All The Trimmings

[Bert]

I know in general terms what this means, as in "roast turkey with all the trimmings", but when did the expression start and how? It seems so imprecise - what do you think it means, exactly? Does it include the roast potatoes, vegetables, gravy, cranberry sauce (or any other traditionally served with the various meats)? There isn't much more room on the plate for anything else. "Trimmings" seems an odd word to use - the trimmings are the bits left over that you would throw away after you've trimmed them off.

[Mick-Talbot]

It a bit stoopid innit?

[Quizmonster]

The word trimmings does not just refer to bits cut off, it also means accessories or accompaniments and has done since the 1600s. The earliest recorded use of the phrase "turkey and all the trimmings" was in 1949, though "leg of mutton and trimmings", for example, appeared over a century earlier.

[jno]

you can add trimmings on as well as taking them off - the lace trim on a dress, for instance. It implies something smaller and separate.

[Mick-Talbot]

But it tells you absolutely nothing.

[boxtops]

Christmas trimmings means decorations - trimmings accompany something, as well as meaning the leftovers. Another complication of the English language!

[heathfield]

Roast turkey, and other dishes, can be served up with such a variety of additional items that, unless they're named, any description for them must necessarily be imprecise. An alternative to 'trimmings' might be "accompaniments", but this is also imprecise - and quite right, too.

[wazzaa]

I think it's just the English language evolving, and people are/have always been, lazy in their speech, shortening words and mispronunciation. Slang appeared and we have the Cockney Rhyming Slang amongst others. My answer is the trimmings is the other food which traditionaly accompany the Christmas bird. That would include stuffing, gravy, sauces and from the north,Yorkshire pudding. No replies to that one telling me my history info is wrong, because it just doesn't matter.