Are You Christmas Ready?
It’s around this time of year when work and life collide for me a little more than usual due to Christmas. I can say that word now, because it’s December, but the truth is that the C-word has been thrown around at French For Pineapple HQ a fair bit for well over a month now.
The kids think it’s pretty amazing that their recovering Christmas grinch of a mother, was putting a tree and decorations up in NOVEMBER to photograph, and not taking them down again. It’s just too close to the real thing to bother, so yes, Christmas has well and truly started in the Hall household.
We have Christmas at home every year, and my husband is in charge of the main event. He does an incredible Christmas lunch, and you know, if it ain’t broke and all that...
We always have a house cocktail for the festive season (some years are better than others I must admit: let’s not talk about the year I decided that Tequila Bloody Marys were a good idea. Urgh.).
This year we’ll have an extra full house, so that means I have to plan extra drinks and puddings, obviously.
A bottle of artisan Gin like The Teasmith Gin from Curious Egg, is just the ticket. One of several from their 'Gin Bar', all originating from Scottish craft distilleries. I've not opened this one yet as we can't be trusted, but it's distilled with hand-picked tea, which sounds great to me, and it could indeed inspire a tea-based cocktail of it's own.
This post is in collaboration with Out There Interiors and Curious Egg. Two independents who have truly fabulous curated collections, so please do go check them out.
The kids think it’s pretty amazing that their recovering Christmas grinch of a mother, was putting a tree and decorations up in NOVEMBER to photograph, and not taking them down again. It’s just too close to the real thing to bother, so yes, Christmas has well and truly started in the Hall household.
We have Christmas at home every year, and my husband is in charge of the main event. He does an incredible Christmas lunch, and you know, if it ain’t broke and all that...
I on the other hand, am in charge of more important things: specifically drinks, puddings, and snacks. Yes, plural on all counts!
We always have a house cocktail for the festive season (some years are better than others I must admit: let’s not talk about the year I decided that Tequila Bloody Marys were a good idea. Urgh.).
This year we’ll have an extra full house, so that means I have to plan extra drinks and puddings, obviously.
So I’m starting to stock up the bar, although I admit I’ve not actually planned the house cocktail, but I’m feeling inspired by the Christmas cordial I picked up the other day, and am wondering if I can come up with some kind of Christmas Sour involving this. I reckon I can, so if it's a success I'll share it on the blog before the big day so you have time to get the ingredients if you fancy trying it.
Anyway, I digress. Getting the bar Christmas ready, is of utmost importance.
On top of at least one house cocktail, the staples are a necessity. You definitely need to be able to offer guests a G&T. And at Christmas, you can justify spending a bit more on those staples than you might do otherwise, making it less of a staple, and more of a special treat, whether it’s going to be a gift for a loved one, or a gift for yourself. Or, as I like to put it, a gift for the house. That way, it doesn't need to come from your gift 'allowance', but you still get to drink it. Clever huh?
Anyway, I digress. Getting the bar Christmas ready, is of utmost importance.
On top of at least one house cocktail, the staples are a necessity. You definitely need to be able to offer guests a G&T. And at Christmas, you can justify spending a bit more on those staples than you might do otherwise, making it less of a staple, and more of a special treat, whether it’s going to be a gift for a loved one, or a gift for yourself. Or, as I like to put it, a gift for the house. That way, it doesn't need to come from your gift 'allowance', but you still get to drink it. Clever huh?
A bottle of artisan Gin like The Teasmith Gin from Curious Egg, is just the ticket. One of several from their 'Gin Bar', all originating from Scottish craft distilleries. I've not opened this one yet as we can't be trusted, but it's distilled with hand-picked tea, which sounds great to me, and it could indeed inspire a tea-based cocktail of it's own.
The bar is far from fully stocked yet, still to come is Amarula Cream (a regular Christmas treat), Aperol, and I'm quite liking a Dark & Stormy at the moment, so maybe some dark Rum too. And of course a selection of tonic waters for the G&T's, and various other mixers.
Don't forget you'll need some lovely glasses in which to serve these drinks, so get those 'special' glasses out. I'm a firm believer in using 'best' every day, but if you are saving them, it's time to dust them off. I love these vintage inspired Deco Cocktail Glasses also from Curious Egg, and the cutest little Bamboo Cocktails Whisks.
So now that we've covered drinks, we need to cover where to put them (before they go in your mouth!). A bar cart or trolley is in order (or a sideboard, top of a chest of drawers or a shelf if you don't have space), and this rattan one from Out There Interiors offers plenty of space up top and on the two shelves below.
It's an unusual army green colour, and has a rough distressed texture, and would fit in rather nicely with the decor at Chiltern Firehouse, with their Titanic meets Gilligan's Island vibe.
I may pile it up with the entire contents of the alcohol cupboard, then again, I might just fill it with what I know will be used over Christmas, and keep it looking lovely. One thing's for sure, the fairy lights and gold plated ice tongs are staying!
This post is in collaboration with Out There Interiors and Curious Egg. Two independents who have truly fabulous curated collections, so please do go check them out.