The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles readalong 2025 - Part 2

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hello all, and welcome to Part 2. We Continue our CC journey.

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 began on 1st November.

We continue to read along and comment with the book which is set out in diary form. I will make a post each day (or let you know if there is no entry on a particular day)

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.

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!

@martha79 I’ve been a couple of times to Vienna, both times only flying visits, and absolutely loved it. Wonderful architecture, and yes, the elegant coffee houses are a must, and the Imperial Apartments Sisi Museum is well worth a visit - a fascinating glimpse into the amazing lives of these people, and what beautiful treasures they lived with every day. Maybe NVN though, far too much glitz for his minimalistic taste! @Strawberryfield12 that wreath is a beautious thing.
💐 to anyone feeling under the weather or under pressure.

@WeMeetInFairIthilien you can’t do better than M&S stollen bites! So delicious
@Strawberryfield12 that is a spectacular wreath! I went to a wreath-making workshop last night which I thoroughly enjoyed but yours has inspired me to add some more to it

I’ve never been to Vienna, very much want to go. Maybe next year… I expect there will be a Christmas market in the city I’m visiting today with DD but that’s not really the same!

Gorgeous wreath @Strawberryfield12 I have an artificial one I get out every year but it scratches the paint on the front door and we’ve just repainted so I don’t want to risk it this year. DD and I are booked into a wreath making workshop - which I’m very excited about - but not until closer to Christmas. Not sure what to do in the meantime, the door will look so bare in December without its wreath! (I may be overthinking this 😆)

Thank you everyone for your kind words. Really means a lot with so many crafty people on the thread.

first few years I was going to the local florist to make the wreath, then Covid happened and suddenly there were so many beautiful kits available online. My first wreaths were all mainly fir tree with embellishments, then I gradually branched (see what I did there?!) out to more diverse greenery. This year’s wreath has minimal amount of fir.

I think for me choosing the wreath and eventually making the wreath is on par with stir up Sunday for others.

I don’t think I’ve ever had stollen! I always assumed it would be dry. I’m willing to give it a go if anyone can reccomend a nice store bought one.
smashing wreath @Strawberryfield12. I have all the stuff to make mine, but no time it seems.
your Great Expectations ina. Church sounds fabulous @leporello
I am also still of work today @AlicePottery. Have antibiotics for my ear infection, feel rough and am thoroughly fed up. Dd2 comes home today and we have a big family holiday lunch thing tomorrow. I just was so looking forward to it and I don’t think I will be well for it. It’s low level illness of course for which I’m grateful but it’s bloody annoying. Be kind to yourself and don’t overdo the work stuff. I have gone slightly part time (more due to length of commute) and it’s been absolute fine. Service users have got used to it and I treasure that day off mid week-I would be sunk without it I think.
must get up today and try and sort DD’s room out a bit and clean as the house looks awful.
Happy Friday all

What sort of kit do you use? You’ve done a beautiful job.

My old flat had lots of suitable bushes in the garden we could attack for greenery but now don’t have ready access to lots of conifers, ivy etc.

Was considering going to the park with some secateurs but not sure that’s really on!

You used to be able to get the bottom branches from when they trimmed the Christmas trees but they seem to charge loads for those now which is a bit of a scam…..

@Comtesse this year I ordered the traditional wreath kit from Hello Petal in Bedfordshire, before that couple of years from Wild Willow flowers in West Sussex. Both have lovely instagram accounts and the kits they sent were gorgeous. Lots of foliage, all in good condition.

@piscofrisco Stollen is beautiful! Lidl or Aldi are the best. I think it's Lidl that do Stollen Bites as well and they're fabulous.

I love the wreath @Strawberryfield12 (autocorrect wanted me to Live The Wrath, which is a bit heavy metal for this time in the morning)

I have ordered a chicken wire this morning, planning to do a center piece for the dining table with the random twigs and plants I can find in our garden. Some people on IG make it look so easy, I’ve decided to give it a go closer to the Christmas.

Chicken wire floral arrangements are easy and look lovely. Sounds obvious but florist tape the chicken wire to your receptacle. (I’m sure you knew to do this, but the first time I did it I didnt and it made it a lot more difficult 🫣)

@DarkEyedSailordh has just gone to Aldi with a list!

Another vote for Lidl and Aldi stollen here.

I was supposed to go to a wreath-making workshop last night but it was booked months ago when I was feeling more energetic and as it turns out, I just didn't have it in me after a day of housework. I'm in two minds about what to do in the way of Christmas decorations - I do love them, but it's only me here a lot of the time*, but then it's nice to have them when visitors come round... I love decorating a tree but one of my cats in particular is a menace and I'm not sure I can be bothered with the chaos. I did buy a mini tree that hangs up on the wall a couple of years ago, but to be quite honest, it looks a bit silly!

*I'm one of those people who ended up on Mumsnet despite not being a mum - I came for the cleaning and nice bedding/ towels tips, it helped me through some very difficult relationship times, and then I've been lurking for ages.

Oh, and the absolute ONSLAUGHT of Black Friday emails feels NVN at all. My lovely massage lady has done a special offer on vouchers which I've bought for myself as I try to go once a month anyway. As part of my ongoing "spa retreat" Christmas holiday plans, I'm considering a solstice yoga workshop I've seen but the language around this one is so woo I'm not sure I can do it (there's a curious mixture of twinkly festive fairy magic and heart-opening cacao cake going on).

I'm catching up late again - both to the book and the thread.

We now have three advent calendars in our house each christmas, which feels overkill for two middle-aged adults 😂. I always insist on a traditional picture version and, like others on the thread, have discovered and adore Carousel. DH isn't fussed about that one. To him, a "traditional" advent calendar is the basic cadbury's one. Only in the last couple of years we have added a third to the mix - one with "good" chocolate - again, not going into very expensive territory here - it's usually Lindt or Hotel Chocolate. My only stipulation though is that the calendar must depict a christmassy scene and that either the chocolate shapes or the picture behind them must be an actual christmas picture to be guessed before opening the door. We play a game where we each have day about with the cadbury and lindt calendar (we each take either odds or evens on each one) and guess what will be inside. If you guess right on the other person's door, you get to steal their chocolate. Did I mention we are middle-aged adults? 😂

I'm another who yearns to go to Vienna - it's definitely on the bucket list. Keen to see it at any time but I would especially love to visit the christmas markets. I adore the pictures in this chapter.

Despite not liking dried fruit, christmas cake etc, I can often be tempted by a bit of stollen. It tends to not be quite so fruity, and the marzipan makes up for any fruit in there anyway. I particularly like the lidl stollen bites - maybe because they tend to be light on fruit and heavy on marzipan. Aldi and M&S are both verging on too fruity for me. It's something I would like to try making and the recipe in CC does look good. I remember once telling a German colleague that I was keen to attempt a stollen - she looked at me as if I was absolutely mad. "Why on earth would you spend time and effort on that?" she asked. "This is why we have professional bakers. Stollen is for buying, not making".

I'm also inspired by the wreath photos. A couple of years ago, I did an extremely NVN thing and bought one of those wreath rings - essentially a plain wreath made from artificial christmas tree branches. Every year, I embellish this with offcuts from my actual christmas tree, and holly, pine cones and anything else I pick up from my walks along the river. It's definitely cheating but allows the wreath to look full without too much effort, and easier than starting from scratch. I'm in awe of those who do it properly though!

Agree with this. As someone who had to retire from my profession at 49, I accept that it's a veey difficult decision, but for me, my martyrdom had come to and end and I knew I was breaking myself. Im the end, it wasnt an actual choice. If part time is manageable, then that's what's needed and school should understand and support that.

I made stollen a couple of years ago. It was like a brick. Agree that Lidl and Aldi bites are lovely, but I don't buy them any more as I'd have one and that would satisfy my yearly longing. I don't really have a sweet tooth, and icing sugar is sweeter than honey!

@Strawberryfield12 your wreath is fab, as is your door (it doesn't look like it needs cleaning) I'll post a pic of mine in a mo. It's a bought one that I've just added stuff to. I'm faffing with some last bits now.

DD is back to school today. I am playing catch up. So much stuff has been forgotten about and I forgot to book my Mum's weekly online shop! Hate being out of routine.

Here's my wreath. Spot Mr Mousey!

Advent calendar wise, we have a vintage cardboard one, Pokemon, a Cadbury one and a Squishmallow one (well, DD does) I have some beauty ones. Very much overkill, but something we enjoy and save up for (DD gets most of hers for her birthday at the end of Nov) Makes getting up on the dark mornings of December more pleasant, and we keep some for an evening ritual, too.

"Why on earth would you spend time and effort on that?" she asked. "This is why we have professional bakers. Stollen is for buying, not making".

Totally agree with this. Every home made one I've encountered was pants (and I most definitely include my own brick like attempt in that and will never bother again)

Your wreath is magnificent @Strawberryfield12 - a thing of absolute beauty ❤️ I take the same route as @PricklyBob with a basic wreath of fake fir which I then embellish. I am completely hopeless at anything crafty which is why I am in awe of so many on this thread.

There's a copy of CC just been listed on vinted for £4 in case anyone still needs

Oh the wreaths are all lovely!

Grocery shopping done and I'm enjoying the seasonal collection of fruit and veg (but Nigel's food photographer doesn't need to worry about any competition from here 😂).

This is the wreath I made last night. It feels a bit bare now I’ve seen the lovely ones on here (I was on the verge of adding cinnamon sticks but my friend I was with wanted to get to the pub 😂). I might leave it as it is though. I’m not putting it up yet anyway so I have time to decide
@martha79 i agree the whole Black Friday thing is NVN but I just spent a very productive couple of hours online and have broken the back of shopping for my three daughters so that feels like a job well done. It was not fun or pleasant though. What to get DH? He is so hard to buy for.
I’ve made stollen in the past and it was very nice I’ll have you all know! But I prefer to make a poppyseed strudel (I use the Popina book) so I am planning that this year - pic attached from the book

@martha79 I’m not a mum either, and have virtually no family. Christmas for us (DH and me) will be extremely low-key because work demands mean we’re likely to be decanting elsewhere just a few days before the actual holiday, so I’m not ordering anything by way of shopping, turkey, provisions of any kind. I’m just going to wing it and take note that, every year before this, there have been plenty of turkeys for sale on the shelves in every supermarket, so we’ll be able to buy something. And the shops are only closed for a day!

I hasten to add that I love Christmas and in years past went to enormous trouble over it. Then I lost my beloved mum (it’ll be 5 years this year) and that made most of the joy I felt in making it lovely for her evaporate.

But I do love this thread and everyone’s posts.

No way, not in a south coast location by any chance?

I’m loving all the wreaths! Wreaths haven’t been a big thing for me, but I’m starting to flirt…. I have always spruced up a synthetic one. I’ve started gathering greenery for sprigs around the house though, so may expand.

In contrast to everyone else, I love homemade stollen! I dislike fruit and find shop bought too rich and pastry like.
Nigel’s recipe is like a fragrant enriched bread. I leave out all the things I don’t like and up the spice levels. It’s irresistible. I had to freeze it in chunks to stop myself eating it in one go, and still gnawed hunks of the frozen pieces 🤣