Christmas Dinner with a difference

I thought I’d share my rather strange Christmas dinner plans. My daughter is usually the head cook and bottle washer but she had a C section last week so as well as recovering from that she has a tiny premature baby who rather rules the roost.

I just didn’t think I’d be able to do turkey and all the trimmings so we decided on Festive Sandwiches. I’m cooking a ham and a large chicken, sausages etc which will be made into sandwiches. In effect we’re having the leftovers without the main meal!

This way I don’t have to get everything ready all at once – no veges to peal and it doesn’t matter if we have it early or late. It’s a sort of Christmas hog roast!

Jane

Well theres nowt wrong wi that!

Dont forget the cranberry…it goes with most food, I love it!

Hope that little babby has a great first Christmas.

Enjoy!

luv Pollx

Hi Jane,

Good for you! I think a lot of people would like to do this.

I’ve yet to cook a Christmas dinner, and not about to start at my age. I’m staying home by myself, and not unhappy about that. On the contrary, I feel quite relieved I won’t be dragging my suitcase through the Christmas crowds.

I’ll probably get some Christmas stuff in, just in case I have a fit of enthusiasm and decide to spend the morning cooking. But it almost certainly won’t be turkey, as I’m not over-fond of it. I might buy a very small gammon, as you can have it as a roast, but it’s nice in sandwiches and salads afterwards. I did a small beef joint once, but that was tough, if I remember rightly, and a bit disappointing.

Whatever I get, I’ll make sure it will keep or freeze, so I haven’t got to have it Christmas Day, if I’m not in the mood. If I’m having one of those days when I know I only want a sandwich, then that is what I shall have. I won’t be forcing myself to prepare and eat an unwanted dinner.

T.

x

hiya

ur post made me smile! in previous years we have had various ‘strange’ things! the best was prob rice krispies! choc breakfast in the morning then around 3pm we had rice krispies! some of u know am on my own with 4 kids. i was worried that kids at school may make fun of them. in fact,quite theopposite! now they regularly ask what they are having cos they are ‘made’ to eat turkey of whatever!

ellie x

i’m lucky this year my sister is doing christmas dinner. she only lives 4 doors down from us.

we’ll be takin the emergency chairs and it being bolton (home of peter kay) we always have passing motorists beeping at us.

i used to enjoy cooking for 12 but the very thought makes me want to go to bed now.

just all have a happy time and you can feel good about the turkeys that will be left to roam free.

carole x

Congratulations for becoming a granny Jane, hope your daughter is recovering well. So far as Christmas dinner goes, does it really matter what we have, so long as we eat? I hope you have a really super time with your dinner and new granddaughter, as they say it’s the thought that counts.

Janet

x

That is a really cool idea Jane.Will you be having the picnic in the garden,weather permitting?Looks like you’ve all got an early Christmas present,and I hope all goes well.

Wb x

Must admit, being sort of from Bolton (work there and live next door) am expecting the call from my Mum for Boxing day to take the emergency chairs over to Morecambe as she will have about 25 descending on her from the usual 15 (and even then it gets cramped!). The plea for extra food has gone out already!

Anitra -had to smile at your post as I have no family, and no friends who haven’t got their own families, and an atheist brother who lives with me. We eat frozen “meals on wheels” every day as I don’t cook any more and brother can’t boil an egg! I haven’t made any sort of Christmas food since my mother was alive 15 years ago. She was bedbound for years but loved Christmas. So. it will be the first frozen meal that falls out of the freezer for brother and me on December 25th, and I have to laugh at all the people slavishly cooking turkeys and all the trimmings just because of the date. And Jane- sandwiches sound great.

Sounds a brilliant idea Jane. I think that a lot of people secretly prefer the left overs to the “official” Christmas dinner. I know that my favourite Christmas food is my late Boxing Day morning breakfast of bubble and squeak!

Mind you, my mum’s favourite was thing was Christmas pudding fried in butter! A step too far for me!

When I was on my own with the two kids I said to them it was supposed to be a nice dinner where everyone was happy.

My daughter had pizza and my son wanted lamb chops so me and him had that.

It was happy faces all round and no hassle for me so I could spend the day with them and their new toys.

Pip

Pip,

My boss (well, former boss, now) asked his young son what he wanted for Christmas dinner.

To his surprise, the little boy replied: “Empty plates!”

“Empty plates?”

Turned out what he meant was a buffet, where you start off with an empty plate, and pick and choose what to put on it. Which was what they did - and a lot easier than traditional Christmas lunch.

Sounds good to me!

Boxing Day is always my favourite food day… and you’re essentially having Boxing Day food on Christmas Day!

YUM!

Pat x

The three kids of yours I have met are reassuringly great kids, in Colin’s case a young man now with his toes dipping into the world of driving cars & cuddling me…lol.

You are a fantastic Mum & off the wall in a good way.

Your kids will always have a great Christmas with you, your wonderful…oh crikey I’ve gone all mushy, but Robert & I love you & your kids to bits.

H & R

xxxx

Just asked my carer about Christmas dinner. There’s just her and grown-up daughter. She said they have turkey and all the trimmings, but she has no idea why as it wears her out buying it all, cooking it all and doing all the washing-up afterwards! She added that she hates sprouts and only has them at Christmas, and neither she nor her daughter particularly likes turkey. We came to the conclusion that they did it all “because everybody else does”. Is that a good enough reason???

Hi Belinda,

Send your carer here! Maybe she’ll see not everyone else is doing it!

Really, I’m not sure if it’s funny or sad, people slaving away all day, to prepare food they admit they don’t even much like.

Funny old world.

Tina

As I posted earlier I am aiming for a stress free “ MS capable” Christmas dinner. I went to Sainsburys in my wheelchair on Saturday to choose the ham. There are some right numpties do the shopping for online oders and I didn’t want to risk a grotty one so I decided to get it myself.

When I got there Sainsbury hams were half price so I got carried away and got a rather large one. It was only some time later that I realized that I don’t have a pan big enough. (I know I could roast it but I want to boil it in coke ala Nigella)

Thank God for Amazon and next day delivery. Stock pan on its way!

Jane

we are having lamb shanks this year…none of us really like turkey haha

We’re having chinese takeaway. This is the first time i years I haven’t cooked Xmas dinner for the whole family but this year I just don’t think I have the energy or the inclination.

I’m with you Jane.It has to be boiled.

pip