Christmas day meal at the pub/restaurant. Anyone go?.

[Alex321]

Never have, almost certainly never will.

I enjoy cooking Christmas dinner, though it will just be the two of us this year, so we may not go all in with it. I think this will be the first Christmas since we got married where we have been by ourselves on the day

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I would do it if I was on my own.

 

[Kingfisher101]

Do you think people actually really like the xmas meal? I haven't had one since I was a child as I don't eat meat anyway and I dislike dried fruit so mince pies, Xmas pudding/cake etc is out. The thought of having to eat that meal makes me feel sick.

 

[fossyant]

We only ever did it once when I was a kid and it was with friends family at a local pub - won't have been expensive.

We may have Boxing Day Lunch at the club at the caravan, but TBH, it's too much of a rush as We'd have to be back after Boxing Day as son and wife working this year. We are at the caravan for new year, might se what they are doing for then, but it's only £25 a head.

 

[Alex321]

Do you think people actually really like the xmas meal? I haven't had one since I was a child as I don't eat meat anyway and I dislike dried fruit so mince pies, Xmas pudding/cake etc is out. The thought of having to eat that meal makes me feel sick.

I don't know about other people, but I certainly do.

A properly cooked turkey is delicious (many are badly cooked, and very dry/tasteless as a result).

And I personally love mince pies, Christmas pud and Christmas cake. We usually buy several small Christmas puddings and then I will eat some of them later in the year. Christmas cake is always home made (by my wife). It is rare for us to have mine pies on Christmas day, because they all get eaten within a few days of being made. My wife isn't so keen on Christmas pudding, which is why we buy those, and small ones which I usually eat all of.

 

[tyred]

I always go to my parents for Christmas. I'm not a huge fan of Christmas anyway but if I didn't have the family option I would go to the pub for a nice dinner. It's only one day a year after all.

 

[I like Skol]

I've done my own dry, tough old birds but also done some perfectly succulent, tasty ones too. Turkey is a bit of a gamble but when it is good it is excellent. If the trimmings are good then average turkey is acceptable. If the turkey and the trimmings are good then it is heavenly.

It's all about the day really. Good company (which may be only wife and kids), good food and good atmosphere (this may be influenced by company!).
Christmas is a state of mind. If you can feel love for your brother man on a day of peace and tranquility then Christmas is probably for you. If you still hate the world and everything in it than Christmas might not be your bag.

 

[KnittyNorah]

Do you think people actually really like the xmas meal? I haven't had one since I was a child as I don't eat meat anyway and I dislike dried fruit so mince pies, Xmas pudding/cake etc is out. The thought of having to eat that meal makes me feel sick.

I don't like the 'traditional' Christmas meal. A 'roast dinner' - which is basically what Xmas dinner is, give or take a condiment or two - is of no appeal to me unless I personally knew the main feature and was certain it had a good life and a stress-free death. I don't like sprouts as usually served at Xmas and can think of so many better and more tasty things to do with the traditional selection of veg than just boiling them and smothering them in bisto gravy. Paper hats are uncomfortable, crackers are unrewarding.
I heartily dislike dried vine fruits, candied peel and the like, so Xmas cake, pud and mince pies are out, as are the more 'modern' and 'fashionable' stollen and pannetone.
I'd rather have fish and chips, a nice omelette with cheese and some fresh, tender veggies, or some smoked salmon on granary toast. My best 'Xmas dinners' have always been when the host has apologised for not providing a 'proper' Xmas dinner.

 

[CharlesF]

We never have a traditional Xmas meal but do roast some meat (slow roasted pork this year) with lots of different veg. Pudding can be a traditional Xmas pud, but varies year to year.

It’s more about enjoying a good meal with some family and/or friends.

 

[FishFright]

Do you think people actually really like the xmas meal? I haven't had one since I was a child as I don't eat meat anyway and I dislike dried fruit so mince pies, Xmas pudding/cake etc is out. The thought of having to eat that meal makes me feel sick.

I absolutely love the Christmas meal , usually made by my lovely sister.

 

[I like Skol]

I don't like the 'traditional' Christmas meal. A 'roast dinner' - which is basically what Xmas dinner is, give or take a condiment or two - is of no appeal to me unless I personally knew the main feature and was certain it had a good life and a stress-free death. I don't like sprouts as usually served at Xmas and can think of so many better and more tasty things to do with the traditional selection of veg than just boiling them and smothering them in bisto gravy. Paper hats are uncomfortable, crackers are unrewarding.
I heartily dislike dried vine fruits, candied peel and the like, so Xmas cake, pud and mince pies are out, as are the more 'modern' and 'fashionable' stollen and pannetone.
I'd rather have fish and chips, a nice omelette with cheese and some fresh, tender veggies, or some smoked salmon on granary toast. My best 'Xmas dinners' have always been when the host has apologised for not providing a 'proper' Xmas dinner.

Miserable fekker!

 

[Reynard]

Nooooooooo! Cooking is one of my favourite things to do - just like @I like Skol

Actually, being of northern / eastern European extraction, Christmas Eve is the big deal chez Casa Reynard. Well, sort of... I usually go yellow stickering on Christmas Eve, but I didn't last year and I shan't this, either. Anyways, I always have fish, usually something fairly poncy, but it doesn't have to be anything specific, unlike when dad was alive. Back then, it was the full works traditional Polish "wigilia".

Christmas Day, anything goes, but I will push the boat out and do a full on dinner, even if it's just mum, me and the cats. As long as we've got a Xmas pud (mum and I love 'em) and enough Min Spies to go with the Lebkuchen and the marrons glacees, it's whatever takes our fancy.

The thing about turkey is that it feeds a lot of people relatively cheaply, but when it's just two humans and two cats... Although last year I did a turkey breast butterflied and then rolled around sage & onion & sausagemeat stuffing (a la Hairy Bikers), and then wrapped the whole shebang in streaky bacon - and that was truly lovely.

Picked up a 2kg pork leg joint on yellow sticker on Saturday night, and that's going to be this year's Xmas dinner, along with the equally yellow sticker cranberries and sausages (to make cranberry, orange & thyme stuffing). Roasties, obviously, and braised red cabbage to go alongside, methinks.

 

[Alex321]

I don't like sprouts as usually served at Xmas

My wife and I have very different preferences for sprouts. She likes them well cooked, I like them crunchy. SO when boiling them for a meal (we have them quite often, not just at Christmas), hers go in the boiling water, mine go in a steamer on top, and not until her have come to the boil.

and can think of so many better and more tasty things to do with the traditional selection of veg than just boiling them and smothering them in bisto gravy.

Bisto gravy???? Ugh!
Nothing but real gravy in our house, made with the juices from the meat, water from any boiled veg (or from the kettle if none), flour and seasoning only.

Paper hats are uncomfortable, crackers are unrewarding.

Agreed. Not keen on either.

I heartily dislike dried vine fruits, candied peel and the like, so Xmas cake, pud and mince pies are out, as are the more 'modern' and 'fashionable' stollen and pannetone.

I'm the opposite there, I love all those ( and do like Stollen and Pannetone as well)

I'd rather have fish and chips, a nice omelette with cheese and some fresh, tender veggies, or some smoked salmon on granary toast. My best 'Xmas dinners' have always been when the host has apologised for not providing a 'proper' Xmas dinner.

All down to personal taste and preference. I think if you usually like a god roast dinner, then you are likely to enjoy a "traditional" Christmas dinner, provided it is cooked well. If you aren't over-keen on roast dinners in general, you aren't likely to.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Ill have dinner at the club. Very nice.

Followed by something like this I hope! 🧐
-cognac/hermitage-1990-chez-richon-grande-champagne-cognac.html

 

[slowmotion]

I think it's got nothing to do with the taste of the food, it's entirely down to the company. If you're having fun, the chef doesn't matter.