We used to just sit at home eating the Cadbury's selection packs given by the next door neighbours...howeves, for the past 10 or so years we all get together as a family, only because everyone has the day off and theres nowt else to do.
We usually get a couple of Muslim Turkeys (huge family innit), not really all the trimmings as my family cant comprehend parsnips and sprouts. I do force them to eat parsnips though. Everyone brings and a dish and we get together in one house. We all watch the Eastenders special together and then watch all the uncles sleep and snore till its home time.
when i was a kid, it was the one day of the year that my dad and khala's husband didn't have to work. so we've always have a huge late lunch/early dinner at their place or my parents.
tried turkey a few times but usually it's roast chicken or lamb (or both!) and all rest of the usual suspects.
Yes, been there and asked, but Mr Halwa was not totally convinced of the authenticity so declined to purchase
Yay, a fellow turkey hater!!!
Parsnips, yes, and essential. Cranberry sauce tastes like jam though, never again. So Turkey and cranberry sauce sandwiches must taste like turkey and jam sammich.
hahaha!!! Oh, how that brings back memories of deprived xmases (well now I don’t feel deprived, but thinking of all my classmates who got tonnes of xmas presents but we truly valued the chocolates donated by our white neighbours!)
my sisters coming up for xmas only day she has off so thinking abt lamb or chicken and with the trimming brussel sprouts etc hmmm =)
when i was a kid, it was the one day of the year that my dad and khala's husband didn't have to work. so we've always have a huge late lunch/early dinner at their place or my parents.
tried turkey a few times but usually it's roast chicken or lamb (or both!) and all rest of the usual suspects.
See, thats the thing, its a day when everyone gets the day off work and something that everyone can look forward to.
Yes, been there and asked, but Mr Halwa was not totally convinced of the authenticity so declined to purchase :(
Yay, a fellow turkey hater!!!
Parsnips, yes, and essential. Cranberry sauce tastes like jam though, never again. So Turkey and cranberry sauce sandwiches must taste like turkey and jam sammich.
hahaha!!! Oh, how that brings back memories of deprived xmases (well now I don't feel deprived, but thinking of all my classmates who got tonnes of xmas presents but we truly valued the chocolates donated by our white neighbours!)
lol that is soo true, the kiddies love it though cos its sweet. us adults stick to chutney instead lol
we go all out for christmas because hubby's family are white/european, but not christian though and celebrate it as a chance for everyone to get together and have a meal and exchange gifts. its all very symbolic of a party in our circle, and not at all about the religious aspect.
so we do the gifts, they do the tree, we go over and we open presents, have a huge meal (turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce- the whole nine yards- plus MIL is a pastry chef so lots and lots of lovely, homemade pastries. Mmm...)
this year is my second christmas with them after our wedding, so i've decided i'm going to chip in and make roast beef with all the trimmings for a second option after the turkey, and i'm also going to bring some kind of dessert.
i think christmas can mean as much or as little to you in your life as you want it to. this is a nice tradition i share with my hubby and his family, and he shares Eid with me and mine, so it all works out nicely. our kids will be the real winners though- imagine, eidi for Eid and pressies for Xmas! lucky kids!
I picked up a halal turkey today from the grocery store. There were only 2 left .... and I cannot believe how much a halal turkey costs in comparison with a non-halal turkey. Oh well.
I'll be making everything, except cranberry sauce and mince pies. I hate that stuff.
I like the good old British roast but avoid making it on Christmas day. I was told once if by a scholar that if I had kids and they were to cook a Christmas roast every Christmas like their life depended on it I could be bordering shirk (they went into great detail on it and explained the whole worshipping of statues began as a cultural thing that spiralled). Plusi, they went onto say we should avoid doing as the none-Muslims do e.g. Christmas is less about religion more about the presents/alcohol and seeing family especially the elders once a year which isn't what Islam is about.
After they scared me half to death about the whole sin thing, I decided that although I do not have children yet we Inshallah hope to have a family one day and I don't want them to think we celebrate Christmas and cook a roast dinner.
Plus, within our extended families there are some that grew up celebrating christmas because they were half-caste and their mum celebrated it. Now the same people question the foundations of Islam, which if that was my kid I'd be worried I'd obviously hadn't explained the true values of Islam to them for them to question the translation the of the Holy Quran.
I am by no means perfect, and I am not preaching at anyone as noone really knows what is best for someone else I am only commenting on what I do.
Could murder some yorkie puds and mash spuds right about now.
hmmm....we usually did turkey with all the trimmings usually at my sisters house. We tried doing fancy steaks with brown gravy from a gourmet mail-order place last year but it really wasnt great. Theres nothing like a turkey (or chicken) roasting in your oven...its just so festive.
sorry, but i find that “turkey equals shirk” bit very one-dimensional thinking and kind of crazy. maybe that scholar should make some friends with non-muslims and realize not all goras/non-muslims see their family once a year, and not everyone is so hooked on to the idea of cooking turkey every year that to not cook it means the end of the world
and while we’re at it, why don’t we talk about issues like elder abuse in our own so-called muslim communities? i say scholars like that should work more on improving themselves and the muslims around them in the fundamentals, like namaaz, roza, zakaat, respecting elders, etc., before picking on easy targets like christmas dinners.
also, if those kids in your extended family are questioning Islam,
a) its probably more to do with their “half-caste” status, i.e. they were exposed to two religions and are trying to figure out which one to follow, more than having turkey every christmas.
b) an opportunity to discuss islam and the quran with them, instead of shying away from the topic. questions are not bad! there is no need to feel threatened- they’re just trying to figure out what they believe in and it should be used as an opportunity to open up discussion, imho.
on a sidenote: we had yorkshire pudding at our wedding (accompanying the steak). went down a real treat with everyone!
Everyone and their mother has that day off so why the heck not see each other? No one is singing Christmas carols or anything like that.
We do roast chicken but this year Im thinking of trying something different. We dont do turkey or lamb at my house. So, my options are limited to goat, fish, cow or chicken.
But yes, getting together on Xmas day is a given usually every year. This year though it might not happen because we have too many family engagements that week and everyone will be preparing.
I like the good old British roast but avoid making it on Christmas day. I was told once if by a scholar that if I had kids and they were to cook a Christmas roast every Christmas like their life depended on it I could be bordering shirk (they went into great detail on it and explained the whole worshipping of statues began as a cultural thing that spiralled). Plusi, they went onto say we should avoid doing as the none-Muslims do e.g. Christmas is less about religion more about the presents/alcohol and seeing family especially the elders once a year which isn't what Islam is about.
After they scared me half to death about the whole sin thing, I decided that although I do not have children yet we Inshallah hope to have a family one day and I don't want them to think we celebrate Christmas and cook a roast dinner.
Plus, within our extended families there are some that grew up celebrating christmas because they were half-caste and their mum celebrated it. Now the same people question the foundations of Islam, which if that was my kid I'd be worried I'd obviously hadn't explained the true values of Islam to them for them to question the translation the of the Holy Quran.
I am by no means perfect, and I am not preaching at anyone as noone really knows what is best for someone else I am only commenting on what I do.
Could murder some yorkie puds and mash spuds right about now.
Princess, thanks for your comments. I have also heard / read in the past stuff about celebrating xmas etc. Yes to hear things like that said can make you seriously question your practices if living in a non-muslim country and following religion... BUT... I thought about it and think that my intention is not to be practicing the tradition as a non-muslim, but using the opportunity to join in with the rest of the country in something that unites everyone, regardless of religion - DAY OFF and FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD!
When we were younger we never did xmas dinner as my parents never entertained the thought. Now they look forward to it as much as we do (my dad does frown at the crackers bit though, I think he thinks it might be bordering on following Christians.)
I did not say cooking a roast was shirk-here is what I said
"I like the good old British roast but avoid making it on Christmas day. I was told once if by a scholar that if I had kids and they were to cook a Christmas roast every Christmas like their life depended on it I could be bordering shirk (they went into great detail on it and explained the whole worshipping of statues began as a cultural thing that spiralled)".
You can cook a full roast with all the trimmings any time of the year, why wait for one day?!
RupayHalwa, I do hope you didn't take any of my comments personally, I only gave my own humble comments about what I do, which have no reflection on what others do.
As for anything else I put in my post, I won't be justifying it as I've already put
"I am by no means perfect, and I am not preaching at anyone as noone really knows what is best for someone else I am only commenting on what I do".
If I can't state why I think and what I have been told without being made to feel like I must justify my opinion because I am in the minority I'll stick to sharing recipes and other ideas around here.
^ Hey princess, no I certainly didn't take your comments personally at all, no worries there. This is the reason why I opened the thread to see if others do it or not, and understand their reasons.
Please continue to state what you think, if you (and others) didn't do so, then this Gupshup would be a mightily boring place with everyone writing the same thing like a herd of sheep, wouldn't be worthwhile reading any threads.
Don't take any opposing views personally, it's a forum for everyone (including you!) so keep on posting!!!
:) (If my darned smilies worked I would put up a lot more but I don't know the codes.)
