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!

@leporello and @LatteLady what absolutely marvellous stories. Feel free to 'hijack' any time you like as far as I'm concerned. The more the merrier!

Every now and then I seriously consider becoming a nun once my daughter is an adult.

Some fantastic posts today - I am curious to know what @LatteLady posted in the first place which gave the clue to her convent connections (I have scrolled back, but couldn't see anything obvious - maybe I need to trawl the previous thread). Absolutely fascinating and more than a little reminiscent of Trudon's "silhouettes of nuns" in the Carmelite candle - quintessential Nigel and therefore arguably not a hijack at all @leporello.

Pretty sure it started with reference to the smells of the old damp stone wall candles in the first thread

@WinterBerry40 We’re staying in a small hotel in Borrowdale, and are pleased we’ve come in mid November when it is so much quieter, it’s been lovely. Beautiful sunshine on Monday, pouring down on Tuesday (but it didn’t stop us getting out for a walk by the river) and a beautiful day again today, sunny with snow on the hills. A visit this morning to the Castlerigg stone circle where the scenery was spectacular, the snow on the hills all around just beautiful.
@LatteLady and @LatteLady - fascinated to read about your nuns. I went as a day girl to a convent boarding school where the nuns were absolutely lovely, nothing like the horror stories one reads about happening in some convents. Have you read Terms and Conditions by Ysenda Maxtone Graham (Life in girls’ boarding schools 1939-1979? An amusing and fascinating read, with an interesting chapter on convent schools.
Thanks for all the supportive messages after my previous post, they are very much appreciated.

I have found it! It was a previous reference to modern language carol concerts for Bernardine Cistercian nuns in Westcliff-on-Sea - to be fair that is a fairly niche memory. I wonder if you sang one of my own personal favourites @LatteLady - Quelle est cette odeur agréable? Or Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing , to give the English translation - which I imagine is the first question anyone visiting Nigel’s pad might ask!

So pleased you've enjoyed your time so far in Borrowdale @Seasidebubbles and that it has been quieter than a PP (sorry, forgot their name) suggested. Hope you and your DH enjoy the rest of your break my lovely

That sounds a lovely break @Seasidebubbles Thanks for the book suggestion too, must look that one up.

@LillianGish we do niche so well here! And now you have me on a goodly earworm.

Sending you and your husband all my best @SeasidebubblesGlad you are having a nice time

The scenery sounds lovley, quite Alpine and what you needed @Seasidebubbles

@LillianGish if you were ever to find yourself in St. Albans on a Saturday morning you'd hear the carillon of the Cathedral bells playing Quelle est cette odeur agréable? (except they call it 'Carol of Beauty'). It’s quite something to hear it radiating out like some holy public address system!

20 November (ish) Stir-up Sunday

A shining star. A pudding aflame.

The last Sunday before Advent, the day on which we traditionally make the Christmas pudding, is known as Stir-up Sunday. The name sound older, almost medieval, but like much of this festive lark, it is down to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

Good morning, all, and thanks for all the lovely comments about the nun memories (yes, mine were all nice, our Westcliff 'penguins' weren't the type who get hard hitting dramas made about them) and thank you so much for the book rec @Seasidebubbles - that sounds right up my street.

I've had my early morning reflection with a cup of fennel and aniseed tea, Radio 3 and the cat - now I must prepare for a dull training course on some new software package. But - silver lining - it is in the neighbouring market town which offers a lot of Nigel-adjacent retail opportunities for afterwards.

Snowing again here. Thought I'd grab some pics this time before it goes again.

No snow here but it's frozen over, very pretty. I'll try to get some pictures if it doesn't melt .

I'm making my pudding on Sunday! I do it in the slow cooker.

We bought a pudding from Aldi yesterday. Will I be exiled from the thread?

(I don’t like it so don’t eat it; DH loves it but I draw the line on making one when I already do the cake, all other Christmas prep and organisation, and usually cook 90% of the Christmas dinner)

I buy the pudding too. It's the hours of steaming I'm trying to avoid.

Yesterday was a NVN day, catching up with WI stuff (I am the President) and sorting out home admin bits and bobs. These jobs take yonks!
Snow on the Welsh hills in the distance and a hard frost this morning.
I succumbed to the St Eval advent calendar last night. It will go beautifully with my Bird and Blend tea one I have every year.

Hi guys, I'm dipping in and out of your posts, too busy starting the online Christmas shopping to catchup with them all. :) I was wondering/hoping for a recommendation from all you experienced candle burning fanatics. I was looking on Amazon or somewhere else and you know when suddenly up pops the 'you're looking/need one of these' posts. So, it's for an electric candle lighter. I mean we use matches but I thought this would be easier, and look better wrapped up! But...do they really work, or will I have to hunt out the matches after numerous attempts to click on the candle?! Thanks.

As usual no snow for me. But a frozen duck pond for contend with. George the goose is not happy.

Having a midday break
Hope George the goose has cheered up

I’ve also bought a fancy vintage boozy pudding I have daydreams of swanning around a steamy windowed kitchen knocking up a batch puddings but we are far from that becoming a reality

I have sorted and moved the few “toys” (nerf and laser guns basically with a couple of Harry Potter wands - found Newt’s my favourite so that’s a good thing but also have no idea where already purchased Christmas gifts are - found some - oh well they will turn up).

Cold here but have a few pieces of rubbish (cracked plant pots) to fill rubble sack will do that and then do tea.

Have also put reflector foil behind radiators on outer walls. Starting to hunker.

A couple of folk on here said they use electric candle lighters (the prong type ones) @PrizedPickledPopcorn was one of them iirc. Both posters said they swore by them.

Thanks, when you've done books and fluffy socks then present buying for the OH gets more tricky! Lol.

There will be no stir-up Sunday in this house for the first time in many years - I'm the only one who likes/will eat Christmas pudding and now I can't have it either because gallstones grr.

However I found a solution while I was browsing in town earlier - a jar of cherries in kirsch which dd1 (vegan) and I will have with melted dark chocolate. Might make up for not being able to scarf down Celebrations in front of Christmas Strictly...

May I just say that I would have LOVED to see Naked Nigel (I mean, I'm presuming nakedness) running from a steaming Japanese bathhouse and plunging into a snowbank? 😂

I've been a bit absent and I'm VERY behind on the Book. This is mostly because I like to read it when nobody else is around, preferably in a tidier living room and with a candle on. The times this week that's happened are few indeed!

I've been doing short bursts of work in my (unheated and unnelectrified) craft shed, trying to make stock up for the big do I'm having a stall at on the 29th. (and a lovely and less hectic pop-up table at a friend's, the day after.) It's obviously Baltic in there, but it has the effect of 'allowing' me to opt for pastries and buns when I go out for a coffee to warm up, which isn't really aligning with the Far Fewer Carbs plan I put in place a couple of months back.

I was in Oxford the other day, escaping from the cold shed and the noisy builders, and found somewhere selling St Eval candles, so I capitulated and bought a pack of Sacred Forest tea lights. Normally I find pine-scented anything reminiscent of loo cleaner but these are nice.