Christmas: Choosing the tree

If you have a real tree, choosing ‘the one’ and is always a bit of a Christmas milestone

It’s the same every year, but then that’s the point: selecting the tree is one of the Yuletide rituals that we inherit, faithfully re-enact, then pass on, safe in the knowledge that while all around us changes, Christmas is as it ever was.

No matter whether you’re after a spruce, pine or fir, digging it up yourself or buying it at the garden centre, there’s that special moment when you’ve got it untangled from its cobwebby wrapping, chopped the top off because it was too tall for the room, and positioned it in the stand, all ready for embellishment.

There you are, surrounded by boxes of baubles from the loft. You’ve tested the lights still work; now Christmas can begin. It’s time to make magic in the corner of your living room.

How to choose a real tree

David Ware is from Edible Culture, a ‘peat, pesticide and single-use-plasticfree’ nursery in Kent that specialises in loal Christmas trees. Here, he offers his best advice for choosing a real tree…

• Always ask if your tree is locally sourced; it will show your supplier that you care.

• Consider your type of tree. Firs are known for holding onto their needles, and their stronger smell.

• Generally, spruces require a little bit more attention in that they need more water. The blue spruce is a delightful exception to this rule and is known for keeping its needles. It gets its name from its beautiful blue-grey hue (an effect created by the wax on its needles).

• Ask for the tree to be removed from its net to check it’s well balanced.

• Try to find a bare-rooted tree (one taken from the ground while still growing, roots intact), then you can pot it up yourself in peat-free compost. Once home, put it in a bucket of water straightaway in a sheltered spot, before potting up.

• Bring your tree into the house as late as possible. We always wait until Christmas Eve.

• However your tree was supplied, to help it last longer keep the compost moist by standing the pot on a saucer of water and topping it up regularly.

• Place the tree away from radiators.

• Ask if your supplier offers recycling facilities. If not, find out if and when your local authority collects. Some councils run schemes that turn your tree into chippings, which you can then use as mulch.

We interviewed David Ware in issue 90 of The Simple Things. You can order back issues from our online store.

More Christmas traditions…

From our December issue…

Christmas crackers: How to wear a paper hat plus six awful cracker jokes

There is a moment at every Christmas lunch when the paper hat is unfolded from
a cracker and plonked on the head. These crown shaped hats are peculiarly British and are said to either date back to Roman Saturnalia celebrations, or Twelfth Night knees-ups as a nod to the king or queen, depending on which source you believe. Whatever their provenance, these hats that suit no one are best worn without self-consciousness and endured until the turkey arrives, when they can be ‘accidentally’ brushed off and swept under the table.

Six awful cracker jokes

How do you drain your sprouts at Christmas?
With an advent colander.

Who hides in a bakery at Christmas?
A mince spy.

What do vampires put on their turkey?
Gravey.

Why did the turkey decide to join the band?
Because it had drumsticks.

What's the best thing to put in a Christmas pudding?
Your teeth.

What did one snowman say to the other snowman?
Can you smell carrot?

You’re welcome.
 

More Christmas fun…

More from our December issue…

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Christmas recipe: Mulled white wine

The scents of cloves and cinnamon wafting from this wintry punch are a wonderful accompaniment for any Yuletide gathering, or take some out to warm carol singers this evening

Mulled white wine with cinnamon & cloves

Warming spices and wine in a toasty tipple that tastes as good as it smells

Serves 6
1 x 750ml bottle white wine
500ml cider
Juice and zest of 1⁄2 orange
1⁄2 lemon, sliced
3–4 star anise
3 cinnamon sticks, plus extra to serve (optional)
1 tbsp cloves
1 vanilla pod
4 tbsp caster sugar

Heat all the ingredients in a pan, until steaming but not boiling. 

Serve with cinnamon sticks, if you like.

This recipe was originally published in our December 2017 issue but it’s just as warming and festive today.

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Staple foods 7 | Champagne

Only at this time of year would champagne qualify as a staple - but it is a time to eat, drink and be merry

Native to Northern France, only 60 miles east of Paris, champagne is a sparkling wine from the region of the same name, which is home to 319 wine-making villages and more than 15,000 wine growers.

Traditionally, it is made of a blend of white and red grapes – pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay. While still wine is the result of fermentation, champagne’s bubbles, like most sparkling wines, are the product of a second fermentation through the addition of yeast and sugar. Since 1936 it’s been awarded an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) thanks to its unique terroir, with its northerly latitude, cool climate and chalky soils.

Other sparkling wines are available round the world, from Spain’s cava and Italy’s prosecco to Germany’s Deutscher sekt. And you can find increasingly good sparkling wines from England, Brazil, Australia and South Africa. But a bottle of champagne is popped around the world every two seconds.

This feature was originally published in our December 2017 issue, but there’s always time for champagne. We hope whatever you’re drinking this evening, it brings a little sparkle with it. A very happy and hopeful 2021 from all of us at The Simple Things.

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How to make a pine cone bird feeder

Bring birds to your garden in time for the Big Garden Birdwatch

January marks 40 years of the RSPB’s Big Garden Bird Watch. It all began in 1979 with a modest plan to provide something to occupy the society’s junior membership. But when Biddy Baxter gave it a mention on Blue Peter, the society was flooded with 34,000 requests to join in. And The Big Garden Birdwatch has been ruffling feathers ever since.

This year’s Big Garden Birdwatch takes place from 26-28 January. You can sign up for your free pack to join in here. Then all you need is a free morning, a view of your outside space, a large pot of tea and a bit of cake (we recommend seedcake if you’re really getting into the spirit of the thing) and an identifier for your garden birds. We’ve printed a nifty identifier for some of the most common garden birds in our January issue, which is on sale now (or buy a copy here). You can thank us later.

In the meantime, here’s a simple way to make a bird feeder to encourage more feathery fellas to your garden in preparation for the big day.

A pine cone makes a great natural base for a bird feeder, with an open structure that’s just the thing for stuffing full of nutritious and delicious titbits for our feathered friends during harsh, wintry weather

How to make your feeder

1 Collect medium to large pine cones. Don’t worry if they’re tightly closed – just bring them indoors for a few days or pop in the oven to encourage ‘blooming’.

2 Attach string to the tip of the pine cone, ready for hanging up.

3 Spread a layer of peanut butter, fat or suet over the cone, pressing in between the scales so it’s entirely covered. Place a mix of birdseed on a tray and roll the pine cone until well coated. Go for a general mix to encourage a variety of garden birds or choose something more specific to attract a particular species – niger seed, for example, is a favourite for goldfinches and greenfinches while peanuts are the snack of choice for blue tits, great tits and siskins.

4 Hang in a secluded part of the garden, near the shelter of a hedge or shrub to provide birds with a quick safe haven nearby if they need it.

5 Replenish once supply is depleted.

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Hangover-busting body oil

It’s worth having this uplifting body oil ready for those dreaded hangovers that can take you by surprise at this time of year. After the first obvious step of a bacon sarnie, try taking a hot shower, then applying this soothing tonic

Things you’ll need:
3 tbsp jojoba oil
3 tbsp almond oil
8 drops eucalyptus essential oil
8 drops peppermint essential oil
8 drops lavender essential oil
4 drops tea tree essential oil
4 drops geranium essential oil

1 This is the easiest of recipes. Simply combine all the oils in a glass bottle and shake until they’re mixed and ready. Use this body oil after a refreshing shower and, voilà, hangover no more!

Why this works...
Eucalytpus is invigorating and purifies the body. Peppermint supports digestion, improves focus, boosts energy, helps to clear headaches and eases muscle pain. Soothing lavender has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Tea tree reduces bad odours and can help to stimulate the immune system. Geranium helps skin to stay healthy. Jojoba oil contains vitamin E and has high levels of antibacterial iodine. Almond oil calms irritation and is moisturising. 

Taken from All Natural Beauty by Karin Berndl and Nici Hofer (Hardie Grant). 

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Christmas Survival Tummy Tonic

Settles the stomach after overindulging in rich foods, making it as much of a festive essential as sprouts and brandy butter

MAKES: 415g
KEEPS: 1 year
INGREDIENTS
Dried ground herbs: 
15g angelica root
15g chamomile
15g liquorice
15g marsh mallow root
15g artichoke roots or milk thistle seeds
340g jar of runny honey

1 Mix the ground herbs thoroughly with the honey to make a paste or thick syrup.
2 Take 1–2 tsp in a glass or cup of hot water, 1–3 times daily for as long as needed.

Found in The Domestic Alchemist: 501 Herbal Recipes for Home, Health and Happiness by Pip Waller (Leaping Hare Press)

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Merry Christmas from The Simple Things

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Christmas: Boxing day walks

Cheek-chilling walks, daredevil dips or a day at the races, turn to page 74 of December’s The Simple Things for plenty of energetic ideas to persuade you from your sofa to make a day of it on the 26th

Read on for three Boxing Day walks with a twist.

Go with a guide

Joining a guided walking tour can bring a whole new dimension to your country ramble or parkland stroll. Check out the National Trust (nationaltrust.org.uk). Hinton Ampner in Hampshire,
is holding a four-mile tour around the estate led by the head gardener; at Bodiam Castle in East Sussex a guided walk also offers an exclusive preview of the castle interiors followed by a breakfast bap.

Take to the streets

Explore the urban landscape on your doorstep. You may think you’ve seen it all before, but have you? Stop to read plaques and signs, take the turns you usually pass by, and discover a new-found love for those familiar streets (see our feature on urban walks in October 2016, issue 52).

Set up a treasure hunt

It’s just not Christmas without a quiz. Add a bit of fun and healthy competition to your festive walk by setting up a Christmas- themed treasure hunt. The prize? The last of the mince
pies of course! 

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Christmas: How to light your Christmas pudding

These methods will set off your plum pudding with aplomb

These two loved and trusted ways of getting a fabulous flame on your pud both rely on the same essentials – that is getting your brandy, your serving implement and the pudding itself warm. Our additional serving suggestions include keeping your audience calm and seated, and moving anything flammable well out of range.

FLASH IN THE PAN

1 Pour cooking brandy into a small pan and gently warm until it begins to start steaming.
2 Tip to the side of the pan, then light.
3 Angle the pan away from you and pour over a warm pudding.

LADLE IT ON

1 Fill a metal ladle or large metal spoon about three-quarters full of cooking brandy.
2 Heat over a flame.
3 Carefully tip the candle flame towards the brandy to light.
4 Pour your flaming brandy over the top of the pudding. 

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How to be a better caroller

Hark! The herald angels sing... more harmoniously by following our suggestions

While these tips won’t magically gift you the voice of an angel, they will improve what you’ve got, or at least make you more confident about it.

Take the stand

Singing is a lot about breathing. Stand with legs apart, chest lifted up, and shoulders back to help with air flow.

Stay hydrated

Step away from the egg nog. Water keeps vocal cords hydrated and happy.

Open wide

To create air space within your mouth, your tongue should be forward, touching your bottom teeth; your mouth open (long, not wide).

Tune in...

Singing with others is great for aspiring improvers – listen to other voices to work out when you’re getting it right. Resist the opportunity to belt it out – mid-volume is better.

... and keep going

Stronger voices come with practice, so keep carolling, whether in the shower or the car, and by next year you should be ding donging merrily on high. 

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Christmas: Gingerbread tree decorations

Edible tree baubles with built-in festive fragrance, as well as heaps of homemade charm

Makes 20
180g dark brown sugar
4 tbsp golden syrup
100g unsalted butter
350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
11⁄2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg, beaten

For the icing
White icing pen or ready-to-use decorating icing (transferred to an icing syringe) – both available from Lakeland or Hobbycraft

1 Melt the sugar, syrup and butter together in a pan. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
2 Tip the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, cinnamon and beaten egg into a large bowl. Add the syrup mixture and stir to combine. Gently knead in the bowl to form a soft, streak-free dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins.
3 Remove from the fridge and set aside to soften for about 5 mins. Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/400F and line two baking trays with baking parchment.
4 Dust a work surface with flour, roll out the dough to around 1⁄2 cm thick, cut out your shapes and place on the lined baking trays. Keep re-working the dough until you have used it all. If you’re hanging the biscuits, make holes for the string – a skewer or chopstick works well.
6 Bake for 8–10 minutes, until a darker brown. While still hot and on the baking sheet, sharpen up the holes with your chosen instrument, before transferring to racks to cool.
7 Once completely cool, decorate the biscuits with white icing, then loop through some string for hanging.

More scents of Christmas on page 24 of December’s The Simple Things, including Orange pot pourri, Filo mince pies, Pine drawer sachets, Chestnut and mushroom pate and Herb smudge wands.

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Recipe: Fig and pomegranate rum trifle

You’ve got to have a trifle - it’s Christmas!

Serves 8–10

300ml pomegranate juice
3 shots rum*
600g Madeira cake
16 figs
Seeds from 1⁄2 pomegranate
600ml double cream
2 x 500g pots fresh custard
Edible gold leaf, to decorate (optional)

1 Mix the pomegranate juice with 2 shots of the rum in a bowl. Chop the cake into chunks and dip briefly into the rum and juice mixture before layering into the bottom of a glass trifle bowl. Halve six of the figs and arrange, cut side facing out, around the side of the bowl.
2 Scoop out the flesh from the remaining figs and chop finely, before mixing with the last shot of rum. Spoon the mixture over the sponge and top with a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds, reserving enough to decorate the trifle.
3 Just before serving, whisk the cream to soft peaks. Use a little of the whipped cream to create a thin barrier over the boozy fig mixture. This will keep your decorative fig halves free of custard.
4 Spoon over the custard, followed by the rest the whipped cream. Sprinkle with the reserved pomegranate seeds and some edible gold leaf, if using.

*To make your trifle family friendly, replace the rum with an extra 75ml pomegranate juice

Turn to page 36 of December's The Simple Things for more of our pot luck pleasures feast, including:

Rosehip and blood orange punch
Red onion, goats’ cheese and walnut tart
Chicory, pear, stilton and pecan salad
Salmon en croûte with dill sauce
Honey and sage roast root vegetables
Clementine and chocolate bread and butter pudding

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Think: The gift of goodwill

Giving and doing good helps others while making you a happier person too. but only if you do it for the right reasons

December's The Simple Things looks at how giving can be good for you, as well as your cause. Or read on for a quick guide to being kind.

Altruistic could-do list

Show kindness
Give unwanted warm clothes to a homeless person, offer the toys/bike you were going to put on Ebay to a family who might appreciate some help this Christmas.

The Salvation Army, for example, runs a Christmas Present Appeal, salvationarmy.org.uk. 

Donate
Many of us have a cause that’s close to our hearts, but if you want to donate to charity and feel bewildered by the choice of worthy recipients, GiveWell (givewell.org) is an independent evaluator that rates charities in terms of lives saved or improved.

Volunteer
Type your postcode in to do-it.org, a national volunteering database, to find opportunities in your community, from dog-walking to admin.

Be neighbourly 
More than one million elderly people in the UK regularly go a whole month without speaking to anyone. If you don’t know a person who needs befriending, ageuk.org.uk can put you in touch.

Turn to page 90 of December’s The Simple Things for more.
 

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Christmas: Juletid in Norway

The Norwegians are big on Christmas (Juletid) with celebrations starting on Christmas Eve at 4pm and lasting until 13 January. Here are some highlights:

• Santa Claus (Julenissen) delivers presents to children on Christmas Eve helped by a troupe of small gnomes (Nisse). Decorations are hung, the Christmas tree is lit and rice porridge served with butter, sugar and cinnamon is enjoyed.
• The Julebukk (Yule goat) is a leftover symbol from pagan traditions – some people wearing goat masks and costumes (Julebukkers) still go from door to door singing songs.
• Each city puts up a huge Christmas tree, usually on the first Sunday of Advent when local people hold hands and dance around it in celebration.
• On the 13 December schools celebrate St Lucia Day, when a pupil, wearing a crown of candles, represents St Lucia and leads a procession of children, handing out Lussekatter (edible treats; see our own cake tribute, saffron bundt cake).

Turn to page 96 of December’s The Simple Things for a Norwegian family enjoying the snuggest of Christmases in their alpine timber lodge - think crackling fires, twinkling lights and lots of tasty treats to savour.

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Recipe: Saffron bundt cake with pears

Saffron-flavoured buns, for St Lucia’s Day, are a December tradition in Norway and Sweden. This saffron cake with pears is a twist on that

30g breadcrumbs
50g butter
100ml whole milk
0.5g ground saffron
2 large or 3 small pears
A little lemon juice
325g caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
300g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp salt
50g Greek yoghurt
Icing sugar, for dusting

1 Preheat oven to 180C/Fan 160C/350F. Grease a 25cm Bundt or ring pan and dust with breadcrumbs, tipping out the excess. 
2 Melt butter and add milk and ground saffron. Stir and set aside to infuse.
3 Peel and core pears and cut into bite-sized chunks. Add lemon juice, stir and set aside.
4 In a mixing bowl, beat sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until thick, light and fluffy using a balloon or hand-held electric whisk. Mix the remaining dry ingredients and sift into the egg mixture. Fold in until incorporated.
5 Add the yoghurt and saffron-milk mixture and fold gently until completely combined. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Add pear pieces – they’ll sink during baking. 
6 Bake for 30–35 mins until a skewer comes out clean. Cool before turning out. Dust with icing sugar and serve with whipped cream.

Recipe from Scandikitchen: Fika & Hygge by Bronté Aurell (Ryland Peters & Small).

Turn to page 59 of December's The Simple Things for more Christmas Cake in the house, including:

Cinnamon Danish pastry swirls
Cranberry, sherry and vine fruit cake
Mocha roll

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Sponsored post: Pukka's herbal encyclopedia – cinnamon

Full of sweet and stimulating essential oils, cinnamon is a long-time favourite for invigorating and warming the whole body, while generally making life more delicious. Cinnamon’s sweet spiciness comes from a combination of potent compounds including cinnamaldehyde and coumarin which gives this herb its distinctive flavour. Pukka teams cinnamon with star anise and ginger to create a warming, deeply spiced tea.

Soothing and nourishing

In traditional medicines, cinnamon is thought to benefit a cold and sluggish digestion, metabolism and circulation. In Ayurveda, India’s ancient health system, the bark of the tree is used as a major digestive herb. It is wonderfully warming, sweet and pungent. Additionally, cinnamon appears to strengthen nutritional absorption as well as playing an important role in balancing blood sugar and reducing insulin resistance.

Some history

Until the 16th century the origins of cinnamon were a fiercely guarded secret;  global trade was controlled by wealthy Arabs who protected their monopoly and justified exorbitant prices by fabricating extraordinary tales, including how cinnamon was only found in giant birds’ nests perched on insurmountable mountain peaks, or in deep canyons guarded by flying snakes! To produce the traditional spice we see today, the bark is harvested and then either powdered or rolled into characteristic quills. The making of cinnamon quills is a traditional art in some countries.

Turn to page 23 of December's The Simple Things for this month's Pukkapedia and more on spices. 

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Recipe: Beetroot cured salmon with horseradish crème fraîche

Curing your own salmon really isn’t as difficult as it sounds. It’s an immensely satisfying job and the finished product looks and tastes amazing. The colour of the beetroot doesn’t quite seep into the centre, giving a lovely colour contrast, while the delicate flavours of the dill with the pink peppercorns and vodka really come through. A special starter for Christmas dinner which, thankfully, must be prepared in advance*.

Beetroot cured salmon with horseradish crème fraîche

MAKES 18–20
500g piece of salmon, pin-boned and scaled (skin on)
1 tbsp grated fresh or preserved horseradish
175g crème fraîche
6–8 thin slices rye bread
50g butter
Fresh dill or watercress, to serve

BEETROOT CURE
2 raw beetroot (about 200g)
1 tsp pink peppercorns
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp juniper berries
60g coarse sea salt
50g golden caster sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1⁄2 orange
2–3 tbsp freshly chopped dill
3 tbsp vodka
A baking sheet lined with three layers of clingfilm

1 To prepare the beetroot cure, peel and coarsely grate the beetroot into a large mixing bowl. Lightly crush the peppercorns, fennel seeds and juniper berries using a pestle and mortar. Add them to the bowl with the salt, sugar, citrus zests and half the dill.

2 Scatter one-third of the beetroot cure over the prepared baking sheet and lay the salmon on top, skin-side down. Cover the salmon with the remaining cure, pressing it into an even layer over the fish. Spoon the vodka over the top and wrap the fish tightly in the cling film. Lay another tray or tin on top of the salmon and weigh it down with something heavy. Set in the fridge for at least 2 days to cure.

3 Take the salmon from the fridge and unwrap it over a sink to catch the juices. Using your hands, scrape off as much of the cure as possible and pat the fish dry with paper towels. Finely chop the remaining dill and press into the top (flesh side) of the salmon. Using a very sharp knife, cut the salmon into wafer thin slices – cutting down to, but not through the skin, so you can transfer it easily to a serving platter.

4. Mix the grated horseradish with the crème fraîche and season. Thinly butter the rye bread and cut into bite-sized pieces. Spread with the créme fraîche and lay the salmon slices on top. Garnish with a little dill or watercress and a twist of freshly ground black pepper.

* The salmon needs at least two days to cure in the fridge

Recipe from Afternoon Tea at Home by Will Torrent, photography Matt Russell (Ryland Peters & Small)

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Jolly: December cover reveal

Let the revelry begin! Time to pour the punch, dust off the decanter and lay a lavish table. There’ll be parlour games, perhaps a quiz and of course some festive telly. Tis also the season for revelations. Santa is real – Rudolph, pure fiction. Pickled walnuts are chic, and colouring is all grown-up. Gifts come in many guises; the sprouts you grew, a cake you baked or an hour of your time. Wishing you a very jolly Christmas. With love from The Simple Things 

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Christmas: Make papercut star decorations for your tree

If paper chains feel passe and you're a bit bored with your baubles, try a DIY papercut tree decoration for a feelgood festive craft

The appeal of papercutting is the simple satisfaction of creating something from nothing. Starting literally with a blank sheet of paper, a drawing can become an intricate work of art. And like many other creative pursuits, it’s a meditative process, requiring your full attention.

Papercut artist Poppy Chancellor says, “We all need time to be artistic. It’s good for your brain and soul. There is something very soothing in this art of taking your time. When you patiently follow the lines with the knife, you will start to see elegant artistry emerge from a single sheet of paper. The hours slip away and all those daily worries start to dim. You don’t need much skill to cut along a suggested line but practice and patience are essential. Anyone with a scalpel and a steady hand can give it a try.”

If you’ve tried cutting a few designs, the next step is to draw your own, either by hand or digitally (just remember to flip your image once you are done and trace or print this mirror image on to the back of your chosen paper). Start by following paper artists and other creatives on social media to feed your mind. Share your own creations online and ask for feedback.

From Roman statues to Greyhound buses, there seems no subject too obscure or too tricky for papercutting. But some things are easier than others; Poppy’s drawn us a beginner’s papercut star tree decoration*, for example – well, it is Christmas!

This beautiful 3D Christmas scene is practically a paper sculpture and not a project for beginners. But see where having a go at our paper star template could take you (find it in the December issue of The Simple Things). You can also download her paper snowflake design. We’d love to see pics of them hung on your tree @simplethingsmag

Our template design features in Poppy’s book Cut it Out! 30 Designs to Cut Out and Keep (Virgin Books). 

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