Christmas - Do it all or cut the corners?

[Gemini]

Are you a traditional Everything made from scratch Christmas cook, or an Aunt Bessie's and M&S all the way one, or somewhere in between?

I believe in the easy way in most things and certainly don't feel Christmas is about one person (usually a woman) slogging their guts out in a kitchen to provide the perfect Christmas for the hoards!

One thing I do because I like doing it and it's important to me is make our Christmas cake. Perfectly good alternatives are available in the shops for those who don't want to do this.

I have never made a Christmas pudding and always buy one.

For many years I made mince pies. I may do again one day but the last year or two I haven't felt inclined so have bought them. I love mash with my Christmas dinner so I make this, adding cream as a treat. Perfectly happy to have Aunt Bessie's roasties and roast parsnips though

I will buy trifle too.

Over the years I have made sausage rolls from scratch, baked hams, made lots of Christmas cookies and gingerbread and made and iced Christmas cupcakes.

What is important to you, and what are you happy to 'cheat' with?

[Oma]

We have and DD always makes everything from scratch ,
Luckily both B & DD love the whole Christmas cooking thing .

When the children were younger I made all the mince pies sausage rolls etc and B made the Christmas Dinner

Now DD has taken over but we still make two puddings .
This year it’s a Baileys cake and a home made Trifle .

If it was just us I think we would be tempted to just buy some things now .
I did make Christmas cakes especially for FIL but now he isn’t with us it’s not worth it as there’s only me likes Christmas cake ,
Well B will have a small piece occasionally so I buy a M&S slab one without the icing and almond paste for me .

[Nanto2girls]

I make my own mince pies and rich coconut tarts.
Also make my own fruit cakes.
When it comes to the dinner,roast potatoes will be homemade. Yorkshire puddings will be provided by Aunt Bessie.
Veg will be frozen items.
We have Christmas pudding,but its not my favourite. It will be a bought one.

[Daisy]

I've made most things over the years, including stuffing the first Christmas we were married. I didn't realise you had to cook it as well because the recipe didn't explicitly say that!

I sometimes make the Christmas cake - generally 2 and keep one for the following year. This year I've bought an undecorated one. I used to make almond paste and royal icing, but now buy them. I always make mince pies but have never made a Christmas pudding.

I personally don't think Yorkshire puddings have a place on the table for Christmas dinner, but I'm in a minority of one. Either DIL1 will make them or it's Aunt Bessie's. I sometimes make a chocolate log using a bought chocolate Swiss roll, but I end up eating it as no-one else is keen.

I made bread sauce one year, but it wasn't worth the effort and use a packet now.

OH and I aren't trifle fans, but I often make one for other family celebrations, not Christmas.

I always buy sausage rolls and pork pies.

[Gemini]

Daisy we are with you on the Yorkshire pudding debate! Neither OH or I had them at Christmas growing up and don't now. You don't need any extra filling up when there is all that food followed by Christmas pudding!
Many disagree....

[Plantaholic]

I used to make everything, stuffing, mincemeat, mince pies, bread sauce, etc. Oh used to grow the veg and it was dug on Christmas morning. I even made a pork pie one year. Yorkshire pudding does not appear on our Christmas dinner plate.

[Lizzie48]

No one eats mince pies of Christmas pudding here, I have made both, but, not for the Dutch!

I do try and make everything myself, I do that daily, never use packets, jars, pre-made food etc etc.

DS2 and partner will be here on Boxing day, I am busy in my head with the menu, they both love trifle so I will make one for them.

[Oma]

Lizzie I love jelly so a Jelly in a trifle is my idea of heaven .
I know people who would never put Jelly in only sponge but that’s not for me , a good old Jelly Custard and cream for me 😁

SIL puts home made yorkshires on the table but not many get eaten , usually everyone is stuffed after all the veg ,
However him and GS are known to eat them later with gravy and SIL always has a second dinner at tea time .
He has hollow legs 😳

I love Christmas pud but it’s not worth making now like Christmas cake so if we fancy it we will buy those little individual ones .

I think as a generation we learned to make things from scratch as things were not as readily available like now ,
I always made puff pastry from scratch and shortcrust but now it’s so much better ready made ,
Even top chefs use ready rolled .

I make the stuffing from scratch and freeze it.
Its always been a favourite with me , I love chicken and stuffing Sandwiches so always keep some frozen .

[Lizzie48]

Oma, jelly in one thing I have never been able to eat! I remember the christmas parties at the junior school and all that jelly!

I remember making puff pastry, following the recipe from a Be-Ro book!

[Gemini]

My OH hates jelly. I love it and generally only make it if the GC are coming to share it with me.

[Lizzie48]

I can eat the jelly blocks, only not the finished jelly

[Oma]

I make little jelly pots and have one at least 4 times a week 😁

[Daisy]

My OH hates jelly. I love it and generally only make it if the GC are coming to share it with me.

I'm with your OH about jelly. But when I make a trifle I do put jelly in - sponge base (bought or home-made) soaked in sherry, tinned fruit, jelly, thick custard made from Bird's Custard Powder, and topped with cream and a few pieces of fruit reserved from the tin. My dad always made our trifles and I do mine exactly the same.

Lizzie, I've never made puff pastry, but I wouldn't think of buying ready made shortcrust pastry.