In the run up to December 25, we asked the public whether they have the traditional turkey for Christmas dinner or try alternatives.

Susan Chalmers, from Douglas, is a vegan but isn’t interested in meat substitutes.

She said: ’I would have all the vegetables and maybe make a nut roast, or buy it, depending on how creative I feel.

’I’ve seen alternatives in the shop and they had chicken bites but chicken was in inverted commas, so I don’t eat any substitutes.

’If you’re going to eat a sausage then eat a pork sausage, so I wouldn’t eat anything like that.’

The 73-year-old explained why she chose the vegan diet, saying: ’I’m opposed to how the animals are treated but it’s mainly about the fact I feel better.

’It means I don’t get indigestion and not eating mince pies is a big thing, I used to really like those. I only miss them because I used to eat them at this time of year but you always get indigestion from all the pastry and spice.

’I’ll still cook for everybody else in the house though.’

Meanwhile, Amanda Miller cooks a number of options for her family Christmas dinner.

The 60-year-old from Regaby said: ’I do turkey as normal and I do a vegetarian option because my daughter is vegetarian.

’Most years we do something different, so for the first year we did a nut roast but this year we’re going to do a camembert, parsnip and something pie. We’ve got loads of vegetarian books so we’ll look something up and decide what we’re going to do.

’The rest of the family like the turkey.

’We lived in Australia for 12 years and my family, even in boiling hot sunshine, still wanted turkey.

’The rest of Australia were all out on the beach in the sun having seafood but no, we just had to have turkey.’

Harry Davies, however, likes his tradition of eating turkey on Christmas day.

The Ramsey man said: ’I like to go different with a lot of things but not Christmas dinner - turkey, ham and all the trimmings every time.

’I would have something different as long as I can have a traditional Christmas turkey.

’The more the merrier, bring everyone to the party, but as long as there’s turkey - I think that’s important.’

The 31-year-old said he would ’absolutely consider’ having a vegetarian option but it would need to be in addition to the turkey.

’But it wouldn’t be vegetarian at that point, just more vegetables,’ he added.

When asked if he’d ever do something completely different like having a fry up, he said: ’For Christmas dinner? That would be insane.’

Annmarie Ellis, of Douglas, was in agreement, stating that she always had turkey on Christmas day.

She said: ’I like traditional, I’m very set on that.

’I always fancied trying a nut roast but I never have done because I like the traditional option so much.’

The 41-year-old explained that she buys turkey and a joint of beef for the day.

’My other half doesn’t like turkey, so we get a small joint of turkey and one of beef.

’I wouldn’t do it, only you can’t have Christmas dinner without turkey.

’We’ve got a six-year-old and she wouldn’t eat the beef but we can trick her with the turkey to think it’s chicken, so she’ll eat that.

’You can’t trick her with the beef.’