Christmas dinner - turkey or something else?

[Gemini]

What do you have for the main part of your Christmas dinner? Do have turkey, something else or do you have more than one option?

I like the traditional turkey and apart from one year when my ex OH and I decided to have duck, turkey has usually been what I have had.
However Christmas Day is just me OH and my mum. As OH isn't so keen on turkey and mum eats a tiny scrap of wherever it is, buying even a turkey crown is a waste really. The year before last we bought a chicken instead of the turkey crown. Last year I just bought pork. We all have turkey and pork at DD2's on Boxing Day anyway.

I may cook a chicken and a small pork joint this year as it's nice to have some leftovers.

[Plantaholic]

We are going out and I have ordered a Turkey dinner, sm. salmon and prawn cocktail to start and Christmas pudding to finish. I do like to have a conventional Christmas dinner.

[Gemini]

Plant, we have a small prawn and smoked salmon cocktail starter on Christmas Day, and Christmas pud to finish.

[Oma]

DD always does Turkey and Pork or sometimes Gammon but always two options .

[Mimi]

DD always has turkey and either beef or pork.
When I used to cook Christmas dinner I would just do turkey. Even now when there is a choice of meats I just stick to one meat. In fact we were out to lunch last Sunday, I just had beef, OH had lamb and turkey, BIL had the beef , turkey and lamb !

Somehow I have found myself to be in charge of dessert this Christmas, I am taking a traditional Christmas pudding with us to DS and DIL but I haven’t decided what else to take .

[Nanto2girls]

We always have a turkey crown. Easier to carve than a full turkey.
Will probably do a beef joint as well.

[WeeGranny]

The first time I went.to th in laws for Christmas,there were three meats plus all the trimmings followed by a very black Chrissie pud with white sauce,no brandy in it ! I have to admit being horrified at the amount of food and then there were sandwiches and cake later! It was All very strange for a wee Scots lass!

[Daisy]

My mum and dad often used to have goose for Christmas Day - and I think quite a lot of people did. But in those days, chicken was a rare treat so we sometimes had that.

Since I've been married we've always had turkey. Depending on who's coming and when, I'd also do gammon and a topside of beef for Christmas Eve or Boxing Day. I like having plenty of left overs!

I know you don't eat beef, Gem. What about a nice leg of lamb for a change?

[Plantaholic]

I like to have something I don't normally have, we cooked 6 ducks one year DD and I.

[Gemini]

I now know that I won't be having turkey on Boxing Day, so I will definitely do chicken on Christmas Day.

DD2, with help from SIL cooks Christmas dinner for the four of them plus SIL's parents on 25th. Then on Boxing Day another Christmas dinner for 12 to 14. Turkey, pork and all the trimmings. A lot of work, especially when there is a small child around too. We all contribute to the Boxing Day meal, but the bulk of the work always falls on the hosts. She still plans to host the family Boxing Day, but we won't have the big roast dinner. The menu is undecided but probably baked potatoes, soups, that kind of thing. More can be done ahead, and I am happy to make several soups in my soup maker and freeze them beforehand. I will miss the roast but am behind DD all the way.

[Sunshine]

I always cook turkey and at least one other meat at Christmas. When the kids were little, I did venison one year, alongside the turkey. My daughter, then aged about six or seven announced, “this is yummy meat,” my dear son said. Do you know it is Bambi? (Delightful older brother.) She was horrified. Perhaps it is not surprising that she is now a vegetarian!

[Gemini]

I would be vegetarian too if I had to eat Bambi

[Nana]

How awful but it made me smile Sunshine. Kids eh❣

We'll be having a turkey crown + trimmings. Less waste. I didn't know but it's supposed to be a Yorkshire tradition to have pork with turkey on Christmas day. Have you heard of that Northern Grans? Not that I'll do it anyway.

Last Boxing Day I cooked a Gammon in the slow cooker using a festive recipé ...star anice, red wine, Christmas spices, cloves etc. It was melt in the mouth absolutely delicious. It was to take to my brother's for us all to share. Boxing Day tradition to have cooked meats, pickles & home cooked chips.

[Plantaholic]

That Gammon sounds good Nana, I used to cook Gammon Christmas Eve with Pease Pudding and Jackets for OH and myself and then it was eaten by the family on Christ evening in sandwiches and cold on Boxing day. I might cook one this year for Christmas Eve and then cold for Boxing Day, not sure what is happening yet except we are going out Christmas Day.

[Nana]

Plant I've heard of Pease Pudding but don't actually know what it is. Nice memories of your OH.