Ukraine Ignores Russian Orthodox Church, Observes December 25 as Public Holiday

Dec 26, 2023 | Today marks the first time that Ukraine is observing Christmas as a public holiday on December 25th. Traditionally, Ukrainians celebrated Christmas on January 7th in line with the Russian Orthodox Church, following the Julian calendar. It's part of a cultural shift away from Moscow after last year's invasion.

Nigella’s Christmas Breakfast Strata

Dec 11, 2023 | “I know there’s not exactly a shortage of cooking on Christmas Day. None of us is actively looking for more to do, but I want to talk to you about breakfast on this most celebratory of mornings. What you need is a breakfast you can get ready, for the most part, before you go to bed on Christmas Eve, and that makes you greet the day – and your guests – the next morning with a genuine smile on your face.

I’m inordinately fond of a strata (the title referring to the layers), which is really a cheesy, eggy bake with bread at the heart of it. There’s something so deliciously festive about it: the dark green of the spinach, the red of the jarred roasted peppers, the milky white of the mozzarella.


Get the full recipe here.

Wonderland: The Story of Christmas | BBC Select

Dec 4, 2023 | So many classic children’s books deal with the festive season. There are Christmassy moments in great works by Charles Dickens, Hans Christian Andersen, Kenneth Grahame, J. M. Barrie, J.R.R. Tolkien and many more. This ingenious arts documentary delves into both the joyous descriptions of yuletide created by these writers and also some darker moments in Christmas stories.

Stream the full documentary on BBC Select here.

5 European Christmas Dishes You Should Try

Dec 2, 2023 | No good Christmas without a good Christmas dinner! If you want to try something new this year or are still at a loss as to what to cook - we have five European Xmas recipe ideas for you: Roast goose from Germany, pierogi from Poland, Christmas ham from Sweden, cheese fondue from Switzerland and Christmas pudding from the UK. Ho Ho Ho!

Correction: Kirsch (Kirschwasser) NOT cherry brandy is put into Swiss fondue! Cherry brandy would be far too sweet. It would also be the wrong colour. It would turn the cheese fondue pink! – Mark

Christian Leaders Lament Advent Calendars Containing Jewellery, Alcohol and Sex Toys

THE TELEGRAPH: Luxury Christmas accessories are ‘vacuously destructive’ to religious ideals

For many, an advent calendar is a traditional way to countdown to Christmas, with a picture or small chocolate hiding behind each door.

However, the recent rise of luxury and decadent advent calendars has been criticised by Christian leaders as “vacuously destructive” to the religion.

Former chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II Gavin Ashenden said that the growing indulgence of advent calendars, which now include jewellery, alcohol and even sex toys, was a sign of society’s “spiritual illiteracy”. » | Mattie Brignal, Senior Money Reporter | Monday, November 13, 2023

The Last Christmas of the Romanovs

Dec 30, 2020 | Christmas 1917 would be the last for the Romanov family. Isolated from the world, exiled in Siberia, they lived the joy of the feast of love, distributing gifts to the members of their staff that they had made themselves. Under house arrest and closely guarded, they were able to organize a traditional Christmas that was in many ways their closest family holiday.

Mulled Wine | Glühwein | Akis Petretzikis

Dec 1, 2022 | Chef: Akis Petretzikis | Director: Leonidas Pelivanidis | Video editor: Mihalis Barbaris |Production: Akis Petretzikis Ltd.

How to Roast a Goose | Waitrose

Cooking a magnificent goose for your Christmas table can be easy - Jon Jones from the Waitrose Cookery School shows you how.

Get the full recipe here.

Geese are in season here in the UK from September 1st. Personally, when I roast a goose, I like to stuff it. Not only with meat stuffing, but also with bread stuffing. My own home-made sage and onion stuffing made with my own freshly-made breadcrumbs. This goose has not been stuffed, but looks absolutely delicious nevertheless.

At Christmas, I often roast a goose in preference to roasting a turkey. There is not as much meat on a goose, and geese are much more expensive than turkeys, but the flavour of a well-raosted goose served with apple sauce is simply outstanding.

If you have never tried roasting a goose, I would suggest that you try roasting one. You will not be disappointed. – Mark

Roast Goose & Gingerbread : Traditional Christmas Fare | Germany | Euromaxx

Dec 6, 2019 For some, the most important part of Christmas is the food. In our series ‘Traditional Christmas Fare’ we’re finding out how a number of festive dishes are prepared. In this episode we’re in the Bavarian city of Nuremberg to see how a traditional roast goose is prepared, and how world-famous German gingerbread is made.

Kaum zum Glauben! Schon anfangs August wird von Weihnachtsfesten die Rede! Was man zu Weihnacht essen wird. Schon spricht man sogar über die Weihnachtsgans! Letze Woche sprach man von Hitzewellen und Dürren; diese Woche kümmert man sich, wie man seinen Hunger am Weihnachtstisch stillen wird! Deswegen möchte ich Ihnen allen „Prost!“ wünschen. Es ist nie zu früh einen Drink zu genießen! – © Mark Alexander

Santander: Bank Hands Out £130m in Christmas Blunder

BBC: Tens of thousands of people awoke on Christmas morning to a surprise from an unexpected benefactor - Santander.

The bank mistakenly deposited £130m into 75,000 accounts on 25 December.

Santander's staff are now rushing to claw back the money, although the job is being made more difficult because much of it was deposited in accounts at rival banks, according to The Times.

The error occurred when payments from 2,000 business accounts were made twice.

"We're sorry that due to a technical issue, some payments from our corporate clients were incorrectly duplicated on the recipients' accounts," the bank said in a statement.

"None of our clients were at any point left out of pocket as a result and we will be working hard with many banks across the UK to recover the duplicated transactions over the coming days." » | Dan Ascher, Business reporter | Thursday, December 30, 2021

Heston's Christmas Classics : Roasted Gammon with Maple-mustard Glaze | Waitrose & Partners

Dec 2, 2015 • Heston shows you how to make his moreish gammon with maple-mustard glaze. Perfect for an alternative Christmas centrepiece or for Boxing Day lunch.

Get the recipe here.

Queen Cancels Pre-Christmas Family Lunch as Covid Cases Soar

THE GUARDIAN: Decision understood to be precaution to prevent putting people’s Christmas plans at risk

This Christmas is the Queen’s first since the death of Prince Philip. Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA
The Queen has cancelled her traditional pre-Christmas family party for the second year running, as the Omicron variant sends Covid cases soaring.

The 95-year-old monarch was reported on Wednesday to be determined to press on with the lunch at Windsor Castle, at which she was expected to host 50 or so members of her extended family, including Prince Charles and Camilla.

But on Thursday, she agreed that it would be irresponsible to go ahead, with a source suggesting the party could put too many people’s Christmas arrangements at risk.

This Christmas is the Queen’s first since the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, her husband of 73 years. Last year’s gathering was also scrapped because of the Covid crisis. » | Amelia Hill | Thursday, December 16, 2021

Queen Elizabeth cancels traditional pre-Christmas lunch as cases surge in England. »

No Ho Ho: Italian Church Apologises over Bishop’s Claim about Santa Claus

THE GUARDIAN: Antonio Stagliano was trying to focus on the story of Saint Nicholas when he told children Santa did not exist, says church in Sicily

A man dressed as Santa Claus rides past a crowd in Rome. An Italian bishop was forced to apologise after telling children there is no Santa. Photograph: Matteo Nardone/Pacific Press/REX/Shutterstock
A Roman Catholic diocese in Sicily has publicly apologised to outraged parents after its bishop told a group of children that Santa Claus doesn’t exist.

Bishop Antonio Stagliano didn’t mean the comments, and was trying to underline the true meaning of Christmas and the story of Saint Nicholas, a bishop who gave gifts to the poor and was persecuted by a Roman emperor, said the Rev Alessandro Paolino, the communications director for the diocese of Noto.

Italian news reports quoted Stagliano as saying during a recent religious festival that Santa doesn’t exist and that his red costume was created by Coca-Cola for publicity. » | Associated Press | Saturday, December 11, 2021

Brexit Leaves EU-bound Christmas Presents Out in the Cold

THE OBSERVER: An increase in red tape and charges means headaches for those sending gifts to Europe

People preparing to send Christmas parcels to family and friends in Europe face being caught out by post-Brexit red tape and charges that threaten to take some of the joy out of gift-giving.

A warning has also been sounded that some of those who have sent gifts to the EU this year have encountered problems ranging from delays and unexpected charges to items going missing.

This will be the first time most people have encountered rules that came in this year relating to VAT and customs charges applying to items being posted to the EU.

The consumer organisation Which? told the Observer that its research indicates the vast majority of people know little or nothing about the new rules. “The changes brought about by Brexit have created a greater burden of customs paperwork for consumers and couriers alike,” said Adam French, Which? consumer rights expert. “You now have to attach customs declaration forms to anything you send, very clearly describing what it is and where it has originated from.” » | Rupert Jones | Sunday, November 28, 2021

Johnson Announces Tier 4 for London and Scraps Christmas Mixing Rules

Boris Johnson has issued a new 'stay at home' order covering London and much of the south and east of England, and dramatically curtailed plans for Christmas mixing nationwide, in response to a new fast-spreading strain of coronavirus. Just days after reaffirming the festive 'bubble' plan and claiming it would be 'inhuman' to cancel Christmas, the prime minister announced the creation of a new, stricter tier 4

Sainsbury’s Christmas Ad 2014

Is this, perhaps, one of the very best Christmas ads ever made? In my opinion, this year’s Christmas ads from the nation’s major supermarkets don’t hold the candle to this great ad by Sainsbury’s. This advertisement has everything: it is Christmassy, it represents the true spirit of Christmas, it is moving, and it is extremely well made. A wonderful advert! This is going to be very difficult to improve upon. It is timeless.

Pope Francis Uses Christmas Homily to Decry Modern Consumerism

THE GUARDIAN: Pontiff told pilgrims in the Vatican City that mankind has become ‘greedy and voracious’
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Pope Francis has assailed the “insatiable greed” of today’s consumerism, calling on people in his Christmas homily to make “sharing and giving” more a part of their lives.

“Mankind became greedy and voracious,” the leader of the world’s 1.3bn Catholics said in an address to thousands of followers in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City.

“In our day, for many people, life’s meaning is found in possessing, in having an excess of material objects.”

“An insatiable greed marks all human history, even today, when, paradoxically, a few dine luxuriantly while all too many go without the daily bread needed to survive.” » | Agencies | Monday, December 24, 2018

Orthodox Christmas in 360: Midnight Service at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow

Hundreds of Orthodox Christians gathered at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow on Friday, to attend a midnight service led by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia. In line with the Julian calendar, Russian Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 6, 13 days after those using the Gregorian calendar.

The Real Story of Christmas | Full Documentary

Did you know that the quaint custom of Christmas caroling actually began with drunk and rowdy revelers threatening people door to door looking for food and liquor? Early versions of the heartwarming legend of Santa Claus described him as a horrible devil named Krampus who beat and kidnapped naughty children. In America during the 17th and 18th Centuries, celebrating Christmas was against the law! There's a lot to tell about the history of Christmas, and a lot you may not know. Along the way, meet Ebenezer Scrooge and George Bailey, The Grinch and Rudolph, and learn the true origins of our Christmas traditions. So grab some eggnog and a slice of fruitcake as HISTORY unwraps THE REAL STORY OF CHRISTMAS.

Biblical Magi - The Three Kings Mysteries