So that was Christmas!

The tree at Mottisfont

Wowsers, how fast did that time go? 
I hope everyone enjoyed the break. We certainly took advantage of the whole family having the time off to do a bit more exploring, not just of our beautiful county, but some neighbouring ones too.

Rather than write a HUGE post about all the things we did and places we went, I thought I'd write a series of smaller ones – easier for you all to digest!

And what better way to start than with a couple of gems in Britain's heritage crown…

Kingston Lacy/Mottisfont
We had a couple of days visiting some of the national treasures owned by the National Trust. And if anyone's got the traditional Christmas celebrations sussed, it's the NT. 

So our trip to Kingston Lacy, just outside of Wimborne, saw us meeting Santa in a shepherd's hut. I'd really fretted about where to meet the big man, but this was such a simple, stylish setting. Santa was wonderful, the girls got a small token gift and we all came away happy. But the fun didn't end there. We got to add links to what was intended to be the world's longest paper chain, play with traditional toys, stud a clementine with cloves for scenting our home, sample biscuits and wines and do some Christmas crafting. On top of all this, we then followed a 12 Days Of Christmas-themed trail around the grounds (which was lit up from dusk although we left before that time). It was cold and wintry, but that just added to the festive feeling.

Paper theatre

A trip to Mottisfont, near Romsey in Hampshire, was just as Christmassy. We'd gone to enjoy the Nutcracker Christmas exhibition, thinking it would be great for D1. And we were right. Like Kingston Lacy, Mottisfont is a beautiful estate, but this time we were able to explore both inside and outside the house. There was the most stunning Christmas tree, paper theatres, automata (that's mechanical toys to you and I) and more crafting. Festive fun aside, we also got to have fun by the river and check out the second-hand bookshop (where I got some great bargains for when I finally finish my reading list!). 

Snow geese

Sweets!

Both places felt wonderfully quaint, traditionally British and were highly enjoyable. We're looking forward to returning for some more fun in the spring/summer and seeing the gardens in all their glory!

For more about both properties, see nationaltrust.org.uk.

Santa Claus came to town!

This is always a busy time of year, especially when you've got children. What with school fairs, carol concerts, parties, catching up with friends, preparing for the big day - it's no wonder most of us end up ill and exhausted in December!

But there are some things that can't be missed - and seeing Christmas lights being switched on and meeting the man himself are two of those. Which is why we've braved some cold weather for those very reasons. 

The first foray into the festive season saw us watching the lights being switched on in Poole. We've decided to try and see it being done in different places each year, so last year we went to Christchurch to watch, this year we stuck closer to home. It was on a Thursday night and I don't know if this had an impact on the crowd, but there really wasn't many people there. It was a very low-key affair - sponsored by local children's hospice Julia's House, the lights were turned on by their patron, actress Debra Stephenson. Except not all of the lights actually came on – and there weren't many to turn on in the first place. But it did feel festive, with Christmas songs being played by Fire Radio, and schoolchildren singing carols. I wouldn't rush to watch it again unless it was on a bigger, better scale, but it was a nice start to the Christmas countdown.

And so on to the next tradition, which involves seeing the man in the red suit. We haven't taken a trip to a grotto yet (it's on the cards, never fear), but we did head down to Poole Quay yesterday to watch the Santa Parade. 

There's been a bit of controversy about this event - it was cancelled due to Health and Safety fears (or Elf and Safety as my DH likes to quip… Groan!) but was then reinstated on a smaller scale after a public outcry. It basically involves Santa arriving by lifeboat at the Quay before travelling by land train up and down and finally him doing a walkabout. We didn't see the arrival so I can't comment on that, but the actual parade bit was good fun. There was a Spiderman band (if anyone can shed ANY light on that, please do!) and a marching band. I do love a bit of big band action at Christmas! The train had elves, stars of Robin Hood (Poole's panto for the season) and FC himself on, all cheerily waving to the crowd. Sainsbury's were giving out sweets, everyone was in good spirits, and it was just a really nice local celebration of Christmas. Sadly we didn't wait for Santa to reach us on his walkabout as it was cold, but I'll definitely be back there next year.

I'd love to hear what you've been doing to get in the festive spirit. To help inspire you, here's a few pics from yesterday…

Have a hands-on Christmas!

The big day is approaching fast and the inevitable preparation is underway. My Christmas puddings are all cooked and maturing nicely and it's the time of year when I start making my jams and chutneys. Delish!

Over the summer months I stockpile fruit and freeze it ready for this season. This year's crop consists of blackcurrants from my garden, apples from my in-laws, blueberries from Trehane's (www.trehane.co.uk), blackberries from local hedgerows and rhubarb from some friends. So far I've done a green tomato chutney and last week I did a batch of blackcurrant and rhubarb jam. My next step will be the classic apple and blackberry. I'm sure people think jam is complicated, but all you need is some good equipment, the fruit, sugar and water. The only difficulty I always have is checking the setting point – hopefully my new jam thermometer will help me with that! #cookinggeek!

Anyway, my point is that jams, chutneys and the like make lovely Christmas presents – and there's nothing like giving a homemade gift to show someone you care.

Recently I've done some writing for the Salisbury and Bournemouth editions of Raring2go! and one of the features was on gift ideas. I won't rehash them all here, as obviously those of you who are local will be avidly reading the magazine, but I will direct you to some of my recipes, which have made their way online. Take a look at www.raring2go.co.uk/eat/recipes/christmas-recipes.

And just in case you're still not inspired, here's a few pictures from my own handmade Christmas a couple of years ago…

Cupcakes in a jar

Gift boxes containing a mini Christmas pudding, jams, chutneys, coconut ice, 

cookies and giant chocolate buttons

Have I inspired you? If so, I'd love to know what you'll be making this Christmas. And if you need a taste tester…