Creamy Vegetable Soup [vegan]

Friday is soup night at our house! This is one of our current favourites, a versatile soup packed full of veggies with a creamy tomato base. I like it because I always have these ingredients on hand, and if I'm bereft of fresh green veggies I can use frozen instead! This recipe makes about eight large servings.

Saute two large onions in a tin or two (2-4 cups homemade) of coconut milk, with a blend of dried or fresh herbs (thyme/oregano/basil/sage), garlic, and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. 

 

Add diced carrots and sweet potatoes, and green veg. Today it was kale but spinach works too, as does frozen green veggies like spinach/kale/peas. 

Stir in three tins of chickpeas, and 800g (large tin) crushed tomatoes or puree. Add in enough water (or broth, if that's what you prefer) to cover all the ingredients and allow to simmer for a while. When the carrots are softened, throw in a box/ bag of pasta. If you're using a gluten free pasta, you'll want to wait to add this to the heated soup and cook it right before you plan to eat. Otherwise, add the pasta and then simmer for another minute or two.

Put the lid on the pot and turn off the heat; allow the soup to cool on the back of the stove until you're ready to re-heat for dinner. This is a great make-ahead soup; it tastes best the day after! It's also a perfect last-minute soup; start to finish it takes about fifteen minutes to prep and half an hour to cook. 

Other variations: omit the pasta and add 4-5 large potatoes, or omit the pasta and add 2 cupfuls brown short grain rice. For both of these, include when you add the veggies rather than at the end!

 

Autumn Spice

One of my favourite essential oil blends... this creamy-lathered, long-lasting soap has a hint of cinnamon and cloves but also quite a strong earthy note. All my soaps are 100% vegan, scented only with essential oils, and contain no artificial colouring or fragrances.  

Soap and Such

I've been soap-making again.  

The sights and smells of the soap process are my favourite part of this hobby-turned-pocketmoney-making venture.  Watching the saponifying cloud spread as I add the lye water to the hot oils and butters; then stirring, blending, seeing the completeness as the soap mixture arrives at the legendary, pudding-like "trace" is so satisfying.  I love the scents of cocoa and shea butters, and all the essential oils, but I also appreciate the tangy smell of the lye as it blends with the oils, and together they become "soap".

This is not your typical moneymaking craft project, something you can sell and make a small profit from easily.  I use good quality oils, butters, and essential oils, and they're not inexpensive! I'm hoping to at least recompense myself for what I've spent on soaping supplies this year at a semi-local craft fair in December. 

Because, of course, we use the soap I make.  Every once in a while a few bars go away as a gift, but usually every single bar is eventually put into use in this household.  

I've never sold soap on any measurable scale before, and I'm a bit daunted by all the insurance discussions on my online cold process soap-makers group. Should I word some type of disclaimer for the less discerning, or trust customers to make their own decisions about the soap they buy?  Every recipe has been in effect tested by us, as it's the soap we use daily.  Recipes that dry our skin or go soft too quickly are in my "tried but not our favourite" notes.

The craft fair will take place in four weeks, so my last few batches will be underway this week as they'll have time to cure properly before they're ready to sell.  And hopefully, I'll catch the time I need online to blog more about this latest venture.

How to Make Your Own Homemade Container Candles

I've written before about making container candles, but this post will explain the process in detail, so you can make your own.

Preparation:

• Soy wax flakes for container candles --soy burns at a lower temperature than paraffin and burns quite cleanly and efficiently, leaving very little candle left inside the jar.  [I use soy currently, though I'd like to find a non-GM substitute] I buy mine from eBay shop Torbay Supplies in 10kg boxes --it's cheaper that way!  For starters, I would advise purchasing about 1kg. 
• Candle fragrance oils --these are artificial, unlike essential oils. They are specifically formulated for optimum burning.  You can try using essential oils, but you will need to use quite a large amount to obtain a good fragrance, and remember that their "burning smell" will differ slightly from their normal scent. Good-quality candle fragrance oils can be found at reliable eBay shop Candles and Aromatics
• Emptied, clean jam jars --look for jars with a diameter of more than two inches but no more than three.  
• Pre-tabbed candle wicks --these are cotton [lead-free] wicks already attached to the round metal tab that will secure them to the base of the candle.  I purchase 5" or 6" wicks on eBay from the same shop as the candle fragrance oils mentioned above.
• Glue gun or super glue --to attach the wick's tab to the base of the jar.  I prefer using a glue gun, as the used tab easily peels away from the base of the burned-out candle when you want to clean the jar for recycling or re-using.
• Ball-point pen barrel --using a regular ball-point pen, unscrew the components and discard until you're left with the tube.  Your wicks will be threaded through this and used to tamp down the tab at the bottom of the jar as it's gluing to the base.
• Ice-lolly [popsicle] sticks and clothes-pegs --used to clip and balance the wick so it stays in the centre of the candle during the process.  I also use ice-lolly sticks for stirring the melting wax.  
• Stainless steel saucepan, Pyrex glass jug, and stainless steel teaspoon

Preparing the jars:  Pre-heat oven to gas mark 1.  Set jars on an oven-proof tray.  Glue the metal tabs of the wicks to the base of the jar, centring as well as you can, manipulating and pressing down with the help of the ball-point pen tube.  If the mouth of the jar is wide, rest the ice-lolly stick across the top of the jar.  Straightening the wick as well as you can, peg it with the clothes-peg and balance it on the stick, or on the edge of the jar.  Set the tray of prepared jars aside until the soy wax flakes have melted.

Melting the wax:  I melt soy wax flakes using a double-boiler method, in a Pyrex glass measuring jug placed in a small stainless steel saucepan of simmering water.  Soy wax melts at low temperatures and will not burn your skin if the melted wax makes contact, but do use caution while melting wax!  Some candle-making instructions describe melting it in the microwave but I've never needed to try this. The stove-top melting method is incredibly easy, with little clean-up involved, and the temperature of the wax can be easily controlled.  The temperature you want to reach for melted soy wax is 90C, and you can use a kitchen thermometer to test this.  For one medium jam jar candle, fill the jug about 3/4 full of wax flakes.  This will melt to around ten ounces of liquid wax.

Heating the jars:  When the wax flakes have nearly melted, place the baking tray with the prepared candles into the oven to heat.  This process acts like a test of the jars you're using.  If the glass of a jar will not be able to stand the heat of the burning candle or the hot wax, it will split at this temperature.  Don't worry; jam jars unable to withstand heat are rare! I've only had two broken ones out of the seventy-plus candles I've made so far.  

Pouring:  After the jars have been in the oven for five minutes, remove them.  Remove the jug of hot wax (heated to 90C) from the double boiler and allow to cool to 65C before adding the fragrance oil. You will need about 3ml of fragrance oil for every 100g of wax that you melted.  This equates to around 1- 1.5 oz of fragrance oil for every 16 oz of liquid wax. Stir well and pour the fragranced, liquid wax into the hot jars.  Stabilise the wick, ensuring that it is in the centre of each candle.

Finishing: Set candles aside to cool in a safe place.  Allow them to cool for twenty-four hours before burning. To finish, trim the wick to one-quarter of an inch, and keep it trimmed to this length as you burn through the candle.  Burn candles for no more than two hours at a time; this enables them to burn down evenly.

Clean-up:  Wash all utensils and containers used in hot soapy water.  Melted soy wax cleans up very easily and you should have no problem removing it from the everyday kitchen items you've used.

Any questions about making container candles at home? Ask me in the comment box and I'll do my best to answer!

Olive Palm Soap

This was a quiet evening of soap-making --very necessary, too-- as our last bar is rapidly vanishing in the downstairs' toilet's "soap-shell".  

My friend Becky, inspired to make her own cold-process soap, came round to watch the entire procedure.  

I tried a new recipe: "Olive Palm Soap" from Anne Watson's inimitable book Smart Soapmaking.

I used patchouli, sweet orange, clove, cinnamon, and sage essential oils to scent this soap.  It's deliciously spicy, with an olive bite.  I'm guessing that the tang will soften in time, as this is one of those soaps that needs to ripen for a while before being used. My two favourite recipes so far from Smart Soapmaking, "Anne's Longer-Lasting Soap" [cocoa butter, avocado butter, palm oil, coconut oil, and shea butter] and "Anne's Shea Butter Supreme" [coconut oil, olive oil, and shea butter] have been ready to use right away and I've never left them to dry out for a few weeks before trying.

Becky and I discussed the possibility of making milk soaps.  I looked up Anne Watson again, and sure enough, she's been there already!  Her book, Milk Soapmaking, is now on my Amazon wish list.

"Mummy, take a picture of me with the soap!"

Homemade Falafel

I've often bought ready-made falafel in overpriced, ethnically decorated packets. It's delicious, but there are about two servings per box, and it's just not great value for money, especially with the number of eaters around our table!  

My friend Sue gave me this recipe from one of her cookbooks ages ago; I've adapted it slightly, and it's so easy. I would have been making homemade falafel years ago if I'd had any idea how simple it would be!  

FALAFEL

[This recipe makes about 8-10 medium-sized falafel patties; I did triple it to feed quite a few of us! You'll want at least two per person.]

• 1 cup cooked chickpeas [garbanzo beans], drained
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
• 1 medium red or purple onion, chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 heaping teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
• 1-2 TBS fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley [you can use dried, like I did in the photos below, but you won't have the vivid herb green colouring in the falafel!]
• seasoning: a teaspoon of salt and some freshly ground black pepper --I use about half a teaspoon

The original recipe says to put the above ingredients in a food processor, which I don't have.  However, I blended it up with my hand-blender [which blends everything from smoothies and almond milk to soap and body butter] and it was fine!

Scrape the blended chickpea mixture into a bowl, and stir in wholemeal spelt flour until you have a formable mixture.  It starts out looking like this: 

and ends up like this, just about to slip off the spoon but not quite:

On a hot griddle pan over medium heat, put a light sprinkling of extra virgin olive oil, and shallow-fry the falafel for about four minutes on each side until suitably browned.

Place the cooked falafel on a plate covered with a cotton tea towel, to absorb any extra oil.

Falafel can be a vegetarian substitute for burgers, and eaten on bread rolls with all the traditional burger trimmings.  

However, I like mine eaten in a wholemeal wrap, with cashew and garlic dressing, spinach leaves, olives, and cucumber/tomato/onion salad with a bit of lime juice.  

For more great green, homemade ideas, visit Beth's blog and click on the links from other bloggers!

Easy All-Purpose Vinegar Cleaning Spray

This is my "go to" cleaning spray. We use this for windows, mirrors, stove, quick clean-up after spills [particularly sticky ones] and as a clean-scented finish for deep cleaning. After scrubbing sinks, toilets, bath, shower, and floors with a bowl of hot water and a few drops of Bio-D multi-purpose cleaner, it's time to get out this vinegar spray! Scented with anti-bacterial tea tree and your favourite essential oils, it smells lovely!

EASY ALL-PURPOSE VINEGAR CLEANING SPRAY

1) You'll need a sturdy, clean spray bottle.

2) Fill bottle with three parts filtered water to one part vinegar. [I use unfiltered apple cider vinegar, so I have to strain it first!]

3) Add 20 drops tea tree oil and 30 drops of any other essential oil you like.  Depending on what scent I prefer at the moment, I'll use sage, lavender, patchouli, and lemongrass.  This is quite a lot of essential oils, so you can reduce the amount if you want.  I like a strongly-scented spray.

4) Screw the spray attachment onto the top and give the bottle a good shake.  Enjoy your fresh-smelling, homemade spray cleaner!

Note: When cleaning glass, I use a rough terry cloth with this spray.  Paper towels don't work as well, and I don't like using extra paper products if I don't have to!

Making this vinegar spray almost ten years ago was part of my initial journey into eco-friendly cleaning. Gradually, the number of cleaning products in my cupboard were reduced, and it was amazing!  No more "bleach" headaches or sore skin from strong, chemical cleaning solutions. Bio-D multi-purpose cleaner, Bio-D toilet cleaner, and this vinegar spray are the only cleaning products left in my cupboard.  The kids have grown up without daily exposure to chemicals, and have never had problems with skin or food allergies.  We don't catch any more colds and tummy bugs than everyone else even with our lack of "anti-bacterial" products; in fact, we probably suffer from them proportionately less than most people I know.

Christmas Spice Granola

Our usual breakfast is healthy, soaked, and raw; but every once in a while we like to have homemade granola for a treat. As much as I love our usual cinnamon crunch granola recipe, it was time for something new.  I drew inspiration for this recipe from Kathy's Homemade Holiday Granola Recipes.

CHRISTMAS SPICE GRANOLA 

[makes some to eat now, some to give away, and enough to pop in the freezer for another day!]

5 1/2 cups oats

2 cups mixed dried fruit [I use an organic Crazy Jack pack that contains sultanas, raisins, currants, mixed candied peel, and chopped apricots]

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup desiccated unsweetened coconut

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 1/2 cups chopped almonds

2 TBS mixed spice

4 TBS ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt for extra seasoning [optional]

6 TBS unrefined organic virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup organic maple syrup

2/3 cup coconut palm sugar

2 TBS natural almond or vanilla extract [almond is my favourite!]

Stir together all dry ingredients.  Melt coconut oil, maple syrup, coconut palm sugar, and almond extract over low heat and stir thoroughly into the oat and nut mixture.

Divide between two cookie tins covered in baking paper.  Bake in a warm oven at gas mark 2/300F/150C for 20-25 minutes.  Stir every ten minutes.

Allow to cool before packing away into cellophane bags for giving away, or into jars to freeze or keep. This granola freezes well! 

To serve, use about 1/4 cup granola per person.  Eat with fresh fruit [chopped bananas --mmm!] and either plain yoghurt or rice/coconut/almond milk.

For more ideas about homemade or eco-friendly things you can make or do, visit Beth's blog and follow the links on her Green Resource post:

Handmade Christmas

A peek into 2011 Christmas cookie madness

After a decade of baking piles of cookies at Christmas, I decided to take a break from them this year.  As much as I love trying to beat my own records of how many cookies I've made in previous years, it was time for something new.

Two years ago, I invested in soap and candle making supplies with the intention of making soap and candles as Christmas gifts. However, Christmas cookies took precedence and I didn't have time for anything else, and the same scenario was repeated the year after!

I decided this year was going to be different, and scratched "Christmas cookie making" off my holiday "to do" list.

I started making cold-process soap in the spring, and we've enjoyed using it throughout this year.  A few extra autumn batches were enough to use for gifting.

The unused candle supplies were tempting me, too, especially after my friend Katy gave me a homemade candle for my birthday.  I decided to completely scrap Christmas cookie-giving this year, and instead pour all my creative energies into candles, soap, and lip balm. Eventually homemade granola was added to the list of "giftables". After finishing eighteen container candles, two batches of soap, three of lip balm, and five of granola... I was ready to drop, but it was worth it!

The usual round of holiday sewing included "dress-up" bags for all four kids. These have been in the works for a while, but Christmas giving was the impetus I needed to complete them.  They are large enough to contain the boys' wooden swords and bows, close with a drawstring, and have a strong loop to use for a handle or for hanging them from a hook. The boys' bags are sewn from Ikea Tidny black on white fabric and can be coloured in with Sharpies to personalise. Coo's bag is bright and cheerful Fredrika, at £4 per metre great value for money.

When Coo asked for "my own tiny bunting" for Christmas, I could not refuse.  It was the smallest string of bunting I've made yet, and she was over the moon about it.

Using the Soap Mould

A beautiful, untreated pine soap mould was my birthday present from Dan.

And the first time I've used it?  Tonight, for a recipe I've not tried yet until now: a blend of coconut oil, palm oil, avocado butter, cocoa butter, and shea butter.  Fragranced with woody patchouli, sharp sage, flowery lavender, warm clove and spicy cinnamon essential oils, this batch smells deliciously and distinctly Christmasy.

I chatted with Dan's mum, put Coo in her bed, and had a short pause to make a cup of coffee to drink halfway through, but managed to combine the lye solution and the melted fat without the aid of my digital thermometer, which died a watery death when I dropped it into dishwater last week.  Instead, my old-fashioned candy thermometer worked just as well --better, even!

Soap-making = addictive.  Who knew? But I guess I could have chosen worse things to become addicted to!

The windows are frosty with cold, the sky is clear and well-lit by a bright moon, and the Christmas tree casts a relaxing, warm glow around me as I sit here in our silent lounge, writing.

The satisfying thought of fresh soap saponifying and cooling in the new soap mould just makes the evening perfect; and now the news of a royal baby on the way, too!  I think it will be a girl; but we shall see...

Homemade Candles

After two years of storing candle-making supplies, I finally worked my way through enough of the other projects on my creative bucket list to justify using them!

With caution, as Coo was working on her own paper doll project nearby, I melted soy wax flakes in a double boiler over a low heat.  "Double boiler", in my case, is a stainless steel pot filled with water and a stainless steel bowl fitted over it.  While the wax melted, I hot-glued pre-tabbed wicks to the bases of glass jam jars, using the tube part of a dismantled ball point pen to stabilise them.  Then I clipped each wick end with a clothes peg and balanced it on the jar opening to ensure the wick stayed straight.  These prepared jars were placed inside the oven on its lowest heat setting to warm.

When the wax had finished melting, I checked the temperature [150-180F is apparently best] and stirred in the fragrance oil, about 3ml of fragrance per 100g wax flakes.  The molten wax poured as easily as water into the hot jars.  I checked the steadiness of the wicks and set the candles aside to cool.

Five hours later, I re-heated a small amount of remaining wax to 180F and poured a thin layer into each cooled candle.  The next morning, the candles were completely solidified and smelled delicious!

Later, I re-read for the umpteenth time an account of 1850's candle-making in Laura Ingalls Wilder's book, Farmer Boy. Almanzo's mother didn't purchase her candle-making supplies on eBay or Amazon.  All the ingredients for her dipped candles, which were necessities, came from their farm and were fully sustainable.  

As much as I've loved these forays into homemade soap and candle making, I can't help but think that I'm hardly homesteading it!  

However, Coo is here with me, busily colouring and cutting out her own paper doll clothes as I write while the candles are solidifying.  Her paper dolls have tons of clothes and hats and accessories.  But she is not satisfied, and insists on creating her own clothes for the dolls.  

And I realise that she soaks up the "make-it-yourself" philosophy as we work together, me on candles and she on paper doll clothes, just as I did myself many years ago with my own mother.

If you enjoy reading about DIY, making do, homemade and handmade, click below to visit Red and Honey, and view links for a community of bloggers who post about their greener solutions every Thursday.

{All of my candle supplies apart from the soy wax were purchased from eBay shop Candles and Aromatics.  The eco soy container wax came from eBay seller Torbay Supplies, and although I initially bought it in smaller amounts of one kilo, it's much cheaper in the long run to fork out a bit of extra money and buy a box of ten kilograms!]

Making and Doing

Following on from my last post, in other creative news, Mr J has been inspired by reading about Egyptian mummies and decided to make his own.

Over the course of several days, I've found his large mama-made rag doll in various places all over the house, swathed in scarfs and finally a blanket.  One night I even found it lying at the end of our bed with a Darth Vader mask carefully placed over the face.  Mr J has been reading a world history book aloud to myself, Lefty, and Righty; and his mummy-making inspiration appears to be coming from this book.  We all know how he likes to act out what he reads.  

At the instigation of our friends Lizzie and Teresa, the boys helped create a homemade Lord of the Rings-themed floor-sized Monopoly game.  They love playing it!

And... it's that time of year!  In spite of the brevity of our summers, it's now cold, and we need warm clothes to wear.  Jeans with holes in the knees will not do anymore. Two well-worn pairs became shorts, while three less-worn pairs took on personalities of their own.  Those faces are created from appliqued felt over red fleece patches.  Lefty wanted teeth on his, but Mr J preferred fangs.  Love the daughter's tights/flip-flops combination there on the left!

More Soap-making

Another month, another batch of soap.  This is my fourth session of soap-making this year, so far.

I'm still using recipes from Smart Soapmaking, by Anne L Watson.  Tonight, it was the "All-Veggie Grocery Store 1", mainly because it uses only olive and coconut oils, of which I have plenty.  It felt a bit like Christmas when, before tea this evening, I discovered a little stash of unrefined coconut oil and extra-virgin olive oil in my under-the-stairs cupboard.  They had fallen behind my box of soap supplies and were overlooked during my last two soap-making endeavours.  

This soap turned out great, as usual.  Anne Watson's recipes just don't seem to fail, so far.  I am learning to read the signs of the soap changing instead of continually checking the thermometer as I work, and find it easier each time to complete the soap without going over the instructions again, particularly around the initially tricky lye-mixing step! This latest batch was scented with equal amounts of patchouli and lavender essential oils. I love that addition of earthy patchouli; the floweriness of lavender on its own is too sweet for me.

I need more shea butter for the next batch of soap, and a few more essential oils.  A soap mould would be nice, too, as the cardboard box I've been using is starting to show signs of wearing out.  I've added a wooden mould especially for cold-process soap to my Amazon wish list, so we shall see!

I'm meeting up with other crafting friends soon for a craft afternoon, one I've been attending regularly.  Originally, I meant to take along my sewing machine, but instead I'll be working on our family's Christmas cards.  I've been sending cards with enclosed family photos for the last ten years, mainly for the benefit of faraway family and friends.  Most years, I've purchased cards, but for a handful of crazy Christmases, I've made them.  It's a bit like giving birth.  You forget about the intensity of it until you go through it again. So yes, this year I'm making cards. In spite of the work, it is satisfying to see the result and know that somewhere in the world, loved ones who aren't able to connect with us often will be appreciating those handmade cards and photos.

Since I've been going on about all this homemade stuff, check out more eco-friendly ideas from Beth, one of the hostesses of Your Green Resource.  She's gathering plenty of great links from other bloggers centring around real food recipes, upcycled and repurposed projects, organic gardening, thrifty solutions, and natural/green DIY.  If you share any of these interests, you'll love this concentration of information from other bloggers.

A Watercolour Lampshade

This was our Saturday evening project, while the lads watched a boxing match.

Coo kept her "Jubilee horn"--as she calls it-- nearby. I'm still not sure why.  It's quite likely that she thought all the fuss and fury she heard coming from the laptop in the lounge was some sort of Jubilee-related celebration. How was she to comprehend the sporting importance of an event during which two over-grown men consistently attempt to hit each other in the face?

We enjoyed our creativity in the relative peace and quiet.

And this is how it turned out:

I love the delicate, dip-dyed effect, especially in the mid-morning light!

These IKEA rice paper shades are perfect for watercolour paints.  Also, they're inexpensive [£2.25/$3.50], handmade, and when you've pulled out the wire circles at the top and base, can be completely disposed of by recycling or throwing onto the bonfire!

Old and New

Advent Box 

Christmas traditions... Mmmmn.  Inspired by thoughts I had after reading Sara's post here.

I'll start with the old.  They are easiest to remember for me, instantly evocative of other times, places,  and people.  

Advent Box

The original box was made by my mother, and my brothers and sisters and I eagerly awaited the opening of each drawer every day before Christmas; inside miniature sweets would await, to be shared out between us.  

Ours is made by my sister, out of twenty-four matchboxes, narrow ribbon, and some fabric.  I have changed the contents of the box from the traditional sweets, to stickers or temporary tattoos.  The Boys -and now Coo, too- love stickers and are excited every day to see what the tiny drawer holds, in our countdown to Christmas.

Gingerbread People

I can still recall the brown, spicy taste of gingerbread in my mouth around the age of four!  I've always loved it and can remember Mom baking and freezing gingerbread people during December.  We would take these yummy cookie people out of the freezer, decorate them, and eat them!  This was the perfect anticipatory treat in the days leading up to December 25th.

Now, I do the same, baking and freezing gingerbread people so we can take them out for decoration whenever we feel like it.

Christmas Day Breakfast

Growing up, this was usually some type of sweet roll or coffeecake made by my mother.  In later years, it would include sausage or bacon.  We would all rummage through our stockings, exclaiming over the tiny treats Mom was so gifted at finding, listen to Dad read the Christmas story, and smell breakfast.  

This is still my favourite time on Christmas Day, so we repeat this tradition with our own family. Stockings, story, homemade baking breakfast, mmmn...  We rarely have treats for breakfast, which helps keep Christmas breakfast special.

Cranberry Cake and Butter Sauce

It's much worse than it sounds.  One cup of butter... one cup of double cream... Sugar... And that's just the sauce!  But this almond-essenced cake, baked in a bundt tin, smells just like Christmas to me.  In fact, I think I've probably missed out on it only once in all my Christmases.   It's lovely when served up; beautifully ridged slices of cake are jewelled throughout with deep red cranberries standing out in dark contrast to the creamy yellow cake.  The sauce, steaming hot, is poured over and it soaks into the cake.. just a bit.  This is one food tradition that's staying put in this family!

Christmas Stockings

My mother loved miniature things, and our medium-sized stockings (handmade and embroidered with our names) always contained plenty of these.  

In our own home, we've carried this tradition on and for their first Christmas, our children have all received a handmade stocking with their name embroidered on the front.  

I fill it with clementines, chocolate coins, tiny bags of sweets and boxes of raisins, and any gifts they've received from family or friends that will fit in the stocking.  I compete with myself to see how many of their presents I can fit into the stocking!  This year, we're buying the boys much-needed woolly gloves and socks (fun ones, with the days of the week written on them), and these will go into their stockings, too.  

What a list!  The mention of all the food already makes me feel like detoxing with a cup of hot green tea! Yummy...

Anyway!  On to the new.

St Nicholas Bag
This little cloth bag hangs on our stairs, tiny fairy lights illuminating the space around it.  It is for secret donations only, and sometimes I see one of the Boys slipping pennies into it.  Mr J stealthily dropped in a few dimes the other day, becoming confused between his English and American piggybanks!  After Christmas, we will count up the money and make a communal decision on the recipient.  It will be given anonymously, in the tradition of St Nicholas.

Christmas Shopping 
I've just finished my fourth year of individual shopping trips with each of the children.  We've never made Christmas wish lists or asked the kids what they wanted to "get" for Christmas, instead we've always talked about what they wanted to "give".  This focus on Christmas as a giving holiday instead of a getting one has become the driving force behind our Christmas celebrations, so these trips were a natural progression for us. Righty and I went yesterday on our own, walking to our nearby town centre, spending several hours enjoying each other's company and talking about what he thought he'd like to give members of our family. For his two brothers, he instantly decided on goalie gloves, the must-have football accessories this year, after the World Cup sparked their interest.  He chose to give Coo a "time" present, which will be his offer to spend a bit of time playing "baby stuff" with her every day.  Apparently, I am also receiving a time present from him.  Daddy's wasn't difficult for him to decide on, either, and our shopping was soon finished.  We ended our trip by visiting our local Starbucks, chatting and sharing memories the entire time.  Every year has been different; some years they've done a bit of online shopping with me as well as the shopping trip, in order to get just the right thing for someone.  They always ask me what the needs are of the person they're choosing the gift for, and make their decision based on that.  At the moment, we pay for most of the gifts they choose, though they use pocket money to cover part of the cost.

Christmas Eve Lunch
Simplicity itself, but becoming a tried and true part of our day before Christmas.  We have homemade cream of tomato soup, crunchy celery, carrot sticks, and dill pickles, and slices of cheese.  We usually share this lunch with Dan's sister, though we'll be missing her this year because she's in Australia for the next six months!

Boxing Day Big Feed
This is just like the Big Feed we attend every first weekend of the month, but on Boxing Day - December 26th.  We will be sharing a Christmas meal with our local homeless and hostel-dwelling friends, and sending them away with Christmas gifts and food bags.  Though the children don't come with Dan and I every month, I'm hoping that on Boxing Day they can join us for part of the day, too!

Christmas Trips

Because any wants or needs are taken care of by the gifts purchased for each other on their individual shopping trips, Dan and I don't give the Boys and Coo anything other than the goodies and little necessaries in their stockings, and a special envelope to open on Christmas Day.  Inside their envelopes are the details of a planned trip to be taken in the new year, either with both or just one parent.  This year, Mr J will get to go with both Dan and I to see a performance of a children's play, and we'll have lunch out together.  The Boys are going on separate trips to London with Daddy to spend an entire day at the (free!) Science Museum, and out to eat afterwards.  These days will also include packed lunches and travelling on the train, which the Boys will find very exciting.

For the future, I am so thrilled about incorporating new traditions!  I've already picked up a few ideas here and there that I'd like to introduce next year.  Some of these include celebrating St Nicholas Day, on December the 6th; an Advent calendar with "things to do" each day in anticipation of Christmas Day's arrival; and observing Advent, which we did one year but haven't instituted as a tradition.

Our snow of last week has disappeared, leaving behind a muddy mess.  I was in town today, exasperated by the onslaught of stuff and consumerism. I have just vowed -as I do every year- to never send Christmas cards again.

Something about writing this has re-focused me, reminded me of the Jesus in Christmas.  I'm feeling Christmassy again but it's not coming from a satisfaction with the things around me.  It's a deep down knowledge that the beauty and creativity we demonstrate through following our Christmas traditions as a family are borne of our love for our Jesus.  He is the true life behind all that we do!