Christmas Dinner ~ How do you like yours?

So, it's the lead in to Christmas week and we're all on wind-down – let me a hear a collective 'phheewwwww!''.  You're welcome.

And I for one, am feeling completely in the spirit this week – so to ease us into the festive holiday, I've decided to be a bit, erm, Christmassy this week – whist also giving you the perfect excuse to skive off work for a bit this afternoon whilst you let your mouth melt at the thought of that the ultimate christmas dinner.

We're seriously not taking ourselves seriously this week, and I dare say, who cares, it's Christmas soon afterall and I have foooood on my mind…

Top row:  Christmas tree cake, Holiday cookies via Sweet Paul, Christmas pudding ice cream.  Middle row: Snowman macarons, Christmas tree coffee cup cookies, Brown sugar hard sauce.  Bottom row: Christmas pudding cupcakes, Berry topped Christmas pudding, Steamed Christmas pudding

I'm keen to get some foodie ideas going this afternoon. Christmas is a time for indulging but also enjoying beautiful seasonal flavours and freshly grown winter produce (ok, and junk food). I adore eating with friends and family at Christmas. If there's one time I never feel any concern about having maybe eaten too much, it's at Christmas time. Bring on the goose fat, full fat coke and lashings of brandy sauce.

I'm not a natural cook (ha,that's an understatement) and my husband Phil tends to do all the cooking, but I'm really looking forward to playing my part (ya know, getting my pinny on and preparing the sprouts, shaking those blanched potatoes in a bit of goose fat to get the perfect crispy outcome and one may even attempt baking a few mince pies) but I really, really love to talk food and hear how other people are planning one of the most celebrated meals/feasts of the year.

So what will be on your plate this Christmas day?

Will it be Christmas pudding or Christmas cake or will you be indulging in both?  Will you be piling your plate high with sprouts or are do you consider them the off-spawn of vegetable evil?

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Will you be venturing into baking perchance? Are you entertaining and if so what party food, and drinks, have you got planned? I've not been drinking any alcohol in a little while now and don't imagine I'll be going too bonkers on the bubbly this holiday either (who needs the headache? so I'm keen to learn about how to make really pretty non alcoholic cocktails – I'd love any ideas or suggestions my readers might have.  I discovered a lovely alcohol free elderflower brew at Marks & Spencers last week, it's yum! (unfortunately I can't find the link on the M&S website).

Personally, I cannot even conceive of a Christmas meal without three key elements; Marks and Spencers bread sauce, chipolatas (with back wrapped round) and stuffing.  In fact, you could serve all three on a plate with not much else but a little gravy and I'd be very happy.  This has to be followed by a fruit-packed Christmas pudding (any recommendations where to buy the perfect pudding) that we like to light with the help of a little brandy.   And I have to start Christmas day with the perfect bacon butty (local, organic meat) and a cup of Yorkshire tea (in a fine china tea cup!).  It's kind of become a tradition to have a bacon sandwich on Christmas morning! I mean, if you're going to stuff your face with calories all day, you may as well start as you mean to go on.

Talking of calories, do any of you watch what you eat over Christmas or
do you let go and embrace the festive foodieness of it all (ahem, like
me?).

Clockwise from top left: Christmas turkey, sprouts, Jamie Oliver parsnips, Turkey Cranberry Monte Cristo, mince pies, the perfect roast potato, vegetarian loaf

What I'll actually be eating this Christmas is duck; we like to try a different meat each year – though I'm insisting on just a bit of turkey to have on the side. I'm rather a traditionalist when it comes to my Christmas platter!  There are quite a few vegetarians in our family though, so we're always thinking of ways to make a delicious non meat-based meal too.  I'd love if any of my vegetarian or vegan readers culd make some suggestions in the comments box below.

Come on lovelies, let's get this important topical debate started;

What makes the perfect Christmas meal?

Vegetarians/Vegans – what will you be eating and what delish meals would you recommended like minded non-meat eaters?

What about the liquid variety? What's your favourite tipple, and do you any of you have any recipies or recommendations for non-alcoholic christmas/winter cocktails?

Clockwise from top left:- Winter sun cocktail, snowflake milk bottles,  Christmas rum punch, Irish cream, Christmas berry drink, Christmas Cranberry Mojitos

Will you be doing the cooking or do you get a day off to indulge in way too much Baileys?

Any little tips for perfecting the little touches and getting that perfect roast spud?

Right, I'm off to bake some mince pies (wish me luck! Last time I did this, they ended up a little burned!)

Annabel