Advent Calendar Day 23 #ChristmasBaking

Behind door 23 is mince pies!

Yesterday, the boys and I baked our mince pies. It's a lot of stress for someone who doesn't like mess and is a bit controlling in how she likes things done, but mince pie making is relatively easy to do with kids. (She said after consuming a couple of glasses of sherry). It doesn't help that I have a small kitchen either.

Ben's Gingerbread House

I had also bought a kit from Ikea for a gingerbread house, thinking that my eldest might like to make it. Again, a bit stressful, but I tried to stay out of it, other than the making of the icing, and gave him free decorative rein.

I don't think it turned out too bad considering. I actually thought it would collapse as soon as the roof went on, but it held! Yay!

I used to make a Christmas cake and feed it sherry leading up to Christmas, but I haven't done that for a couple of years now, only because it won't get eaten. I'm not really a big cake Christmas cake eater, but I love icing it! And there is only so much food I can have in the house as I don't like waste - or Christmas would go on until February with the amount of cake we have to get through.

Tomorrow, Christmas Eve, we'll be making the Yule Log which Ben is a big fan of and cooking up the gammon.

When I say making the Yule Log, I buy a cheap chocolate swiss roll and ice and decorate it. :) But that's the boys' Christmas cake done.

Do you bake mince pies or have your own Christmas baking traditions?

I am trying to make mince pie baking a little tradition for me and boys each year. That way I don't have to buy them, and they're inclined to eat the ones they've made.

Merry Christmas! Only two more sleeps.

Advent Calendar - Day 16

Christmas Cake won by Ben

Not long now! The kids only have a few days left at school. Today is their Christmas dinner. They've gone to school wearing their Christmas jumpers, and have a cracker for the table. It's all getting rather exciting on day 16 of the advent calendar!

The tree is now decorated... decorations are up... just the last presents to be wrapped and I've promised to make mince pies this year.

Good job I didn't make a Christmas cake, as Ben won this one at his school Christmas Fair by guessing its weight - he was the closest with 3kgs. It is heavy! I had to carry it home from school as we'd walked.

I covered Christmas cakes in day 5 of this Advent Calendar... but I wasn't to know that on the 6th I'd win this cake. lol!

Is there any other favourite recipes you like to use with the run up to Christmas? I can't wait to get the mulled cider going...

Last night I went carol singing with Kieran at the school which reminded me I wanted to share a Christmas song on my blog. The song is not necessarily Christmassy, but the video is, I do love this song by Frank and Nancy Sinatra, however Robbie and Nicole do a good job, too (in my opinion).



Tomorrow... films!

Advent Calendar - Day 5

What's behind door number five of the advent calendar...

Not that long ago I had Debbie Johnson on my blog talking about her new book Cold Feet at Christmas. 

This is a lovely Christmassy book cover. And look - cake! But without the calories. 

I haven't made a Christmas cake this year. I decided to leave it, as I love so many other cakes... Stollen, Panetonne... (those I'm not brave enough to make) and I wanted to bake/make some different cakes/desserts this year. 

Last year's Christmas cake

Do you like traditional Christmas cake? Or do you enjoy something else?

The Goose Is Getting Fat...

Are we all getting excited about Christmas? I am!

I've got my presents all wrapped, the decorations are done, I'm impressed with my fake tree (I usually have a real one) and I finished icing the Christmas cake today.

I love making the Christmas cake, but don't actually eat much of it - partly because I know how bad for me it is! I think one slice contains your daily calorie allowance (okay slight exaggeration there). But I just love the idea of having home-made Christmas cake in the house.

The only thing I haven't done is written my Christmas cards. It's one of those things that I feel disorganised about, because I like to think about my son's birthday before Christmas, which is early December. Plus, now being a single mother, I just can't afford the stamps. It's not the cards. My mum has dutifully supplied me with a load of Christmas cards. You could argue that I should write the cards for the friends that I do see. But I do it every year. I have one person (or more) I write a card for and never bloody see before Christmas, so think what was the point?

Oh and the other thing I've got to do is my Written Fireside part - which will be posted on my blog on the 24th December! Eeek! That's this weekend's job to do. So catch up with the story here.

Ben and his Christmas Jumper.

I'm looking forward to the kids breaking up from school (although they were driving me potty this evening) and having a chilled out couple of days before Christmas Day.

For Christmas Eve, providing it's not raining, I want to take the boys down to the local church to do carol singing. (I'm not overly religious but this is a really lovely evening out - okay, you've got me, I go for the mulled wine.) Then, I've got The Polar Express for us to sit and watch before sending the boys up to bed. I'm hoping this will make them nice and sleepy - and they won't wake up ultra early Christmas Day! (Fat chance).

It will be our first Christmas in our new home. Christmas Day is exactly eleven months!

Today my 9 year old had his school party, so was allowed to turn up in party clothes. He wore one of his Christmas jumpers that seem all the rage this year. Very Bridget Jones in a cool way lol!

Garish jumper aka Bridget Jones

I have two Christmas Jumpers. I couldn't resist. I bought a garish one ready for wearing to work. (And when Ben saw it, he wanted one too!) And then I couldn't resist the more stylish, posh jumper from Sainsburys. I'll be wearing that one Christmas day.

Do you have a Christmas Jumper? Are you planning on wearing yours on Christmas Day? Or like Bridget, will your mum pick out an outfit that looks close to blending in with the carpet?

Posh jumper.

Please share your Christmas Jumpers... put links to photos in the comments if needs be. :)

Merry Christmas x x x

Don't Mention The C Word

I know, it's not even October yet, and I don't like thinking about it too much until after my birthday, but yesterday I made my Christmas cake! There I said it. The C word.

I like to make the cake early, so I can feed it sherry leading up to, you know, the time.

I don't really eat it, but I enjoy decorating the cake. It makes the home feel festive with a bit of **** cake. I did only make a small one this year.

I've also booked the panto for Me, Dad and the monsters! It has to be done early to get the best seats. I will mention The C Word no more.

In other news: Today I am over on Annalisa Crawford's blog, so please pop over and say hello to me. You might learn some new gossip about me if you go take a look.

Come back Wednesday for Hump Day Hot Seat with Wendy Lou Jones! 

Day 16 - Iced The Cake!

Okay - the moment we've all been waiting for!  Yes, today, I iced my Christmas cake.

The End Product

I haven't really stopped today, and the cake took longer than anticipated, so I didn't get to wrap any presents.  The icing was a bit runny when I put it onto the cake (newbie error, I'll know for next time!).  I should have added more icing sugar.  Anyway, what felt like an hour (probably was an hour) I was forking it, or using my palette knife, or even the back of a teaspoon to accomplish the masterpiece you now see before you.

It started out like this...

I had some royal icing left over, so I made some more cupcakes (Nigella Christmas style) and iced them, decorating them with silver balls or mini smarties.  I have managed, with the help of my dad, to get some decorations up today, too.  I've been so busy.  Hubby is out on a works do, so I've just had to get on with it, taking Ben swimming.  Dad looked after Kieran for me (and pumped up some more balloons for the Christmas decorations).  He's even offered to take them out next week on the bus (they love a bus ride - cheap to entertain my two!) so that I can get some more 'work' done.  Or at least get another run in before the Christmas festivities commence.

Last day at school tomorrow.  Bring on the snow!  I've got nowhere to go in the car.  I don't mind the snow if all I need do is walk somewhere and leave the car behind.  Actually it's rather nice.  Apparently we're going to get some this time - I'll believe it when it happens though.