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!

@PrizedPickledPopcorn I think you might be right 😂, we are all encouraging each other to get involved, learn more, buy more books and just embrace the season.

I bought A Thousand Feasts last night, plus two candles from Stoneglow.

I think this thread might have even inspired me to make a few candles, I used to do it before life got too busy and have still got a plastic box with plenty of soy wax, fragrance and wicks at the very least.

My book arrived yesterday, I was too impatient to trawl the local charity shops so did amazon same day delivery.

I already love it, just looking at the quince recipes as a friend has some excess I'm hoping she'll give me.

I mostly say the same things on these threads too.🙂 And I really like the gentle reminiscence of hearing the same or similar things from you all every year.

With scudding clouds, a stiff wind, and two boisterous children, we made use of the more limited light by going to our local NT place. It's a big deer park, up on the Costwolds, where we could all run wild, and blow the cobwebs out.

I always feel the need to be outside, in this autumnal weather, getting the last of the Vit D to help through the winter.

I've agreed with the children, that this half-term we are going to celebrate Autumn, in as many different ways as possible.

Love this! Please do share anything you make.

I've been in the kitchen since about 6am peacefully making my gingerbread house beeswax candles and also some naturally fragranced beeswax melts. The house smells of Tangerine, Frankincense and Clove oils and DD is asleep enjoying her first lie in of the half term.

Also love that you've made a plan to carve out some time @LatteLady

Heavens to Betsy, it is on Audible... I mean that is ironing taken care of and I can get it while awaiting the arrival of the physical book!

Thanks for this recommendation. I’ve started following the podcast x

After a horrendous night of terrible weather we've got beautiful sunshine so I'm going to get my wellies on and go for a walk.

It's a beautiful day here too, I'm at work but will try and walk up to the park at lunchtime as the autumn colours are stunning at the moment.

@RainbowZebraWarrior your early start, candle making in the kitchen at 6am is impressive. I made one candle before I joined a teams meeting after remembering where my supplies were. I used a Nkuku candle jar I had.

I’ve used FreshSkin’s Wild Woods which is a nice autumnal fragrance. 12% ratio. I used a fairly wide wick but I’ll have to see how it burns, hopefully it will be sufficient. I have got some wooden crackle wicks somewhere. When I said I thought I had some things leftover, I’ve actually got 3 cloth bags of soy wax, I didn’t remember having that much. Other fragrances I’ve got (all FreshSkin) are Bay and Rosemary, Earl Grey, Mint and Jasmine and Green Tea and Mint. Plenty to be going on with.

In the spirit of the book I’ve decided that I’m going to spend half an hour a day tidying a small bit of my garden every time I WFH. 🍁🍂. That will make a welcome change from sitting at my desk from dawn til dark and not seeing outside.

I also like the idea of spending a regular half hour tidying the garden @AGreenWitch . I am going to aim for that too!

I'm very envious of those of you with beautiful autumnal weather! The north west is not playing ball and we are grey and rainy!

Sounds like some beautiful days though. I am going to celebrate being under a fluffy blanket with a new cushion though 🤣 ETA- a purring furball has decided to join me and DH has just brought me a lemon and ginger tea.

I think I may have found the podcast of all podcasts on Spotify. A night of wax and gold is the story of Diptyque. It's been released alongside their Christmas / holiday collection this year.

That is one beautiful looking and sounding candle @AGreenWitch I am always up early and the candle making is now my only real job, so I'm not having to fit it around much else. Having said that, I also have 200 honey jars to sterilise today so I best crack on.

Love the idea of an half term Autumnal appreciation @WeMeetInFairIthilien needless to say, I have made an appropriate list to do similar.

Lovely weather here too (south of France), DH has freshened up DD's bike at her request (she hasn't used it in over a year) so we'll be going out for a bike ride after lunch. I'll take some photos to share as it's such a beautiful area (I shared some on the Poncetastic thread yesterday as I was looking for inspiration for Christmas decorations and potentially edible plants).
In an extremely NVN fashion I have lit my Glade candle, it smells nice enough 😅. I listened to him berating my choice on Audible last night 😂

No candle making here (although I have given it a go in the past), but I have a curried parsnip and pear soup bubbling away in a le creuset pot so that’s Nigel enough for me this morning. It’s stopped raining so I will walk the hounds down to the farm shop before lunch to pick up some Longley farm cream to swirl on top with some chives from the garden.

I read the intro pages last night so I’m up to speed!

Some beautiful moss from my walk. The light is just lovely.

@AlicePottery I bought one of my favourite candles (Country candle company fireside tales) from a vinted seller yesterday. She was also selling an airwick blood orange and incense one and I decided to stick that on my order too. No doubt Nigel would be appalled.

😁

I now have a list of things that I would like 🤦‍♀️ my plan is when I’m having my morning coffee I will read my book instead of straight into social media.

Very much enjoying the sound of your candle making - was thinking "that would be a nice thing to do" then remembered that I did actually do that a couple of years ago and still have all the kit 😄

Nigel has arrived here! I've also been reading the autumn/ winter chapters of this book that a friend gave me for Christmas last year, it's got some beautiful illustrations.

I am going to join in with this please.

Well the weather isn't as nice as it was before lunch, but it was still nice to get out for a bit.

@ILoveLukeAldertonthank you! This is exactly what I was looking for and have now added to my podcast list

Ah hello Nigel friends…. I dropped off post Christmas last year-had a shocker of a year really. But have thought of you all often. I got my book out last week and made the pickled pears and pork in Miso (I cheated a bit as it’s a November recipe but I had a load of pears and I so enjoyed it last year). I will shortly be making the apricot brandy so it’s ready for pre Christmas.
Starting my candle stock pile too.

My copy arrived! I'm very happy to be here, the weather is dreadful and I'm very busy with work but I'm taking some time off at the end of the week and I can start reading then!