I’m home alone this Christmas (don’t get out the violins; I don’t mind), so I suppose I will be “cooking”, after a fashion, but like you, I’ve never been a very accomplished or enthusiastic cook, even before my health took a nosedive.
I won’t be having turkey, as I think it’s a bit overrated, but I will try to get a small joint of some sort - perhaps gammon, beef, or venison. Getting anything small this time of year is a challenge in itself, as everything is labelled up at least: “feeds 4 to 5”. They assume everyone is throwing massive banquets. I don’t want to be eating the stuff cold with pickles for the next fortnight!
I don’t like Christmas pud/mince pies either (OK, I accept I’m weird), so I’ve got a banoffee torte and a toffee-pecan roulade in the freezer.
Vegetables: I’ll be getting pre-prepared/microwavable. I think I can just about manage “real” meat from scratch, but I’m not going to stand around peeling and chopping veg. It’s supposed to be a good day, when I can suit myself: not make myself exhausted, and have to retire to bed!
My parents, brother and mam-in-law come for lunch and always have done since the kids were little. They’re not so little any more (20 and 18) and are home from university. They’ve decided they’re going to cook lunch for us all (I suspect with a little help from hubby) We’re having a 3 bird roast which we’ve never had before but my daughter decided we should have a change!!
I was diagnosed in September after starting to have problems around Easter - the kids have been really supportive and I think it’s lovely that they’ve volunteered to do everything. I’m sure it will taste delicious!
well many yeara ago my mum used to have all the family round 30 in total.
Then time moved on and i would host immediate family and in laws mum being chef and me sous chef
Now it is jus immediate family and brother, now oldest son will be my assistance, basically he does what I ask, so he and I have swopped places I use to be my mum’s sous chef , now son is taking over the role, if left to his dad, divorce would be on the cards January
What?! You mean that turkey crown in the fridge isn’t going to cook itself?
Jeez, it cost enough without having to cook the darned thing as well
Undecided what to do just yet, but suspect I might do a cut-down Christmas lunch on Christmas Eve lunchtime, then the butler can do his favourite cold turkey sandwiches for the next few days. And fortunately we’ve lots of fresh and frozen veg to accompany everything, which is nice.
I’ll be ordering a Chinese takeaway. This is my second year as a widow and family politics mean that I don’t go to anyone - if my bro wasn’t working offshore for the next two weeks, I’d prob be with him and his wife. So it’s just going to be me and the cats and the dog. I don’t like Christmas much. I’m going to my friend on Boxing Day, so that’ll be nice.
I’ll be at home with my mum and younger sister. Elder sis will turn up with her daughter (I must remember to arrange the new dolls’ house before they arrive) and little dog Scruffy. Younger sister will be doing all the cooking, as she is a culinary whiz. Muggins does the washing up, as well as trying to keep the dog off her lap, as the heat produced by said canine does give me MS symptoms.
I hope that all readers to this board have a peaceful and very happy Christmas!
I will be at work xmas day cooking for others which is a bummer. I will be missing lunch with all the family too. It is at this time of year that I always ask myself why I became a chef }-((
We’re all to descend on my mum for crimbo lunch. She’s cooking for 17 of us. No word of a lie, that’s just immediate family. So, me and him indoors have offered our assistance on Xmas eve. So, we’ll be taking all the kids to the christingle service (the one with the oranges and sweets) at our local church followed by lots and lots and lots of peeling of veg I’m quite excited really, had a horrible year and for me, it’s all about family! Merry Christmas everyone, here’s hoping for a better new year. Suz xx
This year we are going to my daughters for Christmas dinner - taking my elderly mum with us. Daughter’s boyfriend’s parents and sister will be there - and we have not yet met them. Usually, l cook for about 18 to 20 people - with help from friends. For years we have had friends with their children and elderly parents. So it has always been a 3 generation get together. Over the years the children have grown up and have partners of their own - and some of the grandparents have sadly now departed. l use to wear a pinny with ‘Mrs Bridges’ printed on it - and my friend was ‘Sniffling Ruby’ - we had great fun organising our christmas in a friends large Tudor House. l was in charge of the cooking - but had to get everyone to help carry everything. lt is a long way from kitchen to dining room. We had great fun - grannies peeling veg - men stoking the fires - fetching in logs - and opening all the bottles of booze. lt was not without its fraught moments as the electrics were [and still are] very dodgy. Fuses were always blowing - you could not have the electric cooker on and the dishwasher at the same time. The fuses are the old type that you can bung silver paper into to fix. The house was big enough for me to get about on my little scooter. lt has a ‘music room’ - and after our meal we would gather around the grand piano and have a singsong. Apart from all the old cockney songs we also used to all sing ‘Captain Beakie and his band’ you know the one with Hissing Sid etc. And another one that also went on for ages was ‘The King of Caracarus was just passing by’ we would split up into groups to sing the different verses.
One year, my mum had just read out her cracker joke - which was hilarious - [we made our own] and she tipped her head back giggling, and caught her paper hat on the candles behind her - the hat went up in flames. My friends old mum was sat next to her - she had sat there eating and had not spoken all through the meal - but she quickly spat into her hands and patted out the burning paper hat then sat back down - and without a word carried on with her pudding. My mum did not realise she was on fire - so was looking puzzled as to what was going on. Both old ladies are still with us - my mum is 88 and Nora is now 94 - and still does not speak!!
l shall have to remember the 'Scrabble’and other board games as my mum would be very upset if we just sat around watching tele - l think my daughter has got a Wii - perhaps mum will enjoy having a go on that.
What ever you are all doing - peace and love to you all.
ps. One thing my daughter doesn’t have is a loo downstairs - this could be a problem [could put a dampener on things hehe]
Love all the stories…it is what makes this time of year so special.
I am back in work tonight for the duration of Christmas and New year…
However.
I have just had 19 nights of work and stayed in Tenby overlooking the sea and cooked an early Christmas feast for all the family. I loved every minute of our stay there and it was made special by the fact that it was our 30th year of visiting this part of Wales but the first time to visit so near to Christmas. So many happy times and so many memories with different members of our families over the years.
Needed a few days of rest afterwards though…but lucky me hey.
I will be putting on a simple festive supper for any of the client group awake enough to want to eat…christmas eve, christmas night and boxing night though…and the same over the new year…
No-one! We’ve been going out to a local hotel for years. Have never been much of a cook so my MS is the perfect excuse! Turn up, eat food, go home - can’t beat it.
I’m quite excited really, had a horrible year and for me, it’s all about family! Merry Christmas everyone, here’s hoping for a better new year. Suz xx