Christmas Dinner...

At this time of year, in Britain our shops are gearing up for the busiest trading quarter of the year. It is a time when we share presents with others we love and spend time with people we might not love by the time its over. Its a stressful time and it is a time for celebration. 

For me, and many families, the climax of thew whole season is Christmas dinner, on meal that brings the whole family together for better or for worse around one table. This makes the meal so much more important than any other meal your likely to have for a whole other year. With this high value placed on the meal people are much more likely to go out their way to find quality food, this is partly because it's the one meal that everyone wants to really enjoy and its a time for indulgence. 

We are approaching the right time of year to start asking people and understanding how people shop for their Christmas dinner. The perfect Christmas dinner is different for each person so we went out and found out what some people were going to do for their dinner.

We met Patrick. Pat is about 45, he wasn't too specific. He's bald and has a rotten front tooth. We meet Pat as he is smoking outside a pub and he's doesn't seem to cold. He is wearing jeans, t-shirt, and a denim jacket.In Christmas' past Pat spent his time with his grandparents and wife and kids. This year they are disconnected. His children are spending time in another country and he is divorced from his wife, we assume this year. 

Pat's Christmas dinner is the standard Turkey, Potatoes & Veg combo and he'll be sharing it with his nephew most likely at a hotel in Dundee. Pat is a Catholic, he attend mass in the morning and goes to visit some grave, and rounds off his visits with some pints at a pub. He gets home around 3pm to open stockings and presents (if any) and will probably head out for dinner after opening the presents.

We also met Doris while waiting for a bus, she looks recently retired and around the age of 60-65. She is well dressed in a long coffee coloured coat and is carrying a wet umbrella and 2 Tesco bags. She usually shops at M&S or Tesco for most of her Christmas shopping. Her husband died two months ago so this will be the first Christmas she spends without him.

Her brother and step-sister are her support for Christmas this year as she has no kids or grandchildren. Her sister will cook this ear but Doris normally does all the preparation and cooking.  She has never went out to eat a Christmas dinner at a resteraunt. Her meal consists of Turkey crown and potatoes & veg. On Christmas eve Doris normally opens up her presents internally, those from within the direct family, and shares the rest on the 25th December.

This is a glimpse of two, very different, Christmas dinners.