The 12 ways of Christmas – The Dinner

Since I moved from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern (England to New Zealand) I've always struggled with the concept of  Santa, Trees, Snow, and the "full' Christmas dinner.

There are some things that just are Christmas dinner, so I can set those aside.

The Trifle for dessert.  There's probably a law or something that requires trifle on christmas day. Can't abide the stuff myself, but Father-in-law and the children love it.

I made is a mission a few years ago to come up with a dessert suggestion that I thought would be both "common" and at the same time "challenging" to make. The first one I cam up with was  "Cassata Ice-cream". Which turned out to be a roaring success.

Pavlova are a challenge to make, but usually end up well, and given the amount of wine you've had before you get to pudding then who cares?

Eton Mess. Which has to be the easiest of my suggestions, fruit, cream and meringue, enough to make a man fat.

But back to the timeline. It's summer, or getting summery in December in New Zealand, and for years we soldiered on with a roast turkey, Ham, potatoes, vegetables, gravy. One year we just said that enough was enough, and that it seemed daft to have a full dinner on a day when there was much to celebrate and enjoy by way of family and friends than to stand in the kitchen and cook.

So we've pushed back "dinner" from 6pm to 8pm, and  we've had Salmon and potato Salad, We've had Scotch Fillet on the BBQ, something a bit "posh" but not the "old way".  I've also been known to make dinner bread rolls.

One year we asked the children what starter they wanted, and one of them suggested prawn cocktail, which we had to have in the traditional way in a wine glass, oh the horror!

But the end is always Trifle, and one other thing.

This year even to change it up a bit more we're having our traditional family christmas dinner on christmas eve. It's the only evening when the children are going to be with us as due to work commitments and them needing the money more than me have to head back to the city on Christmas day evening.

Back in the day though the abiding memory I have of christmas Turkey was the one time when Dad had made a big deal about bringing the Turkey home for christmas dinner. He did turn up with one, Feathers and all. A big one. I have no idea where he got it from, or even why he thought it was a good idea.

Ever plucked a turkey on the back doorstep at 7pm at night in the freezing cold?

Christmas dinner at my childhood home would have been an all-in affair, not only the parents  8 children, the dog, but various girlfriends and boyfriends, neighbours and acquaintances. Dinner was served on a roster system, how do you fit that many around a table that seated 6 :-) It would have been a big turkey.

Christmas – the lead up to the big day - part the second - the one with the words

Christmas Shopping
The food - There appears to be an extraordinary amount of items on the food shopping list. From potato chips/crisps to Maple Syrup and Apricot Marmalade for the Glaze on the ham. There are notes for cheese, pickles, and various tins of things that I can only marvel at. And we need them all. The supermarket shops are, after all, closed on Christmas Day, for a whole day. We might starve if we don't lay in just in case. You never know.

Christmas Wrapping
There is a list of things we've managed to put aside and pre-purchase for the children and the parents. In theory both sides of the him/her list should match, in quantity and roughly in value. Well in our house that seems to be the way. They don't.  And so it is with some trepidation that I have to prepare to visit the mall. For some old tat and needy things that'll never see the light of day again. To make it all equal and fair of course.

Christmas Pudding
This year I've asked MrsPdubyah to make for me Eton Mess, this is a change from previous years where I've requested Cassata. Less faffing about. There will be Trifle, there always is, and MIL will have made a Dundee cake.

Christmas Cocktail
I've stocked up on Sloe Gin, Rum, and Cafe Tequila, Vanilla Vodka, Ginger Wine, Gin, Jagermesiter, Brandy, Scotch and a few other things. I should be able to muddle through the day on that. I've still to get in enough beer to get me through the tourture of being in an enclosed space with the in-laws.

Christmas lazy
This year we're staying at chez pdubyah, the first time in 24 years that we have not been at the beach house.  It's not like previous years where all the provisions and trimming have to be driven to the beach house and then you relax, this year it's doing nothing at home. Now doing nothing at home is usually called Sunday in our house. Not always but often. Whereas at the beach doing nothing was called 10 days of being at the beach.

Christmas Sale
This year I've been pre-warned of the boxing day massacre - the needful shopping binge on boxing day. I'm abstaining, but I will be taxi driving. Joy of joys.

Christmas - the lead up to the big day.

< You'll have to imagine what I wrote here - since because it's a computer it somehow never made it through>