Nights Lifestyle
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Nights Lifestyle credits Editor Melissa Compton info@nights-magazine.com
Lead Food Writer Zena Leech-Calton Zena@lovenorwichfood.co.uk www.lovenorwichfood.co.uk Favourite Recipe: Dusted truffles
Contributors Melissa Compton
Design Melissa Compton
Photography Adobe Stock, Advertising Melissa Compton
Nights Lifestyle is published by
Hello and welcome to the December issue of Nights Lifestyle!
Melissa Compton
It’s that time of year when we’re digging out the Christmas tree, checking the present and card list. If you’re like me still trying to figure out what to get that person who seems to have everything. And wondering where the money comes from each year. to cover Christmas.
This month saw us split the magazine in two and establish Nights Publishing Ltd. It's been a busy few weeks, but I thought I would explain this here. We've always been progressive and proactive as a company at the magazine. We do lots of courses, engage with mentors and coaching as well as general industry research. we like to stay ahead of things. It occurs to us that with the magazine, if you picked it up for food, beauty, fashion. you may be ending up with a lot of entertainment content you didn't want and vice versa. so we decided that it made more sense to have two publications. Our magazines are created with readers at the heart of all we do and we want you to love the content we produce. All that's left to say is that we hope you enjoy the magazine as much as we did creating it for you. Feel free to contact me with as comments, suggestions or questions.
Nights Publishing Ltd ISSN 2752— 9959 Printed in U.K No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form, in whole or part without prior permission from the publisher. All published material is either the copyright of Nights Publishing or the creator (inc writers, photography etc.). Nights Publishing does not require our writers to surrender copyright: instead we work closely with our writers and artists to ensure all content is original. We reserve the right to edit letters, copy, or images submitted to the magazine. The submission of material to Nights Publishing unsolicited or requested is taken as permission to publish in the magazine and on our online platforms or events. We cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, images or materials lost in mail. Whilst every effort is taken to ensure accuracy, the publisher is not responsible for any errors or omissions, nor do we accept liability for any loss or damage caused resulting from use of the magazine.
Nights Publishing is a small independent publisher.
Melissa xx How To Contact Us General Enquires: Email us at info@nightsmagazine.com or write to us at Nights Publishing, 76 Longview Road, Swansea, SA6 7HP Join Us On:
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Contents Issue 1 December 2021
Your Features 06 Christmas Cookbook 14 Christmas Gift Guide 18 Habits to improve your health instantly 23 Easy steps to gorgeous skin 24 Fashion and You 29Where to start in Business
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Nights Entertainment Magazine
Out Now! Nights Lifestyle 5
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Zena’s Cocoa Dusted Chocolate Truffles With Christmas coming I’m thinking Chocolate - that rare time of the year where calories don’t count, because there is always the new year. Ingredients 125 g good dark chocolate (70% cocoa) 30 g butter – soft and diced 80 g double cream 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 1 shot (30 ml) coffee or try your favourite liqueur 1 tablespoon cocoa powder to dust and roll
Method Break the chocolate in to small pieces. Melt in a bain-marie: Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Do not allowing the water to touch the bottom of the bowl – You want to steam heat). Stir in the butter and remove from the heat. Stir in the cream, vanilla and coffee or liqueur. Spoon in to a suitable container and leave in the fridge to set soft but not hard. (Approx. 30 minutes) Remove the truffle mix and with clean damp hands roll
small amounts in to bite sized balls.
Tip – rolling in the palm of your hands. Put the cocoa powder on a plate and roll the truffles until well coated in cocoa. Enjoy.
Recipes by Zena Leech-Calton Cookery tutor & Food Writer www.lovenorwichfood.co.uk Nights Lifestyle 7
Tips for a smooth Yummy Christmas If using a fresh turkey, pick up 1 or 2 days before and store in the fridge.
If using frozen allow 24 hours before Xmas eve to defrost. Leave out-covered with a clean t-towel. If defrosting in the fridge allow 48 hour plus store at the bottom of the fridge away from other foods.
If for some reason your Turkey is still frozen on Xmas morning. Don’t cook, defrost by placing in the sink and running over COLD water, turning ever now and then.
DON’T do what they did in the Royal Family and have a bath with it.
Allow the Turkey 30 minutes or so to rest after cooking, cover with tin foil to keep the heat. (That gives you enough time to blast everything on the top shelf or cook of your Yorkshire puddings.
We all cook off far too much on Christmas day and are left with tons of leftovers, here are some ideas:
Slice the Turkey , then wrap in batches and freeze or dice and freeze.
Cold Turkey, pickles and homemade chips are my favourite on Boxing Day.
Turkey pie, make up a short crust pastry or use store bought puff pastry. Mix the turkey cubes with cooked vegetables or mushrooms or even sweet corn. Bind with a thick white sauce, top with pastry, glaze and bake for 40-50 minutes.
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Turkey Fritters – mince some Turkey. bind with egg white, flavour with garlic, cumin, spring onions and season. Then flour, egg and breadcrumb.
Use up the vegetables and potatoes by making Bubble and Squeak.
Soup – boil left over vegetables with stock or milk. Add a little spice, garlic and seasoning – blend till smooth. (It sounds crazy but sprouts make a fantastic soup)
Vegetable Gratin: mix vegetables with a creamy white cheese sauce. Add a little grated cheese. Spoon in to an ovenproof dish and top with grated cheese. Or cheese and crumbs, try herbs as well. Bake in a medium oven for 20-30 minutes till warm, melted and golden.
Use up Christmas pudding by making Xmas pudding ice cream, chop and churn with a vanilla icecream mix.
Christmas pudding spring rolls. wrap leftover Christmas Pudding in filo pastry finger sized Seal with butter and deep fry.
Recipes by Zena Leech-Calton Cookery tutor & Food Writer www.lovenorwichfood.co.uk
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Turkey Leftovers Pie
Ingredients: 1 batch of stuffing can be store bought or homemade (this will form the crust) Leftover turkey 50g of cheddar cheese (you may use any kind of cheese 25g dried cranberries 150-250g mashed potato (depending on the size of the pie A knob of butter Paprika to season 1 portion of cooked green beans 1 portion of cooked carrots
Method: Pre-heat the oven 180C Grease your pie dish then line with the stuffing mix Bake in the oven for 10 minutes unit the stuffing starts to form a crust Add leftover Turkey, cheddar cheese, cranberries, Green beans and carrots Top with mashed potato and knob of butter, sprinkle paprika on the top to season Return to the oven and bake for 20 mins at 180C Nights Lifestyle 11
Three Fish Wellington This indulgent fish alternative to Beef Wellington. Halibut, mushrooms, smoked salmon, and tuna pate wrapped in puff pastry is very filling. I don't recommend side dishes but if you want to serve with new potatoes and salad. Serves 4
Ingredients: •
1 pound thinly sliced fillet Halibut (you may use any white fish like cod)
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1 pound of sliced salmon ¼ cup butter
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2 tablespoons chopped onion 2 ¾ cups fresh mushrooms, chopped
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salt and black pepper to taste 4 ½ ounces tuna pate
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2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed and 1 egg, beaten Nights Lifestyle 12
Method:
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Preheat oven to 220 degrees C.
• In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in onion and mushrooms, and cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; set aside to cool slightly. •
In a medium bowl, blend the pate and cream. Mix in onions and mushrooms.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to make 12x14 inch rectangle. Place the halibut fillet in the center of the rectangle. Spread with 1/2 the pate mixture and layer with the other piece of salmon. Spread remaining pate mixture on top. Fold pastry edges over the filling towards the center, and seal with egg. Brush pastry on all sides with egg. •
Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
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Serve warm.
Tip: Slice Halibut fillet in half horizontally to yield 2 thin slices; set aside.
Tuna Pate Ingredients: • • • • • •
8oz cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons chili sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 teaspoon dry minced onion 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce 2 cans tuna, drained
Method: • •
Stir together the cream cheese, chili sauce, parsley, onion, and hot sauce until well combined. Stir in the tuna. Place the tuna pate in a dish cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
Tip: save any leftovers in the fridge and serve with bread slices or crackers.
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Editors Choice This is the planner I use, the Clever Fox planner, makes a great gift and comes in a variety of colours, has pages for the month, weeks, vision board etc. all the planning you’ll need and lots of room for notes at the back along with a pocket handy for receipts and things
Price £19.99 Available from www.Amazon.co.uk
Harris Copa Glass Set Introducing new Harris Copa de Balon glass for a more generous, continental style serve. Isle of Harris Gin gift set range has been completely redesigned for 21/22, For a beautiful ways to share isle of Harris Gin. 2 x Harris Copa de Balon glasses. Cocktail recipes. A handwritten gift card can be added at no extra cost. Cost £30.00 Available from https://harrisdistillery.com/
Classic Sneakers by Inuikii The Classic sneakers by Inuikii are made from waterresistant quality materials with snow proof characteristics. Featuring luxe shearling lining, suede and leather uppers, lace-up fastening, finished with an anti-slip rubber sole Price: £245.00
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Editor’s Choice: Gifts For Her Isle of Barra Distillers Limited Edition Christmas Crackers! Each box contains six Christmas Crackers with;
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1 x 50ml Barra Atlantic Gin miniature 1 x Traditional hat & joke
This year Isle of Barra Distillers have placed one golden ticket at random inside a set of the Barra Atlantic Gin Christmas Crackers. The ticket receiver will win the following for two persons; - Return Loganair flights from Glasgow Intl Airport to Barra Airport - One night’s accommodation at Tigh Na Mara Guest House - One evening meal at Cafe Kisimul - Private Gin tasting and tour at the Isle of Barra Distillers
Price: £35.00 Available now from Isleofbarradistillers.com ,
BLACK OPIUM YVES SAINT LAURENT Eau De Parfum 50ml Gift Set We’ve road tested this perfume and it’s divine! Price: £80.00 Available From: https:// www.thefragranceshop.co.uk/ Nights Lifestyle 16
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BRAND-NEW Streamliner Adventure from BRISTON Watches.
Instinctive and functional, the streamliner Adventure was designed for urban enthusiasts in search of freedom as well as sports aficionados who love to escape.
BRISTON offers a shock-resistant watch that is faithful to the cambered-barrel shape of the Streamliner line. The case is made of acetate featuring vegetal veins in different shades of green or grey and tortoise shell cellulose acetate that has been integral to the brands success since the beginning. The use of matt black or kaki PVD treatment on the case, bezel and pushers reinforce the masculine and sport character of this novelty. The Streamliner Adventure is mounted on interchangeable Velcro straps equipped with a scratch system which is water resistant.
Available now from Wolfandbadger.com, £295.
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Easy steps for a gorgeous skin
Something as simple as a regular smile could have an outstanding transformation on your face. But incorporating these easy habits into your daily routine, you’ll not just be gorgeous from within but gorgeous from without too.
First, exfoliating your skin 2 to 3 times a week will leave your skin with a radiant glow and free from acne and blackheads. Exfoliation clears dirt fragments engrained deep in your pores, but ensure you always follow the right procedure while exfoliating.
On to the next one, occasionally drinking spa water could have some positive effects on your skin. In other words, spa water refers to bottled mineral water that will hydrate your skin and supply you with other essential nutrients. Alternatively, you could try out infused water.
Next to cosmetics, ensure the products you use match your skin type. On top of that, always apply sunscreen before heading out to the sun.
Lastly, other easy stuff you should do include going to bed with your make-up or contact lenses, and avoiding touching
your face. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water and get enough sleep. Nights Lifestyle 25
Fashion For You! By Melissa Compton This feature is all about how I approach fashion in general, I may be the exception to the norm. But I have never viewed fashion like other people I know. For me it was never about the labels or following what was popular. My sense of style has varied as much as my weight has over the years to the point it’s never quite definable. But fashion is to me - a reflection of personal expression of you and where you are at right now in this very moment. So your look and style and tastes are bound to change as you experience personal growth. The first time I realized I had a colour palette in fashion was when my friend pointed it out. I had picked up a dress that was different from my usual autumn palette and said:
“You wear earthy colours, you know gold tones, black, browns, reds,” And except for pink which I always describe as my signature colour - but lately I wear very little pink to be honest. If I have a signature color it's indigo denim - I do love my jeans! Back to my point, fashion should be what empowers you! The clothes that make you feel like you are ready to conquer the world. My handy tip: commit to not buying anything for a month. Instead each day when you get dressed photograph the outfit and make a note of how you feel. Do you like the fabric? The colour? How do the clothes fit? At the end of the month there will be a whole bunch of stuff you didn’t wear. Unless it’s occasional wear, get rid of it, sell it on Ebay, send it to the local charity shop or recycle it. Depending on your view it will give you a great incentive to either go shopping or start a capsule wardrobe. You can work out your colour palette there are a lot of websites that help with this like Hungry Wardrobe.com. Usually it depends on your skin, hair and eye colours. Nights Lifestyle 26
You treat this article like an introduction to our future fashion - related content. I want to talk about sustainability for a minute. Let’s take fast fashion. It has its place, not as the dominant force in fashion. Like if you’re looking for a dress for a one-off event you’re not looking to buy that £1300 Tom Ford Dress for example. So fast fashion is beneficial. You can buy a cheaper version of an on trend dress, and then recycle it. When used for this purpose fast fashion retail is justifiable. The problem is affordability and ability to buy. This falls into two categories. The first is that not everyone has the same budget. Our social/business lives don’t go on hold because you need to save for a new outfit. Fast Fashion will likely win out in low paid households. This is because the access to other forms of fashion are out of reach when you are watching what you spend. The other category is availability of high-end fashion outlets. These tend to be within cities and/ or retail parks. If your location is rural the access to high-end fashion can be limited. You’re going to buy whatever is available. Again this can often be fast fashion due to the industry being made up of mass retailers. When you think of it, sustainability and recycling clothes is our fashion best friend. It increases access and affordability in fashion. One of the fabulous things about high-end fashion items is that they go outdated before they wear out. Except for footwear which may need re-heeling. I am a huge fan of capsule wardrobes, I have about 10 items more or less in mine. Less items means more scope to invest in quality pieces. Everyone deserves to feel amazing in their clothes but this is personal. Here at Nights Magazine. We've always forged our own way in our industry. We don’t believe in celebrities for the sake of celebrities. We believe in empowering you to live the life you’ve dreamed of. That's why our fashion content aims at delivering content to empower you!
Meet The Author: Melissa Compton is the owner of Nights Publishing and editor of Nights Lifestyle and Nights Entertainment, Melissa wrote for Cardiff Times Magazine before starting Norwich Nights Magazine in 2019. and has published poetry and a romantic fiction novel. Nights Lifestyle 27
Gaâla Paris, France; Founded by husband-and-wife duo, Kelly de Gaalon and Alexander Zhalezka, Gaâla is the meeting of two worlds – classic French aesthetic combined with the finest Belarusian craftsmanship. Gaâla focuses on creating pieces that transcend time and trends; beautiful, sustainably crafted dresses, jumpsuits and separates for both professional and everyday wear. Each range consists of timeless styles that never need to be replaced, which ultimately provide comfortable and functional wear for the modern,
sophisticated woman.
Sustainability and Upcycling Knowing and understanding the impact our actions have on the planet have led us to mindfully craft our designs using luxurious excess production materials, deadstock fabrics, and other low impact natural textiles.
At Gaâla we personally handpick a variety of cotton, viscose, silk and wool fabrics leftover by Italian fashion houses and procure deadstock linen in Belarus, where linen has been the primary fabric for centuries. We source some of the world’s finest silks from surplus stock. Gaâla’s mantra and firm belief is: “Create for the needs of today while enabling the needs of future generations.” We are constantly adapting the way we work in order to become more sustainable within the circular economy. Because of the limited nature of deadstock material, our quantities are uniquely limited. Gaâla sometimes produces as few as 2 or 3 pieces in one fabric. Looking to make as small a footprint as possible, we’ve chosen to use fabric remnants which would in most cases be tossed into landfills, and repurpose them for our collections.
Our Craftsmanship Each of our pieces is created in a small-scale workshop in Belarus where we provide a safe and ethical work environment with above average wages for each member of our team. We work alongside our highly experienced tailors whose passion for their craft is truly reflected in the quality of their work.
Available now at www.gaala.com. RRP: €130 - €330; £115 - £285 From the Founder, Kelly de Gaâlon: Our hope is that you breathe life into our designs, making them your own, and that you wear them with the same love and integrity that went into their creation. At Gaâla we are constantly striving to become more sustainable. We carefully choose the best quality fabrics from fashion house leftovers and create timeless pieces that never go out of style.
We acknowledge that whilst all our efforts do not completely remove our impact on the environment, our goal is to reduce it as much as we can. We make use of luxurious deadstock materials that would otherwise have been discarded and ensure that each piece is produced in a positive, healthy work environment by some of the best artisans. who are well paid for their craft. When I was a girl, hand-me-downs were a way of life. I remember watching my mother hand-sew clothes and adjust already existing pieces so they could be passed down to me or one of my 8 siblings. The idea of taking something and making the piece my own interested me from a young age. Entering the professional world as a grown up I found it difficult to find high quality yet accessibly priced clothing in classic cuts and vintage silhouettes. It was during my time in Shanghai that I began working with tailors to create my own clothing - and what started as a hobby expanded into making clothes for family and friends. With the confidence my designs gave me and encouragement from the positive responses they received, I launched Gaâla along with my husband and a team of talented Belarusian artisans. Nights Lifestyle 28
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Where to start in running a small business When you are talking about starting a business and you’re all bright-eyed and dreamy. No one ever mentions the phrase “mindset” to you mentors and coaches talk about it all the time. It is assumed that you have a firm grasp on where your mindset is at. Most people are over-excited running on adrenaline or terrified at this stage in their business journey. My first recommendation would be to play a writing game called 20 questions. It is a bit like an interview with yourself. My writing coach gave me this game
when I was writing new characters for my novel (I have changed the questions over the years). Having a firm sense of what makes you tick is the best foundation for your business as you are your business.
20 Questions Are you a morning or evening person? What time of the day are you most productive? What do you need in your environment to be productive? What is your ideal day? What are your skills? Are you value or money-centric? Name your top five activities? What is your earliest childhood memory? Which actor/actress would play you in a movie about your life? What do you think about feminism? Which words would your friends use to describe you? What is your favourite colour? How many friends do you have? Did you like your childhood? How messy are you? What is your favourite social media channel? Complete this sentence ‘you can tell a lot about a person by the way they... What is your favourite experience? Where would you like to travel to?
Getting to know who you are as an entrepreneur.
So, you got to know yourself and be grounded in who you are, but who are you as a small business owner/entrepreneur? The most common question coaches, mentors, start-up courses will ask you is what is your why? – and while you will have an answer that goes to spend more time with family, to enjoy life, to help others, etc. Nights Lifestyle 31
The question does not go deep enough; its purpose is to ground you in troubled times. Yes, no matter how great, proven, expertly delivered your idea is, you're going to have troubled times at one point or another. Let us be honest about it more than once. There is a reason small business owners/entrepreneurs refer to problems as challenges. It is because a problem in business is something you have to overcome to achieve your aim. There is will be another problem around the corner. So, let us take the why and pop it on the shelf for a while and ask, “who am I as a small business owner/entrepreneur?”
Who are you as a business owner/entrepreneur? You may be sitting there thinking it is the same, as who I am as a person. In most cases, it is not. If I had to answer this question it would go like this. I am a small business owner/entrepreneur who wants to empower people to be confident enough and be armed with the knowledge to live their life to their full potential. I want people to succeed, my goals are value-based, not income-based. I hold honesty and integrity above all else. The answer to this question lies in how you want to be represented in the world? What do you want to
be remembered for? what is important to you in your business journey? This will keep you far more grounded and motivated in your tough times. It does change how you want to show up in the world and be remembered after you are gone is far more stable than your why. This is because our why is usually based on our needs. i.e. I do not have enough income to live the life I want? Thus our why becomes, I want to provide for my family, I want to work fewer hours for more money. The problem is this is a goal, and once we achieve this goal. say I work 4 hours a day and make enough income to enjoy life. It’s used, as motivation is gone. The worst-case scenario is that it leads us into an “I want more mentality” (which is the lack mentality). the problem here is that we would never be satisfied and fulfilled. We all deserve that as human beings. What follows is my story, not a recommendation to follow, I share it so you can learn from my pitfalls.
My Journey When I started Norwich Nights Magazine, I had a very practical approach, mindset never crossed my mind for a second. I knew from working within other businesses, the kind of manager I wanted to be. The activities I did not want to do such as spending all day being on the phone selling advertising. I wanted to enjoy my business, otherwise what is the point. If you do not take anything else away from this, remember to build your business so you can enjoy it. I enjoy designing images and social media so in the run-up to getting started I built the website, launched social media channels, informed my media contacts, who I was grateful stayed with me. Then I was busy reviewing and writing content while exploring everything that Norwich had to offer. It was fun. Two huge problems were developing: lack of mindset and lack of planning. You see at this point I knew everything I wanted the magazine to be, I knew which jobs I wanted to do. Then I took to heart the first piece of bad advice from a well-meaning friend she said “when you start your business you have to do everything yourself until you can afford to hire people” 3 months later I was suffering from burn-
out. Defending demands from family to give up and the business was starting to struggle. Luckily for me, this happened as England went into its first lockdown. so online courses, workshops, etc were on the rise and fast. And I signed up for as many as possible, took advice from a friend who has her own marketing business. I felt so much better when she exclaimed “I dived straight in without a clue too”. This was the pivotal turning point in my business. It’s easy to feel like you’re the only one when you’re starting in business.
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Christmas Religious Programming on the BBC The BBC brings audiences a wonderful selection of festive treats this Christmas across television and radio, with programmes featuring live worship, traditional carols and musical celebration.
During advent, new series, Heaven Made at Christmas, on BBC One shines a light on communities of monks and nuns across the country who share not only the craftmanship and skill used to create beautiful handmade products, but also the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas worship on BBC One will begin with a joyful and atmospheric celebration of Midnight Mass live from the stunning setting of St Chad’s Cathedral in Birmingham. This year’s Christmas Day Eucharist, broadcast on BBC One and all 39 Local BBC Radio stations comes from the spectacular setting of Coventry Cathedral, introduced by the Dean, the Very Rev. John Witcombe. The much-loved Christmas tradition, Carols from King’s on BBC Two, will bring viewers a feast of music and spoken word from the magical, candlelit Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, directed by Daniel Hyde. Songs of Praise, which celebrated its 60th anniversary this year, marks the festive season with special programmes including Katherine Jenkins hosting a celebration of Christmas from Westminster Abbey; national treasure Daniel O’Donnell in conversation with Claire McCollum about his faith and music; the Rev Kate Bottley at Lincoln’s famous Christmas market; and the BBC Young Chorister of the Year Final from Salisbury Cathedral. Nights Lifestyle 34
In Mica’s Gospel Christmas on Radio 2, Soul diva Mica Paris brings a joyous playlist of incredible vocal performances from the biggest stars and choirs that raise the roof. The Radio 3 Breakfast Christmas Carol Competition returns in 2021, asking music lovers and amateur composers to write a tune setting the words of Victorian poet Christina Rossetti’s Love Came Down At Christmas. Radio 4’s A Festival Of Nine Lessons And Carols presents a service of carols, hymns, and readings live from the candlelit Chapel of King's College, Cambridge. The Christmas Service this year is recorded by Christians in Bethlehem especially for Radio 4, led by the Rev’d. Dr. Jack Sara, President of Bethlehem Bible College and a leader of the Jerusalem Alliance Church, who was born and raised in the Old City of Jerusalem. BBC News’ religion team will provide coverage of the Christmas services from Canterbury Cathedral, Westminster Cathedral and the Vatican. There will be coverage of Christmas messages from Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Pope Francis on television, radio and online news. In addition, there will be special programming across BBC Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and on local radio. Daisy Scalchi, Commissioning Editor, Religion and Ethics says: “We have a brilliant mix of traditional carols, festive music, spiritual contemplation and live worship to mark this Christmas. After another very challenging year, I hope our content will provide an opportunity to come together to reflect as well as be inspired as we mark this special time of year.” Tim Pemberton, Head of Content Production, Religion and Ethics says: “It has been another year of perseverance as we have dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic, but Christmas offers us an opportunity to reflect on the things that really matter, connect with loved ones and celebrate the good things in life. The BBC’s Religious programmes over the season are a mixture of all these things and I hope will offer people some cheer as we review the past and welcome in a new year.”
Heaven Made At Christmas
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When it comes to Christmas, there is nothing more special than giving or receiving a handmade gift. But when that gift has been handcrafted by monks and nuns dedicated to the work and worship of God, those gifts can take on a whole new meaning. Paying homage to the ancient and holy production lines that are still thriving in convents and monasteries around the UK and Ireland today, as well as the local communities who are moulded by these spiritual traditions, this beautiful three-part festive series explores how Benedictine nuns and monks are not only still sharing their custom-made creations, but the true meaning of Christmas with the world. From Kylemore Abbey in West Ireland, where the Benedictine nuns call in local volunteers to help them make honey and Christmas themed chocolates; to the monks at St Augustine’s Abbey in Chilworth, Surrey who make beauty products,and the monks of Quarr Abbey on the Isle of Wight who produce their very own ale. Across three episodes, we uncover the beautiful crafts, fascinating process, engaging personalities and incredible stories behind the experts whose skills combine traditional crafting with an exploration of faith and spirituality at this special time in the Christian calendar.
Heaven Made at Christmas, 3x60’ for BBC One, is made by Purple Productions, part of Objective Media Group. It was commissioned by Channel Controller and Head of Genre Commissioning., Carla-Maria Lawson. The Commissioning Editor is Daisy Scalchi and the Executive Producers are Dympna Jackson and Pam Cavannagh.
Carols From King’s BBC Two, Friday 24 December The candlelit, fan-vaulted Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge is the stunning setting for this much anticipated annual celebration of the Christmas story. The service of music, readings and prayer begins in the timehonoured way as a solo boy chorister sings the first verse of Once in Royal David's City. The world-famous Choir, directed by Daniel Hyde, sings carols old and new, including Silent Night (arr. John Rutter), The Holly and the Ivy (arr. June Nixon), In the Stillness (Sally Beamish) and the Sussex Carol (arr. Philip Ledger). The choir leads the congregation in popular carols, including O Come All Ye Faithful, While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night and Hark! the Herald Angels Sing and the service will be introduced by the Dean, the Revd Dr Stephen Cherry. The story of the Nativity is read by members of King’s College in the words of the King James Bible and in poems by Charles Causley and Theresa Lola. First broadcast over 65 years ago, Carols from King's was inspired by and complements BBC Radio 4's A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. The television programme gives viewers an opportunity to enjoy the stunning architecture of the chapel along with the exquisite singing of the choir.
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Producer: James Whitbourn
Director: Pamela Hossick Executive Producer: Ben Mitchell
Midnight Mass BBC One, Friday 24 December Celebrate the traditional first mass of Christmas with a joyful service live from St Chad’s Cathedral in the heart of Birmingham. The Dean of St Chad’s, Monsignor Timothy Menezes, will welcome us with a message of hope, and the prayers will be led by young people from the congregation. The celebrant and preacher will be the Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Revd Bernard Longley. Music will include the well-loved carols ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’, ‘Silent Night’ and ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.’ Music Director David Saint will lead the cathedral choir in compositions spanning 500 years, from the Christmas motet Tui sunt caeli by 16th composer Orlando Lassus, to Richard Causton’s haunting 21st century Cradle Song.
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Christmas Day Service From Coventry Cathedral BBC One, Saturday 25 December A joyful service of hope, peace and goodwill, live from the spectacular setting of Coventry Cathedral, introduced by the Dean, the Very Revd John Witcombe, who will also preach. The Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Revd Dr Christopher Cocksworth, will preside and Coventry Cathedral Choir, made up of girls, boys and adult singers, will lead the congregation in familiar carols, including O Come All Ye Faithful, See, Amid the Winter’s Snow and Hark! the Herald Angels Sing. The Mass Setting is Missa brevis Capella Regalis (Anthony Caesar) and the organist is Luke Fitzgerald.
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Series Producer: Pamela Hossick Executive Producer: Chris Loughlin
On Christmas Night BBC One, Saturday 25 December As Christmas Day draws to a close, a well-known celebrity narrates the story of the first Christmas from Luke's Gospel, when angels appeared to shepherds to proclaim the news of Jesus’s birth. The reading is followed by a familiar carol, performed by a solo singer or choir.
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Producer/Director: Garry Boon Executive Producer: Ben Mitchell The Archbishop Of Canterbury's New Year Message BBC One, Saturday 1 January Signed repeat later same day on BBC Two (details TBC) The Most Revd Justin Welby visits the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, where he reflects on our relationship with the natural world and the impact of climate change.
Songs Of Praise BBC Young Chorister of the Year Final Aled Jones hosts the festive final of the competition from Salisbury Cathedral as the 6 best young choristers who made it through from the semi-finals compete to win the coveted title. Each finalist will sing a carol or Christmas song of their choice before the celebrity judges, composer Howard Goodall, opera star Lesley Garratt and vocal coach David Grant decide the winner.
Festive Joy The Rev. Kate Bottley gets in the mood to be jolly at Lincoln’s famous Christmas Market in the shadow of the city’s magnificent medieval cathedral which dates back almost a thousand years! Kate speaks to Christian stall holders on what it’s like to be back after so many months following the pandemic. With carols from the cathedral and around the country.
Christmas at Westminster Abbey Katherine Jenkins hosts a celebration of Christmas from the one of the most famous buildings in the world. Favourite carols, with a congregation led by the world class Abbey
choir, include Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and O Come All Ye Faithful. Katherine joins Nights Lifestyle 37
Daniel O’Donnell’s Faith Journey
For Boxing Day Claire McCollum meets national treasure Daniel O’Donnell in County Donegal to talk about the importance of Christmas time, his faith and his music. Celebrating his 60th birthday this year Daniel ex-
plains how his Catholic faith shaped him from an early age and continues to be such a strong driving force in his life. With hymns and carols chosen by Daniel including How Great Thou Art, Silent Night and The First Noel.
Mica’s Gospel Christmas BBC Radio 2, Saturday 25 December 2021, 6am-8am Prepare to have your soul stirred and heart lifted as Radio 2 takes you to church. Join Mica Paris for the perfect start to Christmas morning, with the gospel… according to music! Soul diva Mica brings a joyous playlist of incredible vocal performances from the biggest stars and choirs that raise the roof. She fell in love with music through the gospel records played at home by her family and the songs she heard in church, where her singing talent was first discovered. Mica released her first gospel album in 2020 and since then has rediscovered more of the music that first brought her joy. In this programme she shares her Christmas favourites and uncovers new gems from a constantly evolving and influential genre. With powerful performances powered by faith, soul and a love of music, we’ll hear from Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Mahalia Jackson, Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson and many more. Plus, there’s a brand new live festive performance from one of our brightest contemporary gospel choirs.
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Produced by Rebecca Maxted A BBC Audio production. Nights Lifestyle 38
Nights Lifestyle 39
In Your January Issue of
Nights Lifestyle New Beginnings
Inside Next Month Breakfasts to help you lose weight How to Optimize Productivity Winter Capsule Wardrobe The Benefits of decluttering
Nights Lifestyle 40
