| Oh no! I hear you cry! Not already, surely? | | | | them, cool them down under running cold water, |
| Sorry! But I did see my first chocolate Santa in | | | | allow them to dry off then whack them in a bag |
| the shops today (hiding sheepishly behind the | | | | in the freezer and forget about them. On the |
| chocolate pumpkins!) and I remembered how all | | | | day, just tip them, separated but still frozen, into |
| the advance preparation I did last year left me | | | | your hot cooking fat and stick in the oven for an |
| more time that I dreamed possible for playing | | | | hour or so. Perfect. Do the same with the |
| with the children and indulging my taste for | | | | parsnips too. |
| champagne cocktails on Christmas Day. In fact, | | | | I digress. The point of all this is to urge you to |
| my freezer and I will become extremely intimate | | | | take the same approach to your Christmas |
| in the next couple of weeks as I start to put | | | | decorations. |
| together all the Christmas food my family | | | | Shop bought decorations can be just fine |
| expects to have and squirrel it away until needed. | | | | but......wouldn't it be fabulous if you could say "(the |
| One splendid timesaver I'll share with you is to | | | | children and) I made them!" when visitors gasp in |
| prepare your roast potatoes whenever you get a | | | | awe at your creations? Why decorate your place |
| spare half hour between now and the big day. No, | | | | with the same Christmas decorations that |
| I haven't completely lost the plot, even though | | | | everyone else has when with a little forward |
| Christmas preparations have been known to have | | | | planning you can create something unique? |
| that effect. Just peel them, cut them, parboil | | | | |