1. Smelling it beforehand
You’d wake up on a Sunday morning, or return home from mass, and smell the tell-tale aroma of cooking meat. YUS!
2. Lucking out and not having to set the table
Or peel any potatoes. Or soak any peas.
3. The whole family around the table
Your nana might be over for the day, or maybe even the odd cousin or two. Either way, it was much noisier and more fun than a weekday dinner, that’s for sure.
4. The haul
The glorious food itself. The meat – be it ham, beef, a roasted chicken, lamb. The trimmings – potatoes of all stripes, peas, carrots, and perhaps an errant sprout or two (depending on how close it was to Christmas). Stuffing, if you were lucky. And gravy. BRING MORE GRAVY.
5. Getting more roast potatoes
Was there anything better than getting more of the good stuff than your brother or sisters?
Well, maybe nicking stuff off their plate.
6. Getting a Vienetta brought out
Or an apple tart. An unbeatable high.
