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1. The
Ultimate
Christmas
Book
by Jodie King

2. Contents
Poem:'Twas the Night Before Christmas
Recipe:Christmas Pudding
Carol:Silent Night
Top Tip:Making Christmas tags
Carol:Jingle Bells
A Christmas Story
Carol:Oh Come Al Ye Faithful
Recipe:Christmas Cake
Top Tip:Christmas Light Storage
Recipe:Cranberry Sauce
Recipe:Bread Sauce
What to Watch,Read and Listen to This Christmas
1-3
4
5
6
7
8-16
17
18
19
20
20
21

3. 'Twas the Night Before
Christmas
1
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

4. 'Twas the Night Before
Christmas
2
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

5. 'Twas the Night Before
Christmas
3
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a Good-Night!"
by Clement Clarke Moore
(public domain)

6. Christmas Pudding
Recipe
4
Ingredients for the pudding:
• 50g blanched almonds
• 2 large bramley cooking apples
• 200g box candied peel (in large pieces)
• 1 whole nutmeg
• 1kg raisins
• 140g plain flour
• 100g soft fresh white breadcrumbs
• 100g light muscovado sugar
(crumbled if it looks lumpy)
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tbsp brandy or cognac
• 250g packet butter
(Taken straight from the fridge
Ingredients for the brandy and
ginger butter:
• 175g unsalted butter, softened
• Grated zest of half an orange
• 5 tbsp icing sugar
• 4 tbsp brandy or cognac
• 2 pieces of stem ginger,
finely chopped
Method:
•Get everything prepared.Chop the almonds coarsely.
Peel,core and chop the apples.Sharpen your knife and
chop the candied peel.(You can chop the almonds and
apples in a food processor,but the peel must be done
by hand.)Grate three quarters of the nutmeg (sounds a
lot but it's correct).Mix all the ingredients for the
pudding,except the butter,in a large bowl.
•Holding the butter in its wrapper,grate a quarter of it
into the bowl,then stir everything together.Repeat
until all the butter is grated,then stir for 3-4minutes -
the mixture is ready when it subsides slightly after each
stir.Ask the family to stir too,and get everyone to
make a wish.
•Generously butter two 1.2litre/2pint bowls and put a
disc of greaseproof paper in the bottom of each.Pack
in the pudding mixture.Cover with a double layer of
greaseproof paper or baking parchment,pleating it to
allow for expansion,then tie with string (keep the
paper in place with a rubber band while tying).Trim off
any excess paper.
• Now stand each bowl on a large sheet of foil and bring the edges up over the top, then put another
sheet of foil over the top and bring it down underneath to make a double package (this makes the
puddings watertight). Tie with more string, and make a handle for easy lifting in and out of the pan.
Watch our video to see how to tie up a pudding correctly.
• Boil or oven steam the puddings for 8 hours, topping up with water as necessary. Remove from the
pans and leave to cool overnight. When cold, discard the messy wrappings and re-wrap in spanking
new greaseproof or baking parchment, foil and string. Store in a cool, dry place until Christmas.
• To make the brandy butter, cream the butter with the orange zest and sugar. Gradually beat in the
brandy or cognac and chopped ginger. Put in a small bowl, fork the top attractively and put in the
fridge to set. The butter will keep for a week in the fridge, or it can be frozen for up to 6 weeks.
• On Christmas Day, boil or oven steam for 1 hour. Unwrap and turn out. To flame, warm 3-4 tbsp
brandy in a small pan, pour it over the pudding and set light to it.

7. Silent Night
by Joseph Mohr
5
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born
Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

8. Top Tip
Make Your Own Christmas Tags
6
A very simple but effective tip for when you have run out of tags or
just cant afford the expense of buying matching tags for all the
wrapping paper you use.
STEP 1-Just take a sheet of paper or card and cut out a star,circle or
if you are creative a reindeer/Santa shape.
STEP 2-Take that template and drraw around it onto the wrapping
paper you are using to wrap that series of presents.Draw it out as
many times as you need to create the right amount of tags and then
draw around it on the paper/card to create the right amount of
corresponding bases.
STEP 3-Cut out all the shapes and attach each wrapping paper cut
out to a paper/card version.
STEP 4-Use double sided take,prit stick,cellotape or glue to hold
the two sides together.
Step 5-Fold one end over which will be taped to the present and
then write your message on the clear side -hey presto tag created.

9. Jingle Bells
by James Pierpoint
7
Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bob tails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight
Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
A day or two ago
I thought I'd take a ride
And soon Miss Fanny Bright
Was seated by my side
The horse was lean and lank
Misfortune seemed his lot
We got into a drifted bank
And then we got upsot
Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh yeah
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh

10. A Christmas Story
8
Our story starts a few weeks before Christmas as brightly lit trees fill
bay windows,flickering lights adorn houses and gardens,and
children around the world are starting to flip between hyper and
overtired moods.Holly was 10years old at the time so the holiday
season was consuming her every thought and feeling.
That building anticipation to the night Father Christmas would visit
and leave the presents she was hoping for was almost too much!
Holly had wide gorgeous blue eyes that were sparkling with
excitement.She had two tartan dresses,worn with long white
sleeved tops under,thick cream tights and shiny black shoes with
sparkling jewels on top.Of course,she had to wear other items out of
her wardrobe but that was the outfit that made her feel like a trendy
princess and so if was never out of the wash for long.

11. A Christmas Story
Holly attended a large primary school in the middle of Lincoln city
that took her twenty minutes each morning to walk to.She walked
the distance alone because her mum worked nights and got in from
work just after Holly’s school day began.She was loved and
supported as best her mum could manage but Holly knew she didn’t
have the same upbringing as her class mates.She wasn’t concerned
with phones,IPads and passing fads –she didn’t really notice them.
The TV in her home was rarely on.Her mum brought her books home
from work,which was a large warehouse distribution centre for high-
street bookstores,so she had a constant feed of imaginative material
to dive into.Holly excelled at school and actually enjoyed the walk to
her school along the High Street in Lincoln’s city centre.
She would stroll over cobbles and past Lincoln Cathedral which
always made her stop and look up in wonder.It was so big and so old
–how it had been built so long ago bemused her and depending on
the weather it could look haunting,powerful,beautiful or
inspirational.She was often entranced by its presence and amazed
that others could march past it without a second thought.

12. A Christmas Story
10
One sunny morning Holly set off for school full of the excitement that
the month of December brought with it.She had her favourite tartan
outfit on with a big brown fur lined coat and cream mittens.It was a
crisp winter morning where the sun shines bright and the winds hold
an icy edge.She took her time,looking in windows for sparkling
decorations,thick reams of tinsel and an assortment of traditional,
funky and somewhat crazy displays of Christmas joy.
The journey to school was always a pleasant one for Holly,alone with
the world and her thoughts.The time she spent within the school
walls was unfortunately a different story.At the point she turned ten
Holly had started getting bullied.Her refusal to disbelieve in Santa
Claus had quickly led to teasing and on this particular day Holly’s
teacher had decided to confront the young girl and find out what was
at the root of the bullying.
‘Holly,why are you sat on your own again,do you not like your
classmates anymore?’Mrs.Heart asked simply.
‘I don’t think they like me very much miss,’Holly replied.
‘Why would you think that?’
‘Well they call me names and pick on me because I said I can’t wait
until Santa Claus comes…I was going to wait up to try and see him
this year,’she said distantly as her thoughts turned to that
comfortable idea.

13. A Christmas Story
11
The teacher laughed,‘Santa isn’t real Holly,and it is your parents
that put your Christmas presents under the tree.’
Holly stood looking at her teacher.She seemed genuine and yet just
days ago her mother had said that if she believed something to be
true enough then of course it was.Holly believed in Santa Claus with
all her heart –he came every year she was certain of it.
Mrs.Heart looked into Holly’s confused face and felt conflicted.The
girl was incredibly intelligent and so compassionate to those around
her.Her English stories would transport you into a perfect world full
of love and joy and yet here she was stealing what remained of hers.
She knew Holly had a tricky home life.The school had decided not to
investigate it because Holly was always respectably dressed,
contributed in classes and just an all-round exceptional student.
‘Oh Holly,we all want Santa Claus to be true.He is celebrated all
around the world so he is more real than disbelievers would like to
admit.He has an address in the North Pole,he has a million
lookalikes,places are named after him,and how many people put
mince pies out for him on Christmas Eve.I don’t want you to be
disappointed Holly but at the same time I think it is probably time
you come to terms with the fact that he is a fictional character,but a
much loved one at that.’

14. A Christmas Story
12
‘Thank you,’Holly muttered and then stood up from her chair and left
the room.
She wrestled with everything that her mum had told her since she
was tiny.
‘Hey Holly,I wonder if Santa has made your present yet’,one of the
kids shouted.
Holly just looked at him unamused,an insult was sure to follow.
‘He could always buy it from Amazon!’The boy shouted and his
mates were happy to laugh at the little girl looking lost in the centre
of the playground.
Holly endured the rest of the day and then began the walk home.She
ignored the decorations,passed the cathedral without a glance and
took herself up to her room when she entered her home.
Finding out that Santa Claus was not real wasn’t something she was
prepared to accept.The books she read were an extension of her
world.She didn’t escape from reality she allowed the fiction into it.
December was a world of reindeers,frantic elves,adventures to see
Santa,singing,smiling and decorating houses to show everyone the
extent of your belief.

15. A Christmas Story
13
‘I just believe’Holly said aloud as though she needed to hear the
words herself.
Holly braved the bullies and held her head high the next day.She
explained to Mrs.Heart that since it didn’t matter to anyone else
whether she chose to believe in Santa Claus or not then she would
carry on believing until someone proved her wrong.
Mrs.Heart smiled to her and said ‘well they haven’t been able to
prove or disprove other characters that have important roles in our
world Holly,so I think your plan is a good one.I would sooner see you
happy and I think it is time I had a word with your classmates,’she
said with a sympathetic smile.
Holly went into break with a skip in her step and a grin on her face.
When she finished school her mum was there to greet her as it was
her night off.Holly was a chatter-box all the way home,explaining to
her mum exactly why Santa Claus was real.Her mum listened
patiently with a small smile enjoying her child’s enthusiasm.
‘I wish I had your confidence Holly’she said honestly,‘you never let
the world doubt you do you?’
‘Why would I?’Holly asked.
‘Why indeed?’Her mum replied smiling.

16. A Christmas Story
14
Her life was a constant struggle.She loved collecting Holly from
school but work had to come first if they were to keep their house
and have food,clothes and heating -especially heating.Gone were
the days that she believed in anything other than a relentless work
schedule.
She tucked Holly in bed that night and read her a story that the girl
had listened to a hundred times.It was a story about a reindeer that
impressed Santa enough to join the sleigh pulling team.Holly loved
stories where character overcame adversity and though her mother
wondered if she was setting her child up for a harsh reality check one
day,she couldn’t bare to break her heart until it was absolutely
necessary.
Once Holly was asleep she switched off her night light and took
herself downstairs to read one of her own books.The heating would
switch off any minute so she put on her chunky slippers and dragged
her duvet down so she could snuggle in the chair.Before collapsing in
the chair –where she would inevitably fall asleep she collected the
cash from her coat pocket that she had made at the car boot that
day,something she did every Wednesday.

17. A Christmas Story
15
She went to place it in the coin jar in the cupboard in the corner.As
she opened the door she found something odd.There was a snow
globe sat in front of her coin jar.She glanced around the room
quickly to make sure nobody was around and then turned her
attentions back to the globe.A beautiful red and green ornamental
base supported a clear clad dome containing a miniature Santa Claus
and snow.On picking it up she revealed a note sat under its base.The
note said:
“This year I will be taking care of Holly’s presents personally.I hope you
don’t mind my interference.She has so passionately defended my
existence that this is the least I can do in return.
Father Christmas”
Holly’s mum looked at the note in disbelief.

18. A Christmas Story
16
‘And of course I would also like to bring a little something for you
too…since you are the reason she believes in me so strongly’Santa
Claus explained in person as he stepped through the archway
separating the living room from the kitchen.
‘Please don’t panic –I am real –watch…’he said and clapped his
hands.As he clapped his hands the snow in the globe sprung up and
then fell gracefully to the base.He clapped his hands a second time
and the snow sprang out of the globe and filled the room.
‘Oh God,’Holly’s mum proclaimed.
‘Not quite,but similarly clandestine some would say’Santa said with
a chuckle.
Holly’s mum sat down in her chair in pure disbelief.
‘I visit one person a year’Santa said in earnest ‘so I want you to
remember this and when Christmas Day comes you will not have to
raise a finger.Just remember,life is full of hope and dreams,and if
you will them to come true,some of them will,for you and for Holly.
Don’t let reality distract you from the impossible –that is where all
the fun stuff happens’he said and then faded from view.
The End.

19. O Come All Ye Faithful
by John Wade
17
O Come All Ye Faithful
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.
O Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing all that hear in heaven God's holy word.
Give to our Father glory in the Highest;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.
All Hail! Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
O Jesus! for evermore be Thy name adored.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

20. 18
Christmas Cake
Recipe
Ingredients for Christmas Cake:
• 1kg mixed dried fruits (use a mix of
raisins, sultanas, currants, cherries,
cranberries, prunes or figs)
• Zest and juice 1 orange
• Zest and juice 1 lemon
• 150ml brandy, sherry, whisky or rum,
plus extra for feeding
• 250g pack butter, softened
• 200g light soft brown sugar
• 175g plain flour
• 100g ground almonds
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 100g flaked almonds
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method:
1.Put the dried fruit,zests and juice,alcohol,butter and
sugar in a large pan set over a medium heat.Bring to the boil,
then lower the heat and simmer for 5mins.Tip the fruit
mixture into a large bowl and leave to cool for 30mins.
2.Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.Line a deep 20cm cake
tin with a double layer of baking parchment,then wrap a
double layer of newspaper around the outside –tie with
string to secure.
3.Add the remaining ingredients to the fruit mixture and stir
well,making sure there are no pockets of flour.Tip into your
prepared tin,level the top with a spatula and bake in the
centre of the oven for 2hrs.
4.Remove the cake from the oven,poke holes in it with a
skewer and spoon over 2tbsp of your chosen alcohol.Leave
the cake to cool completely in the tin.
5.To store,peel off the baking parchment,then wrap well in
cling film.Feed the cake with 1-2tbsp alcohol every
fortnight,until you ice it.Don’t feed the cake for the final
week to give the surface a chance to dry before icing.
Why not try these great cake recipes as well
Stollen: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/stollen_27553
Christmas Cake Pops: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/christmas_cake_pops_03112
Chocolate Fruit Cake: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chocolatefruitcake_84675
Gluten Free Christmas Cake: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/search?
dishes[]=christmas_cake

21. Top Tip
Christmas Light Storage
19
When you store your Christmas lights you will be in a rush to tidy
away all the Christmas Clutter and restore some semblance of order
to your house.
DON'T RUSH IT
Otherwise next year you will have to spend an hour (or longer)
untangling Christmas lights and dampening your Christmas spirit
before it has even got going.
STEP 1-Take them off the tree and then lay them on the floor in a
nice neat line (no kinks,no dogs as they have been shut into another
room,and no missing this step)
STEP 2 -Find a used Christmas wrapper inner cardboard tube and
then carefully wrap your Christmas lights around it.Use a little tape
to secure the end and then wrap them in a bag and place them in a
cardboard box.
STEP 3-Make a cuppa and smile at your achievement.

22. Cranberry Sauce
Recipe
20
Ingredients for cranberry sauce:
- 100g light muscovado sugar
- 100ml orange juice
(fresh or from a carton)
- 250g pack of fresh or
frozen cranberries
Method:
1.Top the sugar and orange juice into a pan,then bring
to the boil.
2.Stir in the cranberries,then simmer until tender but
still holding their shape,this will take about 5minutes
if using frozen cranberries or 8-10minutes if using
fresh.
3.The sauce will thicken as it cools,keep it in the fridge
for 1week.
4.On the day,bring to room temperature before
serving.
Bread Sauce
Recipe
Ingredients for Bread Sauce:
• 600ml milk
• 50g butter
• 1 chopped onion
• 6 cloves
• 6 peppercorns
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 100g white breadcrumbs
• 4 tbsp single cream or mascarpone
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Method:
1.For 20minutes simmer the milk,butter,onion,cloves,
peppercorns,garlic and herbs in a pan for 20minutes.
2.Strain and return the liquid to the pan.
3.Add the breadcrumbs and leave to simmer for 3-4
minutes.
4.Stir in the cream or mascarpone.
5.Add the nutmeg and season.
6.Serve!
Tip:The sauce can be made up to 3days in advance and
then heated on the hob or microwave on medium for 3
minutes.

23. What to Watch, Read &
Listen to This Christmas
21
There are some classics that you simply cannot overlook when it
comes to Christmas viewing, reading and listening. So here are our
top five for each category to keep you entertained! Everyone has
their favourites - it is what makes the season unique and personal to
everyone! Whatever you enjoy - have a great Christmas!
Top Christmas Books
- A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
- How the Grinch stole Christmas! Dr Seuss
- The Polar Express, Chris Van Allsburg
- The Snowman, Raymond Briggs
- Letters From Father Christmas, JRR Tolkien
Top Christmas Films
- Elf
- Miracle on 34th Street
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
- Home Alone
- A Charlie Brown Christmas
Top Christmas Songs
- All I want for Christmas is you, Mariah Carey
- Santa Claus is coming to town, John F Coots & Haven Gillespie
- Last Christmas, Wham!
- Merry Christmas Everyone, Shakin' Stevens
- Winter Wonderland, Felix Bernard & Richard B.Smith