Have yourself a grilly little Christmas with Kamado Joe's Christmas grill guide

Following the boom of BBQ equipment sales motivated by the lockdown, more people are taking to cooking their Christmas dinner on the BBQ. Over 2020, the UK BBQ and heating sector increased by 22%. Out of that, charcoal barbecues dominated sales with an increase of 96%. The backyards of Britain saw a revolution of smoke and fire, as the nation renovated their patios, gardens and invested in outdoor cookers.

Top 5 tips for BBQ Christmas turkey

TV BBQ chef, and Kamado Joe global marketing manager, Ben Forte reveals his top tips to BBQ'ing your turkey this Christmas. Passionate about BBQ's, Ben's no stranger to cooking over charcoal flames whether it's for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

“My passion for BBQ began at a young age” he says. “Obviously I use a Kamado Joe and have done so for years. It'ss highly versatile. The thick ceramic walls retain so much heat you need use less fuel to keep it hot. Added to that, they are built to last a lifetime. The ceramics have a lifetime warranty and you can leave it out all year round. In my household winter barbecues are definitely a thing.”

What better way to please the crowd this Christmas then with a showstopping barbecued turkey taking centre stage?

Ben Forte shares his sure-fire tips..

Cook to temperature, not time. 75C.

Add a bacon weave. This helps the breast meat stay moist and you get a bonus bit of crispy bacon.

Get your turkey out of the fridge half an hour before you start cooking. Prevents shrinkage.

Cook your veg below the turkey so it catches all those juices as it cooks.

If you like a bit of smoke then try adding a chunk of fruit wood such as apple or cherry.

 Gifts for BBQ Lovers

Kamado Joe BBQ Range

Kettle Joe is the first of the kettle-grill category to integrate a ceramic firebox and the ability to fit a SlōRoller - Kamado Joe's revolutionary innovation allowing the versatility to transform a grill into an oven or smoker. RRP: £599

Kamado Joes - These world-renowned ceramic grills pack the latest technology and meticulous craftsmanship inside each iconic red barbecue unit. The thick-walled, heat-resistant shell locks in smoke and moisture at any temperature. There's nothing you can't cook in them, from low-and-slow dishes to grilling and searing at scorching temperatures. Prices start at £499 for Joe Jr

NEW Masterbuilt Portable

Made for adventurers, this suitcase-sized grill comes with an easy transport collapsible cart, for effortless mobile grilling. 

With a tough shell, it's tough enough to withstand expeditions and is designed to be hauled into the back of a car, wheeled across moors, carried across beaches and set up next to lakes and rivers. Like all Masterbuilt grills, it's designed for convenience. Simply light a firelighter under your charcoal, then turn a dial to control a fan for a consistent temperature. The charcoal hopper can burn briquettes or lump wood for up to 4 hours from 130c - 260c. Uk.masterbuilt.com

RRP: £399

Must have accessories every grill-master needs

The iKamand meat thermometer connects to your phone and controls the fire remotely! It allows total control over the grill's heat, smoke and meat target temperature from an app on your phone. The app includes recipes, with temperature settings already programmed into the software. Just sit back, grab a cold one and enjoy juicy, flavoursome food with little effort: £229

The JoeTisserie fits inside your firebox and slowly rotates your skewered meat, veg or fish above the charcoal. It's been cleverly designed so the kamado lid will still close, keeping all the heat right where you want it. If you're going for a low and slow spit-roast, Kamado Joe's thick ceramic walls helps retain moisture, so you get a juicy, tender result. Best of all, you can bung the whole lot in the dishwasher when you've finished. RRP: £279

Kamado DoJoe The durable cast-aluminum transforms your Kamado Joe into a best-in-class pizza oven. You're guaranteed a crispy crust on the bottom, while the altered airflow traps heat in the dome above the pizza for perfect toppings. This combination of convection airflow above and conduction heat below creates a uniform, even cooking environment surrounding the pizza as it bakes for masterful results.

RECIPES

Orange, Whisky and Cranberry Glazed Joetisserie Gammon

Ingredients

2kg Gammon, fat scored

2tbsp Whole cloves

200g Cranberry Sauce

1 Orange, zest

3 tbsp whisky

1 tbsp honey

Method

Set your JoeTisserie up on the Kamado Joe and set the grill to approx 170c.

Score the gammon fat in a diamond pattern and stud with whole cloves. In a small bowl mix together the cranberry sauce, orange zest, whisky and honey.

Secure the prepared gammon on your JoeTisserie and cook until it reaches approx 50c. At this point, brush your ham periodically using two thirds of the glaze mixture, reserving the remaining glaze.

Once gammon reaches a core temperature of 70 degrees, remove from the heat. Brush on the remaining glaze and set aside to rest.

The Jingle Burger

Complete with Turkey & Smokey Bacon Burger, Brussel Sprout Slaw, Oak Smoked Cheddar, Pancetta Weave, Cranberry Sauce and topped with a pickle and pigs in blankets this is one burger that has to be tried this festive season.

Burger Ingredients

500g Turkey Thigh Mince

4 rashers of Smoked Bacon (finely diced)

1 Egg

Bacon flavour crisps (I used popcorn crisps as they are gluten free) (crushed) 

Brussel Slaw

250g Brussel Sprouts

2 Carrots

1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

 4 tbsp South Carolina BBQ Sauce

Other Bits

Oak Smoked Cheddar

16 rashers of pancetta/streaky bacon

Cranberry Sauce

Pigs in blankets

Pickles

Seeded Brioche Buns

4 Wooden Skewers 

Method

 Make your burgers by combining all the burger ingredients together then shape them into burgers using your hands or a burger press.

Finely grate the sprouts and carrots then combine in a bowl and add the vinegar and South Carolina BBQ Sauce.

Now you need to create some bacon weaves. For mine I use 4 rashers of pancetta cut in half and stretched out for each weave. This makes them the perfect size for the burger.

Now smoke your burgers in your BBQ at around 225F until they reach an internal temp of 165F.

Put your bacon weaves onto some foil and put them in the BBQ until they are nice and crispy and cook your pigs in blankets.

Then bring off the burgers and put them onto a hot skillet and cook for a few minutes each side, then add your cheese to the top and cover with a closh for about 1 minute to melt the cheese.

Time to build the burger.

Layout the base of the bun.

Put on the Sprout Slaw

Next add the Burger

Then the bacon weave

Now the cranberry sauce.

Finally push a wooden skewer through the pig in blanket and through a pickle and then straight through the burger.

https://uk.kamadojoe.com/

It’s Going to be a White Christmas, Thanks to Mitchell & Brown’s Snow White Entertainers

Celebrating the best in festive TV viewing with a truly white Christmas theme, Mitchell & Brown has launched two Smart TVs finished in Snow White. (Dwarves not included!) 

White Christmases and white TVs have both been exceptionally rare in the UK over the last decade, but the UK’s favourite TV brand, Bolton-based Mitchell & Brown, has unwrapped a brace of Snow White festive treats in time for peak Christmas TV content.  

As a TV isn't just for Christmas, these versatile performers in 24” and 32” screen sizes are ideal for bedrooms, the kitchen, office, or the conservatory, and come with Mitchell & Brown’s class-leading 7-year guarantee as standard. 

Against a sea of black and grey TVs that can look rather ‘Grinch’ at this time of year, the JB-24SM1811AW and JB-32SM1811AW are finished in a full white cabinet with a white frame and a matching white pedestal stand.  

HD-ready and boasting Android TV Smart TV features, these sleek TVs offer instant access to a fantastic wealth of streamed content from services like Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, and Disney+. Merging live and catch-up TV, Freeview Play allows you to scroll through the past 7 days of on-demand programmes from the likes of BBC, ITV, and Channel 4.  

With Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities, the TV’s home screen gives users access to all the popular Smart TV services available on the Google Play Store, plus it has Google Assistant built-in. For even more ways to watch your favourite content, you can link it to a satellite box, games console, Blu-ray or any other HDMI-equipped device thanks to two HDMI sockets. Both models also boast a USB port allowing you to enjoy films, photos, or music from a USB memory stick. 

An optical digital output affords easy connection to a soundbar or speaker, and for late-night viewing, there's even a headphone output.  

The Mitchell & Brown JB-24SM1811AW and JB-32SM1811AW HD-ready Smart LED TVs with Android TV will be available from December from independent electrical retailers and selected Euronics stores across the UK, complete with a 7-year guarantee as standard. 

JB-24SM1811AW - RRP - £299.99 

JB-32SM1811AW - RRP - £339.99 

www.mitchellandbrown.co.uk 

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Sainsbury’s donates £3 million to help beat food poverty this Christmas

Sainsbury’s has launched its Nourish the Nation programme, which a long-term effort to support communities with access to food now and in the future.

Sainsbury’s will be donating £1.5 million to long-standing partner Comic Relief, FareShare and key redistribution partners to support communities this Christmas.

Sainsbury’s is calling on customers who are able to donate to give what they can when shopping in store and online, with the retailer matching all customer donations up to a value of £1.5 million.

Launching today, on 23 November, the money raised will help provide food and urgent support for those most impacted by the rising cost of living.

Sainsbury’s will donate £3 million to those in need as 13.7 million people in the UK are struggling to afford to eat.

The money will be split evenly between supporting communities with access to food now and supporting projects that help prevent people and communities falling further into food poverty in the future.

In response to the rising cost of living, Sainsbury's has launched Nourish the Nation, a long-term programme, working with longstanding charity partner Comic Relief, which will fund initiatives designed to tackle food insecurity and ensure communities have access to balanced, nutritional, and sustainable food sources now and for the future.

As part of the campaign, between 23 November and 24 December, Sainsbury’s is encouraging customers to donate if they can and has pledged to match donations up to £1.5 million, with this funding going to Comic Relief.

To support the Nourish the Nation programme, customers can make donations to Comic Relief in store and online at Sainsbury’s, and in store at Argos, or by donating Nectar points. The money raised will help people across the country, for example, a £1 donation could help buy fruit and a healthy snack for a child and £5 could help feed a child for a day at a community hub during the school holidays.

Customers can also donate food at the food donation points in store which will go to local food charity partners.

This year, through its partnership with Comic Relief, Sainsbury’s is already supporting two organisations; Feeding Britain and The Bread and Butter Thing, in order to help alleviate food poverty in communities that need it most.

Feeding Britain works in partnership with local food networks to develop community-based projects which support families on low incomes before they reach crisis point and need to rely on food banks. 

This funding from Sainsbury’s will support four food clubs in Glasgow, Gateshead, London and Nottinghamshire. Each club aims to prevent hunger, reduce food waste and ultimately lift people out of poverty through a combination of affordable fresh ingredients for families to take home, cookery sessions, and wraparound support to maximise family incomes, manage debts and budgeting, and mitigate the rising cost of living.

The Bread and Butter Thing run over 75 mobile food clubs, delivered in partnership with local community hubs, which provide people who are struggling financially with easy access to nutritious, quality and diverse food at an affordable price. They provide wraparound support to members such as debt advice, budgeting and employability skills. 

The Bread and Butter Thing helps members to connect with their community, which helps to tackle loneliness, improves confidence and builds a foundation for people to move out of food insecurity. With support from Sainsbury’s, The Bread and Butter Thing will widen its impact through expanding support in the East Midlands, South Yorkshire and the North West to ensure communities in some of the most deprived areas, have access to quality and sustainable food and also support services.

In addition, Sainsbury’s is donating a further £1.5 million to key food distribution networks, with £500k going to longstanding partner FareShare through Comic Relief’s On the Breadline Winter cost-of-living Christmas appeal which will provide funding for the equivalent of 2 million meals to those living in food poverty all over the UK.

Ruth Cranston, Director of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at Sainsbury’s, said: “With more challenging months ahead, support for those facing food poverty has never been more critical. We know how difficult the rising cost of living is for so many communities across the country which is why we’ve launched our new community programme Nourish the Nation, to help ensure that everyone has access to the food they need right now, whilst also helping to prevent those who are most at risk from facing food insecurity in the future.

"We'rededicated to supporting the communities we serve and through our large scale work with longstanding partners Comic Relief and FareShare, whilst supporting local projects with Feeding Britain and The Bread and Butter Thing, we hope we can go some way in providing relief to vulnerable communities up and down the country over the coming months and beyond.”

Samir Patel, CEO of Comic Relief, said: “Right now, communities across the UK need our support more than ever as the rising cost of living pushes people beyond breaking point. Families are fearful of what winter may mean for them as they are already being forced into making impossible decisions. It’s never been so urgent to tackle food poverty and so we are grateful to be working with Sainsburys on this much needed new programme to get help to people struggling the most.” 

Lindsay Boswell, who is the CEO at FareShare said: “We’re very, very grateful for the generous support from Sainsbury’s through Comic Relief’s Cost of Living Appeal. Their donation will help us get more good-to-eat surplus food to people across the UK most impacted by the cost of living crisis. At a time when demand for our food has skyrocketed, this funding will make a huge difference to the people we support who are experiencing food poverty.”

Sainsbury’s has been an official partner of Comic Relief since 1999, raising over £153 million to support people in the UK and around the world. Through working together, Sainsbury’s and Comic Relief have been able to help more than 1.6 million people in the UK and 13mm worldwide.

Meanwhile, applications for the next round of its Helping Everyone Eat Better Community grants, which have so far received £338k of funding, open on 9th December. The grants offer money to local charities, nominated by each individual store, that tackle food poverty.

Sainsbury’s has now rolled out Neighbourly to its full store estate, where it connects stores to local good causes, with the aim of reducing food waste. To date, the Neighbourly partnership has donated 7 million meals.

www.sainsburys.com

Keep your pets safe, well and calm over Christmas

A new Christmas Gift Box for pets has been launched, offering owners the opportunity to include their dogs in the big day with a present of sustainable, nutritious and safe treats.

Blue Pet Co. (https://bluepetco.com/) has launched the gift box along with an expert guide on how to make sure your dog stays safe and calm during the busy festive season.

Dog owners say there’s no way they can leave pets off the gifting list, well, they’re part of the family, after all.

Yet, many pet gift options are made with materials that are unsustainable and all too often come wrapped in excessive packaging, while the pet treats themselves are often poor-quality and of low nutritional value.

The new Christmas Gift Box (£9.95) from Irish pet nutrition company Blue Pet Co. is a new way to treat the family dog affordably, sustainably and nutritiously this Christmas.

Each Blue Pet Co. Christmas Gift Box includes a taster pack of each of the brand’s best-selling GoShine Chews, to help support skin and coat condition, GoActive Chews, for improved mobility, joint and muscle health, and GoSmile Sticks for healthy teeth and gums.

The supplements come in recyclable pouches and an outer gift box, with space for a suitable festive Christmas message.

The Blue Pet Co. range is enriched with unique, highly nutritious marine extracts sustainably sourced from indigenous Irish seaweeds.

The supplements support a dog's skin, joint and oral health - to induce tail-wagging happiness all year round, not just for Christmas.

Blue Pet Co. supplements are helpful to have to hand during the holiday season, which can be a confusing, overwhelming, bewildering and over-exciting time for pets.

Blue Pet Co’s resident dog behaviourist Roz Pooley advises keeping your dog entertained and stimulated by cutting up Blue Pet Co. supplements into small pieces and putting them in a cardboard box with scrunched-up paper for some foraging fun.

What's the secret behind the Blue Pet Co. range? It's the utterly unique proprietary ingredients, PhyCoidanTM , PhytoMaraTM and PhytoDentTM. 

These bioactive ingredients are extracted from seaweed that is hand harvested off the Irish coast, ensuring the delicate seabed goes undisturbed and biodiversity and supply are protected. The seaweed-derived molecules are combined to create Blue Pet Co.’s range of functional nutrition supplements that target critical areas of health concern in dogs, including joints and muscles, skin and hair, teeth and gums.

Blue Pet Co. Is based in Kerry.

Here are some Blue Pet Expert tips to keep dogs and puppies safe and calm at Christmas

Everybody wants Christmas to run as smoothly as possible, and managing a busy household at the same time as managing your dog can be challenging.

For dogs, the shift in activity and energy in the household during Christmas can be confusing, overwhelming or perhaps over-exciting. It’s absolutely vital to try and prepare your dog for what's to come and manage the environment to keep them calm and safe.

Here are some tips from Blue Pet Co.’s resident dog behaviourist and animal trainer, Roz Pooley, to set your dog and household up for success.

1. Give your dog a safe place

Ensure your dog has a safe place to retreat to where it can rest undisturbed. For open-plan homes, an area may need to be created using a large puppy pen with blankets as visual barriers. Your dog may need to learn to associate this place with calm and enjoyable things. Prepare this place in good time and give your dog stimulating activities to do in there, like perhaps a yummy chew, Kong, Lickimat or food puzzle etc. You can hide sticks and chews in a cardboard box with scrunched-up paper. Cutting up Blue Pet Co. supplements into small pieces can provide foraging fun.

A barrier can help children enthusiastically engage in their new toys without the dog’s involvement. Rather than tell a dog off for stealing things, set them up not to do this in the first place.

2. Give your dog something to do

Don’t want your dog underfoot while you cook? Don’t want them to scrounge at the table? Don’t want them to get in the way during the present opening time? Give them something to do! A long-lasting chew (given under supervision) or a frozen Kong can keep your dog out of the way without them becoming frustrated.

3. Be careful of certain foods

Cooked bones can splinter and cause internal damage when eaten, so be sure all food scraps go straight into an outside bin. Gravy, stuffing and other festive foods may have a high salt content that can upset stomachs, so licking the plate clean may not be best for your dog. 

Sweets, Chocolates, Liquors, Mince Pies and Christmas cake all contain ingredients that can make dogs extremely ill. Be sure to keep such items in a secure cupboard or well out of the dog's reach. If presents contain food, ensure they're not left under the tree where your dog can access them. Remember, they can sniff these things out even if they can’t see them.

Also, be mindful of your dog’s intake of food and treats. If you intend on giving them chews and treats to manage their behaviour, reduce their meal portions slightly to reduce overall calorie consumption. If your dog never experiences variation and higher value treats or foods, either avoid giving these or gradually introduce some variation in advance.

4. Consider penning your tree away

A decorated tree can be very enticing for puppies or ball-obsessed dogs. Having your tree up high or penned away can prevent your dog from causing chaos and potentially ingesting harmful, dangerous items.

5. Ensure visitors know how to behave around your dog

If your dog is anxious around visitors, ensure your dog/s have a safe place, as detailed in tip number one. If your dog is over-excited by visitors, giving them something to do to keep them busy may help redirect their behaviour onto something else. 

However, visitors must be clear on what interactions help your dog feel confident or stay calm. Excitable voices, excessive attention, children running around, or unsolicited affection may promote undesired or dangerous behaviours.

If your dog has a history of resource guarding, ensure visitors understand not to take any item away from your dog and to call you to deal with any issues they perceive. You can text visitors in advance and remind them as they turn up, so they're well-informed on how to behave.

6. Bear in mind your dog’s existing exercise tolerance

If your dog is only walking for 45 minutes at a time, a three-hour Boxing Day walk may be too much for them. If your dog is used to three walks a day without fail, a sudden drop to one walk a day may result in undesired behaviour.

Prepare your dog by increasing their walks a little, choosing a walk duration that suits them or increasing their rest periods in preparation for the big day.

7. Don’t forget alone-time

Too often, alone time is overlooked during the festive holiday season. After spending time in constant company, the sudden shift to your previous routine can be a shock for dog. If your dog can cope when home alone, be sure to maintain this across the holiday season.

8. It may look cute, but is it fun for your dog?

Dog antlers, hats, jumpers, posing for the camera, cute pictures of kids with dogs. Too often, we see pictures of dogs looking uncomfortable in such situations. Watch for signs that your dog is uncomfortable, such as the whites of their eyes showing, any signs of tension in their face, excessive lip licking or yawning, looking away or trying to move away. Remember! Your dog’s welfare is always more important than likes on social media.

● The Blue Pet Co. Christmas Gift Box (£9.95) is available now on bluepetco.com.

● Find Blue Pet Co.(https://bluepetco.com/) on Instagram @bluepetcompany and Facebook @thebluepetco.

● Blue Pet Co. is an Irish range of zero-waste, all-natural dog supplements made with seaweed sustainably sourced off the West coast of Ireland.

● The Blue Pet Co. Christmas Gift Box (£9.95) is a nutritious and sustainable way to treat your dog this Christmas. Available now on bluepetco.com.

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Different Christmas traditions from around the world

Every year, That's Christmas likes to run a feature on different Christmas traditions from all over the world. This  year we are running this feature in conjunction with Language and culture experts at Busuu (https://www.busuu.com) have researched what unusual and traditional celebrations take place across the world at Christmas time.  

Christmas is soon upon us, and the experts at Busuu have revealed the different and often unique ways the festive season is celebrated around the world.  

Whilst Germans enjoy feasting on roasted meats and the Polish have fish as part of their ‘Wigilia’, the Japanese rush over to KFC for their Christmas dinner! 

Most countries decorate their homes and public spaces with large Christmas trees, festive ornaments and sparkly lights, but those in China use a plastic tree featuring flowers and chains made out of paper. 

A spokesperson for Busuu said: “Lots of countries around the world love to celebrate Christmas - whether that be on Saint Nicholas Day at the beginning of December, or on the 24th and 25th. It’s such a wonderful time to spend with family and friends, exchange gifts, decorate the house and eat lots of yummy food.  

“Everyone will have their own traditions passed down from family members, but countries also have different ways they like to spend Christmas day. For example in Japan, Christmas is only celebrated by families with children and couples tend to see it more as Valentine's Day.  

“However you spend the festive season, and whether you celebrate Christmas or not, there is no denying the warm, fuzzy feeling the period brings to us all, and the time we get to spend with our nearest and dearest.”  

Here’s how Christmas is celebrated around the world:  

1. France  

The 25th of December is a public holiday for the French, and decorations fill every space in households and public spaces over the festive period. Traditional Advent wreaths (‘Couronnes de l’Avent’) is a feature for many families, where one candle is lit each week throughout December. Christmas Day in France is spent opening presents, celebrating and spending time with loved ones, and feasting on a late lunch consisting of goose or capon, truffles and mashed potato.  

2. Germany  

In Germany, Christmas day (‘Weihnachten’) is celebrated on the 24th of December with homes lovingly decorated with trees, ornaments and lights ready for the big day. On the evening of the 5th, a day before Saint Nicholas day, children spend time polishing their shoes and leave them on the street, to later find them filled with chocolates and sweets as a reward for good behaviour. Christmas markets are a huge part of German festivities and traditions, with Dresden's ‘Striezelmarkt’ being considered the world's longest-running Christmas market. 

3. Japan  

Christmas isn't a public holiday in Japan, but is still considered a big celebration with festivities tending to start around November time. What’s interesting is Christmas tends to only be celebrated by families with children or couples. Kids will wake up to presents next to their bed and couples spend the day like Valentine’s Day, going on dates, having dinner and exchanging small gifts together.  

Christmas dinners in Japan look very different to most countries - the Japanese typically eat a meal from KFC. Some pre-order their chicken meals months in advance and long queues are expected on the 25th outside KFC restaurants. 

4. Poland  

The start of Christmas in Poland really takes place on the 24th when streets are lit up with festive lights. Traditional glass-blown ornaments adorn Christmas trees and carols aren’t first sung until ‘Pasterka’ - the celebratory Polish midnight mass. For many families, Christmas Eve is the first day of fasting and when the first star appears, ‘Wigilia’ is held, a vigil dinner often serving fish.  

 5. China 

In China, Christmas tends to be more of a commercial holiday with cities and department stores decorating with large Christmas trees, ornaments, and bright, colourful lights. Those who do choose to celebrate tend to spend the day as a get together with family and friends. For those who put up a tree in their homes, it will usually be a plastic one decorated with paper chains and paper flowers.   

6. The Netherlands  

The Dutch merrily celebrate Christmas on both the 25th and the 26th of December, spending lots of time with family and friends, watching films, playing games and feasting on delicious Christmas food like ‘Kerststol’ - a seasonal fruity bread loaf. 

The evening of December 5th is the most exciting Christmas day for children in the Netherlands as ‘Sinterklaas’ arrives with presents. Kids will leave a shoe by the fireplace, sing Dutch Christmas songs and wait until ‘pakjesavond’ (present evening) for their gifts to arrive.   

7. Italy 

The festive season officially begins on December 8th, the time of Immaculate Conception, when Christmas trees are put up and light displays decorate towns and villages. Italian tradition goes that Christmas Eve must be a meat-free day, with many choosing to cook pasta, rice and seafood. Christmas Day is therefore all about feasting on grand roasted meat meals and finishing off with a slice of traditional ‘Panettone’ Christmas cake.  

8. Caracas, Venezuela  

On Christmas Eve, residents of Venezuela’s capital city will be seen travelling to Christmas mass on roller skates! Supposedly an alternative to sledding, people all across Caracas will dust off their skates and travel through the city to gather together at an early-morning Christmas service. Skating is such a popular tradition that the streets are closed to cars to allow skaters to travel safely and enjoy this fun Christmas activity.  

For more festive facts on Christmas time around the world, visit Busuu https://blog.busuu.com/santa-claus-worldwide/

(Image courtesy of Scott Payne and Pixabay) 

Gorgeous, Decadent Christmassy Flavours From Flapjackery's Gluten Free Flapjacks

Flapjackery's gorgeously mouth-watering flapjacks evoke memories of this wonderful time of year with flavours like Mince Pie and Christmas Mint Fudge. 

And their Millionaires flapjack and Creamy Fudge flapjack both have a Christmas tree piped in white chocolate.

By adding the very best, most scrumptious, high quality locally sourced West Country ingredients to gluten-free British oats, Flapjackery have taken the traditional rustic flapjack to the next level and added a flavoursome Christmas twist to them.

A spokeswoman said: "These are a selection of our favourite Flapjackery gifts that can be delivered to your door and include the Christmas flavours, too, obviously!

"They are gluten free, with a shelf life of two months and they are suitable for home freezing, too. If you require special gift wrapping, please add £2.50, and shipping is £6.50."

To order visit www.flapjackery.co.uk.

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Knock out the 'flu for Christmas, with Asda

Nobody wants the 'flu, especially at Christmas time and in an effort to help customers beat the 'flu bug this winter, Asda is continuing to raise awareness of its in-store flu jab service with the launch of a new and improved Asda Rewards cash incentive.

Customers with the Asda Rewards app will receive £2 in their cash pot when booking a flu jab online at https://asda.cxmflow.com/OABS/Appointment/Index/a887da68-2e3b-4dd9-8818-4ee738ee372e

Asda already offers the cheapest flu jab on the market at £9.98

The offer launches as the UK sees cases of flu climb quickly in recent weeks.

Asda Pharmacy also offers free flu jabs to anyone who qualifies via the NHS.

With cases of flu on the rise, suggesting the season began earlier than normal, Asda is encouraging customers who haven’t yet had their 'flu jab to book an appointment online to visit one of its 245 in-store Pharmacies.

For customers who have the Asda Rewards app, until 09 December, Asda will credit £2 into cash pots for those who book online, following the enormous success of its £1 Reward incentive which ran from 19 September to 23 October 2022.

Asda’s flu jab is already the most affordable available on the market at just £9.98, so Asda hopes the additional Rewards incentive will encourage as many customers who haven’t yet had their flu jab to do so, ensuring the country is as protected as possible this flu season.

Faisal Tuddy, Superintendent Pharmacist at Asda, said: “We’re proud to offer the cheapest flu jab on the market and at a time where we’re seeing cases of flu rise rapidly, we’re keen to encourage as many of our customers as possible to book themselves in and get protected. 

"We saw a massive uptake when we launched the £1 Asda Rewards incentive back in September, and as the weather gets colder and the winter months are upon us, we’re proud to say customers will now get £2 in their Asda Rewards cash pot when booking a flu jab with us, which can be spent on weekly essentials or put towards some festive treats.”

Speaking of the increase in cases of flu and the importance of getting the vaccine, Doctor Kathryn Basford from the Asda Online Doctor service, said: "For most people the flu is an unpleasant and inconvenient illness which can make you feel unwell and not be able to work or do your normal activities for up to a week. However, for some people it can be much more severe, and even be life threatening in some cases.

"If you don’t fall into a vulnerable group which is offered a free flu vaccine through the NHS, it’s still really important to get the vaccine to help protect those around you who you could pass on the infection to.”

To book an appointment, customers simply need to visit https://asda.cxmflow.com/OABS/Appointment/Index/a887da68-2e3b-4dd9-8818-4ee738ee372e, click the Book Now button on Asda.com/pharmacy OR scan the QR code on the flu jab information leaflets which can be found at Asda in-store Pharmacies. If a customer can't book online, they can ask a colleague to help them book in the pharmacy itself. No walk-ins are included as part of Asda Rewards the promotion.

The retailer is also offering free jabs to those who are eligible via the NHS, including those over the age of 50*, frontline or social care workers, pregnant individuals, or those with certain types of health conditions.

To claim the reward, customers must present their booking reference at the counter when they arrive for their appointment along with their Asda Rewards barcode, to be scanned by a Pharmacy colleague.

Appointments are available seven days a week, with a range of appointment times throughout the day.

Asda brings back its giant Candy Cane Sausage Roll for Christmas

An exciting twist on a classic favourite, the Candy Cane Sausage Roll is already proven to stand out at any festive get-together.

Asda’s latest festive re-launch is its giant sausage roll in the shape of a candy cane, which was a sure-fire winner last Christmas.

Made with specially seasoned pork in a delightful flaky puff pastry, the roll is hand-finished with crunchy linseed and beetroot to give it the classic candy cane striping effect.

For only £5.50, this genuine, show stopping centrepiece will be certain to bring some brilliant festive fun to the table this Christmas. And if you are looking for something with "wow!" factor for your festive feast this year, Asda cane help! 

What’s more? The sausage roll is giant, feeding up to 10 people (for £5.50, That’s sure to put a smile on even Ebeneezer Scrooge’s face!) and is sure to be the star of the show.

When the product debuted last year, it certainly earned its stripes on social media. One user commented “This looks amazing!!!!!😍😍” and another urged a friend to get one, tagging them and commenting “you have to visit an Asda store”. The overall verdict? “This looks 👏”

The Pork, Sage & Onion Candy Cane Sausage Roll launches on 22 November in stores and on www.asda.com.

Cook up a gluten free festive baking storm this Christmas with Creative Nature

You can Cook up a gluten free festive baking storm this Christmas with Creative Nature and their wide range of gluten free and plant-based baking goods and products.

They have nine different baking mixes, including a fantastic gluten free all purpose flour, which can be used for all kinds of baking including delicious cakes, pies, etc.

They also sell a delectable range of gnawable treats to share with the family (maybe to keep them busy while you are in the kitchen, baking?) some tasty snack bars, a range of absolutely stunning superfoods (including maca powder) and barley grass powder, etc.

To order what you need for Christmas and beyond visit them at https://www.creativenaturesuperfoods.co.uk

They are also stocked at some retailers, too. 

Everyone likes a pudding fix. Pri's Puddings offers a vegan pudding fix!

Yes, everyone loves puddings and sweet treats especially in the Christmas period and Pri's Puddings provides some excellent vegan alternatives to the mainstream pudding types.

For example, there's their Christmas 2022 Vegan and Gluten Free Advent Calendar, which consists of 24 Oaty Pies, all gluten free, vegan and refined sugar free, costing £29.99.

There are also Pop Squares - Raspberry Jam - 12 Pack, Pop Squares - Cinnamon - 12 Pack, Pop Squares - Hazel Nutter - 12 Pack, all at £19.99.

There are also a range of pocket sized pies including Pocket Sized Pies - Choco Pie x 12 Packs, 

Pocket Sized Pies - Peanut Butter Pie x 12 Packs, Pocket Sized Pies - Pecan Pie x 12 Packs, Pocket Sized Pies - Cashew Pie x 12 Packs all at £11.50. 

There are also combo packs too.

To find out more and place your orders please visit them at https://www.prispuddings.co.uk.

Christmas cards from Coeliac UK

The Coeliac UK charity is the gluten free charity in the UK and to help raise funds and promote the charity to the general public it is selling a wide range of specially designed Christmas cards, gift bags, gift wraps, gift wallets and gift labels.

There is a wide range of designs including Christmas trees, a Village Christmas, Peace on Earth, the 12 Days of Christmas, Going to Midnight Mass, a Moonlit Robin, Cosy Christmas Corgis, the arrival of the three Kings and more besides.

You can purchase them here https://www.charitycardshop.com/coeliacuk/category/1

How to make Christmas gifting more ethical? ethy's Kaisa Kangro has some useful tips

With Christmas getting ever nearer and gift-buying set to go into overdrive this Black Friday, sustainable accreditation organisation and consumer shopping guide app ethy is encouraging us gift buyers to be mindful of the environment and also our wallets and purses when we are shopping for gifts this year. 

With the average Brit spending £381.60 on Christmas gifts alone annually, combining that with the masses and masses of plastic and resources needed to produce them, ethy Co-Founder Kaisa Kangro has given her top five tips on how to give ethically this festive season.

Kaisa says: “At Christmas we're inundated with shower gift sets and novelty stocking fillers. Over-consumption has become the norm and the masses of extra packaging is having a damaging effect on our planet. But don’t let environmental concerns dampen the big day, ‘tis the season of giving after all! Instead, let's take some time to plan out our present buying to opt for more sustainable choices and ethical ways of shopping.”

Kaisa’s top tips are:

Ask them what they want

“Surprising your friends and family on Christmas Day can be part of the festive fun, but by asking our loved ones what it is they actually need or want, we can save money spent on unwanted gifts and get them something they'll really enjoy and cherish for years to come. This makes them less likely to throw their unwanted gifts away in the future, and you can still personalise it with your choice of colour or style for that special added touch.”

Keep the receipt

“In case your gift-giving is way off the mark, keep hold of the receipt. You can either tuck it into the package, or if you don’t want them to know how much it cost, be sure to let them know they can exchange it.” (Also good if it needs to be replaced if faulty, for example.)

Give the gift of a shared experience

“Why not do something different this Christmas and instead of gifting a physical item, make a memory! Consider vouchers (you can even handmake them) for a fun activity, it could be tickets to a show, a trip to the zoo, a fancy dinner somewhere, or even an IOU. Memories last a lifetime, much longer than those novelty socks will.”

Don’t do presents at all

“This one probably won’t work for the little ones in your life but consider opting out of gift giving altogether with your adult friends and family. Instead of fretting about what to get your picky sister-in-law, or buying your cousin yet another set of bath bombs, agree to go gift-free this year. You might even choose to give the money you would have otherwise spent to a good cause (or splurge it on yourself – no judgement here!).”

Choose sustainable gifts

“If gift-giving is firmly on your agenda, make sure the items you buy are ethically produced. ethy is home to hundreds of independent makers and sustainable brands that put the planet at the heart of everything they do, and what’s more, ethically-produced gifts are often of better quality and way more unique than anything you’ll find in the usual high street stores.”

Bonus tip - Support social causes

“Christmas is a time for kindness and thinking about our community. A great way to take action and support your community is by choosing to buy from organisations that help our communities thrive.

“Our sustainability standards for Thriving Communities include organisations that are bettering communities. Actions can range from championing equality and promoting the wellbeing of their people, to engaging with the community to deliver wider social or environmental value. Some of our verified brands include HandMade Stories and House of Margaux.”

You can see ethy’s guide to ethical brands to shop with this Christmas here https://ethy.co.uk/shop-sustainably/guide/five-ways-to-give-ethically-this-christmas.

It's what Santa would eat! Reindeer kebabs are coming in to land!

The I am Doner kebab brand is soon to introduce a Reindeer Doner Kebab, served up in a flat bread with a delicious and tangy lingonberry mayonnaise.

Inspired by a trip to Finnish Lapland, better kebab brand, I am Doner, is bringing back reindeer kebab for Christmas again this year. 

The recipe was developed in conjunction with a reindeer farmer whose family had been farming reindeer meat for in excess of three centuries, plus a locally acclaimed chef from the same region. 

Reindeer meat is a good type of meat as it is low in fat and is considered one of the leaner meats, it contains over double the values of some nutrients than other meats and is high in B-12, omega-3, omega-6 and essentials fatty acids. It’s naturally farmed and is a traditional delicacy in Nordic countries. 

Baron said “After the success of our camel meat kebab back in May which sold out in mere days it seemed crazy not to bring back the reindeer! Reindeer meat is a wonderful game meat that's packed full of protein and vitamins, so making it a great mix with our doner meat for the Christmas special.”

The Christmas special ‘Doner & Blitzen’ Kebab will be available in Yorkshire stores throughout December. A vegan alternative will also be available.

https://www.iamdoner.co.uk

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BoomBocs has the ultimate Christmas gift for the audiophiles in your life

Top speaker brand BoomBocs has launched its latest portable speaker, STUDIO. Bedecked in vibrant colours, retro design, and studio-quality sound, the ultimately, supremely cool STUDIO is made for music fans that want more than just an anonymous black box with ‘tinny’ speaker sound. And what's even better, although the RRP is £149 at present it's on offer now for £129, saving you a cool twenty quid! That's quite a bargain, we at That's Christmas feel.

It's stunningly retro-styled, colourful, feature-packed, and delivers pro-audio quality sound, BoomBocs STUDIO is the latest portable speaker created by celebrity sound engineer Jonny Williams. 

Disruptive speaker brand BoomBocs has launched its latest portable speaker, STUDIO. With BoomBocs fans already including industry heavyweights such as Lady Gaga and Steven Tyler, STUDIO is the latest model from the brand’s founder, expert sound engineer Jonny Williams. Set to shake up the lacklustre wireless speaker market with vibrant colours, retro design, and studio-quality sound, the supremely cool STUDIO is made for true music aficionados. 

From humble beginnings building suitcase speakers in Jonny’s Brixton living room, to huge celebrity clients and customers including Rita Ora, Kylie Minogue, and Shaznay Lewis of All Saints, BoomBocs speakers encompass everything artists and consumers love about the British music scene with the brand’s stand-out retro design and studio-grade quality sound. 

Custom Fender ‘tweed’ wrapped versions of the original BoomBocs speaker have appeared on stage at London’s Hyde Park with Tom Petty, and GRAMMY Award Winning Lady Gaga took delivery of 11 customised BoomBocs’ for herself and her team, including her mom and dad!

The latest product, BoomBocs STUDIO, is the ultimate portable speaker offering all the BoomBocs quality and style but in a compact, smaller, more affordable design and with some nifty new features. 

STUDIO features built-in streaming services including Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music to free up your phone, internet radio, wireless connectivity, and it comes complete with a dedicated app. 

The efficient built-in amplifier and stereo full-range speakers are tuned by Jonny himself to deliver true pro-audio sound quality, wherever you are. With a battery life of up to 15 hours, you'll be able to use it in your home, at the park, or at an all-night rave with friends. Or even at a Christmas or New Year's Even party!

STUDIO comes in five fantastica stand-out colours, pink, orange, green, black, and white, making most other wireless speakers look like anonymous monotone boxes. 

Like all BoomBocs speakers, STUDIO plays homage to retro portable speakers of the past, with its large, stereo speaker drivers on full show. The drivers use aluminium cones for their high-power handling and better moisture/impact resistance than cheaper, less efficient paper cones.

Founder Jonny, (PICTURED) who is currently touring with pop sensation Anastacia, really knows music,  as he's worked as a sound engineer for some of the biggest and bet-known names in the industry such as Stormzy, Rita Ora, James Arthur, Wu-Tang Clan, Kylie, Thundercat, Jessie Ware, Maribou State and Pendulum, plus many other artistes. 

His expert, hands-on knowledge has given him the technical knowhow to help him create the BoomBocs signature sound, and cram that performance into the most compact, affordable, and technically advanced BoomBocs to date.

“BoomBocs has always done things differently and design has played a big part in that,” says Jonny. “For the STUDIO speaker, I was tired of seeing portable and Bluetooth speakers which all looked the same, black boxes with grills on, and sounding rubbish!

"I believe STUDIO completely breaks that mould, bringing the retro style and big-speaker performance of previous BoomBocs models to a smaller, more affordable design. BoomBocs is all about delivering exceptional sound quality and a stand-out style which looks great in your home or while you are out and about.”

Jonny’s passion for music and creativity was passed down from his grandfather who was a trumpeter. so from a young age, Jonny knew music was what he wanted to pursue, beginning to play the drums at age seven and teaching himself to play a vast array of other instruments thereafter. 

Fascinated by how science and music work together, Jonny studied at university in his native country,  Cymru. He was touring and mixing arena-sized concerts by the time he was 22, starting out on world tours with Queen and Pink Floyd tribute bands.

Jonny soon became a sought-after name within the pop music scene, working with huge names like Kylie Minogue and All Saints for many years.

Jonny says: “I have a specific style when it comes to being a sound engineer and I like to mix everything to deliver an AC/DC style sound; driving drums and percussive instruments to deliver real energy and passion. Artists like my style of mixing as it really ups the ante when they play live, and I have tried to distil that balance and all of the passion into the sound tuning of STUDIO.”

STUDIO is a compact portable speaker with dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth v5.0 connectivity, and a host of streaming services built-in so you don’t need to keep your phone tethered to play music. These include Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music and Internet Radio, all controlled via the top panel buttons and the built-in LCD display or through the slick, UNDOK app (iOS & Android). The app expands the number of presets available to tune the sound as well as offers seamless music playback control across services. STUDIO also offers a 3.5mm AUX input for legacy sources at home, and USB Type-A for playback of music on portable drives.

Other features include access to 50k internet radio stations, podcasts from various services, a rechargeable battery lasting up to 15 hours on a single charge, and an alarm clock and sleep timer making it the ideal rock n roll bedroom partner.

https://boombocs.com/

Want to buy some for Christmas gifts? Here's the purchase link: https://boombocs.com/products/boombocs-studio

And as my Welsh Grandmother was wont to say: "Cymru am byth!" Or "Wales forever!"

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King's College School, Wimbledon's Christmas Fair

The Friends of King's (the parent body of King's) is to host an annual Christmas Fair on the school grounds at King's College School Wimbledon. 

The event regularly attracts in excess of over 2,000 visitors and it is the only public event where the school opens its doors to the community. 

The event owes its success to the upscale offerings from the markets stalls, food, games and entertainment for all the family.

The Christmas Fair market will play host to over 80 stallholders selling an eclectic range of items such as clothing, jewellery, accessories, toys, homewares, art, paper goods, decorative items, food and drink and much more, besides. 

Visitors will have the opportunity to wander around shopping, sample the food and drinks and entertainment on offer and soak in the festive spirit in a truly unique setting.

Stallholders are allocated spaces across the King's College school site, both indoors and outdoors.

The 2022 Christmas Fair will take place on Saturday 26th November 2022 (11am - 4pm)

www.kcs.org.uk | @KCSFriends

Too much alcohol? There's a booze free option, too with Boo Chi Kombucha

Re-charge your taste buds and your digestion with Boo Chi kombucha this Christmas and going into January.

If you're going to say "no" to alcohol over Christmas and your going to be trying out Dry January, ditch the high-calorie drinks and use kombucha to mix your mocktails. You can also use kombucha in a variety of recipes too.

You have heard of Kombucha but aren't sure what it is? It's a fermented tea beverage that's packed full of useful probiotics that are good for your gut. 

Fermented foods, such as kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut and yoghurt contain probiotics and other microorganisms that nourish the good-for-you bacteria that's already resident in your gut, supporting healthy gastrointestinal functions and your body's overall microbiome. 

Probiotics are associated with a variety of health benefits, such as improved digestion, better immunity, and even increased weight loss.

Research shows kombucha is also rich in antioxidant-packed, anti-inflammatory polyphenols, too. 

This is why kombucha has the reputation of making people who drink it feel so good. So see out 2022 and kick start 2022 with good vibes and good-for-you bacteria, jazz it up to create delicious mocktails or add it to some recipes.

As kombucha is the star of the show, it's worth sourcing the very best and Boo Chi kombucha is Soil Association certified and brewed in small batches in the heart of the Devon countryside. Order online at www.boochi.co.uk.

There's nothing complicated about making Boo Chi kombucha mocktails and adding kombucha to your food - just follow these instructions using Boo Chi kombucha and you'll have a tipple worth raising a glass to!

How to make a Boo Chi kombucha cocktails and mocktails

Boojito

Ingredients

300ml Boo Chi – Fresh Mint to Revive 

Juice of 1 lime

Small handful mint leaves, plus extra sprig to serve

Method

Muddle the lime juice, and mint leaves in a small jug, crushing the mint as you go – you can use the end of a rolling pin for this. Pour into a tall glass and add a handful of ice.

The Original - Go For It

Ingredients 

300ml Boo Chi – Original to Balance 

Squeeze of Lemon Juice

Selection of Fresh Berries (recommend blueberries, strawberries and pomegranate)

Method 

Fill a highball glass or other large cocktail glass with crushed ice 

Add a squeeze of lemon juice and stir

Pour the original kombucha over the top and garnish with a selection of fresh berries

Ginger Thistle

Ingredients

200ml Boo Chi - Fresh Ginger to Reignite

Squeeze of fresh orange

Handful of crushed ice

Garnish with a slice of fresh ginger

Method

Mix together the ginger kombucha, orange juice, and crushed ice. 

Add all ingredients to a tall glass (high ball) and garnish with a slice of fresh ginger and glass straw to serve.

Strawberry Negroni

Ingredients

125ml Boo Chi – Fresh Strawberry to Revive

25ml Campari

10ml lemon juice

Strawberry/Lemon Wedge to garnish

Method

In a large glass add lemon juice and ice cubes and pour fresh strawberry kombucha over the top gently stirring as you go.  Garnish with a lemon slice/wedge and one fresh strawberry.

Ginsing

Ingredients

150ml Boo Chi – Korean Ginseng to Boost

1 grapefruit and lime juice

½ tsp honey or agave (any brand)

Coarse Salt

Lime to garnish

Method

First squeeze both the grapefruit and lime juice into a shaker and mix together, then add  honey or agave, add one ice cube and shake until cold. 

Rim the glass with salt and add one ice cube to the glass (this isn't necessary if you don't want to pour over ice)

Top up with Korean ginseng kombucha

Garnish with any herbs and a lime slice

Original spice

Ingredients

300ml Boo Chi – Original to Balance

Squeeze fresh orange 

2-4 drops orange bitters

Orange slice and cinnamon stick, for garnish

Method

Fill a highball glass or other large cocktail glass with crushed ice

Pour in freshly squeezed orange juice and stir

Top off with the original kombucha, a few drops of the bitters, and garnish the glass with an orange slice and cinnamon stick.

 

Turmeric Fizz

Ingredients

300ml Boo Chi – Turmeric to Brighten

Slice of orange and ginger to garnish

Method

Fill a highball glass or other large cocktail glass with crushed ice

Pour the kombucha directly into the glass and stir

Garnish with orange

Boo Chi Kombucha's Mixed Pack (12 bottles £38)

Boo Chi Kombucha's mixed pack contains 12 bottles of delicious and refreshing organic drinks, each made with Soil Association certified products.

Boo Chi Kombucha is a premium organic product brewed in small batches in the heart of rural Devon. It's a tonic filled with goodness delivering good bacteria, vitamins and enzymes for a happy, healthy gut. It tastes delicious, has incredible health benefits and is sure to spread feelings of wellness and vitality.

Boo Chi Kombucha is naturally low in sugar with organic herbs and spices adding flavour, and it's patiently brewed to reach perfect pH levels for optimum taste and health balance.

After drinking it helps give a feeling of energy, lightness and brightness and is renowned as a natural elixir.

Boo Chi Kombucha is the perfect non-alcoholic alternative offering that is low in sugar and calories but has a wonderful taste, too.

The Boo Chi Kombucha range offers six different brews, each slightly different depending on the music that has been played.

The mixed pack contains:

Original to Balance

Turmeric to Brighten

Korean Ginseng to Boost

Fresh Mint to Revive

Fresh Strawberry to Replenish

Fresh Ginger to Reignite

There are also food recipes, too!

Boo Chi Kombucha Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash

1 large onion

1 piece of fresh ginger

2 cloves of garlic

1 300ml bottle turmeric and black pepper Boo Chi kombucha

1 vegetable stock cube

Turmeric powder

Cut squash in half and place int the oven with some olive oil and black pepper for about 35 mins until roasted and golden brown.

Fry the onion and garlic.

Scoop out the squash and place all the ingredients and place all the ingredients including the kombucha in a blender and blend until you have a soup consistency.

Serve with a sprinkle of turmeric powder.

Boo Chi Kombucha Soaked Overnight Oats

Oat Mixture (overnight)

1/2 cup organic rolled oats

300ml Boo Chi original kombucha

1/2 medium apple

1/4 cup Greek yoghurt

Squeeze of organic honey

Extra topping to add in the morning 

Sprinkle on goji berries, chia seeds, handful of raises, fresh fruit

Take a mixing bowl and grate the apple. 

Add this to the bowl along with the rolled oats, Greek yoghurt, kombucha, cinnamon and honey.

Mix well until everything is combined, 

Cover and place in the fridge overnight.

In the morning remove the bowl and pour all the mixture into a pan and warm through.

Add your toppings and its ready to eat.

Devon Hampers have the perfect Christmas gifts for the choc lovers in your life

Indulge the chocolate lovers in your life with the Devon Hampers Chocolate Indulgence Hamper, which is filled with the most exquisite, delicious of chocolate.

Deliciously decadent, and carefully chosen from the West Country's finest chocolatiers, this hamper will have the recipients starry eyed and extremely grateful as they nibble on the many eclectic chocolate flavours within.

Chocolates are, of course, the star of the show with Willies Cacao, real bean to bar chocolate made in small batches in Uffculme, Devon and Kernow Chocolate, Cornwall's largest artisan chocolate maker, packed into a hamper, with extra treats like a bottle prosecco an option too.

Contents:

Willies Cacao Milk Chocolate With Champagne Truffles 35g - A delicious and decadent chocolate, blending freshly roasted hazelnuts with smooth salty taste.

Foxcombe Bakehouse Chocolate Chip Butter Shortbread - A moist and delicious biscuit that has been baked to perfection

Kernow Creme Caramel Hot Chocolate Spoon - A deliciously luxurious and ultra smooth treat.

Kernow Cream Tea Milk Chocolate 100g - Made using ethically sourced cocoa, with a sweet and crunchy texture

Kernow Honeycombe Milk Chocolate 100g - A rich milk chocolate

Kernow Milk Chocolate100g - A great take on the original

Kernow Milk Chocolate Cornish Pasty - A solid milk chocolate pasty that is the perfect treat

Kernow Orange Hot Chocolate Spoon - Seriously indulgent for a cosy night in

Kernow Caramel & Sea Salt Chocolate Spoon - The classic taste of milk chocolate is joined by a kick of caramel & sea salt for an indulgent treat.

Willie's El Blanco White Chocolate 50g - Made with natural ingredients, this is incredibly smooth and silky

Willie's Milk Chocolate 50g - Made with natural ingredients.

Willie's Ginger & Lime 50g - A delicious combination

Chocolate Indulgence Hamper

Standard £48.95

Printed £58.95

Wicker £68.95

And the cardboard packaging is recyclable and even the bubble wrap is compostable. (After it's been popped, of course!)

https://www.devonhampers.com.

Aldi wants for Christmas is the Aldi Click and Collect Chirstmas order delivery slots!

Aldi customers can now order this year’s Christmas groceries via the Aldi Click & Collect service.

Christmas collection slots are already available to book via Click and Collect | ALDI, so Aldi's shoppers can order from a massive range of groceries online and select a one-hour collection window between the 20th and 23rd December.

Shoppers can get everything they need for an amazing cost-busting festive feast, including a range of Aldi’s fresh British meats, irresistible side dishes and mouth-watering desserts, including Aldi's Specially Selected Roly Poly Free Range Turkey, Smoked Maple and Bourbon flavour ham and Goose Fat Roasted Potatoes, plus its rather special (in our opinion!) award-winning Plant Menu No Turkey Crown and Specially Selected 24-month matured Christmas Pudding.

Customers can also stock up on Aldi’s fantastic range of yummy Christmas treats, why not opt for Aldi's Specially Selected Mince Pies, Luxury Florentines and Yule Log? This will more than make certain the entire family and visitors are catered for this festive period. (And please don't forget to leave out a couple of those mince pies and a glass of Aldi Sherry for Santa, OK?) 

Over 200 stores across the UK offer Aldi’s Click & Collect service, where customers can have their shopping brought to their cars and loaded into their boots by Aldi colleagues at dedicated Click & Collect points in the store car park. To find out more about booking Click & Collect slots for Christmas, please visit https://groceries.aldi.co.uk/en-GB/christmas/how-to-order.

https://groceries.aldi.co.uk/en-GB/christmas/food-to-order

Can you help someone in need this Christmas?

Can you help someone in need this Christmas?

Many people this Christmas are going to have a tougher time than ever before. Apportioning blame as to who or what is responsible for this sad state of affairs might make us feel better in the short term. 

Bbut let's put that to one side and see exactly what we can do to help ensure that those people who are having a tougher time this year aren't going to benefit from our scintillating debating points. What they will need is practical assistance to help them through this difficult time this Christmas.

How can we do this?

Fist of all, check out your local churches and find out if they are operating any local schemes to help families in your area.

This website will tell you the location of your nearest Church of England church https://www.achurchnearyou.com

This website will help you find your nearest Methodist Church https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/connect/find-a-church.

This website will help you find your nearest Catholic Church https://www.catholicdirectory.org/

The Salvation Army often provide Chirstmas meals for homeless or at risk people. You can learn more here https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/

Are you looking for some non-religious organisations that might require help or donations? 

To learn what your local council is doing to help fight poverty this Christmas visit this government link which will give you contact details for your local council https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council

Also, there may be other councils at the parish or town council level not covered by the above link. Check Google or Bing for your parish or town council or see if the National Association of Local Councils can assist you? https://www.nalc.gov.uk/

The Trussell Foundation operates local foodbanks all over the country. See if the nearest foodbank to you requires any help or food donations of you have food you can donate. https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/

However, there are other independent foodbanks who are members of the FAN, which you can learn about here https://www.foodaidnetwork.org.uk/our-members

There are hundreds of other local foodbanks that are not members of the FAN. You can find these by searching Google and Bing or other search engines.

Also, check your local papers, Facebook, etc to see if their are other local initiatives that you can get involved with.

And remember. If you yourself need help, please don't be afraid to ask for the assistance that you need.

(Image courtesy of Alexa and Pixabay) 

Welcome return for Co-op charity Christmas sandwiches

The Co-op’s special charity Christmas sandwiches are now back in stores with sales helping to tackle inequality in communities all over the UK.

The Co-op has issued a pledge to raise £50,000 from sales of its festive-themed sandwiches to the Co-op Foundation. 

Money raised will assist Co-op's charity build fairer and more co-operative communities for the future by funding support for vitally important issues such as health and wellbeing, sustainability, and inclusion and equity in communities. The sandwiches are available nationally through all Co-op stores and also online.

The new limited-edition range was created using Co-op customer's favourite recipes, with five different varieties to choose from, including a vegan offering, too.

Shoppers with a Co-op membership card will also be able to earn 2p for every £1 spent on Co-op branded products like its new food-to-go range, which will go into their membership account to spend in store. Whilst the same reward will go to supporting local communities across the UK.

Lovers of good old Christmas traditions will find a firm favourite in Co-op’s Turkey Feast Sandwich (200g, £3.25) with a filling of British turkey breast, pork, sage and onion stuffing, cranberry chutney, mayonnaise, British bacon and fried onions, all on malted bread.

Or what about the Co-op’s Boxing Day Feast Sandwich (206g, £3.25)? This is a tasty twist on Christmas day leftovers, with smoked ham, turkey, coleslaw and spiced chutney on classic white bread.

For a vegan-friendly choice, GRO Turk’y Feast Sandwich (198g, £3.25) is back with flame-grilled cooked flavoured soya protein with vegan mayonnaise, steam roasted carrot and parsnip, cranberry chutney and sage and onion stuffing all on oatmeal bread.

Becky Price, who has the enviable job of Co-op’s food-to-go developer, said: “Our much-loved Christmas sandwiches range are now even tastier than ever, with some new and improved recipes for our customers to try. Plus, our entire festive range is included in our meal deal offer to provide that added extra value for our customers and members.”

Nick Crofts, Co-op Foundation CEO, said: “Co-op Foundation is the Co-op's charity and we’re co-operating for a fairer world. Support from sales of Christmas sandwiches will help us fund organisations and young people to build fair and co-operative communities of the future, together. We’re proud to be part of the Co-op and to work with members to deliver on Co-op's vision.”

For more information on Co-op Foundation’s work, customers and members can visit the website www.coopfoundation.org.uk.

The full range consists of:-

Turkey Feast Sandwich 200g - £3.25

British turkey breast, pork, sage and onion stuffing, cranberry chutney, mayonnaise, British bacon and fried onions on malted bread.

Brie & Cranberry Sandwich 171g - £3

Brie cheese with cranberry chutney, seasoned mayonnaise and spinach on malted bread.

GRO Turk’y Feast Sandwich 198g (vegan) - £3.25

Flame-grilled cooked flavoured soya protein with vegan mayonnaise, steam roasted carrot and parsnip, cranberry chutney and sage and onion stuffing on oatmeal bread.

Pigs Under Blankets Sandwich 202g - £3.25

British Lincolnshire pork sausage and smoked British bacon with fried onions in a seasoned mayonnaise, with a balsamic caramelised onion chutney on malted bread.

Boxing Day Feast Sandwich 206g - £3.25

Smoked ham and turkey with coleslaw and spiced chutney on white bread.

(Image courtesy of Clker-Free-Vector-Images and Pixabay) 

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Enjoy a King's Cross Christmas this year

If you are going to be in London this festive season, you really should make your way to one of the most iconic districts in London, King' Cross.

Because King’s Cross is packed with festive fun this season. There will be Christmas markets to stroll around, laden with lots of food, drink, handmade gifts and cool designer pieces, too. 

You can indulge in a spot of curling, treat your family to an exciting Christmas show, plus and eat, drink and be merry in the many great bars and restaurants that makes King's Cross something of a foodie's paradise.

See the mighty 47ft tall Nordmann fir which is an absolute beauty, festooned with festive lights and adorned with neon ski accessories in keeping with their apres ski theme. 

What’s more, once the tree has finished bringing joy to visitors, its needles will be ground down and used to make pine essence for candles that will be sold in Coal Drops Yard!

And there's much, much more besides!

To learn more please visit https://www.kingscross.co.uk/event/christmas-has-arrived-at-kings-cross'

Ideal Home Show Christmas

The Ideal Home Show Christmas will be staged at London's Olympia, from 23rd to 27th November 2022.

Visitors will be able to learn about inspiring ideas, purchase amazing gifts and see the latest festive solutions for your home.

The Ideal Home Show Christmas brings together in excess of 600 companies. There will be tons of free talks and great ideas from their team of experts for your home this Christmas.

Enjoy fantastic Christmas Workshops. There's everything from learning how to make beautiful Christmas wreaths and Christmas decorations to an essential oil masterclass.

There will be a host of celebrities and top experts who will be taking part in live Q&As and on stage demos to help you create a truly wonderful Christmas at home.

There'll also be hundreds and hundreds of fantastic festive gift ideas from a huge range of festive products from an unrivalled collection of independent retailers, plus plenty of your favourite brands, all under one roof!

Want a Christmas makeover? There'll be inspiration a-plenty, with Good Homes Roomsets for colours, decorating trends and festive interiors, galore.

If you're keen on festive music, listen out for the Christmas Bandstand with its special Christmas musical offerings.

Check out the chefs who will be cooking live, enjoy drinks masterclasses and shop from a selection of street food vendors, drinks brands and artisanal food producers. 

You'll also be able to indulge in a special two-course Christmas carvery for a modest £24.95, with the menu carefully created by celebrity chef and Masterchef judge Greg Wallace, you just know you will be in for a culinary treat! Places are limited, however.

To book tickets to the event visit https://www.idealhomeshowchristmas.co.uk.

To enquire about booking the carvery please visit https://www.idealhomeshowchristmas.co.uk/whats-at-the-show/gregg-wallace-christmas-carvery.

Christmas Market at Goodsheds in Barry

The market stalls will be packed with local and independent businesses with mixture of products for you to shop and all undercover.

Their fabulous street food vendors will be running as normal for you to enjoy some good food. 

On top of all of that their lovely independent shops, along their Urban High Street, will be open for you to pick up beautiful and unique gifts for everyone, they've got you covered this Christmas!

What is Goodsheds in Barry?

They say: "Situated in the centre of Barry, South Wales, Goodsheds is the first new sustainable urban high street in the UK where people can work, eat, live and play. Goodsheds is a mixture of the best independent food & drink, boutique retail & lifestyle outlets. We also boast a cutting edge outdoor gym facility and independent coffee drive thru for all your coffee needs!"

https://www.goodshedsbarry.co.uk.

Healeys Christmas Markets in Cornwall are back

Healeys Christmas Markets in Cornwall are back! Every weekend until Sunday 18th December 2022.

Everyone is invited to join them for family festivities full of flavour as the Healeys Christmas Market weekends return for their 6th year!

Across the six weekends available, they transform the farm into a fairy tale world of mulled cyder and hearty foods, Christmas songs, and crafts. Bring family, friends, and a healthy appetite, for a taste of authentic Healeys Christmas spirit.

Christmas Market Weekend Schedule

11:00 - Family Cydermaster Experience

11.30 - Children's juice blending in the press house

12:00 - Story time with cookies and apple juice by the animal area

12:00 - Full Healeys Experience (Adult-only)

13:30 - Exclusive Tresor tasting – in the tasting room

14:00 - Family Cydermaster Experience

14:30 - Children's juice blending in the press house

15:00 - Story time with cookies and apple juice by the animal area

15:00 - Gin Experience (Adult-only)

15:30 - The perfect Healeys Christmas cocktail in the Healeys Distillery

Some are optional paid experiences, please check for details.

For existing members, entry is completely free of charge, non-members, can pick up an adult entry ticket for just £6.40 online and they'll give you unlimited free entry for 12 months!

https://healeyscyder.co.uk.

Plymouth Christmas Market

Savvy Christmas shoppers in the West Country can grab themselves some individual and unique Christmas gifts at Plymouth Christmas Market, which is located in the very heart of Plymouth city centre on the Piazza from Thursday 1 December to Sunday 18 December 2022.

With a special dedicated open-air festive bar, an abundance of food and drink offerings, loads of great artisanal stalls and live music and entertainment, it really is the perfect place to pick up some Christmas gifts and get into the Christmas spirit.

There'll also be plenty of parking options available throughout the month of December to help people nip in to pick up their shopping, including late night shopping opportunities which have already begun.

https://www.visitplymouth.co.uk/whats-on/major-events/plymouth-christmas-market.