Got any Qs about getting set for Christmas? Come and ask journalist and author India Knight- ANSWERS BACK

[RachelMumsnet]

We're inviting you to send in questions to India Knight, who's joining us for a Christmas-themed Q&A. India is the authority on all things celebration, whether it's how to decorate your home for Christmas on a budget, where and how to shop on a budget and how to navigate the social minefields over the holiday season.

Her latest novel, Comfort and Joy, tells the story of Clara Dunphy who finds herself on Oxford Street with two shopping days left to Christmas, desperately, madly trying to make everything, not perfect, but just right for her extended family on the greatest day of the year. But then she gets distracted . . .Comfort and Joy is described by Jilly Cooper as a 'hilarious, bawdy yet touching portrait of Christmas over three years'. India has also written Thrift book: Live well and spend less and The Shops, both of which touch on the subject of Christmas shopping and saving.

India is a weekly columnist for the Sunday Times and visited Mumsnet previously for a live webchat. Send us your questions for India by Wednesday 16th November, and we will choose the ten best to send over to her. The authors of the selected questions will all receive a set of her beautifully repackaged novels, courtesy of Penguin.

Hello India!!
Mahoosive fan here.
I am a wannabe twig too, must dig out all your books as have just given up b/f and can properly low carb again

DH not a natural host really but I would love to have a sort of lunch time christmassy drinks party where mates can bring their kids (our DC are both preschool though). Our house doesn't have much space though.
Is this a really bad idea? Any tips?
Or should I do it at a weekend once term ends and do it at 4pm ish and then kids can go off to bed??

Christmas trees: real or fake?

MrFawkes, it has to be real.

For the first time, we are having a family tradition busting christmas with no extended family and in our own little home - just me, dp and our dd (12)

We are going to only use decorations that we made ourselves, and mostly give homemade stuff as presents too. Could this go totally flat do you think?

Our family (both mine and the ILs) are still exchanging presents between adults and I don't think we're ever going to get to the point of a secret santa, no-presents-for-adults or sponsor-a-goat.

So what are your cast iron ideas for gifts for non-alcohol drinking couples in their 40's to 70's? Who do not have exotic tastes, or read much fiction. I'm not sure we can do mini-hamper for the third year running. The quantity of novelty tins of biscuits, acrylic scarfs and celebrity biographies circulating around the Xmas tree is excruciating.

Also we have building work going on this year and no time for anything time consuming or home made.

My Christmas issue is im very working class (think pork pie and chocolate for breakfast Christmas day) DH and his family distinctly all warmed croissants and champagne for Christmas day breakfast.
I really want to teach DD to be a bit more northern and embrace the opportunity to make all DH and his family to cringe when she enjoys dripping on bread! Help please.

I have never made Christmas dinner as it seems nobody wants veggie mum to be in charge of Christmas! Even my supporting starters and puddings are seen as too healthy/unusual/ horrid. DP is very traditional and takes over it all.....I am lucky but feel a bit left out on the sidelines. My question, how can I contribute a tradition without inducing heavy sighs in the family......

One solution in the past has been to embrace our differences and everyone has made their favorite food for Christmas lunch-DS macaroni cheese, DP -partridge, me lebanese. Now we have DD 4 this may not be practical any more

Hi India, we have the same choice of uk summer hols so I'm hoping we will have some synchronicity on Christmas.

How do we deal with elderly relatives who struggle with joy at any time of the year, but particularly at Christmas? This particular one is alone, must be collected and returned on the day, so we can't even use alcohol as a cosh for ourselves!

Bubble I can help you here - try festive turkey twizzlers and potato smiles with santa beards made from ketchup

Will you be seeing Christmas through different 'eyes' this year, India?

Can you share any tips to get through the first crap Christmas after splitting up,while making it amazing and magical for the children?

Essential I always use salad cream or (controversial) Smash for Santa beards. Ketchup is ideal for the hats however.

Not a question for India - although would love to tell her how much much I love her glorious warm house. Would love to go there for Christmas - saw it in a magazine. But to all others...I have a baby due next week, a 3 year old, 6 and 8 year old. All our parents are dead, we have a horde coming for New Year. Just remember it's all about being together and feeling the love ladies. Don't try to be perfect....please enjoy the time you have with your nearest and dearest...above all else. I love to read the O Henry story "Gift of the Magi" to remember what it's all about. And for a lovely sentimental story - doesn't matter what your faith is - it's about generosity and hospitality - humanity as much as anything...read this Tolstoy story...

classiclit.about.com/od/christmasstoriesholiday/a/aa_papachr.htm

I'd like to know how India tackles buying presents for friends and family. Is it easier to buy presents during the year for people, as and when you see something that they'd love, or is it easier to just have a few shopping sessions on the internet or high street nearer Christmas.

.

Hi India

Shamefully I have got to cough nearly 40 and have avoided ever having to host Christmas Day. This year will put a stop to this and I will be cooking dinner for our entire family. Added to this pressure is the fact my father is an ex chef and can be overly critical and fussy. Are there any particular chef's or cookbooks you can recommend that will help me avoid his critical eye?

P.S I know you love your cookbooks and I love The Prawn Cocktail years that you recommended to me on Twitter.

How can I make my house look and feel really Christmassy? We have a tree of course. What are your must have decorations or special things that would make our home feel particularly traditional and festive? We can't really put presents under the tree as dd2 (2.5) would open them all!!

Thank you

Like many people we're economising this year. What do you think you can get away with spending less on and what's a false economy? A sprig of holly instead of a tree? Christmas crackers from the pound shop? Chicken instead of turkey? Etc

How do you manage the first Christmas of being separated where you are going to have Christmas day with your H and DC and are hoping you can be friendly and enjoy yourselves but are secretly worried you will get over emotional and it all go wrong?

And then you still have to do the treking around the country part although at least there won't be so much of that this year?

Still want things to be magical but worried I will make a mess of it all.

This Q&A is closed. We've sent ten questions over to India and will be publishing the archived Q&A on Wednesday 30th November. The authors of the ten selected questions will each receive a set of her beautifully repackaged novels, courtesy of Penguin.

Will the winners be notified beforehand?

Oh. So is she not coming on to MN then?

Has anyone heard if they've won, or will we find out on 30th?

Hi there, India's answers are here and we'll be in touch by PM with the people whose questions were chosen about your books :)

Thanks for the answers. It's a shame we couldn't have had a proper webchat with her though!

Hi BIWI - India visited us last Christmas for a webchat and am sure she will be happy to visit again in 2012 - we'll certainly put in a request and keep you posted on this.