We start our day getting the turkey into the oven, trussed and stuffed. Fortunately we no longer attempt to do this at 6 am; health and safety no longer approves of those long roast times at low temperatures. I cannot talk my family out of stuffing the bird, so the chestnut mixture goes in and my mother goes in search of her thimble. This particular bird proves a tough one to stitch and we go through 3 needles in the process. One was still unaccounted for when the bird went in the oven, so we might find a sharp surprise when carving! Henry Vlll is credited in starting the tradition of roasting a big bird on Christmas day, although it may have been roast peacock. It has been nothing but turkey ever since.
Another food you are sure to find on the Christmas day table is Brussel sprouts. These, along with parsnips, have become such a symbol of Christmas in Britain, that it is hard for me to imagine a seasonal feast without them. I don't know of any other country that embraces these vegetables, many find them unpalatable. No one knows the reason for their introduction, but they do promise to be the one really healthy item on the menu. As all our other favorite side dishes become frozen foods, the Brussel sprouts will always be fresh and green.
The most misunderstood Christmas dish is the Christmas pudding, followed closely by the Christmas cake and mincemeat pies. You must understand that the roots of these traditional sweets are actually in medieval sausages. Fat, fruit and spices were used to preserve meat that was stuffed into animal intestines. Later dried fruit was used, leading to the name "plum" pudding, which was served without the sausage casings. The pudding, as well as minced-meat, no longer contains meat, but the spices, fruit and suet remain the same. If you are not British you have either never tasted this seasonal treat, or wondered how it has endured as a favorite. For me it encapsulates the British tradition of Christmas. There is a real need to adhere to something that binds us together and makes us feel British. This doesn't mean that the dishes haven't needed a little embellishing to create the enduring appeal, especially for children. Coins are hidden in the puddings which are soaked in brandy and lit on fire: great PR! And if that isn't enough, the pudding is served smothered in a hot buttery brandy or rum sauce. As a child I was given the nonalcoholic sauce, but, like eggnog, I have graduated to the adult version since. The last clever ploy to give prominence to the 'figgy pudding' is to ensure it doesn't share the limelight with any other Christmas treat. It doesn't have to compete with gingerbread, cookies, or chocolates: there is only one desert choice on the menu Christmas Day.
Of course, you realize, Christmas is far from over on December 25th. Boxing Day is another enigma of the British holiday season, because who needs another day of feasting? Well, Christmas is a Church holiday, while Boxing day is the real holiday for all those who spent the last month baking, shopping and preparing. There is no church service, no deadline and no traditional menu. This year COVID has brought back the true meaning of Boxing day by closing stores and stopping shoppers from spending time at the post Christmas sales. We can spend time unboxing our gifts, clearing away the wrapping paper, and eating left overs. It is a true day off, a time to relax with a glass of wine, some Christmas cake and cheese.
Christmas cake is a fruit cake, usually soaked in brandy, that will last for months or years. There is no hurry to finish it. We can make turkey soup and settle in. After all, the twelve days of Christmas meant feasting from December 25th until January 6th until Oliver Cromwell banned everything, including pudding, in 1647. However, certain traditions survived, allowing Christmas in jolly old England to deliver enduring delight, if not slightly misunderstood.
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