The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles Readalong 2026

[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) is a diary form book which begins on 1st November, however there are 25 pages of Introduction. That's why I start the thread now; to allow time to prepare and get ready to start together proper come 1st November after the Introduction has been done.

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 (where there is an entry) and we can share our thoughts and feelings on the days recipes, sentiments and indeed Dear Nigel himself. Observations of nature and annecdotes of the seasons are also welcomed along with general genial chit chat!

So a hearty 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 rather 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!

Just a thought for those still after the book:
The Harper Collins website offers 30% discount if you subscribe to their newsletter, however, the code OLDFRIEND actually gives 50% off, bringing the price down to £14. Could be a relatively bargainous way of getting a new copy.

@Carriemac I also love Winter Solstice. A beautiful, cosy Christmas read but not of the chick lit variety!
My guilty pleasure is usually a Sarah Morgan Christmas offering. Light, predictable and not likely to win any literary awards.

I’m slightly torn about the luxury Advent calendars. We know that Nigel prefers the old-fashioned ones with a simple picture behind each window. Obviously he’s not averse to ridiculous extravagance, but he’s so specific in his tastes that I can’t believe he’d enjoy the randomness of an Advent calendar, unless he could be absolutely sure he’d be finding a Diptyque Baies, a Trudon Carmelite or some Santa Maria Novella Melograno soap in there!
@Decafflatteplease I also have a memory of Nigel’s description of his alcohol soaked fruit which he somewhat improbably claims to enjoy as a treat after doing tge ironing!

I love this too! Have got Tove Jansson's The Winter Book lined up for this year, but might revisit Winter Solstice.

It's the most wonderful thread of the year! I will mostly lurk here and post on The Other One but it will make the autumn shade into winter that much more joyously. All gratitude to @RainbowZebraWarrior .

I'd not heard of Winter Solstice but had a look and I think it's an ideal Christmas present for a friend, so thank you for the recommendation.

I've got the Pintail Candles advent calendar coming, and have resisted all others, although I'm running low on bath stuff and the Lush one with a bath bomb every day is quite tempting!

Looking forward to joining

Hello all. I have winter solstice but haven't read it yet. Maybe this is the year? I've been listening to the audiobook of Nigel whilst looking at the beautiful photographs in the actual book. Can't remember if I've tried all the alcohol and fruit recipes yet. I've definitely done the apricot one

Thank you for this thread. I hadn't come across this particular book but I love Christmas and Nigel Slater's writing so this might be just the place for me.

In return may I offer Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising as a very enjoyable winter read. I always read it around the winter solstice and the BBC Audio version is incredible. You can start listening on 20th December and it takes you right up to New Years Eve.

Anyway I have just ordered a copy of CC from World of Books and I usually find a fancy candle around now so I'm all set.

I was on the Nigel thread last year, mostly lurking. I read the book fully for the 1st time last winter and I'm excited to read it again!
I made the apricot Brandy, baked pears and discovered that I do actually like mince pies! I'm looking forward to making them again, and others this winter.

Last Christmas was the most laid back/ relaxing I've ever had and want to recreate that again.

This year will be more simple re gifts, and want to either make my gifts or buy locally made, simple gifts for everyone. Probably the latter as I feel like I should have started making things months ago!

Thank you for running this thread @RainbowZebraWarrior

Thanks for the recommendation. I don't always think of actual winter fiction, so this looks a bit different. I've bookmarked the BBC page and put a note in my phone to start on 20th December.

So many lovely things to look forward to on the cold dark winter nights ahead.

I meant to reply to this as I did not know that about the boks being a series. Also wanted to say I hope you do find it a cosy retreat here, as that's exactly what it is for me. It's a bit of a outlet really as a chronically ill single parent with an autistic daughter. She starts her Yr 10 GCSE mocks next week, so I feel you. We have GCSEs in Yr 10 and 11, so it's going to be a full-on couple of years! Sending hugs and thanks again for the beautiful autumn recommendation. (I am now torn between the audible version and the real thing for my collection!)

@LillianGish
I’m partial to a beauty advent calendar (or two) but I also love the traditional picture advent calendars. A throw back to my childhood and something I continued with my own children.
There are some beautiful ones out there. I think Art File sell some.

I keep meaning to read The Dark Is Rising @Librarina and so I will start it around the solstice too, what a lovely idea.

I am with Nigel on the advent calendars, the picture ones are best.

I am going to see about digging out what Christmas themed books I have and either look to reading them, or passing them on. I used to read loads, but due to a chronic health condition I mainly use audiobooks nowadays.

The Dark is Rising was a childhood/ teen favourite for me but not read it since, must give it another go. Not sure if I've read Winter Book @Villagetoraiseachild but I love Tove. I really enjoyed the Val McDermid book and gave it to lots of people last Christmas! Her reading it as the audiobook is fantastic too.

I'm currently feeling quite unsure what Christmas will look like for me this year - I'm usually on my own for the actual day, but really busy in the run-up with social/ work things. But last year I was trying to keep up that busy-ness without knowing I was in the early stages of Long COVID, and ended up really unwell over the actual holidays (but still tried to cook myself a Christmas dinner, and felt so rough I could barely eat it). I'm finally starting to feel a bit better but want to keep this year calm and gentle.

I usually fall behind on the readalong early on but it’s one of my favourite winter traditions. Happy Wintering to us all!

Calm and gentle are the watchwords here @martha79. It's one of the things I love about CCs - so much Christmas writing is about counting down, stockpiling, mass catering and general frenzy which fizzles out on Boxing Day when everyone starts talking about taking their trees down. I love that Nigel is more about embracing a soft, candlelit vibe as the nights draw in with Christmas as a focus, but in a way that is a comfort and not a burden then extending that cosy feeling beyond December 26 so the comfort and joy stretches into the New Year and beyond. And while Nigel does undoubtedly have very expensive taste, his approach is not all about spending and shopping and acquiring more stuff - lighting a candle, pouring a drink in a lovely glass and enjoying the twinkling calm couldn't be more Nigel. Lovely to have Christmas in your new home - I never feel properly at home in a new place until I have celebrated Christmas there, finding new places for all my favourite decorations (and clearing out the ones that don't make the grade!)

The Dark Is Rising is absolute perfection, I don't read it every Christmas but at least once every three or four years. Might go for The Box of Delights this year though - I've never read the book but the TV adaptation is a strong childhood memory.

I have just spent 15 mins sorting out my window boxes, the little Violas look so perky and a couple of them seem to be scented, too. Tucked into the boxes are some geranmiums from last year, which survived the hot Summer and I looked at the rather stunning variegated geraniumn which I bought in late Summer, which is now rather bushy and I can see flower spears... dying to know what colour they will be, as the leaves are lime, apple green and red. Will try to post some pics later.

The bulb pots are all showing willing, including the lasagne planted pot where spear-like leaves are already looking out for sun... I am hoping that the Tete-a-tete narcissi will make a comeback, too... I remember my sister ringing me after a trip to a local garden centre when a woman behind her had referred to them as Teet-a-Teety bulbs, cannot look at them now, without remembering that call and her giggling down the phone.

Now the bulbs are not the only thing making progress this morning, there is a very small but persistent hair on my chin, which I can feel with my fingers but is evading tweezers... I ask you, where is the dignity in old age?

Thanks for all the book recommendations, I am currently waking in the early hours so the books are so helpful in getting me back to sleep.

Quick question - is this thread going to go through the book page by page (or entry by entry) to follow the book in ‘real time’? And the other year long thread might do that but is more a generic ‘let’s talk about Nigel related stuff in random months’?

And, if it is the page by page thread, I don’t have the book (money) so will this thread make sense to me? I have found the book on Spotify but I’ve never used their audio book section, but Google assures me I can listen to the entire book being read 🤷‍♀️.

I did the thread for the first time last year and the book took a day or two to arrive, but I think that the thread does follow the book day by day but will make sense even though you do not have a physical copy. Such is the nature of the book, it has both the recipes and, his memories and thoughts about the day in question. For example, early in November the candle conversation starts, from @RainbowZebraWarrior who will share which candles she is making (and that skill makes me so jealous) to people like me who are thrilled to pick up a Saint Eval Candle hidden away at TK Maxx, to all ports in between. I love the thread because it is interpolated with current actuality and people's memories... I suspect that @RainbowZebraWarrior does not know this yet but that there will come a point where she is editing a companion book to The Christmas Chronicles from these threads!

@LatteLady Thank you. I’m all in then!

Yes, this thread will follow the book in real time. I will post a paragraph or so of 'into' or excerpt from each day there is an entry accompanied by a photo if there is one. I could also post the recipes, so you would be able to follow along.

The year round chat doesn't cover the CC at all really and tends to very much die down once the Christmas Chronicles thread takes over. I might still post there occasionally, but most folk decamp here as otherwise there would beba ot of juggling / duplication between the two.

I believe you need Spotify premium in order to listen to audiobooks there. I spotted the book yesterday for £2 and wish I had grabbed it, now. If I see another, I shall pounce and send it to you.

In the meantime, if you - or anyone else - have a spare hour and would like to listen to my mad rambling get to know me via a Spotify podcast recorded in late April this year, please do feel free:

open.spotify.com/episode/1CCIFvb2LbP5fVplOPWXa0?si=sQ--wvZKT-K03kPsQZgiYQ&utm_source=copy-link

Haha. There has certainly been a lot of contnet created over the years by our merry band of Nigel followers (or the Nigel Slater Groupie Group as Trevor Nelson called it!)