United Kingdom & Ireland

Christmas dinner in both the United Kingdom and Ireland is usually eaten in the afternoon on Christmas Day.

The dinner usually consists of roast turkey or chicken (although other types of poultry such as goose, duck or pheasant are common alternatives depending on the number of diners), sometimes with roast beef or ham or, to a lesser extent, pork; roast potatoes; vegetables (usually boiled or steamed), particularly brussels sprouts; stuffing; chipolatas or pigs in blankets (small sausages wrapped in streaky bacon); cranberry sauce; with dessert of christmas pudding (or plum pudding) and brandy butter.

In England, the evolution of the main course into turkey did not take place for years, or even centuries.

At first, in medieval England, the main course was either a peacock or a boar, the boar usually the mainstay. After the French Jesuits imported the turkey into Great Britain, it became the main course in the 1700s.

A common tradition in the United Kingdom is to use the turkey's wishbone. Two people pull opposite ends of the wishbone until it breaks, with the person holding the larger fragment of the bone making a wish.

The dessert of a British Christmas Dinner is almost always Christmas pudding. Mince pies, a Christmas cake or a Yule log may also be eaten.

Recipe for Victorian Roast Goose with Sage and Onion Dressing: http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-victorian-roast-goose

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