The Perfect Christmas

Christmas is round the corner, in 25 days in fact! My favourite time of year, I love everything that Christmas brings - the exciting run up, getting all the decorations down from the attic, decorating the tree, buying and wrapping presents, and then there is the day itself; my husband is a brilliant chef so our Christmas lunch is always a highlight! 

I’ve pulled together a Christmas guide with how I create my perfect Christmas. It can sometimes feel like a daunting time, so I hope this guide will help you, even if it just offers some inspiration. 

Enjoy! 

Rosie Florence x

 

Deck the Halls:

It all starts with the decorations, and turning your house into a winter wonderland to get you in a festive mood. Adorn the halls with twinkling lights, wreaths, and festive decorations. I get a lot of my inspiration from Pinterest, and love @crack_the_shutters on instagram for her Christmas hacks. For the ultimate tablescaping, I turn to Mrs Alice, who has the best Christmas table decorations. If you like Christmas, this is your treasure trove. 

For Christmas wreaths, I adore the Flowerbx ones which are just stunning, however there are some great DIY ones that I love too which you can get on Etsy. When it comes to lights, you can never have too many fairy lights! The more the merrier in my opinion! 

Jingle & Mingle Mixology: 

Who needs an excuse to drink cocktails?! A favourite for us all year round, you can’t beat a Christmas cocktail to get you in the mood. Our go-to is a Festive Rum & Ginger punch, our recipe below: 

Ingredients 

• ice
• 300ml mince pie rum (see below for the recipe, or use spiced rum)
• 150ml dark rum
• 3 tbsp grenadine
• 4 limes, juiced
• 10 dried or fresh orange slices
• 1 litre ginger beer

Method

STEP 1
Fill a large jug with ice, then tip in the mince pie or spiced rum, dark rum, grenadine, lime juice and orange slices, and mix well.

STEP 2
Top up with the ginger beer, stir gently, and serve in ice-filled tumblers (we used star-shaped ice-cube moulds for a festive touch).

This year, as we await the latest addition to join the family this Christmas, I will be on non-alcoholic cocktails but I have recently discovered Caleño which I can substitute in our favourite cocktail recipe. And for some non-alcoholic sparkling wine on Christmas day there is always Noughty.

Feast Fit for Santa:

Christmas is a time for indulgence, and an excuse to eat all those sweet treats you are normally saying no to. From the succulent roast turkey to grandma's secret stuffing recipe, I find it important to plan the Christmas menus well in advance so there are no last minute panics.  

One of our favourite recipes that is a great cheat instead of making a Christmas cake, are Mince Pie Brownies. A winner for all the family, I’ve included the recipe below:

Ingredients

• 185g unsalted butter, cubed
• 185g high-quality dark chocolate, chopped
• 85g plain flour
• 40g cocoa powder
• 3 large eggs
• 275g golden caster sugar
• 6 mince pies or 9-12 mini mince pies
• icing sugar, for dusting

Method

STEP 1
Melt the butter and chocolate in a medium bowl, either in a microwave – cooking for 1 min on High, then stirring and continuing to heat in 20-second blasts – or by setting the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stirring occasionally. Once melted, leave the mixture to cool.

STEP 2
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line the base of a shallow 20cm square tin with non-stick baking parchment. Sieve the flour and cocoa into a medium bowl. Whisk the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on maximum speed until thick and creamy, about 3-8 mins, or when the mixture runs off the beaters and leaves a trail for a second or two.

STEP 3
Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture, then fold together with a rubber spatula in a figure of eight, moving the bowl round until the mixture is a mottled dark brown. Be gentle so you don’t knock out the air.

STEP 4
Sift in the cocoa and flour mixture and continue gently folding. The mixture will look dry and dusty, then fudgy. Stop just before you feel you should, as you don’t want to overmix it.

STEP 5
Spoon a little mixture into the prepared tin, then add the mince pies, leaving them whole. Scrape over the rest of the mixture, gently easing it between and over the pies. Level the top. Put in the oven for 25 mins. If the brownie mixture is very wobbly in the middle, it’s not quite done, so bake for another 5 -10 mins, or until the top has a shiny, papery crust and the sides are just beginning to come away from the tin. Take out of the oven and leave to cool in the tin. Dust with icing sugar. 

Gifts from the Heart:

For me, it’s not just about the gifts on Christmas day, but the thought that has gone into them. I love spending time thinking about what each family member would like, often getting personalised gifts that add that special touch. That’s why so many of my jewellery designs can be personalised - it shows an extra level of thought and care. I often give friends our Little Letter Earrings as they are the best little stocking fillers. This year I will also be giving my sisters the T-Bar Necklace, which has been a runaway best selling design this year. And for our nieces and nephews, our new Toggle Engraved Bracelet, which is a new favourite design of mine. 

 Spread the Love:

You can often get lost in the presents, but actually Christmas is about more than just gifts; it's about spreading love and kindness. I always try and do something that is giving back over the Christmas period, whether it is volunteering at our local Soup Kitchen, or this year we are packing up a shoebox with Monty to send to children who don’t have anything. Because that’s what Christmas is really all about. 

Festive Flicks:

My perfect Christmas is not complete unless you’ve spent your evenings curled up on the sofa watching your favourite Christmas movies. From timeless classics like "It's a Wonderful Life" to newer favourites like "Elf," it isn’t Christmas without a good feel good film. Which one is yours? 

Winter Wonderland Adventures:

It’s so fun now having a little one to take on adventures over the Christmas holidays, and I will be heading to Battersea Power Station this year with Monty to enjoy the Christmas market, ice skating ring and all the Christmas festivities they have to offer there. My perfect Christmas always involves outdoor activities, to make more space for more Mince Pie Brownies! Whether it’s a bracing beach walk, or just a trip to the park, you can’t beat wrapping up and getting outside, before running home and getting back under the covers to watch yet another Christmas film.