Seven weeks to Christmas…….. and counting! Don’t ask, what do you mean? If you aren’t already getting into the Christmas spirit better get your skates on, and quickly.
The malls are looking beautifully festive and both The Glen and Mall of the South are twinkling. Christmas gifts, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons are everywhere, and even some of the cashiers seemed to be getting into a festive mood this past week.
I have to brag, last Sunday I wrapped 12 Christmas gifts I’d already purchased throughout the year and now our guest room looks like Santa’s Grotto!
Christmas mincemeat with a twist
Now’s the time to make your Christmas mincemeat for those delicious mince pies which we all love. I have shared this with you many times, but it’s such a winner. I find the jars of shop bought Christmas mincemeat very sweet and too syrupy.
Ingredients
1 jar of shop-bought Christmas mincemeat – any of the different brands are quite fine.
4 Granny Smith apples (if available) or otherwise apples which have a tart taste.
100g flaked almonds (one small packet).
50g Glacé cherries (chopped into small pieces).
Grated rind from two lemons and one orange.
Half-a-box of Atora Suet (usually available at Checkers and Pick n Pay).
Half-a-small cup of brandy
Method
Spoon out the whole jar of shop-bought Christmas mince into a big mixing bowl. Peel the apples and grate finely into the mince. Grate the lemon and orange rind and add to the mixture.
Add the flaked almonds, chopped cherries and suet, mix together and then pour the brandy into the mixture. Mix again.
You should get about three jam jars from this mixture. Spoon into the jars and keep in the fridge until needed. If you don’t have extra empty jars, use Tupperware containers or similar.
I’ll give you the homemade pastry recipe in the next week or two, and it’s easy!
It’s a wrap
I know, I know I always chat about beautifully wrapped gifts and some wrapping paper and gift bags are gorgeous, but for the sake of our planet, use it sparingly (especially if it’s foil, glitter or laminated) these generally cannot be recycled.
Brown paper, on the other hand, is usually recyclable and with a little bit of effort and some creative thinking, can still look fab.
Use bright red, gold, silver or green ribbon to tie the gift, and add some green foliage (only at the last minute though or it may go dry). Or spray cones silver or gold and attach (somehow, maybe florist wire) to the ribbon.
If you really are a fan of bright wrapping paper, wrap kiddies’ gifts in this and adult gifts with the brown, adding you own decorations.
Sexy aftershaves
Men usually have their favourites, and women have their favourites they like their men to wear! All the usual stores sell aftershaves, Dischem, Clicks, Edgards, Foschini, Truworths and I think the Body Shop, may sell men’s range of products too. Always a winner!
Trendy wear
Shorts, in all colours, will make a great gift and team it up with a T-shirt. This year even for men you can choose from glorious bright colours, including turquoise, lemon, lime, orange and teal. Maybe buy him a whole outfit (you’d like him to wear for Christmas day), shorts, T-shirt or shirt and casual shoes/ flip flops. No letting him get away with tatty clothing!
Boxers, socks, swim wear, a beach towel, a beach bag, the list is endless.
Something to nosh
Make up a hamper, a shoe box decorated in Christmas paper will do fine. Scrunch up tissue paper and put it in the bottom of the box. Choose chocolates, nougat, biscuits, marzipan, coffee and a honey sugar stirrer. Add a manly coffee mug and some biltong and a bottle of something he likes. Hey presto! There’s the gift!
Book lover
If you know what he likes to read, go ahead and buy him a book you’d know he’d love. Otherwise buy a gift voucher from Exclusive Books or Bargain Books, you won’t go wrong with that. Buy him his favourite magazine, tie with twine or string and a gift with the voucher. Now especially with load shedding, add a book light, perfect for those evenings when the power goes off!
Gardening fan
Pop along to your local garden nursery, some do gift vouchers, again a great idea. If you go this “root”, pardon the pun – buy a small potted plant and attach the gift voucher, it will look a little more festive. Books on gardening are also a good idea or a gardening magazine.
The serious barman
Most of the “home” stores such as @Home Living, the home section of Woolworths and MRP have some excellent “bar” essentials. A cocktail shaker is definitely a must, especially now with gins being a top drink. Add a bottle opener, wine neck and stopper, ice bucket and tongs, glasses for different drinks (beer, wine, cocktails and gin, not forgetting martini) and this will all make up his bar. Buy him a book on how to mix the perfect cocktail and you’ll be in for a very merry Christmas!
That’s it for this week. Shop till you drop!
Julie
