Christmas is coming, the goose is getting frightened

[venta]

The other day, I accidentally heard a bit of Terry Wogan on Radio 2. He was reading out something to do with overheard conversations, which involved the phrase "Well, is it really a Christmas dinner if it doesn't say 'chipolatas' (on the menu)?"

So, I'm wondering...

What do you consider essential for a Christmas dinner ? I'm talking the standard turkey-or-other-large-bird affair; if you go in for something different then please tell me about it in a comment, but don't shove it in the poll.

Also, this isn't a request for what an ideal Christmas dinner would contain (since the answer is clearly "all of it"). I just want to know which things must be present for it to be a Christmas dinner rather than a nice Sunday roast. For example, I'm a huge fan of pigs in blankets, but will settle for sausages and bacon.

If there are any Americans reading, maybe you should answer about Thanksgiving instead. I've no idea what you lot get up to at Christmas.

[Poll #888876]

Yes, I'm a fool. Brussels sprouts. Of course. They were meant to be in there, and you can't edit polls after the fact.

[*] I fear this one is a mystery to many people - we always have toasted breadcrumbs with ours. They're much nicer than they sound.

Comments

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

I should like to make clear that in the absence of a way to enter general boolean expressions into your poll there are a lot of logical and and or operators and brackets involved in my response.

The other things upon which I wish to elaborate:

* Christmas Pudding (shame on your anti-dessert bias !)
* Insane quantities of alcohol !
* Crackers, candles, etc.

The only revision to Christmas after 15 years in the Southern Hemisphere

[ringbark.livejournal.com]

As for me, the key to dessert on 25 December runs this way:
Traditional Christmas pudding or plum pudding
Pavlova with fruit and whipped cream

By pavlova, I do not mean the abomination that passes for it in Pommieland.

Re: The only revision to Christmas after 15 years in the Southern Hemisphere

[venta.livejournal.com]

We have nice pavlova in Pommieland, though not at Christmas. Any rate, the mother served it to a Kiwi friend of mine and it appeared to pass muster.

Re: The only revision to Christmas after 15 years in the Southern Hemisphere

[ringbark.livejournal.com]

I'm referring to those thing retailers sell under the name "pavlova". There is, of course, nothing to stop people making pavlova that will bring smiles to anyone's face.

Re: The only revision to Christmas after 15 years in the Southern Hemisphere

[venta.livejournal.com]

Fair point.

Pavlovas shouldn't be capable of causing shrapnel injuries.

Re: The only revision to Christmas after 15 years in the Southern Hemisphere

[redcountess]

Oh yes, I miss pav!

[venta.livejournal.com]

Re: Booleans - you mean you'll have "peas & carrots" or "roast veg & stuffing" ? Do elaborate (further!)

Re: anit-pud. I'm not, anti-pud. As such. Just rarely have space for it :)

And I don't eat candles.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Re: my afflictions with commas and spelling in that comment - Oops.

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

I was meaning something like: "(roast potatoes || other potatoes) && (sausages || chipolatas) && ((turkey && gravy && stuffing && cranberry) || duck || goose)"

Apologies for any mismatches paretheses, but I'm not quite sad enough to launch emacs just to check 'em !