Xmas Day Food

Hi, you are in the UK, why don't you try a very traditional UK Christmas dinner?

I'm having roast goose (very different to turkey, very traditional, very delicious!) with chestnut stuffing, roast potatoes, honeyed parsnips, and green veg. All followed by Christmas pudding with brandy butter.

In Jamaica we do Hams!!! big leg hams then we do roast beef, chickens. lots of veggie.
oh! Sorrel is the drink of choice. every Household wiil have Sorrel at this time.

Sorrel is a a drink made by brewing a scarlett color fruit(for want of a better description), adding ginger and wine. ferment for a couple of days
and---- Walla. A refreshing tasty beverage that white people are coming here to manufacture a export

Evey Nigerian I've met has had perfectly fine 'table manners' so I doubt you have any real reason to worry. Just relax and enjoy yourself. Family meals are not usually very formal and even if you were to make a bit of a mistake no-one's going to comment on it.

As for conversational taboos; the main differences I've noticed between English and Nigerian conversations is that we are extremely uncomfortable discussing money in any way, and most English people are not as religious as most Nigerians. Even religious English people are not constantly saying the 'God bless' etc comments that Nigerians seem to say a lot. To us, religion is seen as a private matter (not exactly a taboo, but not a part of normal conversation). Don't expect them to say Grace before eating for example - in my whole life I've only been at one English meal where Grace was said.  So steer clear of money/religion and you can't upset anyone.

Yes the sense of humour is different. But I've mainly experienced it in people making jokes that the other 'team' do not get rather than it creating any offense, so again, don't worry about it. We do like to tease people a bit - so don't get upset if someone teases you. It actually means that they like you a lot! If we don't tease someone then it means that we are being formal with them, we tease the people the love the most more than anyone else!

One point that does cause quite a bit of funny confusion for my boyfriend T is that we don't use 'take' to mean eat or drink. 'Take' to us just means 'to physically help yourself to a portion of what is there'. So quite a few times that has led to conversations like:
My mum: Would you like some more cake? (offering plate of cake towards T)
T: No thanks, I've taken plenty. (meaning, I can't eat any more cake, thanks)
My mum: Oh go, have another piece. (thinking: I've got plenty of cake, you can have another bit if you want)
T: No, really, I can't take any more cake (thinking: I'm full with cake. I couldn't eat another piece)
My mum: That's ok I've got some more in the kitchen (thinking: ah how sweet, he doesn't want to eat more than his fair share, but there's plenty left)
T: No thanks, I can't take any more
My mum: Don't be silly, have another piece (she puts a slice of cake on his plate for him, thinking well he clearly wants another piece but that he thinks it would be impolite to have another piece. Silly man. Here. Have some cake)

So he ends up having to eat a piece of cake that he doesn't want.