Originally Posted by
LapLap
...this will be my daughter’s first New Year in the country, neither my husband nor father-in-law are terribly keen on the foods...
Is this your daughter's first time with Osechi? I think most people think the same about Osechi. Traditional Osechi is based on old traditions of foods with superstitions related to luck. Such as black beans, bean in Japanese is mame (豆) and rhymes with mameni-hataraku (まめに働く), meaning to work diligently. Kazunoko (数の子, herring row) has a lot of small eggs, which are interpreted as many children, and relates to the prosperity of the family. These are all related to the tradition and not much to do with the flavor of food. Also, Osechi is regional; Osechi in the Kanto area is different than in Kansai, Osechi in Aomori is different from Osechi in Kagoshima. Also, in the old days each household has some their own Osechi tradition.
You can throw a few items of Osechi, which are used to be served in your husband's family or in the region, if your daughter has never seen them. This will add some family flavor to Osechi, and then the rest of Osechi can be whatever you, your daughter, your husband, your in-laws, etc., want to eat. Can go for French, Italian, Chinese, whatever your family wants for the New Year, does not have to be Japanese, and that will be your family's Osechi.