THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

14 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

The

final countdown

Deck the walls, bake Santa some biscuits, wrap the presents but above all get decorating and crafting as that magical day draws near. Here’s our guide to the two weeks before Christmas

ARE MEDIA SYNDICATION PHOTOGRAPHY

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DAY14 Decorate the tree

Whether your tree is living or reusable, perfect symmetry is the name of the game and lights should be your fi rst port of call. Conventional wisdom says you’ll need 200 lights, or 10 metres for every 1.2 metres of tree. Start weaving them from the bottom and close to the trunk upwards. At the top work down and onto the outer branches.

When it comes to decorations, colour themes are enduringly popular. If you’re building up your bauble collection, don’t buy a single ornament. Instead buy three, six or 12 of a kind. Start with your largest ornaments and use a Z-shape when hanging. You can use the least exciting ones closest to the trunk to bulk out the decorations. Keep the most delicate ones for the top part of the tree out of the cat’s way. If you opt for ribbon or garlands, fi nish by weaving these through.

Disguise the base by wrapping tulle or another fabric around the bottom of the tree.

DAY13 Make biscuit decorations for the tree

Edible decorations are naturally zero waste and these stained glass Christmas stars are some of the prettiest going.

Stained glass Christmas stars

MAKES 54 biscuits

INGREDIENTS

1 vanilla bean 250g unsalted butter 3⁄4 cup caster sugar 1 egg 1 Tbsp water 21⁄4 cups plain fl our 90g individually wrapped sugar-free fruit drops, assorted colours 1 Split vanilla bean in half lengthways; scrape seeds into a medium bowl with butter, sugar, egg and the water. Beat with an electric mixer until combined. Stir in sifted fl our, in two batches. Knead dough on a fl oured surface until smooth. Cover; refrigerate for 30 minutes. 2 Preheat oven to 180°C. Line two oven trays with baking paper. 3 Using a rolling pin, gently tap wrapped lollies to crush them slightly. Unwrap lollies, separate by colour into small bowls. 4 Roll dough between sheets of baking paper to 4mm thickness; return to the refrigerator for 15 minutes to chill. Cut shapes from dough using 7cm wide star cutter; place cookies on oven trays. Use a 6cm or 4cm star cutter to cut out the centre of each star to make windows. Using a skewer, make a small hole in the top of each star for threading through string. 5 Bake stars for 7 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove trays from oven; fi ll each window in stars with a few of the samecoloured lollies. Bake a further 5 minutes or until browned lightly. Cool stars on trays. Store in an airtight container. DAY12 Make a Christmas cake Traditionalists of the world unite and

try this recipe for golden fruit cake.

Golden fruit cake

SERVES 16

INGREDIENTS

250g butter, chopped coarsely 1 tsp grated lemon rind 1 cup (220g) caster sugar 4 eggs 1½ cups (240g) sultanas ¾ cup (125g) mixed peel ½ cup (70g) slivered almonds 2⁄3 cup (140g) glacé cherries, quartered ½ cup (115g) glacé pineapple, coarsely chopped ½ cup (125g) dried apricots, coarsely chopped ½ cup (115g) crystallised ginger, coarsely chopped 1½ cups (225g) plain (all-purpose) fl our

1 Preheat the oven to 150°C. Line a deep 20cm round cake pan with 3 layers of baking paper, extending paper 5cm above side of pan. 2 Beat butter, rind and sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fl uffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in fruit, then sifted fl our. 3 Spread the mixture evenly into pan. Bake about 2¾ hours or until cooked when tested. 4 Cover hot cake with foil, wrap in a clean towel; cool in pan overnight.

Tip Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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DAY 11 Make Christmas crackers

These personalised crackers might not go ‘pop’, but they will still give your guests all the festive feels. Fill each cracker with a cracking good joke, playful paper confetti and a little gift – we chose items such as brass salt spoons, chocolate and wild fl ower seeds. You can even reuse the linen fabric as a napkin for your Christmas feast.

YOU WILL NEED

42cm x 42cm linen or cotton fabric, per cracker – pre-washed and hemmed or frayed around the edge Ruler Pencil Sewing pins Water soluble fabric pencil Embroidery hoop Embroidery needle Embroidery thread A4 cards Washi tape Assorted small gifts Ribbon (optional)

1 To help centre your embroidery, mark the centre of your fabric by placing a pin 12cm from the side of the fabric and another 14cm from the bottom. Repeat this on the other side of the napkin. Place one more pin in the centre of the fabric at 21cm. 2 Using a fabric pencil, write the name of the guest you are going to embroider. 3 Attach the embroidery hoop to the fabric. Thread the needle and using a simple backstitch, embroider the name. 4 To make a paper cylinder, measure and mark 20cm from the base of the A4 piece of paper. Draw a line across the sheet. 5 Place washi tape at the base of the paper so that half of the tape is off the paper. 6 Roll the paper into a cylinder and secure with tape at the marked line. 7 Place the fabric upside down and roll the paper cylinder in the fabric. Ensure that the cylinder is centered and the end of the fabric with the embroidery is rolled up last. 8 Cut a piece of embroidery thread or ribbon to secure one end of the cracker. 9 Fill the cracker with paper confetti, chocolates and personalised gifts, then tie the other end closed with more thread or ribbon.

SCALA TALL GLASS IN IRON BLUE, $12.90 FROM CITTA.

TALO DINNER PLATE, $19.90, FROM CITTA

SOPHIE TORT COMB, $22, AND PRE DE PROVENCE SOAP, $4.90, FROM FATHER RABBIT. SOFT WASHER MAKEUP REMOVERS, $22.99,FROM A&C HOMESTORE.

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RIB TUMBLER IN AMBER, $16.90 FROM CITTA.

DAY10 Make and hang a wreath on the front door

Yes, you could easily buy a wreath and there are some stunning ones around, but if you’d rather fashion one from festive pom poms, we’ve got you covered.

YOU WILL NEED

5 balls of wool, in various colours Pom pom maker Scissors 30cm diameter wire wreath

1 To make the pom poms, cut a 40cm piece of wool and place through the centre of the pom pom maker. Wrap the wool around the pom pom maker. The more wool wrapped around the maker, the better the pom pom will be. 2 Secure the pom pom by tying the 40cm piece of loose wool around the centre of the wrapped wool. 3 Cut the sides of the wrapped wool along the ridged line of the pom pom maker. 4 Remove the pom pom from the maker and trim any stray threads to make a round ball. Leave the piece of wool you used to tie to the pom pom together long, you will use this to tie the pom pom to the wire wreath. 5 In alternating colours and sizes, tie the pom poms to the wreath using the long piece of wool. Trim this piece once secured.

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. WENDY FENWICK . PHOTOGRAPHY SAM VAN KAN STYLING

All craft items from Spotlight. Background painted in Resene I Do. Door painted in Resene Duck Egg Blue.

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DAY08 Finalise the Christmas Day menu and either shop or order online

If you’re in charge of lunch, you’re bound to have your recipes sorted for the main already. Don’t leave anything to chance though and consider everything right down to the sides, as well as the nibbles you’ll serve when people arrive. Don’t do it all yourself. Instead, assign guests a side or the dessert in order to cut the workload down dramatically. DAY09 Wrap the presents Santa may use the cheerful wrap with the ice-skating snowmen, jolly elves and fl ying reindeer and we love him for it. But if you embrace the joy of wrapping, you will doubtless have a theme, carefully selected wrapping paper or fabric and coordinated your ribbon by now. You could wrap as you go, but sometimes it’s best to have a marathon session in which you set up a station. The workhorse here will be a solid sticky tape dispenser, unless you are a perfectionist and only use doublesided tape in which case, you must have incredible fortitude and we can only admire your commitment. Remember when everything has been unwrapped on the day, collect the good grosgrain, satin and velvet ribbons and fold them ready for use next year.

Style tip Brown paper mesh – the eco equivalent of bubble wrap is perfect for wrapping cylindrical objects like bottles. Decorate with raffi a or washi tape.

DAY07 Make a Santa sack Sewing two rectangles of your chosen fabric (something sturdy such as linen) together doesn’t need instructions. It’s how you decorate it that matters though. Attaching pom poms (see page 36) to a length of twine is a simple way to jazz up the sack and keep Christmas current.

DAY06 Treats for Saint Nick These giant macadamia, white chocolate and cranberry cookies will be an energy hit for busy Father Christmas.

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Giant macadamia, white chocolate and cranberry cookies

MAKES 20

INGREDIENTS

185g unsalted butter ¾ cup (105g) unsalted macadamias, chopped coarsely 1½ cups (225g) self-raising fl our ½ cup (75g) plain (all-purpose) fl our 1 cup (220g) brown sugar, fi rmly packed ½ cup caster sugar 1 egg 1 egg yolk 150g white chocolate, chopped coarsely ¾ cup (100g) dried cranberries

1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Line three oven trays with baking paper. 2 Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Cool. 3 Toast nuts in a large frying pan over low heat until browned lightly. Remove from pan. 4 Sift fl ours and sugars into a large bowl; add toasted nuts. Lightly beat egg, egg yolk and melted butter with a fork in a small bowl until combined; stir into fl our mixture until it forms a soft dough. Stir in chocolate and cranberries. 5 Roll rounded tablespoons of mixture into balls. Place balls, about 8cm apart, on trays; fl atten to about 8cm wide. 6 Bake cookies for 12 minutes; cool on trays.

Arc wall mirror, $490, from Citta. Taper dinner candle, $9.50, from Everyday Needs. Slender Ede candlestick, $75, from Father Rabbit. Wall and mantelpiece painted in Resene I Do.

DAY 05 Assemble a garland for the mantelpiece, sideboard or table

YOU WILL NEED

Foliage Secateurs Floristry wire Flowers Water vials

1 To make the base of the garland, snip the ends of the foliage to just below the leaf line. 2 Take the longest piece of foliage and attach the next piece of foliage to the end of the stem using fl oristry wire. Continue to add more foliage until you reach your desired length. When you reach the end, secure the last piece of foliage facing the opposite way to the others. This will mean your garland ends with a bunch of leaves rather than the stems. Built up your base by securing smaller pieces of foliage to the garland to add texture and body. 3 Place the garland on a mantelpiece or down the centre of a table. Trim the ends of the fl owers and place in vials fi lled with water. Secure the fl ower-fi lled vials in the garland with fl oristry wire.

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DAY04 Hang a botanical garland

If you’re an aspiring fl orist, a fl oral chandelier would be a triumph hung over the dining table. However, something as simple as tying some greenery you’ve foraged from the garden, then tied to a length of twine and suspended over the table from the ceiling is just as effective. See Erena Te Paa's hanging gypsophila cloud on page 64.

Classic margarita

Keep it simple with some courgette and haloumi twists and a classic margarita or a mulled wine mocktail.

Mulled “wine” mocktail

SERVES 8 Combine 2 litres (8 cups) red grape fresh thyme in a large saucepan. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes (do not boil). Cool; refrigerate until cold. Strain mixture into a large jug; discard solids. Add bay leaves and fresh sprigs of thyme. Serve over ice. Serves 1

Combine 45ml dark tequila, 30ml each of Cointreau, lime juice and sugar syrup and 1 cup ice cubes in a cocktail shaker; shake vigorously. Rub a lime slice around the rim of a margarita glass; turn glass upsidedown and dip wet rim into a saucer of salt. Strain

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DAY03 Have friends over for drinks and festive nibbles

juice, 4 strips orange rind, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks, 12 cloves, 3 fresh bay leaves and 2 sprigs 1 thinly sliced small orange, extra fresh margarita into salt-rimmed glass. Garnish with lime slices.

MINT SAUCE

1 cup mint leaves ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Line two oven trays with baking paper. 2 In a bowl, toss courgettes, mint and oil. Season to taste. 3 Arrange two sheets of pastry on separate pieces of baking. Brush each lightly with egg. Scatter each sheet with half the grated haloumi. 4 Arrange a single layer of courgette slices 5 Cut each pastry stack into 8cm x 3cm pieces. Working from the centre outwards,

Courgette and haloumi twists

MAKES 16

INGREDIENTS

2 courgettes, peeled into ribbons ¼ cup chopped mint leaves 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 4 sheets frozen puff pastry 1 egg, whisked 225g packet haloumi, grated

lengthways on top of cheese, using smaller slices to fi ll gaps. Top with remaining pastry sheets, brush lightly with egg. strips. Cut each strip in halves to form 16 ½ cup grated parmesan

carefully twist each strip. Arrange on trays. 6 Sprinkle twists with parmesan. Bake 2025 minutes until crisp and golden. 7 MINT SAUCE Meanwhile, in a small food processor, pulse mint and oil together until smooth. Season. Serve with twists.

Yule Logs are huge in Europe around Christmas so why not adopt a new tradition here and make one for the night before Christmas dinner? This dark chocolate and hazelnut filling version is a beauty.

Yule log

SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs 2⁄3 cup caster sugar 1⁄2 cup plain fl our 1⁄4 cup Irish cream liquer 2 tsp Dutch cocoa powder Fresh cherries with stems attached, to decorate

DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE

½ cup (125ml) cream 200g dark chocolate, chopped coarsely 125g mascarpone cheese 125g cream cheese, softened 1½ Tbsp Dutch cocoa powder ¼ cup chocolate-hazelnut spread 1½ Tbsp Irish cream liqueur 1 Make dark chocolate ganache. 2 Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 25cm x 30cm swiss roll pan; line base with baking paper, extending the paper 5cm above long sides of pan. Grease baking paper. 3 Beat eggs and ½ cup of the sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer for 5 minutes or until mixture is thick and creamy; transfer to a large bowl. Fold triple sifted fl our into the egg mixture. Spread mixture into pan; level surface. Bake for 15 minutes. 4 Place a large sheet of baking paper on a wire rack; sprinkle paper with remaining sugar. Turn cake onto baking paper; remove lining paper, immediately roll up cake from the short side. Leave to cool. 5 Meanwhile, make hazelnut fi lling. 6 Unroll cake, brush with liqueur; spread with fi lling, leaving a 3cm border on one short side. Roll up from opposite short side, using paper as a guide. Transfer to a serving platter. Roughly spread ganache over cake; dust with sifted cocoa powder. Refrigerate for 1 hour before cutting. Serve topped with fresh cherries. 7 DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE Bring cream to the boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Add chocolate to hot cream; stir gently until smooth. Cool mixture to room temperature until ganache is spreadable. 7 HAZELNUT FILLING Beat ingredients in a small bowl with electric mixer until mixture is thick and creamy.

Do-ahead The ganache can be made 2 days ahead; store in the fridge. When ready to use, beat with an electric mixer until it is of spreadable

DAY02 Make a Yule log for Christmas Eve festivities

HAZELNUT FILLING

consistency. DAY01 Christmas starts here Cin Cin. Celebrate with a Bellini.

Bellini

SERVES 1

Place 45ml peach nectar, 15ml peach schnapps and 15ml lime juice in a chilled champagne flute glass, stir gently. Top with 150ml chilled dry white sparkling wine. Garnish with a peach wedge.

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Lunch is served

A long lunch is made more enjoyable when you’ve dressed the table with festive touches. Welcome guests to the table and let the celebrations begin

YH&G + THE WAREHOUSE

Being surrounded with family and friends and sharing Christmas lunch or dinner is one of the most anticipated parts of the big day. A beautifully laid table will set the scene and show them how much they mean to you. No pressure, though.

Don’t think you have to use the best silver and the fi nest china, modern Christmas table settings are a more relaxed affair that will put everyone at their ease. Set a budget from the outset and don’t be tempted to go over it. The Warehouse is a great place to go for inspiration and has a huge range of affordable tableware, from tablecloths to festive glassware and absolutely everything in between. There’s all you need to create a welcoming scene. • Start with a tablecloth. Lay the foundation with a neutraltoned version and layer up. As it’s Christmas, one fl ecked with festive gold and silver ups the ante, then use either casual fringed placemats or a cotton table runner. Cotton or linen napkins will help to give the meal more of a sense of purpose, rather than paper serviettes. • Select your dinnerware. White plates are traditional but they can look a little formal and clinical. This soft green Living & Co Glazed Moroccan Dinnerware range has a lovely boho vibe to it – and it will serve you well long past December 25. • Add glasses. Feel free to mix and match these and don’t think wine has to come in stemmed glasses. Instead, try some glasses with a boho touch to keep things modern, or play up the festive message with special occasion stemless glasses. • Light up the scene. Flickering lights and candles are all about creating atmosphere, so try threading some LED copper lights across the middle of the table for a lovely, warm glow.

A few candles or tealights enhance the ambience. • Serveware. Generous boards and platters mean you can serve a crowd in a more informal way by offering grazing plates of antipasti and cheese around the main course.

The overall effect you’re trying to achieve is one of easy conviviality, generosity and abundance. So much so, your guests may never want to leave the table. thewarehouse.co.co.nz

1 Wonderland stemless wine glasses, $6 (for two). 2 Living & Co acacia paddle board cheese knife set, $25. 3 Wonderland ceramic Christmas tree snack platter, $15. 4 Living & Co twinkle copper LED lights, $7. All from The Warehouse. 1

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Spirit of Christmas

Pop the champagne and let the festive times roll once you’ve decorated the house with a riot of rather non-traditional colour in our Christmas story on page 50.

CHRISTMAS

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Joy to the world Pink, blue and yellow are our Yuletide colours du jour

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Found objects Festive projects from stuff you already have