast?

No need for it to be kosher, but no pork...

Oh, and if it involves no cooking the day before, all the better.

(Yes I'm difficult. That's why I'm turning to you wise lot!)

I would do rib of beef with all the trimmings - Yorkshire puds, roast potatoes, horseradish mashed potatoes, veg, gravy

This beef stew is amazing www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/beef-red-wine-melting-onions and works well with any type of potato - roast, baked or mashed.

Venison in red wine? That's nice and wintery and will look after itself in the oven

Was just coming on to say venison stew but Weedsnseeds got there before me! I would serve with potato dauphinoise for a luxurious feel and make sure you have a lovely pudding and/or a cheeseboard for afters!

Or other main course ideas would be beef carbonade, mixed game pie (you might need to do 2 for 12!), beef wellington or lamb shanks stewed in red wine?

Kleftiko / stifado. Some kind of really rich stew / casserole. Serve with loads of crusty bread to mop it up. You just need to chuck it all in and pretty much leave it alone to slow cook.

For pudding, Mary Berry's sticky ginger & treacle spiced traybake with custard or posh ice cream.
www.bbc.com/food/recipes/ginger_and_treacle_60494

You could do a spin on a julbord - the Scandi xmas buffet? Gorgeous to look at & you can pretty much do it all in advance.