Sheila's Blog: A Christmas Lunch to remember

I love Christmas, I'm aware that these days it's fashionable to be cynical but I can't help it. I love Christmas music. I love all my tacky decorations that don't match. And I love the food and what an absolutely fantastic Christmas lunch we had at Carolines.

Christmas lunch is the feast everyone looks forward to all year long and Caroline served the ultimate turkey meal.

Crack the drinks open and be merry. Christmas is also a time when you can drink whatever you like, guilt-free and not have to consider the consequences (unless you are driving) - which usually means buying new jeans in the New Year and returning to Slimming World!!!! And Champagne flowed from the moment we arrived to the moment we left.

Chloe made sure she played the perfect hostess to a tub or two of chocolate treats. After all, tis' the season to indulge your sweet tooth!

Chloe also helped to dress up the home with her DIY Christmas decorations which were suspended above the table. Of course, Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without a decorated tree in the corner and nothing is more cosy at Christmas time then nestling up by a roaring, crackling, fire.

Yes, we had a truly traditional Christmas with decorated trees, mince pies, present-giving and a turkey dinner. Thank you Caroline and Mike for a lovely Christmas Day. In our fast-paced world, the slow-paced comfort of family games, stories, long walks and 'helping' the children to play with their new toys, especially the new train set, was so relaxing.

On Boxing Day we had a stroll down to the beach, to walk off the Christmas indulgences! However, we did return for a festive afternoon tea with mince pies.

I must mention Caroline's mince pies are out of this world. So I asked for the recipe and made some myself. They are made with orange pastry. This recipe makes 24. They are so light and crumbly.

500 g plain flour
175 g caster sugar
375 g butter (I know)
finely grated rind and juice of 1 large orange

Sift the flour and sugar into a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces, stir these into the flour and then rub gently with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the grated orange rind. Then, using a knife, stir in the orange juice until the dough just begins to stick together. Gather up the dough and put it into a ball, wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes or more before using. Knead the pastry lightly and roll it out rather more thickly than usual. Using a 7.5 cm fluted pastry cutter, cut out 24 rounds, rerolling the pastry as necessary. Line greased patty tins with the rounds. Fill with mincemeat (I use supermarket mincemeat but add a little brandy). Cut out another 24 rounds, moisten the underside of the rounds and place them on top of the filled pies. Press the edges lightly together and make a small slit in the top of each pie. Brush the tops with cold milk and bake in the centre of the oven, preheated to 200C for 15 minutes until light golden-brown. The pastry is so deliciously crumbly that it is best to let these mince pies cool down before gently easing them from the tins with a round-bladed knife. Serve either warm - which of course is best - or cold.

And on the Friday it was off to the panto with Emmie, Chloe and Jamie to see Sleeping Beauty - the classic fairytale of a princess who pricks her finger and sleeps for 100 years after a curse by evil fairy Carabosse. Cheesy smiles, corny jokes and plenty of audience participation.

As children, Christmas can truly be a magical time. And it's not just the fun of opening presents. It's the wonder of the elves in the workshop, the flying reindeer, and the stockings that magically fill up overnight.