Goose is the English traditional Christmas bird, turkey is a recent (in the last 100 years) innovation from America.
I haven't had goose since 1968 and it's a date I can't forget. I spent all afternoon cooking it and pouring the grease off (very greasy birds, geese) - my husband had to work that day and we were eating at 6 p.m. I wasn't feeling too well all day but I ate my Christmas dinner then my head started "spinning" and I rushed up to the bathroom to be sick. I started shivering, violently, and it was the start of gastric 'flu. I spent the next 5 days in bed, shivering and throwing up, and the doctor said he would have sent me into hospital but for the fact I was drinking at least 3 large bottles of Lucozade a day and it stopped me dehydrating. It took over a month before I began to feel well.
I haven't ever cooked a goose since then - I just can't face it.
