The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles Readalong 2025

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hello all, it's that time of year again!

For anyone who has not already had the pleasure, the annual Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles read along is a real time annual MN tradition.

The Christmas Chronicles (Notes, stories and 100 essential recipes for midwinter) book begins on 1st November, however there are 25 pages of Introduction. That's why I start the thread one now; to allow time to prepare and fully appreciate Nigel in All His Splendour come 1st November.

Some regulars to the thread already have the book. For anyone new, it's a challenge to see of you can pick up a bargain. Vinted has come up trumps in the past, as has ebay. A rare and precious charity shop find is always a bonus. Don't forget, you can also listen along to Nigel's dulcet tones via Audible.

I shall post daily and we can share our thoughts and feelings on the days recipes, sentiments and indeed Dear Nigel himself. Observations of nature and the seasons are also very welcome.

So welcome to old friends and new, and don't forget that reading by candle light is particularly enjoyable. Cire Trudon may be one of Nige's candles of choice, but it's somewhat pricey. We don't discriminate against other less expensive brands - even if they are NVN (Not Very Nigel)

Pull up a chair, light a candle, grab a cosy blanket and join in!

Enjoyed catching up with day 1 this morning, then made stew in the slow cooker for dinner, yum!
Cheese scones are on my list now after reading all the chat about them, sound delicious!

Hope your day went as well as it could today @piscofrisco I've been thinking of you today, and Partymouse sends his best x

Just got home after a long day! Picked my copy of CC up on the way. I shall start it later with a glass of last year's apricot brandy, or possibly a cherry brandy.

Some lovely flowers still glowing in the garden. Cheese scones. And a ruined church I explored today.
VN, I reckon.
Do we know if he watches Strictly, as that’s my plan now! 🤣

How gorgeous biblio - very Monet-esque!

Got the apricots soaking.

Ha @noodlezoodle , there are several lakes there, and one is called the Monet lake. Water lilies in season.

@imp2007 my kids bought that advent calendar for me last year and have done so again this year. My birthday is at the beginning of December so I have a few days to open when I get it. I loved it last year and hope to again this year.

Lovely autumnal stroll today. Book should be arriving tomorrow, so tempted for the audiobook too.

I too made cheese scones with the DC. They were demolished before I had a chance to photograph them 🤣

Out for an autumnal walk this afternoon, the children were much better behaved. It rained a little, but we had a beautiful fire sunset on the way home.

@Fillybuster I’m so glad you have been able to find consolation in your garden and by cosying up with a candle. I do think it’s exceedingly Nigel to find comfort and contentment in your home surroundings and it’s something we can all aspire to whatever our budget. I had to smile when I saw your opening line, apologizing for posting again despite committing to lurking. That is the beauty of this thread you can lurk or post as the urge takes you and hopefully we can all inspire each other to create our own bit of Nigelness in our lives. Hope you are OK.

Good morning all.

No further CC entry until tomorrow.

Back to school here. (Well, for DD, not me) so that means DD us now focusing on counting down the days until the Christmas holidays. Thankfully, we also have an inset day later this month, so are planning something nice to do for that day.

I have to email our lovely library today. There's a huge Victorian Christmas Market on in early December right outside in the square. I've done it before, and A. It's a killer as it's so cold outside and B. It costs £300 for a stall. The library are letting the local crochet group have a stall inside for £10 and when I spoke to them on Saturday and asked if they could possibly do the same for us with our honey and candles they said to email and they would hopefully be able to sort it. Fingers crossed. We sell our honey for £5 for a 12oz jar and basically make no profit. We've always done it for the love of it so hopefully they will see that as a enefit to the local community.

I love the Netflix fireplace. I am also a fireplace free home 😃

£300 for a stall @RainbowZebraWarrior ! Blimey.

Hello all, started the day with a VN walk and porridge with blackberries and pumpkin seeds. Back to work today. Almost there, just stopped for a very quick coffee en route.

It's quite blustery here today.

Thankyou @RainbowZebraWarriorit was lovely. The church in the village is tiny and very plain, with a clear glass window behind the alter that frames a view of the village beautifully. I was able to see my parents house in the distance with their light on and sit and have a little chat with my Dad which was soothing.
And a good morning to everyone else. Back to school this morning, DSS’s arguing, awful traffic. Roll on Christmas! Rainy on the farm so far so we are holed up in the craft room decoupaging Christmas napkins on to little ham jars to make tea light holders. Glue everywhere!

Good morning 😊

DH and I finally started reading CC over the weekend! Our cottage isn't terribly cosy at the moment (we moved in a year ago and don't yet have a working central heating system as we've been DIYing fairly major building work including swapping the kitchen and living room over which meant relocating the boiler to an as yet unfinished lootility 😉), but we do have a new wood burner and shiny Everhot electric stove to snuggle by.

On Saturday we took time out from our busy DIY schedule to have a wander round the VN Petworth in the hope of finding the perfect candle, but came home empty-handed (so are making do with what's left of a St Eval Orange & Cinnamon one from last Christmas).

Here's a pic of our snug yesterday (note my rather rudimentary temporary tap, ha!) - we'd been busy fitting ceiling lights in the new kitchen, which previously had none (!!!) and just threw the rug down for added cosiness before lighting the candle.

If we everything get our range cooker set up, I'm hoping to try some of Nigel's recipes, but not getting my hopes up as we've been sans oven/hob for more than twelve months now!

I've had a rather fun morning as I took myself into Newcastle City centre after dropping DD at school. Fenwick Christmas window was unveiled last night (this is a huge deal in our city) so I started my journey there. Not a soul about so had it all to myself. A Christmas Carol this year so a nice traditional one. Magical!

Had a sniff about in Diptyque. Won't be bothering with holiday candles this year as I've got 3 left from last year. I have rather fallen in love with the Gingembre fragrance though. I spritzed myself liberally with it and took a tester card. I may ask for it from Christmas from my Mum.

Had a good old mooch around Søstrene Grene and managed to only spend £11. Different kettle of fish in TK Maxx though, many soaps, candles, teatowels and Nigel adjacent (but not Nigel prices) bowls later..

I'm not quite sure how I've managed to get myself on the metro with all my haul, and I'll pay for it later in pain, but gosh I've had a lovely morning to myself.

I had to chuckle to myself as Christmas now seems to be in Full Swing as after all, this is the retail industry. I was leaving Fenwick as a lady walked in and faltered briefly then visibly winced when she heard Elton John loudly inviting her to Step Into Christmas.

Oh. And it's only 53 days till Christmas apparently.

Will post some pics later of purchases. Here's some Fenwick window pics for now.

Your snug does indeed look wonderfully snug @LibertyLily ❤️

Hello, lovely Nigelites! I'm thoroughly enjoying all your photos of scenery, candles, and cooking, thank you for sharing those along with all your VN (and NVN!) adventures so far. My DH read the intro aloud for me at the weekend, in a cosy candlelit room (VN) with the Netflix fire crackling in the background (NVN).

I wondered if I might ask for some Christmas-related suggestions form you all? I hope that's okay to do on this thread. We have an advent box every year and it always features a Christmas novel to be read aloud each evening, with some chocolate to eat and the advent candle burning in the background. As the children have become older (22, 18, and 14) this is becoming more and more of a logistical challenge with their individual commitments. Any ideas on an alternative that would work perhaps once a week instead of daily? Ideally not a film or an outing as I've got those covered. Thank you in advance 😁

Oh gosh I'm a bit stumped on that one I'm afraid @TaupeRaven Hopefully someone will be along soon with a good idea. The reading sounds like a lovely thing to do though, even if it were just once a week.

I've unpacked some of my treasures from todays shopping trip. Some Nigel-ish bowls, Melagrano soaps and some St Eval candles in celestial stone containers that I meant to buy two years ago before the discontinued them. The skull hand soap is for DD. The soaps may not be Santa Maria Novella, but they are still gorgeous.

Also I am over the moon with this package. After last week's disappointment of the missing candles and handbag from a vinted sellers package, I cannot believe how much trouble this lovely seller has gone to for me. Four candles (not fork handles!) and a gorgeous hand knitted chunky cowl. All wrapped up carefully in a beautiful White Co box. In total I paid £7!

@RainbowZebraWarriorthanks for sharing the Fenwick’s window. My gran and grandad used to take me to see it each year, brings back lovely memories.

Perhaps something spooky but set somewhere chilly so it feels seasonal @ TaupeRaven? Dark Matter by Michelle Paver might fit the bill?

Very cosy @LibertyLily. I like your pink and green colour scheme
Fenwicks window! I know this is a Christmas ish but now I really do need to get my head in the Christmas game!

Hooray! I've been feeling really down recently (well, for much of the year really) and wondered if the Nigel thread was up and running yet. I may dip in and out.

I find, as a chronically messy, cluttered person with a messy, cluttered house (NVN with bells on!!) that the approach of the ... Season fills me with gloom and dread, because I want to be all hygge and cosy and autumnal but the house is too full of Stuff! In addition to this, I've managed to work myself into a state of horror about various house issues, mostly connected with Damp. And Cracks. (May I just put in an aside here and suggest that Nigel, with his beautifully appointed rooms off his slightly subterranean kitchen, may well get Damp, and Cracks, and indeed Damp Cracks which is just rude, himself? I'm sure he deals masterfully with it though, rather than hiding in a corner gibbering while it gets worse.) Anyway, we are (I HOPE) having roofers/builders/plasterers in from next week (can it really be?) and maybe that will rectify the leaks and damp walls. I do hope so, because otherwise I might have to go and live in a tent, which is decidedly NVN.

That's by way of saying, I am not in a Christmassy mood, but I am in the mood for Nigel. Maybe he can convince me it'll all be ok.

Welcome back@GlomOfNit I completely get you. I have a lot of Stuff. I've got some issues with my house too that I've been putting off for far too long. I've just had the call to finally book me in for the much needed replacement conservatory roof w/c 8th December. Eek! That gives me a month to clear it. I really need to get my windows replaced next.

Hope you find some cosiness here.