The traditional British Christmas dinner is the stuff of legend, featuring juicy roast turkey, glistening plum pudding, and the often maligned Brussels sprout. In the UK, a belly-busting festive dinner has been a central part of Christmas Day for centuries – and you might be surprised by how much has (and hasn't) changed over the decades. Here we step back in time to take a look at the plates of Christmases past, from the early 1800s to the present day.

Click or scroll through our gallery and feast your eyes on some of the oldest images of Christmas meals that exist today.