I Just Don't Like Christmas Fare. Do You Have Any Alternatives For A Large Family Party?

Of course, in theory you could have anything you might normally have – but it's Christmas, so most people like to cook something a bit different. One option is to have an American style "pot luck" meal, where each guest brings something – the hosts give a general outline of what they want, eg one salad, but otherwise it's up to the guest. This is fun, but may not be ideal in winter – it seems to work best for salady, summer occasions.
Otherwise you want something big. A huge joint of beef is great, with lots of tasty, unusual vegetables. Or if you have a big enough pot, a very large casserole is nice – easy too, as you can just leave it in the oven till needed. A pasta dish with a really special authentic sauce should also go down well. One word of warning, though- do make sure your guests know that you're not having Christmas dinner! You don't want them getting all sulky and disappointed.

Christmas should be more about the coming together of the family than a massive orgy of eating and drinking. You can leave the traditional Christmas turkey to one side for once and arrange something completely different, but still special.

I do this every single year, as I am a vegetarian, and have had many wonderful meals with friends - who still come back afterwards! - as a result.