Friday, 7 May 2021

CHRISTMAS ALE

 

Most brewers will produce a robust and full-bodied winter ale in time for the Christmas festivities.

It will be called Winter Warmer, Christmas ale, Winter ale or any combination of all the above.

In the 21st century when all the bars are stocked with many and various insipid imported lagers and the infamous Alco pops, I just hope the brewers continue producing the traditional Christmas tipple.

Thursday, 6 May 2021

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – 12 DAYS (2016)

 

“12 Days” is story about a hopelessly romantic writer, Cynthia (Meredith Hagner), and the inability of the men in her life to live up to her romantic ideal.

But when her and her friend and illustrator Liam (Bobby Campo) go to her father’s house for the Christmas Wedding of her sister Janet (Megan Park) Cynthia starts receiving at her door anonymous gifts of the “12 Days of Christmas”.

It's a fun mystery but Cynthia is determined to find out who the great romantic is that’s sending the gifts and conscripts everyone around her to assist.

Eventually she decides that it must be a local Deputy, Scott (Aaron O'Connell), but will he live up to her expectations or will there be a final twist or two.

CHIMNEY NOOK

 

The next time you complain

At the lack of Christmas nookey

Spare a thought for old St Nick

And have a little sympathy

For he only comes but once a year

And then he’s up a chimney

SEASONAL SNIPPET # 08

The name “Santa Claus” is derived from the good Bishop “Saint Nicholas,” patron saint of beggars and thieves and in the middle Ages, thieves were known as “clerks of St. Nicholas.”

TRADITIONAL GLUHWEIN RECIPE

 

TRADITIONAL GLUHWEIN RECIPE

 

Ingredients:

1 bottle red wine

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

2 cloves

2 sticks of cinnamon

Orange and lemon peel

 

Instructions:

With the exception of the wine boil all ingredients together and reduce the volume by half.

Remove from the heat Strain and then add the Wine.

Return to the heat bringing the mixture to the boil but not boiling.

Remove from the heat and Serve hot.

Wednesday, 5 May 2021

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – THE LIST (2015)

 

Jamie Patterson (Mason Douglas) is jealous of his rich friend Blake Matthews (Juliocesar Chavez) so when he gets annoyed at his parents (Antonio Sabato Jr and Shannen Doherty) he makes a wish to swap families with his wealthy best friend at Christmas.

To his delight his wish comes true and he finds himself living the extravagant lifestyle he always dreamed of true However despite having everything he ever wanted, his new mother and father have little time for him, and he grandmother has been dumped in a home and so he ends up trying to put things back the way they were.

FESTIVE FACT # 22

 The first church to be built in New York or New Amsterdam as it was at the time was built by the Dutch.

When it was completed, the Dutch named it in honor of the gift giving Saint - St Nicholas.