The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater. Read Along Thread 2022

[Dillidilly]

INTRODUCTION

Nigel begins his Chronicles proper on 1st November, but there is a lovely, quite lengthy introduction we can dip into during the second half of October.

Last year, posters were also kind enough to share where they had found cut price copies of CC, so hopefully anyone late to the party still has time to find a copy before we start the first chapter.

I had forgotten the lovely introduction. Together with the beautiful photograph at the very beginning of the book, flipping through it and seeing his headings reminded me of why I loved it so much last year!

@picklemewalnuts thank you for the link - the recipe has lots of wintery additions so am going to give it a go once I have found some buckwheat. And a recipe to use the leftovers after I've made my tea.

Apple and cinnamon tea lights sound lovely @ShaunaTheSheep I don't have a scented candle so am tempted to buy an appropriately wintery/Christmassy one.

Part of me wishes it was colder and part is glad for obvious reasons.

@MadgeMarple I don’t usually use scented candles anymore - I prefer to burn plain wax candles and use essential oils for fragrance instead. Last year I used laurel bay essential oil (Nigel’s suggestion!) which I really liked. But I was given a lovely big candle last Christmas whose fragrance is citrus and sandalwood. So this year that will be what I burn throughout November.

Otherwise in the past I’ve really loved Frankincense and Myrrh, as well as Mandarin, Cinnamon and Cloves.

@picklemewalnuts that’s a brilliant tradition/ritual and the feast as a reward is great motivation!

On the tea/hot drinks question, @MadgeMarple, the pukka one sounds lovely! I’ve not had it but the combination should be really nice. Anything with a hint of autumn/winter spices fits the brief nicely for me.

I usually get a small selection of Christmas teas/coffees/hot choc from Whittard but they’re really quite Christmassy (imo) so I’d leave them til December. I’ve got two small tins from the January sales - Spiced Chocolate Orange, and Christmas Tea. I can’t remember if they’re just flavoured or if those particular ones are sweetened as well, though. Some of their drinks are sweet, and some aren’t! They’re fairly pricey so I wait until there’s some kind of deal. They usually do a free gift at some stage, or % off, or free shipping at least.

Thank you @picklemewalnuts and @Dillidilly. I think "running at speed" is definitely what I'm guilty of, but sadly not actually running!
Hopefully spending a few evenings without my phone (chasing that dopamine hit), will help me slow down and get that balance back.
Thank you for not kicking me off this thread!

We would never kick anyone off!

My hope is that posters can take as much or as little as they like and just enjoy the hygge spirit x

Well, is it too soon to admit that I rushed into November a few days early?

I got a bit stressed and frantic and thought I was at risk of falling behind so I started... and then remembered it was till October.

One of my 'too stressed, intervention required' signs, is when I start getting everywhere early, potentially a week early . I get so panicked about being late/forgetting to go somewhere, I arrive an hour, day, week ahead!

I got a copy last Christmas but didn't get beyond the intro (which I loved) so will re read that today and join you all for company.

1 NOVEMBER
A toast to the winter solstice

Gorgeous descriptions of winter liquers to welcome us to the start proper of The Christmas Chronicles.
Am I right that some who made the apricot liquer last year felt that the star anise was too strong?

Thank you again to everyone for joining this thread...and enjoy!

Does the alcohol boil off with some of those recipes? I can appreciate a good long soak in spirits, but I'm a little uneasy about the boiling. That said, I don't drink that kind of thing anyway so it's not a problem.

For all its bare twigs and pale, watery sunshine, winter is very much alive. Underneath the fallen leaves things are happening at a rate of knots; new life burgeons. Bulbs are sprouting, buds are bursting through grey bark, new shoots push their way to the surface. Many plants require vernalisation, a prolonged patch of low temperatures, in order to grow. Tulips, freesias, crocus and snowdrops, for instance. (I sometimes feel I do, too.) A secret world quietly doing what it does each year. A study in renewal, rebirth, new life.

This is my favourite passage in the intro.

The natural world is a wonderful metaphor for life. Finding what solace one can in the darkest of seasons, that this, too, shall pass, keeps the seeds of hope alive.

@NiqueNique his writing is so beautiful and evocative, isn't it?

Another favourite snippet of mine is in Capter 1: a wonderful vision of Nigel popping a boozy fig in his mouth as a reward for doing his ironing lol!

Heh yes I remember that! I’m looking forward to Chapter 1 tomorrow. 😊

I also really love his story of the day his appreciation of the cold months was born: playing shopkeeper in the snow during the coldest winter in 60-odd years. I could see that snow wheel of cheese, the snow cake and the snow sweets...the snow ball fight that followed...but most of all I could feel so well the quiet contentment of that 6-year-old boy during those few hours under the afternoon sky (apricot, scarlet, lavender); wholly immersed in his happy snow world, serving his snow foods to his friends. ❤️

Oh lordy, I've just realised I'm a day ahead of myself and posted Chapter 1 on 31st October!!!

As you were 🤪

You're extra organised, that’s all! 😄

Well as you’ve already posted it, I’m going to go ahead and read it! 😁😁

Panic not, I made the same error up thread yesterday and changed the date on my watch and car

I noticed that bit, too. That is so Nigella, to me.

We're obviously all carried away with enthusiasm!

I resisted in the end and plumped for getting started with my day instead. I’m planning a lovely read tomorrow morning before the day begins.

I've been lurking here for a while, bought the book and got ready. Now I have covid, so a good excuse to sit and read for a while. I read the first few pages just this morning and really enjoyed reading Nigel's enthusiasm for the colder months, a good reminder that we should enjoy the darker months and the cooler colours. I intend to look out for some fallen branches and twigs to put in a vase as I think that's a lovely idea.

I was wandering around the shops on Saturday and ended up with this candle instead of Cire Trudon. It definitely smells quite churchy, but in a good way, and if I run out before end of the book, it will be less painful to stock up again. 😉

www.johnlewis.com/true-grace-sacristy-scented-candle-450g/p6296075

Good afternoon everyone.
I can’t wait to get home and curl up on the sofa to read the intro.

Im off work for a few days too, so perfect!

@donttalkaboutbookclub i hope Covid isn’t too bad for you. Get better soon!

@Bookaholic73 thank you!

I fancy the twigs in a vase thing too, but doubt I have a suitable vase. In my imagination at least, I'm thinking room height!