The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater. Read Along Thread 2022 PART 2

[LillianGish]

A continuation of the brilliant thread started by @Dillidilly who I hope is still lurking somewhere and reading along

@Waitwhat23 welcome back!🎄

It’s a running joke —actual rule— between DH and I that I am NOT allowed to make any gingerbread structures ever again, after the epic meltdown of 2020...

However I’m going to buy one of those ready-made kits (after Christmas when they’re reduced) and make one just for fun when there’s no pressure!

We've made gingerbread houses with melted chocolate. It's not quite as dangerous as using boiled sugar, and slightly faster than icing.

But honestly, they don't reliably stay together whatever you use.

I'm sure we've had a nasty accident with boiling sugar and gingerbread houses. I'll have to ask DH.

I've saved a video recipe for gorgeous little heart outline cookies, with transparent sugar, butter and nut mixture inside. I hope I have time to make them- I think they're as festive as the sweetie houses.

Have you made boiled sweet stained glass window biscuits? That's a lovely Christmas activity.

Royal icing works very well as a glue, and toothpicks can be used to reinforce. I build and glue the walls and leave overnight propped up with tins until the icing is properly dry. The roof goes on the next day when the walls are good and sturdy.

However although I always love everyone else’s perfectly charming, slightly wonky gingerbread houses, for some reason I just can’t accept it when my own creations don’t look exactly right. Sigh.

@picklemewalnuts any chance of a link to the video you've saved?

Tonight was the last busy one I have until the new year, I think, apart from popping in on my friend after work on Thursday afternoon (so doesn't really count!), so I should catch back up by the weekend I hope.

I've seen a few of you mention NS's Insta, but I don't often look on there...does he use any other platforms that any of you know of?

My previous attempts at gingerbread house attached - I was quite pleased with this.

Tonight, the stupid little gingerbread tiles from the IKEA kit are lying abandoned in the kitchen, having narrowly avoided being Frisbeed out the back door.

The only reason I avoid doing another from scratch gingerbread house is the spreading of the shapes - everything says 'oh, you can trim it back into shape once it comes out the oven' which only works if you do so with inhuman speed. Otherwise it hardens up immediately and bloody shatters. Maybe next year.

@Waitwhat23 i sense a kindred spirit 😁

Such a lovely house!

Here we go, @lucysmam

That's lovely, waitwhat! I found gingerbread houses disappointing. No one wants to eat them, after they've been hanging around a week. Or even before that. Sickly. I think a pie crust house would be more popular round here. 🧐

@picklemewalnuts thank you. I'll maybe not get to trying them before Christmas but I do enjoy a day trying random stuff in the kitchen so I'll get round to them!

I have fallen by the wayside as sadly my father died and I am trying to process what has happened.

@Ihavedogs so sorry to hear about your father - sending best wishes.

I'm so sorry to hear that @Ihavedogs. There is never a good time to lose a parent, but I do think it is especially hard at Christmas when everyone and everything is charging headlong into celebration. I hope your username is also a description.

I'm sorry, Ihavedogs!

We'll be here for a bit of distraction whenever you want us.

It has all come as a bit of shock. Not so much him dying as he was a good age, but his second family keeping me out of the loop and then waiting three days to say that he had died. They have taken away the opportunity to at least pass a message onto him or to say goodbye. It is that element that is really difficult to process.

@Ihavedogs I am so sorry, both for the loss of your father and the way his passing has been handled by his other family members

I’m so sorry Ihavedogs. Take care of yourself.

💐 ihavedogs

That was unkind of them. If you wanted to be charitable about it, in their grief they were selfish and forgot to consider you. Only you know how intentional it was likely to have been. People can be inconsiderate at the best of times, let alone when they are under stress.

Would you be able to visit him now? Funeral directors are usually accommodating. My brother wasn't able to be with our dad, and he was comforted by the visit he made, later.

Oh @Ihavedogs that was very cruel of them. I’m sorry for the pain that will have caused you. He knew you loved him, he would have felt your goodbye in his heart and soul.

As @picklemewalnuts said, it may not have been intentionally cruel; only you can know whether or not it was. But it won’t change how you feel just now. I hope you can find peace in your grief.

14 December
Pickled quinces and a Christmas stocking

@picklemewalnuts they also forgot to tell us that he has been in hospital for quite a period of time as well. Unfortunately due to health and distances involved I won’t even be able to attend the funeral ☹️

I won’t say anymore as things would be quite identifying and I also don’t want to derail this thread further.

Thank you all for your kind words.

You'll find your way through. You'll mourn and rage and grieve for what should have been and what was.
And then at some point it will be a bit less intense.

I find comfort in our shared and yet still unique experiences of life. We're never alone in what we feel.

Find peace and joy where you can, and let it all take its course. 

Today's triumph- I was a week early for my SlimmingWorld taster class, so prepared a load of cheese and beetroot canapés for no good reason!

They were tasty though

@Ihavedogs I'm sorry to hear that - sending you strength

@Ihavedogs I'm so sorry to hear your sad news.