I feel sick now!

Know what you all mean about the tv ad groaning tables of food, all the courses stacked together in a sickly heap.I am happy to see an ad for one product [or 2 at a push] but not for more than that.
However, I am not put off by seeing stacks of cakes etc in the supermarket [in fact, I am quite likely to buy one!] Some of them will be half price after Christmas.

www.fareshare.org.uk

The more food is left over in the shops, the more goes to Fareshare.

Does that help you to feel better? The more you leave on the shelves, the more you are helping the homeless and destitute.

All credit to those who help share out food surpluses and try to even-out the unfairness in our society. The government stinks that permits and encourages this sort of thing to be necessary, as do the industries that choose to portray groaning tables and gluttony as the norm. All they want is our money. Stuff them as well as the turkey!

I agree * GrannyActivist* that's how I look on it.

Papaoscar well said.
I dislike the whole pretence the ad men try to generate of huge gatherings of happy families, glowing with goodwill, in impossibly huge glowing room's. I cannot help thinking it must make a lot of people feel inadequate.
I wish the TV would I interersperse these ads with the Christmas episode of "The Royle Family" That was much more like the majority of British household's.

For some reason, particularly this year, the whole 'over done' experience in ads and front covers of magazines has struck me as very crude and insensitive.
I agree with other posters it is a false portrayal of what Christmas should be and very unrealistic and patronising.

I hope everyone has a peaceful Christmas, whatever they are doing. X

These awful adverts, I like to think, are made in the heat of summer, with all the jolly family members sweating it out in their Christmas jumpers.

@J62 - But then what should Christmas be? Seems to me it's a parody of Victorian sentiment that most people would choose. The whole 'Christmas Story' is shaky to say the least!

For a very long time Christians did not mark the birth of their leader at all.

I'm so glad that other Hon. members find the media obsession with Christmas food, drink and gluttony quite revolting, for so many reasons. There is hope for all of us turkeys!

The TV is firmly switched off - or over - when one of those awful lip-smacking chefs appears. Nauseating!

J52-- I feel just the same- just obscene.

Feetlebum - Hopefully Christmas is celebrated in what ever way is appropriate for the individual, whether a deeply religious festival, or a celebration of mid winter, or a time for a family gathering.

What I find unpalatable is the pressure put on people, usually by the media to spend to excess and create something which probably is quite false. x

and not just for food- as I stated in the thread about toy advertising- which also puts enormous pressure on families that are already struggling.

I'm on my own until Boxing Day afternoon.
No idea what to eat. Fancy a dressed lobster if I can get one!

I really do not want to see Jamie Oliver on TV for many a year. The extravagance is so upsetting.

I don"t think Christmas Dinner is a fancy roast, it is getting together of family , which at the end of the day surpasses all else. IMO.
Long may it continue .There is nothing at all like family!!

Haven't done anything about Christmas dinner yet. I've still got some of last year's cranberry sauce in the freezer so I really only need to get some vegetables in and pick up some sort of Turkey on Christmas Eve, when they will hopefully be reducing them! I did get a luxury pudding from M&S a few weeks ago when they were 30% off.

With barely room for the nine of us and three small children who aren't that bothered about the food a slightly more elaborate than normal roast dinner is more than enough for us.

Oh no, I forgot all about cranberry sauce! Thanks, Deedaa...

Ana

DN works in a food bank and has told me a lot about it.
I will have plenty to eat and a warm house this Christmas so have filled a box and a big bag with food which I took to the local foodbank. However, as we are not allowed to donate fresh food it looked a bit boring - presumably the supermarkets will donate surplus fresh food, dj?
I hope so, but if they are openagain soon after, perhaps not.

I do like puddings but some of those advertised looked really sickly.

Oh, Fareshare has been going for 20 years, not just during this tory administration then [really!]

Just about to make the first lot of mince-pies to welcome DD1, sil and grandchildren when they get here tonight after their long journey from Surrey. Will be so much more special that we have not seens one, let alone taste one, since last Christmas (always add grated apple to mince meat mixture to make them less sickly though).

Just cleared it the freezer, didn't think we'd risk the 2008 cranberry sauce!
Maybe my New Year resolution should be to clear out the freezer!

Have used a good recipie for mince meat cookies - just googled it. They were delicious. X

I used to make my own mincemeat and they were quite heavy on the apples - Bramleys, of course. I can't remember the recipe because I made it up as I went along, as I so often do, with sometimes unfortunate results.

Waiting with bated breath for a reply from DD with regard to Christmas Lunch, 2 years i have been living downstairs i have cooked the main course then taken it upstairs where DD did the starter and dessert.
Sil doesn't finish work until late Christmas Eve and starts again at 3.30am Boxing day.
I have a 4.5kg piece of Scottish beef in the freezer so need a bit of prior warning.
SIL can be a moody bu***r at times so waiting for the yea or the nay.
I will be very angry if he has decided just to have a quiet day, he is French and they have the big meal on Christmas Eve.
I was invited to lunch at the Manse and said no as DD said we would all be together.
Sorry just had to get that off my chest, off to the service of Nine Lessons and carols tonight, with Mulled wine which will cheer me up.

felice; we did Christmas last year as my DD was having building work done but this year we haven't been invited to theirs for dinner .