Robin - Christmas recipes & crafts : for the perfect homemade Christmas

Theres no denying it. Christmas is a truly magical time of year. Theres the crisp, cool bite of winter air, the smell of pine needles, twinkling lights and, if youre lucky, even a few jingle bells jingling, too. And thats just outside. Inside cosy homes everywhere, the smells of freshly baked mince pies and biscuits mingle with the scent of the freshly cut Christmas tree adorned with twinkling lights, sparkling baubles and decorations. A gammon or a bird roasting in the oven raises everyones appetite for the big sit-down meal that draws generations of family, loved ones and good friends to the table.

What better way to spend time with the family than cooking up delicious treats, making gifts for others and fashioning your own unique Christmas decorations? As the weather turns chilly and the days get shorter, the weeks leading up to Christmas are the perfect time to start your craft projects whether youre making gifts or home decorations.

Decorations like the Christmas Wreath or Decorative Jar make lovely gifts for those hard-to-buy-for people on your list. Home-made Christmas cards, like the Christmas Snowflake Card come in handy when its time to put Christmas and New Year greetings in the post. Gift Tags and Gift Decorations, too, are both useful and a fun way to add a personal touch to your gift presentations.

Set a festive scene in your home with Handmade Stockings, Christmas Card Tree Decorations, a Country-style Garland and a Decorative Centrepiece. And if youre feeling romantic, dont forget to hang a sprig or two of mistletoe!

The best cold-weather activity of all just might be staying indoors and cooking up delicious treats either to give as gifts or serve to guests. From the Christmas Kitchen offers plenty of delectable gift ideas. From Indulgent Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix and Pistachio & Apricot Nougat to Christmas Ginger Thins and Nutty Peppermint Bark, theres a sweet treat to appeal to everyone on your list. Savoury options like Corn Relish or Mixed Nuts in Herbed Salt are sure to delight those who dont go for sugary treats.

Once your gifts are all wrapped up, its time to plan for the festive meals. No matter what type of affair you envision, our festive recipes will do the season justice. The Christmas Favourites chapter includes essential recipes for the main event Festive Prawn Cocktail, Traditional Roast Turkey, Roast Pheasant, Chestnut & Sausage Stuffing, Golden Christmas Cake and many other seasonal favourites.

Brunch favourites like Christmas Spiced Pancakes, Asparagus & Egg Pastries and the always-popular Pain au Chocolat Cinnamon Rolls are sure to delight on Christmas morning.

Kick off a celebratory dinner with Chestnut & Pancetta Soup or Baked Oregano Lobster. For the main dish, choose from a traditional Prime Rib of Beef au Jus or Roast Monkfish with Boulangre Potatoes. Pair these with superb sides like Mashed Sweet Potatoes. Desserts like Cheesecake with Caramel Pecan Nuts or a Dark Chocolate Yule Log provide an elegant ending.

Weve even got you covered for drinks and canaps, with recipes for Holiday Eggnog, Kir Royale, Stuffed Olives, Blinis with Prawns & Wasabi Cream and more.

A chapter on leftovers offers deliciously creative ideas for giving them a second life. Turn leftover roast turkey into Turkey Club Sandwiches, leftover roast chicken into Chicken & Dumplings, leftover ham into Ham & Leek Risotto and leftover potatoes and Brussels sprouts into Salmon & Potato Casserole.

Enjoy the Season

Christmas is meant to be full of joy and good fun, but too often we get bogged down in the work of it all. So many parties to plan and attend! so many meals to cook, gifts to buy or make and other tasks to attend to. A good plan of action can ensure that youll enjoy the season to the utmost.

Start your crafting and shopping early as soon as the mood strikes. The minute the weather turns chilly is the perfect time to start thinking about Christmas crafts. For gifts, the advice to start early is always useful, but if you wait until the last couple of weeks before Christmas you can take advantage of the pre-Christmas sales. Better yet, if youre really organized, shop during the January sales for next years gifts. Even if you simply take advantage of reductions on gift wrap, greeting and gift cards, Christmas tree ornaments, lights and other decorations, youll cut down on last-minute chores and save money.