I have always loved Christmas.
I love the cheesy films, I love carols, I love decorating, I love wrapping presents, I love the smells, sights and sounds of it all. I love doing the same things each year, adding to a growing collection of traditions and trinkets. For me, Christmas is all about repeating happy patterns from my own childhood, and making even more, so my daughter feels wrapped up in a blanket of comfort.
In my house it's even got it's own soundtrack - the gloriously kitsch K-Tel stylings of 'Sounds For a Swinging Christmas', which my parents bought in the 70's, thinking that nothing says festive like a tijuana brass rendition of Little Donkey.
If you like the kind of things I like (which you likely do, or you wouldn't be reading this) then Christmas is really the best bit of the year; the icing on the cake. Probably the hand-piped icing on a yule log, topped with a marzipan robin.
The flip side of this is that I always try to do a bit too much, which I need to not only remember, but also try to learn from and act on; I don't know quite what I'm trying to prove or why I want to prove it, but it's always just beyond reach. This year we have the added joy of a new thatch being put on the house and massive building works commencing (tomorrow!) as we finally start to renovate our home. Add to the mix lovely house guests coming to stay, a 4yr old and two demanding jobs to juggle, it is more important than ever that we chill the frick out and not attempt to make it the-best-christmas-of-all-time, which is what my subconscious tells me to do (As anyone who knows me will attest, my subconscious is really annoying; a very Pollyanna, Head Girl, try-hard type who smiles a bit too much, with a slightly crazed look in the eyes).
So, my festive resolution is to try to do less this year - I haven't been forcing paperwhite narcissus (though if you want to, you should so do it - pop over to the Floral section in Winter for instructions) and I'm seriously questioning the advisability of building a gingerbread house while our own is being deconstructed. What I am going to do is try to decorate a little, bake a little and try to keep to the core traditions that keep me warm and glad to be healthy and happy in the darkest of days.
Pfeffernusse
I will always make time to bake a batch of Pfeffernusse, because they are the embodiment of that European, winter warmth that I'm aching to find. Also, they're a great homemade present or to take as a hostess gift to a Christmas party.
Mix two eggs and 230g of soft brown sugar with two tablespoons of natural marzipan. Sift 250g of plain flour with 1 tsp of baking powder and 2 tsps of mixed spice, 1 tsp of ground black pepper and 1 tsp of grated nutmeg. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, knead it into a pliant dough and rest it in the fridge for an hour. Divide into 30 walnut sized balls, place on a parchment lined baking tray and cook at 180 for 15 mins. While they're cooking, mix 300g icing sugar with two egg whites and a generous slosh of kirsch. Cool the biscuits on a rack, then pop a cocktail stick in the base, dip them into the icing, covering them completely, before popping them off the stick and placing them on a rack. When all your biscuits are iced, stick them back into the cooling over for a further 5 mins to set.
My lovely friend Jo very kindly sent me a picture of her first Pfeffernusse, made from this recipe, which was so thrilling. I think they look rather marvellous...
Cranberry & Corn Garlands
I love natural decorations at Christmas - there's always a place for kitsch and colourful, but my heart really yearns for the organic, muted and magical. This year I will categorically NOT be making the following, but I must admit, I will be a bit sad about that... Popcorn and Cranberry combine beautifully to make garlands that you can string across a hearth or round a tree. I recommend that you keep them out of the reach of small children, not because they're in any way dangerous, but because small people try to eat them, which can be rather trying as it is a labour intensive process.
Pop a large pan of corn, take the cooked kernels and a bowl of fresh, bright cranberries and sew alternately with a thick, but sharp darning needle on a long skein of cherry red thread. Don't do as I did and sew them in an atmospheric evening light, or your thumbs will not thank you.
Christmas Tree Traditions
My daughter will easily end up with twice her own body weight in presents, so it might seem a bit soft to come up with more gift giving opportunities, but I think this one has it's uses. Every Christmas Eve she receives a Christmas Tree Present in the form of a wrapped up, brand new pair of pyjamas or nightie and a new story book. It means that she not only actively looks forward to going to bed, but it also takes the edge off waiting for all the rest of the presents, which can be trying when you're small. A second hand book, especially from a charity shop, can counterbalance this extra consumption. This tradition is just as popular with adults - I love nothing better than sporting a new bit of nightwear on Christmas morning, whilst knocking out a batch of festive pancakes (yet another tradition - pity my poor family).
On the subject of Christmas trees, here's a rather brilliant suggestion from a friend - make sure there is at least one really lovely, edible treat on your tree that is not to be touched until the decorations have all been taken down. A sweet treat to take the edge to the melancholy of packing it all away...
If you've time aplenty and a yen for making and doing, pop over to the Winter section of the website for much more; mince pie recipes, advent ideas, forced florals, homemade gifts and dozens of other suggestions for making a traditional Christmas. But be kind to yourself and maybe don't try to do it all...
Festively yours x