Table of contents for 2017 in Simply Christmas

How do you celebrate Christ mas? Are you already dusting off the fairy lights, preparing parties with friends and planning a feast for the family? Or do you prefer somet hing cosier – perhaps some simple decorations and a restful week at home for two? However you like to spend the festive season, Simply Christmas will help you celebrate t he way you want. We’ve g ot r e cipe s, décor ideas a n d cr aft p ro jects, p l us gift guides to help you choose the perfect present. And our ideas for days out will inspire you to create happy family memories – don’t miss our competition to win a trip to t he magical LaplandU K! Whether you’re a party animal or prefer a…

STYLE IT UP Think about your lighting when using lots of metallics. Gold and glitter look great by day, but a few carefully arranged candles and fairylights can create a stunning effect come the evening! MAKE LIKE A TREE Set your dinner table with these glorious gold leaf napkin rings, and bring shimmering natural style to your home. £35.95 for six, www.miafleur.com GOING CRACKERS! Give your guests a treat with a set of these ornate Tales of the Maharaja crackers to pull before dinner. £12 for a pack of six, www.johnlewis.com LIGHT OF MY LIFE Create a magical glow with this goldplated blossom tealight holder – just the thing to turn any room into a chic, cosy winter nest. £42, www.beandliv.com OH, CHRISTMAS TREE! Whether you’re lacking the space for…

CHAIN REACTION Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a few DIY decorations, and this Santa paper chain is perfect for providing instant yuletide cheer. £3.99, www.talkingtables.co.uk PRETTY PLATTER ’Tis the season to nibble mince pies and all manner of other Christmas favourites, and this spruce-shaped plate is the perfect way to serve them! £15, www.debenhams.com HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS Pop this merry sign on a child’s door and let the excitement build as you count down the sleeps until Christmas Day! £3, www.wilko.com (from the end of October) BERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS Pinecones and pretty green foliage combine with red berries to create a wreath that will make a wonderful welcome to your home. £30, www.houseoffraser.co.uk HAPPY HOLLY-DAYS For a decoration that’s chic but understated, classic yet contemporary, nothing could be nicer…

Gathering around a beautifully decorated table, passing around plates piled with festive fare and pulling crackers... Christmas dinner is one of the most joyous parts of the day. We’ve chosen seasonal recipes that we think you and your guests will love, from Phil Vickery’s succulent roast turkey to a light salmon gravadlax from Kirtie Allsopp, and a delicious mac ‘n’ cheese to share on Boxing Day. Phil also gives us tips for getting ahead with your Christmas cooking, and tells us what he thinks makes the perfect festive get-together! STARTER PARSNIP OVEN SOUP This no-stress soup is a super easy starter. Just pop your veg in the oven, blend and serve! (serves 6) INGREDIENTS 1 small head of garlic ½ tsp coconut oil or ghee 1 kg parsnips 3 medium onions…

Well before the big day, give some thought to your choices – don’t just go with red and green! Planning ahead removes the stress and adds to the fun. Will your other decorations follow a particular theme? If so, let your table reflect this, but be creative. Experiment with accessories that aren’t necessarily festive, like sprigs of greenery, neutral table linen or vintage tableware. The problem with a table of four or more people is that accessories can get lost among cutlery and glasses. Adding a little height to the middle of the table fixes this – think cake stands or a pile of pretend presents. Make sure everyone knows where they’re sitting. You can have great fun preparing homemade place markers in keeping with your theme. Use twine and…

YOU WILL NEED 3.5x7cm brown gift tags Baker’s twine Embroidery threads Perforating tool Cutting mat White paper Low-tack or Magic tape Needle Mini alphabet stamp set Black ink CHARTS HOW TO MAKE THE CROSS STITCH GIFT TAGS 1 Stamp a greeting across the top half of the tag using the alphabet stamps and some black ink. Leave to dry. (If you don’t have stamps you could use a stencil instead.) 2 Print the charts on this page onto white paper. Cut out the chart you’d like to use and tape it onto the bottom half of the tag using lowtack tape. Make sure the design is positioned in the centre. 3 Lay the tag !at on a cutting mat and, using a slim perforating tool, pierce the paper and tag…

YOU WILL NEED One Alice Caroline Christmas Table Runner kit, OR 20 fabric stars Linen (150cm x 35cm) Fabric for binding (12cm x 137cm, cut into 4cm-wide strips) Sewing machine Iron Co-ordinating thread READER OFFER! To buy the kit containing everything you need to make this runner (RRP £25), visit www.alicecaroline.co.uk. Simply Christmas readers can get a 10% discount on the kit by quoting code ‘XMAS2017AC2’ at checkout. HOW TO MAKE THE RUNNER 1 Lay the linen on a !at surface and pin or stick the stars evenly along it. 2 Stitch around the edge of the stars using co-ordinating thread. You can do this by hand using blanket stitch, or using zig-zag or blanket stitch on your sewing machine. 3 Sew your 4cm binding fabric strips together end to…

YOU WILL NEED Felt in three different colours Co-ordinating embroidery threads Black brad or bead Small pieces of ribbon Small piece of card Glue HOW TO MAKE THE GIFT TAGS 1 Print this page, enlarge the templates below on a photocopier, then use different coloured felt to cut out two body pieces, one wing, one rectangular card holder and three tail feathers for each bird. Cut a small heart from felt, too, for the wing. 2 Sew a running stitch along one of the short sides of the rectangular card holder piece. Attach the other three sides to one of the body pieces using a straight stitch. This will leave one short edge free to insert your piece of card for the gift recipient. 3 On the other body piece…

Along with music and lighting, scent can play an important role in your festive celebrations, evoking memories of Christmases gone by. Rich, spicy aromas create feelings of warmth and togetherness, while fresh pine and citrus are energising – perfect if everyone’s feeling a little sluggish after some excesses! One of the easiest (and most delicious) ways to !ll your home with the unmistakable aroma of Christmas is to make mulled wine to serve when your guests arrive – it’s the !rst thing they’ll smell as they step through the door. Arrange aromatic herbs and leaves like bay, rosemary and eucalyptus around candles to make table decorations, or tie them in bunches and !x them to the back of dining chairs. A pile of oranges in a bowl makes a beautiful…

5 things to do in OCTOBER CHOOSE YOUR CHRISTMAS Set out your ideas for the sort of Christmas you want – from cosy and intimate to a full family gathering – and you’ll have a starting point for all your other festive decisions. SET YOUR BUDGET Even if your festivities are on the modest side, the costs can spiral. Make a list with everything on it (presents, food, cards, decorations, travel) then set a budget for each. You’ll keep track of spending much more easily and it’ll act like a planner too. START CRAFTING If you’re intending to make gifts for the whole family, or rustle up your own decorations, start now. Judge how long each gift will take to make and decide if you can fit them all in.…

STELLAR STYLE Hang this mains-operated LED branch star somewhere for all to see to lend an understated touch of seasonal magic to your home. £18, shop.nationaltrust.org.uk SHINING EXAMPLES Give a subtle nod to Eastern inspiration with a selection of these shimmering hand blown metallic glass baubles. £5 each, www.handmadechristmasco.com FOLLOW THE STARS Combining bold design and vintage style, these antique zinc stars add a rustic touch of class to any Christmas tree. From £14.95 for set of two small stars, www.nkuku.com BACK TO NATURE Made from bark, this simple, Nordic-style tree decoration is just the thing for enhancing a rustic, nature-inspired décor scheme. £3.95, www.limelace.co.uk FURRY FRIEND Take inspiration from cold northern climes and add fake fur to your festive decorating this year. This cushion is a perfect starting point.…

A TOUCH OF CLASS This show-stopping fuchsia pink bauble is a special piece that’s sure to add a dose of the exotic to your decorating. £6, www.johnlewis.com COLOUR BURST A felt wreath makes an unusual alternative to the traditional foliage version and it can be enjoyed year after year. £51.45, www.notonthehighstreet.com/feltsogood RAINBOW STYLING Go back to basics with a brightly coloured set of bold and simple silk baubles that will look wonderfully striking on any Christmas tree. £14, www.tch.net POM-POM PARTY Pretty pom-poms and twinkling lights come together in this charming garland, which will look magical all year round. £29.95, www.theletteroom.com PRETTY IN PINK Your guests are sure to be tickled pink when they spot this incredibly fancy peacock perched among the branches of your tree! £3, www.tch.net CUTE CHARACTER…

What are your tips for getting ahead with the cooking on Christmas Day? Prepare days in advance! You can do all the veg the day before so the only thing you need to worry about is the turkey. Do you have any advice for someone who might be a bit nervous about hosting Christmas? Don’t be nervous, don’t panic and take your time. Think about your menu carefully and make it simple: four or five veg dishes, the turkey and gravy. Cold starters make it easy for you, or soup – that can be prepared days in advance and all you need to do is pour! Also, if it’s starting at one o’clock I tell guests to come for noon! People are always late… When it comes to Christmas cooking…

Homemade touches are a great way to put a personal stamp on the festive season, from decorations for your tree, table and front door, to cards and tags to give your gifts the perfect finishing touches. There’s even wrapping paper to make with your free Simply Christmas stencils! After all that crafting you’ll all deserve a treat, so we’ve found ten fantastic family days out to help you and your family feel well and truly festive. Plus, we’ve teamed up with the elves at LaplandUK to give one of you the chance to visit Father Christmas’s magical home!…

YOU WILL NEED Glass jars of various sizes 5cm-wide professionalquality masking tape Surface primer spray Red enamel spray paint Old cardboard box Ribbons Craft knife Cutting mat Baking paper Pencil Strong glue HOW TO MAKE THE JAM JAR LANTERNS 1 Clean and dry the jars, making sure that any sticky residue from the labels is completely removed. 2 Draw heart and star motifs to fit on your jam jars on a sheet of paper. Cut them out to make templates. 3 Cut off a piece of masking tape big enough to cover your motif and stick it lightly onto baking paper. (Don’t stick it firmly as you’ll need to remove it later, and use good-quality masking tape to prevent the paint bleeding under it.) Put your template onto the baking…

HOW TO MAKE THE FLOWER POT CANDLE HOLDERS 1 Soak an oasis brick by dropping it into a basin of water – don’t push it down as this will create air pockets in the oasis. Soak it for 10 minutes or so, then remove from the water and cut a piece slightly smaller than your terracotta pot. 2 Wrap a piece of moss around the top half of the oasis brick and secure it in place with moss pins. 3 Push the oasis brick into the plant pot so that the moss rises above the top of the pot. 4 Make a hole in the moss and oasis and push a candle holder into it. Place a candle carefully in the holder, then arrange the moss so that it hides…

Now in its 17th year, Bath Christmas Market features more than 200 beautifully decorated chalets, dotted throughout the streets of this World Heritage City. And this year, more than 60 new businesses are joining in the fun, so whether you’re a first-timer or a Christmas market veteran, there’ll be plenty of new treats to discover. With over 80% of stallholders coming from Bath and the South West region, there’s a distinctive community spirit to this market, and you’re sure to find unique gifts for everyone on your Christmas list, including artisan cheeses, bespoke homeware, tasty drinks, designer fashions and beautiful crafts. Bath Street will once again see small and new start-up businesses take the opportunity to showcase their products, while the market’s Charity Chalet will welcome 18 charities to raise…

Dusting off the same old decorations, untangling fairy lights and hurrying out for replacement bulbs on Christmas Eve... If this sounds all too familiar then our guide should provide you with plenty of ideas to help you get your home and gardens looking suitably seasonal, with advice on creating a festive theme and using greenery in your decorating, to setting the scene with light and scents. And to give you extra inspiration we chat to the people who create magical festive scenes in London’s shop windows every year!…

HARVEY NICHOLS’ ‘BRITALIA’ IN NUMBERS 1,500 hours to install 2 miles of wool 700 hand-painted stars 100,000 ice-white balls 1,300kg of scrunched up paper 500 litres of paint We all remember those ‘Christmas is coming’ moments from our childhood: Slade and Wizzard blaring out in the supermarket, foil-wrapped Santas sneaking onto shop shelves, the scent of pine needles on the air. Now, as adults, the real festive kickstarter is often the sight of elaborately dressed windows in the nearest department store in November. On the other side of the glass, Christmas begins much earlier in the year. In fact, the visual teams at Liberty, Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges and the like start planning for the following Christmas before the current year’s fake snow has been swept away. And while the rest…

PUT ON A SHOW Do you want to make a display of your gifts? “When arranging gifts under the tree, ensure the largest ones are at the back and then decrease the sizes towards the front so you get a pyramid effect,” says Jane. “You can stick to a single colour for your paper and ribbon, or choose contrasting colours such as red and gold. You can also thread the same ribbon that you’ve used in your gift wrapping through the tree branches.” Whether you put all your gifts under the tree on Christmas Eve or add them over a few weeks, a stylishly wrapped present is not only thoughtful but can also be a decoration. If you’re attempting a house-wide theme with your décor this year then you could…

1 When Twelfth Night rolls around, make sure you pack your fairy lights away neatly to avoid hours of untangling when they reappear. Lay them out in straight lines and then gently wind them around a thick strip of cardboard. 2 Before you recycle your Christmas cards, make a note of any new addresses or updated details that might have been scribbled inside by the sender. That’ll save you having to rummage around for contact details when you’re sending cards. 3 Another pre-recycling use for those Christmas cards: cut the fronts off and turn them into gift tags. Make sure there’s no writing on the back, then trim around any eyecatching designs, punch a hole in them and thread with ribbon or brightly coloured embroidery thread. Store them with your…

Let’s party ! CANAPÉS MULLED WINE PLATTERS MIX & MATCH COCKTAILS WIN! THE ULTIMATE PARTY KIT TAP HERE! IN ASSOCIATION WITH 1 SEASONED GRISSINI Experiment with savoury flavours then serve with aperitifs or a glass of fizz! INGREDIENTS 280g plain (all-purpose) flour 1 tsp salt 40g fine semolina 100g softened butter 50g finely grated Parmesan 7g sachet of easy-bake yeast 200ml milk Seasoning ideas: Chilli flakes, fennel seeds, chopped rosemary, sesame seeds, black pepper, sea salt flakes, olives (stoned, blitzed to a paste and patted dry), tomato purée 1 Line 2 baking sheets with non-stick baking paper. 2 Secure the dough hook to your mixer and place the flour, salt and semolina into the bowl, along with the softened butter, Parmesan and yeast. Warm the milk until tepid and pour…

Whether you like to surround yourself with traditional decorations and classic red and green at Christmas, or you want to give your home a festive style injection, we’ve packed the next few pages with this year’s trends for decor. From nomadic style that borrows details from far-flung countries, to a playful palette of rainbow shades, there’s something for everyone. We’ll also be introducing you to the people behind some of our favourite festive traditions, from the Nutcracker to good old Christmas crackers!…

STYLE IT UP Play up a dark colour scheme with gold accents, feathers, luxurious fabrics and candles. Gifts wrapped in metallic paper and tied with black ribbons add to the unashamedly opulent look. PRETTY PLUMES Look no further for a festive talking point than this feather tree, an unusual twist on the traditional Christmas fir. £8, www.dunelm.com ULTIMATE ELEGANCE There’s nothing quite so elegant as a finial bauble. This one will be treasured for years to come, thanks to its deep, striking shades and swirls. £6, www.johnlewis.com SUBTLE SHIMMER Give Christmas parties a stylish edge with eye-catching iridescent decs, like these pretty hanging fans. £9.99 for three, www.talkingtables.co.uk PIECE OF ART An iridescent sheen makes this vase an excellent vessel for holly, pine and other seasonal foliage, and it catches…

THE BALLET DANCER Rina Kanehara is dancing as Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy throughout the festive season in the English National Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. This year will be my third Christmas season dancing in The Nutcracker with English National Ballet. In my first year I danced the part of Lead Snowflake, and in my second year I had the amazing opportunity to dance as Clara/Sugar Plum Fairy which is one of the main roles in The Nutcracker – it was the first principal role I danced in a full-length ballet, so it really meant a lot to me. I love the Sugar Plum Fairy costume. It’s so sparkly, and the tutu is slightly shorter than usual. It’s a really comfortable costume to dance in and that’s a very…

Add one or two non-perishable items to your weekly shop in the months before Christmas and minimise the panic when it comes to doing your festive food shop. You’ll have fully stocked cupboards by the big day! Make plenty of room in your fridge and freezer in advance, so that you’re not trying to squeeze dishes in among jars and packets. If you’ve got six types of chutney, come up with a delicious way to downsize in time for the big day. Cheese and wine evening, anyone? Give a frozen turkey plenty of time to defrost. Allow 10-12 hours per kg in a fridge set at 4C, or 3-4 hours in a cool room (below 17.5C). Once defrosted, cook your turkey immediately or keep refridgerated. Your freezer is your festive…

YOU WILL NEED Patterned paper (thick wrapping paper is ideal) Twine Sticky tape Glue HOW TO MAKE THE STAR 1 Cut six 12x12cm paper squares and fold them diagonally into triangles. 2 Mark along the fold at 2cm, 4cm, 6cm in from each end. Mark at 2cm, 4cm, 6cm down from the top point. 3 Join the 2cm marks, 4cm marks and 6cm marks to draw three triangles. Cut along the lines towards the points but stop before you cut them out. Open out the square, pull the points from each triangle together and secure with tape on alternate sides. 4 Repeat for the other five squares and join together, as shown. HOW TO MAKE THE BAUBLE 1 Cut 12 circles, 7cm in diameter. Fold each one in half, pattern…

HOW TO MAKE THE GLITTER PAPER TREE 1 Use a craft knife to cut a piece of oasis from the block. Make sure the oasis fits into the plant pot snugly. Push a wooden skewer vertically into the centre of the oasis, with the pointed end at the top. You may want to trim the skewer, depending on the size of your pot. 2 Take your paper, in bunches of three or four pages, and rip these into squares of varying sizes. There’s no need to be precise when you rip – uneven edges will look pretty. 3 Start pushing your bundles of paper onto the skewer. Turn the pot slightly as you add more bundles so that the edges of the paper aren’t all lined up evenly. Gradually decrease…

HOW TO MAKE THE CARD 1 Fold the card rectangle in half to make an 8.5cm square greetings card. (You could also buy packs of card blanks to save time.) 2 Print this page, then use tracing paper to draw over one of the robins in the photograph on this page. 3 Turn the traced image over, then place it centrally on the front of the greetings card and go over the lines with a sharp pencil. 4 Remove the tracing paper and go over the pencil lines using a black pen. Make the lines thicker, and don’t worry if they’re a little wobbly in places – it looks good like that! 5 Press your thumb or forefinger onto the red ink pad, then carefully press down onto the card…

HOW TO MAKE THE STANDING STAGS 1 Print this page then use a photocopier to enlarge the templates below to the size you’d like your stags to be. Cut them out and draw round them to create two stags on the reverse of some gold glitter card. Make sure they face in opposite directions. Carefully cut them out. 2 Add glue to the body of one stag piece and stick the front and back stag pieces together so that the glitter sides are facing outwards. Leave the four legs unstuck. 3 Once the glue has dried, gently ease the legs outwards until the stag stands. (You may need to use some white tack for extra support.) Thread a bell onto twine and tie it around the stag’s neck. HOW TO…

One alternative to spending your Christmas budget on toys that are destined to be gathering dust by February is to invest in a fantastic day out or an evening show with the family – guaranteed memory-making moments. There are so many venues to choose from: from stunning stately homes to funfairs and Christmas markets, to TV or film characters strutting their stuff on stage. Whatever you and your children are into, you’ll find a festive event to suit. When you’re watching an exciting spectacle on ice or seeing the Christmas lights from the top of a big wheel, you won’t doubt that a huge amount of effort goes into making festive events something you’d want to return to time and time again. But alongside the entertainment, there’s the value of…

This year, why not leave that faithful old box of decorations in the loft and plan your festive decorating around a theme instead? Whether you focus on a colour scheme, shape, style or trend, a strong theme can create real impact, and a truly memorable experience for you and your guests! You may already have an idea of what sort of look you want to create in your home, but if you’re not sure where to begin, Pinterest is a neverending source of inspiration. Browse the archives of interior design sites, and find out what themes are trending on wedding planners’ blogs – especially if they’ve featured winter ceremonies. Decide which area of the house is going to be the focal point of the festivities, whether it’s the kitchen, dining…

Watching a loved one’s face light up as they unwrap your carefully chosen gift has to rank pretty high on everyone’s ‘top Christmas moments’ list. And we all remember the excitement of waking up to find a stocking stuffed with treats! With that in mind, we’ve hunted high and low to fill this year’s gift guide with presents for everyone on your shopping list, from gardeners and crafters to kids and keen cooks. Plus, we’ve made it our mission to find stocking fillers and under-a-fiver treats for all your favourite people!…

WIN!* This We Are Knitters kit for Christmas at http://competition. immediate.co.uk/ knitkit…

Perfect bakes CUPCAKES GIFT IDEAS MINCE PIES INDULGENT NOUGAT INSIDE! EXCLUSIVE NADIYA INTERVIEW PLUS HER CRANBERRY SHORTBREAD RECIPE 1 SWEDISH KANELBULLAR (CINNAMON BUNS) These traditional spiced cinnamon buns would put even Scrooge in a festive mood! Dunk then in hot coffee for a Swedish-style coffee break. INGREDIENTS 250ml warm milk 100g unsalted butter 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp salt 50g caster (superfine) sugar 7g sachet of easy-bake yeast 1 egg Oil 30g caster sugar 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground cardamom 75g unsalted butter, softened 1 egg yolk 2 tbsp milk Sugar nibs 1 Heat the milk and butter in a small pan and remove from the heat once the butter has melted, then set to one side and allow to cool until tepid.…