So for Christmas .. what are you 'allowed' to cheat and what must be made from scratch?

[Twiglett]

mince pies
cranberry sauce
bread sauce

(I'm considering buying in a pud too... eek)

No, not really

But good at puddings...

We should join forces and provide bespoke MN catering service.

yes I din;t really have a Xmas last year - but have the most unreasonable exoectations of this year. DS is 2 tomorrow (wipes away a surreptitious tear herself) - photo omn profile of last years party. Present was a pair of shoes and a train and a random assortment of people... this year will be a bit different. Will be the first "proper" presents he's ever had!

I shop at tesco .

Oh,how lovely!
Just checked out your pictures. He is gorgeous and growing fast. He looks quite a lot like my nephews who are half Korean.I was in Kew Garden the other week and thought of you.
Have a wonderful wonderful Christmas together.

So much good news on MN at present.

XXX

" By Buda on Wed 28-Nov-07 16:53:46
Bread sauce not an Irish thing so we have never had it."

so how come Irish DH is the one insisting on it?

I am letting the side down re christmas ... DS totally fine thanks .. the day itself was rather horrible as he had a bad reaction to general but he was very placid about being so ill .. he was fine by next morning

so why didn't you CAT me if you were in Kew Gardens I live about a 10 min walk away!

Make stuffing - mum's recipe,
hubby is a baker so he makes sausage rolls and mince pies,
make roasties,
don't make pud or cake coz no-one likes it in my family.
vanila ice-cream
pickles and chutneys
shortbread
cheat pretty much everything else!

I buy gravy from M and S coz I just don't understand how to do the whole meat juices gravy thing. Often buy rum/brandy sauce too.

moondog they would eat leftover turkey, cheddar and bread out of your menu. Still that would leave me with rather a lot of nice things to nibble at....

Make what I have time for and/or am good at-all the rest is M&S-what else is M&S there for?
It's Christmas and I want to enjoy it as much as everyone else [selfish emoticon]

Twiglett - there is always one! Maybe it was just not done in our house then! (Although I don't remember anyone else I know having it!)

Does getting mum to cook dinner count as cheating.

Everything homemade .................. by DH he does all the cooking although I do ice the cake.

Sorry to be a bit of a 'Delia' but I make everything from scratch. Most of it is really straight forward and can be made ahead and frozen. Stuffing and cranberry sauce already in freezer and I'm making bread sauce (the best bit) this weekend.
Actually, I lied - my Mum makes the mincemeat and the pudding as she always has and my Nan did before her.

On the matter of Aunt Bessies - her Yorkshires are unbeatable but the Roast Pots and Parsnips - yuck