Tag: 2020

xmas gifts for men 2020

Christmas gifts for men 2020

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Finding the ideal Christmas gifts for men in 2020 can be a struggle and the Christmas.co.uk team has been beavering away to find a range of ideal festive offerings for the man in your life. What to buy a man for Christmas? There’s no doubt that men can be tricky when it comes to buying presents for but buying something for his hobbies will probably be a popular choice. For example, a sporting gift will be suitable for a football fan, but music lovers may like a vinyl record they once loved or artwork with a music theme. It’s also worth checking whether popular presents such as the new Sony PS5 is still available with some stockists. What to buy a man who has already got everything? Some men enjoy buying the latest tech throughout the year and often treat themselves to presents. By doing this they are keeping ahead of the curve and buying things they like. Unfortunately, this means that buying techie Christmas presents becomes a tad more difficult but not impossible. You should consider something that is either original, personalised or unique. What about a man who says he wants nothing? At the other end of the scale is planning to buy a Christmas present for a man who says he wants nothing. While many people may turn their noses up at this prospect, you could consider buying vouchers to either a favourite restaurant, takeaway or for a trip they can enjoy. Vouchers for clothes or even for Amazon may go down really well. Below, we bring some great Christmas gift ideas for men with the categories that are worth considering.   The best alcohol Christmas gifts for men Is the man in your life a beer or whiskey lover? Then if so, your choice of presents is not surprisingly very impressive. We like the John Lewis and Partners offering of Pig’s Nose Scotch whisky and Sipsmith Chilli and Lime Gin. We have featured Beer Hawk Christmas gifts on Christmas.co.uk previously and we love their Christmas gift box at £20. However, we think their Philips Perfect Draft Keg Machine is a great way to enjoy a beer at home. The machine offers beer lovers the chance to enjoy the perfect pint from a keg. The machine also helps to keep the beer chilled to 3° and keeping the beer fresh for up to 30 days. Thankfully, Beer Hawk also do a great line in beer kegs. Watch this great creation in action!   Best Christmas gifts for a music lover When it comes to buying Christmas gifts for music lovers, then men are well catered for. There’s a good range of portable and Bluetooth speakers and headphones, from Currys PC World, and there’s a good choice of turntables for vinyl lovers too. We also like the Power Beats in-ear sport headphones at £219 from John Lewis. There’s also the chance of buying a metallic sound wave song print from Not On The High Street at £20. It looks unusual and will impress – and when placed on a wall will be a talking point for years to come (and you get the kudos of finding it!). There’s also the opportunity of taking out a subscription at Audible.com for those who like listening to audiobooks.   Best Christmas food gifts for men It’s often said that the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, then these foodie gifts will impress. For coffee lovers, we like the tin of compostable Nespresso pods from London Grind, and from the Cheese Collection, an introduction box of cheeses for £35. Curry lovers also have the joy of a three-month subscription for new dishes at £26 from Not on the High Street. This consists of a curry-making kit being posted every month containing the recipes and fresh spices to make a cracking curry at home. However, we love the Hairy Bikers double deep-fill pie maker. Just £35 from MenKind, this is the ideal gift for pie lovers everywhere. The machine will make two the pies and there’s a decorative edge crimper as well as a pastry cooking template. It’s a great idea and makes creating a pie easy.   The best Christmas tech gifts for men Most men love techie gifts at Christmas and this year there is an incredible range available. Along with the Google Pixel 4A phone at £349 from Google, there’s also the ever-popular electric toothbrush and the black onyx from Oral B at Boots for £250 is a treat. Gamers will love the Hero Gaming Chair from OverClockers at £379.99. There’s also the latest iPad from Amazon at £336 which has a full-sized keyboard attachment and has a one-year subscription to the new streaming service from Apple. And for those men who regularly lose their keys or wallet and then waste lots of time searching for them, then the Tile Pro is a must. It costs £29.99 from John Lewis and can be attached to just about anything and will track its location using an app. It’s a durable creation and will take some battering with the signal being detected up to 300 ft away. The replaceable battery will last for a year.   Best Christmas aftershave gifts for men Who doesn’t like smellies at Christmas? Treat the man in your life some quality aftershave or balm. The Liz Earle shower and shave Christmas Kit is available from Boots at £40 and will be a winner. There’s also the Dior Sauvage eau de toilette at £16.95 from Feel Unique, and John Lewis has some excellent gifts including L’Occitane Homme aftershave balm at £23.40. However, our choice would be the Paco Rabanne Pure XS eau de toilette which costs £58. There’s a nice sensual sniff to deliver what modern men are looking for and the packaging is also impressive. The firm says it is an innovator within the fashion world and even if the man in your life isn’t one for perfumes, the distinctive scent of the Paco Rabanne offering will change their mind.   Best Christmas fashion gifts for men Buying clothes and accessories for men can be a risky undertaking but Christmas fashion gifts for men can be well received. That’s because Christmas is an ideal time to receive new clothes, boots and bags – they will be more receptive to new clothing ideas! John Lewis has a very impressive men’s range this year, and we like the Polo Ralph Lauren shirt for £68, and also offer Paul Smith Signature Striped Socks at £18. They also sell North Face eTip gloves for £35 which can be used with a smartphone touchscreen without having to take gloves off in the cold winter air. Calvin Klein boxers are a sound choice, at £35 from Amazon, and puffer jackets are popular because they are light and warm in cold weather and the Patagonia Men’s Nano Puff Jacket at £150 from Amazon is highly recommended. However, there’s no doubt that some stylish shades will be a great choice at Christmas since they can be worn around the year. It’s worth investing in a quality offering and the Ray-Ban Club Masters at £108 will be an ideal choice. Again, they are available from John Lewis or from …

Christmas crackers alcohol gifts

Best Christmas Crackers of 2020

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Knowing which are the best Christmas crackers to choose in 2020 is a crucial part of enjoying a Christmas dinner for many people. The Christmas crackers this year include the usual selection of luxury Christmas crackers, fill your own crackers, with premium Christmas crackers offering a stylish option to compliment a well laid out Christmas table. The gifts in Crackers this year include the usual paper hats, various stocking fillers and many are now plastic-free. Others offer wildflower seeds, a bottle opener and the premium crackers, from the likes of John Lewis really are impressive. Indeed, the team at Christmas.co.uk struggle to imagine a Christmas lunch without a decent cracker to pull first. Making the awkward teenager reluctantly don their paper hat and groaning at the horrendous jokes are all part of the family fun. Sadly, cheap crackers often come with bits of nasty plastic ‘treasure’ and enough packaging to fill a bin bag. So, this year we are determined to bring you luxurious, Greta Thunberg-approved Christmas crackers that will impress your guests and make them smile.   Drinks By Post Personalised Christmas Crackers – £18 per cracker or 6 for £100 Now, these aren’t cheap at £18 per cracker but, my goodness they are gorgeous! Drinks By Post have created an eco-friendly cracker that is recyclable, has minimal packaging and is totally plastic-free. They can be completely personalised with the elegantly written names of your loved ones. You can also choose the colour of both the cracker and the organic ribbon. We adored the pretty pastel colours as a lovely change from standard red and gold (though those are ace too!). We know you’re wondering about the treats inside. Prepare to be delighted! These sophisticated crackers contain a happy mix of the quirky and traditional. When your cracker goes ‘Bang!’ a cute bottle of your favourite cocktail will be yours for the enjoying. Don’t fret, the daft hat and random trivia is still a part of this festive custom. For the teetotal there is, of course, a non-alcoholic option and the little ones will love their delicious hot chocolate stirrer. Our favourite part of these beautiful crackers? The teeny tiny acorn. What? Why? It’s genius! Plant your acorn in your empty cocktail bottle and next Christmas you’ll have grown your very own tree!   Crackertoa Luxury Party Pack – £25 for 6 The ‘Snap!’ on these crackers makes us laugh but make sure you don’t pull them over your Christmas dinner, or you’ll have confetti in your gravy! Kids love the drama of these explosive crackers and everyone will enjoy the fabulous animal Origami kits, folding your paper elephant or T-Rex is a great way to pass the time between the turkey and Christmas pudding. There’s the usual too-small (just me?!) paper hat and bad joke in each cracker but you also get twelve nicely designed napkins and six (Why six? There are twelve crackers?!) The lovely people at Crackertoa are determined to produce a planet-friendly product and, happily, their luxurious crackers contain biodegradable confetti, zero plastic and they are handmade in Africa by people working for a World Fair Trade Organisation.   Cox and Cox Luxury Handmade Black and White Crackers – £50 for 6 The contemporary colour and pattern of these chic crackers is unusual and would look stunning against a crisp white tablecloth. The ink splodge design, complete with glossy black ribbons, matches a range of Cox and Cox wrapping paper so your Christmas can look like an influencer’s flat lay. We were thrilled with the gifts. They aren’t as decadent as they could be for the price but if you’re a lover of miniature things then the cheese grater and strawberry jam will have you squealing! Each of the crackers has a hat, a joke and a thoroughly satisfying ‘Bang!’. Your prize may not be to your liking, wildflower seeds would be wasted on me as I kill all plant life, but someone at the table will take it home with pleasure.   Selfridges Bow Trimmed Christmas Crackers – £80 for 6 Truly adorable! The knitted Christmas decorations that adorn this set of Selfridge’s crackers are keepsakes that you will cherish for years. I’d fight you for the snowman with his teeny tiny carrot nose! The crackers themselves are crafted from rustic brown paper and scarlet ribbon so they would look fabulous on most dinner tables. Selfridges are a premium brand so the price is to be expected, but we felt that slightly more desirable gifts could have been chosen. That said, the delicatessen theme will provide your guests with useful kitchen minis, and that is infinitely better than plastic tat. Our favourite prize was the garlic grater. It’s ridiculously useful! The tea strainer and baby whisk for frothy coffee were also lovely.   John Lewis Fill-Your-Own Crackers – £8 for 6 There are few people who have the time and inclination to make their own crackers. It’s December! We’re either frantically shopping, drinking mulled wine at ANOTHER party or providing transport to your small child’s fifth carol concert, Fill-Your-Own crackers are the perfect solution! Each recipient will be treated to a thoughtful individual present. Kids will love a Lego Mini Figure and your Mum will be delighted with a sparkly nail polish. These crackers are minimalist, but the holly pattern is a seasonal classic and you could add your own bows once they have been filled. There are no hats or jokes which you might need to source if you’re a stickler for tradition but at £8 for six they are still fantastic value. John Lewis are really focusing on sustainable products this Christmas and these are fully recyclable, glitter and plastic-free and the packaging is PET-free.   Hotel Chocolat Table Crackers – £24 for 6 Hotel Chocolat make delicious chocolates with cool and quirky designs and flavours. Their distinctive burnt cocoa taste means you know exactly whose chocolate you are tucking into. Their crackers are snowy white with a metallic wintry landscape embossed on them. The generous lengths of bright red ribbon can be re-used in children’s hair or on next year’s Christmas presents. The ‘Bang!’ is loud and satisfying but if you have small children of nervous dogs you could just open them delicately by untying the ribbon. Wear your golden crown proudly as you munch on a pre-dessert trio of chocs. The texture is chunky but smooth and comes in the shape of a milky reindeer, a creamy white tree and a caramel penguin. All packaging is made from sustainable sources and can be recycled.   Meri Meri Angel Christmas Crackers – £21 for 6 Have you ever seen a more beautiful Christmas cracker? These angels, with their floaty wings, hands in a prayer position and a golden halo are divine! If you are a family that is smaller than six then I’d be tempted to keep one of these little darlings for the Christmas tree, they would look pretty when perched on top. The puzzle gifts are interesting and will hold the attention for a good while, ideal for bottom shuffling children.   Musical Concerto Crackers – £10.94 for 8 If you’re looking for a cracker that won’t cost the earth, then this music-themed bumper pack of eight (not the standard six!) would be a wonderful choice. The musical note design is unusual but festive, it would fit in nicely with most family’s Christmas decorations. Nestled inside, ready to make blissful music, is a whistle and instructions for how to play a selection of Christmas carols. No-one at Christmas.co.uk managed to make anything other than an awful noise but spending half an hour trying did make us laugh a lot and that’s what Christmas should be about isn’t it?!   So, that’s our roundup of the best Christmas crackers in 2020 and all of our selections deliver an impressive and stylish Christmas cracker addition to a dinner table when guests come to enjoy novelty presents, badly fitting paper hats and other goodies. And let’s not forget the truly awful Christmas cracker jokes that many …

best vegan Christmas products

Best vegan Christmas products for 2020

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Vegans in the UK are increasingly being well catered for and is our guide to some of the best vegan Christmas products in 2020. Whether you are looking for a tasty vegan dish to serve up at Christmas dinner for a guest, or you want to enjoy plant-based foods, then retailers really have improved their offering. There is a wide range of vegan Christmas foods to deliver a vegetarian Christmas with a delicious selection plant-based treats which means it is actually quite difficult to choose! The major supermarkets in Christmas 2020 have stepped up with their vegan-friendly range and are expanding choice from offering a simple vegetarian dish such as nut roast, and anything with red onions and red pepper to meat-free delights in puff pastry. Instead, there’s everything from a vegan hamper to delight vegetarians and vegans alike, to tasty food that is tempting enough for non-vegetarians and meat lovers to enjoy. Here, the Christmas.co.uk team take a closer look at the best Christmas products currently available. Tesco vegan products It’s probably easier to look at what each retailer has to offer, and later we will have a look at vegan Christmas gifts. We start with Tesco because they are renowned for striving to meet the growing demand from vegans and vegetarians and the popular retailer has something for everyone this year. Indeed, we highlight in our Tesco Christmas food range for 2020 review, that one of the UK’s most popular supermarkets has an impressive vegan range. Among the party food delights this year are the no-chicken drumettes and their no mozzarella sticks. There’s even prawn firecracker dippers which look like the real thing with a kick of smoky barbecue sauce and a touch of spice. For a Christmas dinner vegetarian main course, the Wicked Kitchen Wellington is highly recommended. It costs £7 and will feed four people, and this hand-rolled Wellington is a plant-based delight. There is pea protein along with a mushroom, onion duxelles and is a novel creation. We also liked the no-turkey roast crown. This is an easy carve creation made with wheat protein and soy and topped with crumbs of sage and onion stuffing and a vegan coconut melt. Tesco is also delivering an interesting range of plant-based desserts and their tasty ginger chai cake is highly recommended.   Sainsbury’s vegan Christmas food One of the retailers that has really upped its game this year is the Sainsbury’s vegan Christmas food range. Party food includes their Plant Pioneers No Belly Pork Bites, sweet chilli cauliflower bites and BBQ jackfruit bao buns. Sainsbury’s is also offering a no-beef Wellington which I was a kick of horseradish in a flaky vegan puff pastry. However, we also think that the Plant Pioneers turkey parcels is worth a closer look as a tasty alternative. This consists of a turkey-flavoured wheat protein which has been filled with a sage and onion stuffing and rolled up in a smoky Vacon rasher. Very, very tasty! For desserts, the chocolate salted caramel star is highly recommended. This impressive dish consists of a panna cotta style dairy-free treat that contains Belgian dark chocolate with salted caramel sauce.   Morrisons vegan Christmas food We also like the offering in 2020 from Morrisons who have delivered an interesting range of vegan Christmas products for customers. Party food includes no pigs in blankets which will also work as a side dish with Christmas dinner. The no-duck spring rolls and the tempura no-prawn offering are also worthy considerations. Morrisons has also delivered on the vegan festive food trend this year by offering a beefless Wellington. However, this one looks very tasty and is worth considering. The wholegrain mustard melt centre really does help this meat-free Wellington stand out from the crowd. It’s highly recommended. Morrisons is also offering a fully vegan trifle with biscuits, whipped vegan cream, a fruity strawberry sauce and custard. It’s not be available until 21 December, but it is an interesting treat. However, our choice of vegan desserts from Morrisons must go to their vegan lemon shimmering semifreddo. This consists of a sponge and lemon semifreddo, topped with a tangy lemon sauce and a golden shimmer. This is a very interesting dish that will impress non-vegans too.   Waitrose vegan Christmas food range As part of our recommendations for vegan Christmas food in 2020, we could not leave out the tasty delights from Waitrose. Whether you choose them as a party food, or as a Christmas dinner starter, the Waitrose breaded vegan baking melts are divine. The dish consist of dairy-free cheese melts which become gooey when hot to flow nicely from the golden crisp breadcrumb exterior. The red current relish is also a nice touch. Other Waitrose vegan food includes festive filo swirls, and roasted roots with carrot and parsnip falafel wrap.   Marks and Spencer vegan Christmas food Another contender for offering quality vegan Christmas products this year, is Marks & Spencer. Their vegan Plant Kitchen range really does impress this year. Side dishes include their excellent no-chicken Kiev, the Mac and cheese bites and their no-duck spring rolls. M&S is also offering a cranberry and orange stuffing and a very tasty festive nut roast for vegans. The Plant Kitchen butternut, almond and Pecan nut roast is a delight. It costs £7.50 and will feed four people and is packed with festive flavours including roasted nuts mixed with sweet squash and served with a red wine jus. We also really enjoyed their Plant Kitchen vegan festive wreath. Desserts from the M&S vegan range include their Plant Kitchen chocolate torte. With a crunchy biscuit base and a dark chocolate ganache, this is one for vegan chocolate lovers. We can also highly recommend the Plant Kitchen sticky toffee pudding which is very impressive.   Asda vegan Christmas food One of the frontrunners in delivering interesting vegan Christmas products this year is Asda. They were also the first have a dedicated aisle of vegan food and they are delivering an impressive 48 plant-based products as part of its 2020 festive range. Among them are the vegan bao buns filled with various delights including chilli, plus there are mini duckless spring rolls and vegetable fritters. Asda’s vegan turkey roast is also a tasty offering and comes with all the trimmings. The seasoned soy-protein filling comes with a caramelised onion stuffing and it looks fairly realistic. Mini meat-free sausages and stuffing balls along with fresh veg, make this a great vegan Christmas dinner. There’s also a beef Wellington despite dish – which should come as no surprise – and the Asda savoury yule log combines cranberries and chestnuts and a veggie mince in a flaky pastry. It is very tasty. Asda is also offering a range of vegan desserts, but we love their Christmas cottage dessert. This consists of a chocolate mousse, a morello cherry compote and a tiffin base made with raisins and dates and this is wrapped in a dark chocolate shell.   Aldi vegan Christmas food While it may be a budget retailer, there’s no doubt that Aldi is looking to impress this Christmas. Their Plant Menu vegan turkey made from soya and filled with apricots, red pepper and cranberry is a very tasty and interesting creation. The retailer is also offering vegan stuffing balls, stylish vegan Thai roses along with vegetable tempura nests and no-duck spring rolls. Their pigs in blankets are also among some of the best currently available. However, the Aldi vegan hamper is worth close attention and costs £29.99 with a range of excellent plant-based treats to enjoy and impress with. Shoppers get Chilean Merlot, tea, dairy-free creams, a fruit cake bar and a vegan Christmas pudding.   The best vegan Christmas products & gifts for 2020 Leaving aside the Aldi vegan Christmas hamper, there’s an impressive range of gifts for vegans this Christmas. Here, we take a look at some of the better ones. Firstly, we love the vegan hamper packed with vegan snacks and prosecco – for every bottle sold, there’s a donation being made for animal welfare. The vegan snack hamper is available from the goodnessproject.co.uk at £58.50. Another great hamper, this time a luxury offering from momafoods.co.uk, is their vegan hamper to impress. It is packed with a range of Moma foods and various festive treats including mince pie filling and truffles. The luxury offering costs £50 and age UK receives a £25 donation with every purchase. For those who love vegan wine, you can buy a case of mixed vegan wines from elcite.com. The price for a vegan bottle of wine starts at £10.50, and they are selling mixed cases of wines from £49. You can also buy English vegan sparkling wines from theenglishvine.co.uk. They are selling a case of mini bottles of sparkling wine – which are very drinkable – for £66. For those who have a sweet tooth, the vegan and gluten-free cake box from cakehead.co.uk at £19.50 is just the treat. Enjoy a selection of chocolate and orange brownies and caramel shortbread. Following on from a box of cakes, how about a box of vegan mixed sweets selection? That’s the treat on offer from the littlecandyboxcompany.com at £12.99. The sweets are neatly packaged in fully recyclable packaging and you can also add a Christmas gift message. However, it’s not just sweets and treats that vegans can indulge in, there’s also a decent selection of vegan clothing and kitchen gifts this year. We love the vegan rucksack from veganhappyclothing.co.uk which comes in seven lovely colours. The Beeswax Wrap Company is offering a kitchen gift bundle to keep food fresh using these reusable and eco-friendly wraps. It costs £20 but for the eco-conscious vegan in your life, this could be the best Christmas treat. Vegan gifts for children this year include the ultimate bath time bundle from Rowdy Kind. Not only are the products plastic-free but are suitable for vegan children’s body care regimes. They make for a great stocking filler with these individual bars starting at £8, and the ultimate bath time bundle …

M&S christmas light up gin bottle

M&S Christmas food in 2020

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As we all know, this is not just Christmas food, as that the adverts would have us believe, but this is M&S Christmas food. And for 2020, there’s a lot to enjoy for those who love quality produce and interesting conversation starters being dished up for them. Indeed, the Christmas food range from Marks and Spencer is always an anticipated event and with unusual food combinations and tasty creations being popular with food and drink fans so many items tend to sell out quickly. M&S is also renowned for delivering innovative products for the festivities and this year is no different. M&S Christmas party food M&S is renowned for their party food and they have pulled out all the stops for 2020. They include chicken doughnut dippers – which sees rings of battered jumbo British chicken breasts in a doughnut box with barbecue sauce and a dip of waffle crumbs. They are interesting creations and look like a gourmet doughnut but one that you have to decorate yourself. And they taste like waffles with chicken, so will be hugely popular. M&S is also offering king prawns in blankets at £7, which is a tasty twist on pigs in blankets. These are juicy prawns that have been wrapped in smoked bacon and are a stylish festive surf and turf dish. We were also taken by the molten Camembert with a tear and share cheese puff pastry – a whole camembert is surrounded with cheddar pastry puffs and a tasty offering. There’s also a very impressive sausage roll that makes for a great centrepiece using seasoned pork sausage meat that is wrapped in an all-butter pastry. The sausage roll stack costs £12 and is a great centrepiece for any buffet table. The dish sees 32 sausage rolls being taken and then baked together and then put together as three tiers. We also enjoyed their battered mini sausages done in a chip shop style with a curry dip for £5. Vegans also get to enjoy the M&S frozen Plant Kitchen no chicken Kievs at £5.   Christmas day lunch Traditional Christmas day mains include a perfect Turkey crown which costs £50 and will feed between six and eight people. The M&S Turkey crown is pre-stuffed with pork and cranberries, pre-basted and wrapped in bacon and ready to go into the oven. It’s worth adding the M&S best ever pigs in blankets at £5 which offer a very tasty side dish. And if you fancy something different for Christmas dinner this year, M&S is offering slow cooked turkey legs for £12 to feed four people. Or you could tuck into their slow cooked British pork belly feast at £35. The meat is scored and then seasoned before being slow cooked to produce a delicious dish with a pork and apple jus and crispy crackling. There’s also the slow cooked British short rib of beef at £50, M&S call it ‘The General’ and this meat dish offers a melt-in-the-mouth experience. The short rib of beef is seasoned with salt and black pepper, thyme and garlic plus there’s a serving of a truffle, red wine and beef jus. Vegetarian options on Christmas Day include a mushroom and camembert pie for £18 which sees roast parsnips and mushrooms being adding to a cheese sauce and then encased in a very light flaky pastry. The dish is very striking and is a tasty offering that non-vegetarians may well enjoy too. Talking of which, there’s also an impressive looking Plant Kitchen festive wreath at £10 which is packed with roasted mushrooms, pumpkin seeds and chestnuts to create an eye-catching dish. It’s also topped with a cranberry and orange glaze.   M&S Christmas food range for 2020 M&S has also revealed that its Christmas food range for 2020 will be promoted in a range of stylish Christmas adverts. The first ad features actress Olivia Colman with others being voiced by Dame Helen Mirren, Tom Hardy and Eddie Redmayne. The first advert features the sparkling gin liqueurs, mini porcini Yorkshire puddings and a triple chocolate panettone. The ad also puts a spin on their famous line with the catchphrase now being, for 2020 at least, “This is not just Christmas food …this is M&S Christmas food”. Marks and Spencer say that they will donate £2 million to charity in 2020 and their first advert features the charity logos that have been selected by the actor. Watch the impressive video now: Christmas dinner table desserts Desserts for the Christmas dinner table include the famous M&S Colin the Caterpillar being given a festive twist this year. He has been dressed to look like Santa delivering presents and is a fun addition to any Christmas dinner buffet table. There are also golden balls with choux pastry puffs filled with whipped cream and then layered with a salted caramel sauce. If that’s not enough, they are then decorated with gold balls and then covered with a gold shimmer. M&S is also offering a traditional Christmas pudding, and this is one that the Christmas.co.uk team really enjoyed when we carried out a taste test, and it is the Collection chocolate and orange Christmas pudding at £12. This tasty delight features Belgian chocolate, vine fruits, brandy and orange liqueur which really do bring this Christmas pudding to life. There’s also a marvellous chocolate and orange sauce that melts in the middle to devour. Vegans also get to enjoy their planned kitchen chocolate torte which consists of a dark chocolate ganache on a biscuit base and is finished with a dusting of cocoa powder and a snow flake decoration. However, you should probably save space for the M&S mince pie cookie at £1. If you would like to get into the spirit of Christmas early, then this all-butter spiced cookie is an ideal starter. The cookie is topped with a spoon of juicy mincemeat. A lot of people enjoy a good cheese board during the festivities and M&S is offering a molten mountain cheese bake at £7. This is something of a cheese-lover’s dream and consists of a fondue pot of Emmental, Comte and Gryere and is topped with bacon lardons, Raclette cheese and roasted onion and is ready for placing straight into the oven. For those who love a proper cheeseboard, the cheese grazing box at £25 delivers a range of cheesy goodies including Stratford Blue, Vintage Red Fox and Petite Basque Flowers. Guests also get to enjoy extras such as walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds.   M&S festive drinks For those who want to enjoy a range of quality and unusual festive drinks this year, then M&S will be your go to store. Among the great choices this year is a light snow globe gin liqueur which costs £18. Not only is this a tasty drink available in two flavours of Clementine or rhubarb, but it’s also an impressive little bottle that becomes a decorative ornament in its own right. This will be the ‘must-have’ drink of the festive season and you simply shake and switch on the bottle to illuminate a woodland theme for the 23-carat edible gold leaves to then shimmer in the bottle and fall like snowflakes. There’s even a mini version of the Clementine gin liqueur that is ready for hanging on the Christmas tree. It will make a great gift for family and friends.   The spirit of M&S Christmas food and drink A spokeswoman for M&S told us: “Customers this year have been telling us they want to embrace more than ever the spirit of Christmas. We will not want to confine Christmas festivities to just one day and we will be looking to extend the season and turn it into a series of festive moments.” She added: “Christmas is not the time that our customers want to hold back on and food plays a central part in their celebrations. Some of our festivities may look different and some might be virtual, but they will be special as we unite and celebrate with family and …

Co-op Christmas food 2020

The Co-op Christmas food range 2020

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With so many stores dotted around the UK, the Co-op Christmas food range is probably more accessible as a supermarket choice than many rivals. And in 2020, the popular shop is offering an interesting range of festive delights to enjoy. For us (and probably most of their shoppers), one of their most striking and fun creations is a melting hot chocolate bombe which is a milk chocolate ball that you simply melt in a cup by pouring hot milk over it. Considering how much fun and enjoyment this delight can bring, it is astonishing good value at £1.50. The bombe also has a centre filled with marshmallows that will appear once the chocolate begins to melt.   Posh chipolatas in blankets Other offerings for Christmas Day, include posh chipolatas in blankets which cost £3 for six. The Co-op team has given their pigs in blankets a twist this year with each posh chipolata containing truffle oil and chestnut and then being wrapped in oak-smoked streaky bacon. And for those diners looking for a change from traditional turkey, the Co-op is offering a French-trimmed pork rack joint that has been seasoned with sea salt, rosemary and thyme. It looks like a really tasty offering that should impress.   Puddings for Christmas dinner Puddings from the Co-op for Christmas dinner this year could include a ‘Free From’ Irresistible burnt caramel sponge for £4.50. This gluten-free dessert is a tasty offering with a moist fudge sponge that is topped with caramel sauce and a gold shimmer. Other vegetarian delights from the Co-op in 2020, include ‘No duck’ spring rolls at £2.25 for 10.   Cranberry and port flooded pork pie For those who like to enjoy a pork pie on Christmas day, particularly as part of the evening buffet, Co-op is offering a cranberry and port pork pie at just £4. This is something of a boozy twist for pie lovers to enjoy as the top of the pie has been covered with a cranberry and port jelly. It’s available from early December and is likely to prove popular. Other tasty offerings for the festivities include Scottish smoked trout with whisky and honey. The Co-op is also inventing a snack that is a mixture of a croissant and a doughnut – the Co-op calls them croiss’onut. These salted caramel-filled doughnuts cost £1 and are an intriguing offering.   More information If you like the look of the Co-op Christmas food range in 2020, then you can find your nearest branch by using their online …

Iceland Christmas food range 2020 chocolate cheesecake

Iceland Christmas food range 2020

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The Iceland Christmas food range for 2020 is offering a range of twists on many festive favourites, including their ever-popular frozen turkey range. In addition to a sticky toffee cheesecake, there’s also a pigs in blankets dish that has been inspired by macaroni cheese. The festive food items will appear in the run-up to Christmas Day, and they can be bought in-store or online but please remember that the items are frozen so they need to be placed in the freezer as quickly as possible. You will also need to follow the correct cooking guidance, and you may even need to defrost some items before you can eat them.   Christmas food range from Iceland From the Christmas food range that Iceland has revealed so far, we found the festive chicken dippers a great idea for little ones – or fussy eaters – who don’t want to eat roast turkey on Christmas day. These are Christmas tree-shaped chicken dippers, and they are also ideal as a buffet offering. The dippers also offer cracking value with a pack of 60 tree-shaped chicken dippers costing just £3. Other ideas for Christmas snacks or a buffet, include mini hot dog rolls which have a miniature sausage in a bun and are quite a fun idea. A box of 15 mini hot dogs will cost £2. Iceland is renowned for offering quality party food, and in 2020 shoppers can also indulge with mini steak bakes, mini fish and chip cones that feature salt and vinegar fish chunks and chips, as well as vegan chilli burritos. And for those who are regular festive shoppers at Iceland, then their ever-popular prawn ring tray will be making a return this Christmas.   Luxury pigs in blankets We have already mentioned that Iceland is offering Luxury pigs in blankets that have been inspired by a mac and cheese offering. This makes for a quick ready meal idea for the festivities and has the potential to be a real winner with customers. The sausage is wrapped in a crispy smoky bacon, and then paired with macaroni pasta complete with Red Leicester cheese, some parsley and then the whole thing is topped with crunchy breadcrumbs.   Turkey Wellington For the big day, Iceland is offering a turkey and stuffing wellington which is a spin on the traditional dish that many of us enjoy. The dish sees a succulent piece of turkey along with stuffing being wrapped in a pastry crust. It looks like a great offering to be enjoyed by dinner guests. Other frozen turkey offerings in the Iceland range include a frozen turkey crown wrapped in bacon for £16, a frozen turkey breast joint and there’s also a whole frozen turkey with giblets in medium and large sizes – great value at £15 and £16 respectively. For those who do not want turkey, then there’s an excellent pork leg crackling joint complete with a garlic and herb stuffing. There’s also the return of Iceland’s Luxury truffle turkey crown, and their Luxury Aberdeen Angus rump joint with a beef dripping butter. Vegetarians and vegans are also catered for this year with a no-beef Wellington, and a luxury cranberry topped nut roast. Iceland is also promising the UK’s first frozen luxury smoked salmon dish that will have the freshest flavour guaranteed.   Sticky toffee winter forest log For Christmas pudding, Iceland is offering a sticky toffee winter forest log that may look like a tree stump but is a traditional chocolate log. However, Iceland has swapped the usual chocolate mousse and replaced it with a sticky toffee sponge and sauce. This delight weighs in at nearly 1kg and it will look great on many Christmas dinner tables for the festivities. There’s also an impressive millionaire salted caramel gold bar cheesecake to consider and this is something of a showstopper. This is a decadent, family-sized sharing dish with a solid bar of chocolate, a crunchy biscuit base and smoked salted caramel topping. It looks like a winning cheesecake to be dishing up, though the Iceland honeycomb mountain also looks set to be a winner. Like several other retailers, Iceland says it will be releasing its Christmas range through-out November so shoppers and fans alike will need to keep their eyes peeled for regular updates.   More information If you like the sound of the Iceland Christmas food range in 2020, then they have a useful store locator to so you can find your …

Morrisons Christmas food 2020

Morrisons Christmas food range 2020

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Morrisons Christmas food – the supermarket has revealed a 10% discount scheme for teachers as well as school staff – as a ‘thank you’ for looking after the country’s school children during the Covid-19 pandemic.   The Morrisons Christmas food range for 2020 offers something for everyone to make this a tasty festive season to celebrate. The supermarket chain is offering several delicious starters including mini dressed crabs which consists of small crab shells being filled with crab pate and then topped with crab meat. There’s also the impressive looking turkey cushion which sees Christmas dinner guests being served with a turkey that is layered with bacon and pork stuffing, and then hand-wrapped with streaky bacon. Also, Morrisons is not forgetting vegans in 2020 – and those who would prefer a plant-based Christmas dinner this year.   Beefless Wellington There’s a beefless Wellington which is a mix an apricot, cranberry and chestnut duxelles with a wholegrain mustard and wrapped in a lovely flaky pastry. Or there’s the Morrisons Best Christmas tarte which sees various root vegetables and a creamy vegan cheese and then topped with apple sauce. Other the delights include no-duck spring rolls, no-duck tempura and vegan gingerbread doughnuts. There’s also meat-free pigs in blankets and a vegan trifle to look forward to.   Christmas dinner puddings from Morrisons Christmas dinner puddings from Morrisons this year sees a nice range on offer – including a Belgian chocolate orange pudding that features a hidden caramel sauce centre that melts when cooked. There’s also the store’s Best vegan trifle, a first for Morrisons, which promises to be a tasty delight. Diners can also enjoy festive star-shaped doughnuts as part of the Morrisons Christmas food range this year. These tasty treats are dusted with icing sugar and available in packs of two.   Christmas food range from Morrisons Most of the Christmas food range from Morrisons is available from November, and we also enjoyed their Best Seafood Thermidors. These come in a pack of two and will be hugely enjoyable for seafood lovers featuring scallops and king prawns in creamy and rich Thermidor source – which also has a brandy and white wine. This delicious creation is then topped with a cheesy crumb.   Enjoy a cheese board at Christmas A lot of festive diners like to enjoy a cheese board at Christmas, and this year Morrisons is offering a crumbly Wensleydale cheese but with ribbons of salted caramel running through it. There’s no doubt that lots of people enjoy salted caramel and this addition to Wensleydale cheese offers a touch of luxury that many cheese lovers will love. Or maybe not, as many people may think this is a somewhat bizarre offering. If that doesn’t tickle your tastebuds, then how about the best Christmas chocolate and orange mini trees? This tasty offering features layers of cocoa sponge with a Belgian dark chocolate mousse and an orange flavoured moose. It is finished with a layer of solid dark Belgian chocolate and a bronze design. It’s likely to be a conversation starter and these will not, we promise, last for long after being placed on the dinner table!   Sticky toffee bowl dessert There’s also a sticky toffee bowl dessert available that will be a great dish to serve up to guests with a (very) sweet tooth. Morrisons have created a sticky toffee version of what is a classic trifle with sticky toffee sauce, vanilla custard, sponge, whipped cream and golden balls. And for those who are entertaining this year – Covid-19 lockdown restrictions permitting, of course! – then Morrisons is also offering a tasty range of mini pies. These bite-size delights include chicken and ham and also steak and ale creations. Morrisons is also dishing up a range of mini pork belly bites which will look great on a Christmas sharing plate. These delicious treats have been slow-cooked and then smothered with a barbecue sticky sauce.   Morrisons best stuffed free range turkey crown Let’s not forget the tasty main course for Christmas dinner, and the Morrisons best stuffed free range turkey crown is a delight. For many people, a Christmas dinner is not dinner without turkey, and this huge crown is topped with a smoked bacon lattice and has been stuffed with a pork, sage and onion stuffing. Morrisons is warning though that this particular dish will only be available from December 19 and will weigh from 1.8 kg to 2.2 kg and should feed between five and eight people. However, we think lots of people will be tempted by turkey cushion and this too is available from December 19.   Other meat options for Christmas dinner Morrisons is also offering an easy carve duck joint that is filled with a plum and pork stuffing and then served with a caramelised onion and sauce as part of their other meat options for Christmas dinner. And if you want to try something different, there’s a sweet cured gammon joint, complete with a spiced glaze, with a star anise and candid orange slice as the topping. There’s even a boar meat dish available that has been hand-rolled with a fennel, chilli and lemon stuffing and is served with a fennel, lemon and mustard sauce. When it comes to festive delights, we think the Morrisons Christmas food range is worth a closer look!   More information If you like the look and sound of the Morrisons Christmas food range for 2020, then you can find a Morrisons supermarket near you by using their online store finder. There are more than 500 stores …

Best Xmas pud 2020

The Best Christmas Pudding 2020

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Traditional Christmas puddings are a fitting end to the traditional Christmas dinner and this year sees an impressive choice of puds being available. Whether you are looking for a classic Christmas pudding to finish a festive meal before settling down in front of the TV, or whether you’re looking for Christmas puddings with a twist, the taste test from the Christmas.co.uk team is an ideal guide for you. Christmas puddings range from having lots of juicy fine fruits, to having vine fruits and crunchy almonds and those puds that have fruits and spices. The best Christmas puddings to find in the run-up to the festivities come from the leading retailers such as Marks & Spencer’s and Waitrose, but there are also some smaller retailers and specialist pudding makers that we’ve checked out this year. And, as we found from our Christmas pudding taste test last year, they have created some very tasty puds to enjoy! So, whether you want your Christmas pudding filled with glace cherries, are if you looking for a gluten free pudding, this is the time to stock up on brandy butter and enjoy a festive pudding delight on Christmas Day.   Award winning Christmas Puddings Marks and Spencer Vintage Christmas Pudding £15 each for 800g – Good Housekeeping award winner This delicious Christmas pud was the Good Housekeeping Award winner for 2020 and we agree completely! We love all the interesting twists on Christmas food that have appeared in recent years. However, tradition is a wonderful thing, especially at Christmas when it represents comfort, cherished memories and family rituals. This sumptuously sticky Christmas pudding boasts a tantalising glossiness and delights the taste buds with a rich mix of juicy fruits, sweet glace cherries and crunchy, creamy almonds. The spices, cinnamon and nutmeg are delicate and warming. There’s festive booziness too!! Sherry, port and brandy are bold enough to give this M&S Vintage Christmas Pudding a lovely kick.   Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Salted Maple & Pecan Christmas Pudding £6 for 400g Now this is gorgeous! I adore anything flavoured with salted caramel – I could probably eat the whole thing to myself. The caramel is beautifully buttery, and you get zingy hits of salt with every eager bite. The deeply flavourful nuggets of moist sultanas and currants are an ideal companion to the sweetly nutty and crunchy pecans. Maple sauce envelops this attractive pudding, adding a centrepiece-worthy shine and a rich sweetness that adds smoothness to the texture as well as the tartness of the fruit.   Morrison’s The Best Chocolate Orange Pudding £6 for 500g If you’re craving an indulgent finale to your Christmas Dinner, then Morrison’s is the place to shop. The moist sponge of this unusual dessert has a cloudlike lightness that is the perfect antidote to a heavy meal. It’s easy on the eye too! There will be plenty of ‘oohs’ and ‘aaahs’ as you place it proudly before your friends and family. The unctuous chocolate ganache is accompanied by a punchy orange sauce that nestles beautifully at the centre of this pudding. It is gooey and melts in the mouth. There was a danger that the recipe for this could have been ‘too-much’, but the darkness of the cocoa and the slight bitterness of the fruits mean that the flavours are perfectly balanced.   Supermarket Sensations Waitrose No.1 Christmas Pudding with Courvoisier Cognac £12 for 800g This traditional Christmas pudding is the perfect blend of all your favourite seasonal flavours, and it will look fab swathed in flame at the centre of your dinner table. Rich brandy and fruity sherry add a bold punch of taste to zingy orange and lemon, while the fruity astringency of currants and sultanas give a burst of juiciness to the crunchy sweetness of pecans. The texture is spot on too! Squidgy, sticky and delightfully moist, this is a Christmas pudding combination that is hard to beat.   Morrison’s The Best Christmas Pudding £8 for 800g The Morrisons’ Christmas food team certainly love a nut! This festive dessert is crammed full of spiced pecans, creamy almonds and rustic walnuts. They give a super crunchy texture that is unusual for a Christmas pudding but actually pairs cleverly with the plump softness of the vine fruits. If you don’t have a sweet tooth this one might not be for you, but we think that there’s enough citrus here to cut through the sugar.   Tesco Finest 12 Month Matured Christmas Pudding £8 for 800g Fruitiness is the key flavour in this gorgeously glossy pudding. We could really taste the brandy-soaked cherries, as well as the usual sultanas and that is a very good thing!! There’s a generous amount of alcohol packed into this glossy dome, including the heat of cognac and aromatic cider notes. However, ruby port is the strongest of all the boozy flavours here and that’s a lovely twist.     The Best of the Independents Daylesford Organic Traditional Christmas Pudding £20 for 900g – Good Housekeeping Awards Runner Up This is a lovely pudding that has an enticing dark colour which looks glorious when drenched in brandy sauce. Totally Instagrammable! There’s rum enriching this pud which delivers a toasted sugar taste that is an amazing with the nuts and tart fruit. The gentle warming spices are rather special too! Christmas puddings can be slightly gritty, but Daylesford have managed to create the most divine soft and cake-like mouth feel. It’s not as traditional as they promise but we’re pretty sure you’ll enjoy it enough not to care.   Betty’s Classic Christmas Pudding £17 for 800g Betty’s is a wonderfully old-fashioned Yorkshire Tea Room, and this pudding features the best of God’s Own County. The texture is mouth-wateringly moist and you’ll discover plenty of sweet and jewel-like sultanas, cherries and currants – they are almost jammy which we thoroughly enjoyed. Betty’s artisan bakers have soaked their puddings in Yorkshire Ale and brandy which gives a tantalising tickle of taste but isn’t too overpowering. The packaging is very pretty too, so it would make a thoughtful gift.   Riverford Organic Vegan Christmas Pudding £12.75 for 450g This is a lot of money to pay for a small Christmas pudding but if you value organic food, a vegan ethos and a luxurious recipe, then it will be worth the extra pennies. There’s A LOT of fruit per spoonful and we thought the extensive spice mix of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, coriander, cloves and fennel really brought all the flavours to life. This pud is made with coconut oil which adds a subtle creamy, nuttiness – and makes up for the slight lack of sweetness and booze.   Deliciously Quirky Puds Aldi Specially Selected Damson, Plum and Pink Gin Pudding £5.99 for 800g Covered in decadent, and edible, gold glitter, Aldi’s delightful offering is a real showstopper. Kids will think it’s ace and you could (perhaps!) treat them to just a small portion! Plum is the stand-out fruit flavour that is further enhanced with sugary pink gin. You’ll still find the customary vine fruits (big juicy ones too!) nestled next to toasted almonds, so traditionalists won’t be too outraged. The centre is a tasty mix of plum jam and jelly. It’s sounds too sweet doesn’t it?! Surprisingly, this pudding has a flawless balance of flavours that simply must be tried!   Tesco Finest Hidden Clementine Christmas Pudding with Courvoisier Cognac £5 for 400g This one really made us smile. It’s not the prettiest of puds, it kind of fell out of the ugly plastic container that it comes in, but the not-so-surprising treat in the centre makes us nostalgic for the quirky food styling of the 1970’s. The sponge is soft, moist and there is an impressive balance of nuttiness, alcohol and fruit. The heart of this Christmas pudding is the sugared, full size clementine. A little bomb of candy sweet tanginess which leaves a refreshing, citrus aftertaste.   Lidl Deluxe Limencello and Panettone Topped Christmas Pudding £6.99 for 700g Ooooh, now we do like a bit of limoncello in the Christmas.co.uk office! It reminds us of Italian city breaks. Lidl has created one of the most attractive Christmas puddings of 2020. It’s covered with glistening scarlet cherries and a glossy sauce. And the smell!! As soon as this baby is popped from its box, you’ll be hit in the nostrils with a beautiful honey lemon aroma. It’s very sweet and sticky, which we couldn’t get enough of, but if you prefer a more savoury, traditional pud, then we’d choose another from our list.   Free From Marks & Spencer’s Vegan and Made Without Wheat and Dairy Christmas Pudding £4 for 454g Free From food is often disappointing. It never quite lives up to ‘the real thing’ does it?! Not anymore! Good old M&S are leading the way with authentic Christmas food that even people without allergies would choose to eat. The levels of fat, juice-filled chunks of fruit in their Wheat and Dairy Free Christmas Pudding makes it taste luxurious from the first spoonful. An exciting number of booze slugs have gone into this recipe and the texture is much less dense and claggy than the usual gluten free offerings.   LillyPuds Premium Gluten (and Dairy) Free Christmas Pudding £19.95 for 908g LillyPuds have received several ‘Great Taste’ Awards, a sign of innovation and finesse with flavours. This Gluten Free Christmas Pudding is a pleasure to eat as well as being relatively healthy. Fruit makes up at least 50% of the recipes and there’s only 4.5% is added sugar. Each pudding is blessed with an interesting mix of ingredients such as almonds, ginger, apples, brandy, apricots and real ale. And the very best thing about LillyPuds?! No hard and bitter mixed peel!!   Burtree Puddings Gluten Free Christmas Pudding £15.99 for 900g Burtree Puddings are the proud owners of ‘The Guardian Newspaper Best Gluten Free Christmas Pudding’. In the blind taste test, it was chosen by a family who aren’t even on a gluten free diet. These puddings are loaded with fruit, including entire pulped oranges for maximum zing! Tasty tipples such as brandy and cider finish off a set of amazing flavours in a dessert that is moist but remarkably light.   The 2020 Christmas Puddings that are not so good!   Iceland Luxury 12 Month Matured Christmas Pudding £4 for 400g Too sweet due to the overuse of glace cherries. The nuts were tasty, but a couple of bites felt gritty rather than crunchy.   Coles Signature Christmas Pudding with Bourbon and Ginger £8.49 for 454g A lovely pudding spoilt by too much ginger which left a bitter flavour and an astringent aftertaste on the tongue. It had a tad too much stickiness too.   Lidl 24 Month Matured Christmas Pudding £12.49 for 907g Two years is a LONG time for a Christmas pudding to be maturing! They have a great, moist texture but the flavours are too overpowering, a small portion would be all I …

buy the best mince pies of 2020

The Best Mince Pies of 2020

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Ahhhhh, the humble mince pie! The appearance of deep filled mine pies on the shelves of your local supermarket, not two minutes after you’ve arrived home from your summer holiday is the first sign that Christmas is back in business. During the festive season, mince pies can be served warm and fragrant at home with a dollop of rich cream or plonked, cold and forlorn, in front of you at the end of your work’s Christmas do. Maybe you recently found out that a friend of yours always turns her nose up at them because she ‘doesn’t get sweet minced beef’ (Yes, really!) Whatever your relationship with this Christmas staple, it cannot be denied that there appear to be a thousand different versions available to buy. Which is your favourite mince pie?! Boozy and bold, sweet and fruity or with a twist? Now, just for you, we’ve eaten A LOT of mince pies and we would proudly like to present, for your pleasure and delight …. the best, the rest and the ones to avoid.   Costa Coffee’s All Butter Mince Pie – café mince pie It costs £2 and is only available in store. This year’s winner of the prestigious Good House Keeping Award is Costa Coffee’s All Butter Mince Pies and we think that it is a very worthy winner. Costa is a place that many a weary Christmas shopper will end up at some point in December, and this tempting pie will make for the perfect treat. It’s the spicy and fruity jammy filling that draws the ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaaahs!’ There is something super comforting and lovely about the sticky, but not too sweet feel and flavour of it. This pie looks gorgeous too! It has a star-shaped window carved out of the buttery, golden lid. The aroma is quintessentially festive with notes of cinnamon, lemon and orange tickling your nose as you bite into the crisp, icing sugar dusted pastry.   Morrison’s ‘The Best’ Mince Pies – supermarket mince pie £2 for a box of six and available in all Morrison’s supermarkets. Morrison’s have got an impressive pedigree when it comes to mince pies, and this year is no different. The star decorated lid is generously sprinkled with snow-like icing sugar, they almost look home-made. The flavours of seasonal booze are what makes these pies special. The Morrisons Best deep filled mince pies have mulled cider and deep, warming brandy are matched perfectly with juicy fruits and tangy mixed peel. The pastry is soft, slightly crumbly and the subtle taste of creamy butter balances the bolder flavours of the filling.   Co-op ‘Free From’ Mince Pies – both vegan and gluten free £2 for a pack of four (a good price for a ‘Free From’ product) and they are available in most Co-op supermarkets. Free-From cakes do not have a reputation for being delightful. As more is understood about this specialised way of cooking, we hope that this will change. Happily, Co-op seems to be ahead of the game. These mince pies look plain which is a shame, but the generous, not-too-sweet filling is a wonderful surprise. Try them slightly warm to bring out the layers of taste. Vine fruit is the star flavour in these gluten-free and vegan delights. The sweetness is just enough and that is seriously dangerous as it tempted me to eat many more than one. I adored the pastry! A mince pie crust is traditionally soft and will crumble away in your eager hands. These, however, have an unusual but exceedingly pleasant crunch.   Asda ‘Extra Special All Butter Crumble’ Mince Pie – crumble topped £2 for a pack of six and available in all Asda supermarkets. Winter spices are the star of this culinary show. They are bold and vibrant, a festive feast for the senses. The second hit of flavour is booze! Warming brandy is there and so is a hint of mulled wine. They taste luxurious and decadent, which is an amazing thing for a supermarket mince pie. And the pastry? There is a satisfying resistance when you bite into one which feels almost biscuity. I would even say that these should be served cold to appreciate the quirky texture.   Aldi ‘Specially Selected Salted Caramel Mince Pies’ – alternative flavour £1.79 for a pack of six, one of the cheapest we tried and available from all Aldi supermarkets. If I’m being honest, I chose these simply because I’m obsessed with the flavour of salted caramel. I get that not everyone is, so please forgive my self-indulgence and give these awesome pies a chance. You won’t regret it! The salted caramel adds a dreamy richness to the fruit and the salt cuts through the sweetness in a wonderful way. ‘Flavoured’ mince pies often suffer from having the traditional fruit flavour overwhelmed. That’s not so with Aldi’s offering. All the expected and loved aromas and tastes are robustly represented. The pastry has a lovely texture and brings the gentle essence of butter to the party.   M&S Collection Mince Pies – Worthy Mince Pie Mention £2.50 for 6 At this time of year, the mince pies from Marks and Spencer’s are usually worth looking forward to but this year that’s not the case. That’s unfortunate since the Marks & Spencer’s mince pies offered in 2019 were an excellent creation. This year, M&S has created its Collection mince pies with an all butter shortcrust pastry and filled them with a sweet mixture of mixed peel, vine fruits and glace cherries. There are also cranberries in the mix. There’s a lot to like about these mince pies with the lemon from the mixed peel delivering a tartness that really stands out. The Christmas.co.uk team also liked the icing sugar dusting on the pastry lid that has an embossed star with a snowflake design sitting on it. However, having tasted most of the mince pie rivals, the M&S Collection mince pies were found to be a tad too sweet and the pastry a little bland. There’s no doubt that for those who love Marks & Spencer products – and their Christmas food range for 2020 is impressive – this offering of six mince pies at £2.50 just misses the mark.   The Best of the Rest Aldi’s Sloe Gin Mince Tarts are £2.49 for a box of six and had a beautifully boozy flavour with a delicious crispy pastry. Waitrose Plum, Honey and Ginger Mince Pies will delight the foodies in your family. The fruitiness combined with the quirky twist of spice made them stand out from the crowd for all the right reasons. They are £2 for a box of four. Asda’s Mince Pies are an incredible 87p for a pack of six. They taste as though they are much more expensive than that with a pleasant tartness coming from the filling and a sweet and crumbly pastry case. We loved Iceland’s ‘Luxury Mince Pies’ as the unusual addition of yuzu juice gave them a real citrus kick and a wonderful aroma. The pastry is slightly savoury which isn’t for everyone, but we felt this is suited the spiciness of the filling. These juicy pies are £1.89 for a box of six.   The Slightly Disappointing Ones Sainsbury’s ‘Taste the Difference’ Mince Pies (£2 for six) were delicious and had a great texture, but we were disappointed with the amount of filling. They aren’t the cheapest so we felt that the portion controller at Sainsbury’s Mince Pie HQ must be feeling Scrooge-like this year. Tesco ‘Finest’ Mince Pies (£1.75 for six). Too sweet with a hit of strong alcohol that feels very different to the enhancing essence of brandy, cognac or cider. The balance of filling-to-flavour was also off, they need work! Waitrose and Partners No.1 Mince Pies (£2.50 for six). We had high hopes for these as the apricot and cherry flavours sounded intriguing, sadly, these notes were lost in a generic sweetness. The pastry was a bit weird too, it was thicker than needed and almost …

John Lewis advent calendar and products

The Best Beauty Advent Calendars 2020

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Checkout our list of the latest beauty advent calendars here   It’s been an unusual year and, this Christmas, I’m determined to appreciate each small moment of happiness that comes my way. In my house, the festive season has definitely not been cancelled. Now, I may be a grown woman, but I still love an advent calendar. That little nugget of sweetness every December morning still feels as special as it did when I was a child. That’s why I am interested in the best beauty advent calendars every year – and 2020 is no different! In recent years, that piece of chocolate has been joined by a sparkly or beautifully smelling treat with the annual purchase of an indulgent beauty advent calendar. And there are so many to choose from! From the jewel-like nail colours of Ciate, to the skin-loving products from Clinique. So, which will you choose for a year in which we all need a daily moment of joy? John Lewis and Partners Beauty Advent Calendar With a price of £150, this impressive John Lewis beauty advent calendar has a value of £375. John Lewis and Partners have put together a set of products that work beautifully together. You will discover an entire skincare regime, a make-up look that will suit all women, some pampering body care and indulgent finishing touches. The box is in bold shades of pink and peach and the drawers are robust enough to last as dressing table storage throughout 2021. I love the choices the beauty team at JL have made. Iconic products such as Liz Earle’s Cleanse and Polish, and Evolve Beauty’s stunning, anti-ageing Bio-Retinol Gold Mask.   Jo Malone Beauty Advent Calendar Jo Malone fragrances, body care and candles are simply divine. This calendar would make a wonderful early Christmas gift for a loved one – or yourself! The box itself is elegantly illustrated with a depiction of the brand’s London townhouse and would look chic in any room of the house. Behind every cream and black door, you will find mini bottles of colognes, cute candles, bubble baths and travel-sized body creams. The Jo Malone beauty advent calendar contains much-loved scents such as English Pear and Freesia appear alongside some exclusive festive surprises. There’s even an extra special treat to enjoy on Christmas Eve, I can’t wait! Charlotte Tilbury Bejewelled Chest of Beauty Treasures Price: £150 for 12 full and travel sizes. Charlotte Tilbury make up is transformational and this glittery box is full of that magic. This is a wonderful gift for the big day itself as it features full and travel size products to enjoy over the 12 days of Christmas. The Charlotte Tilbury Bejewelled Chest of Beauty Treasures is a diamante be-decked chest of drawers is re-usable and would make an ideal jewellery box. So, what treasures lie inside?! You’ll reveal nourishing clay-based face masks and the universally adored Pillow Talk lipstick amongst a classic black mascara and the legendary Beauty Light Wand. Charlotte Tilbury is the Queen of flattering make up and powerful party looks so expect this spectacular celebration of bling to sell out fast! The Body Shop ‘Make it Real’ Together Advent Calendar Price: £50 for 24 travel sizes. The Body Shop has been a ‘go-to’ shop for Christmas gifts for decades. We all have fond memories of fruity scents and creamy body butters. Remember White Musk anyone?! In increasingly eco-conscious times, The Body Shop is a great place to spend your money, they have long been at the forefront of sustainability and ethically grown ingredients. The boldly designed box for the Body Shop ‘Make it Real’ Together Advent Calendar and the rainbow product packaging makes this a real joy to look at. Teenagers would love to receive this as a present. There are three advent calendars to choose from but this one is, in my humble opinion, the best! You’ll need to love fruity smells to agree with me though, this box of delight is packed with mouth-watering aromas. I particularly adore the sweet Strawberry Lip Butter, relaxing bubble baths and caring Mango hand cream. Lush 12 Days of Christmas Priced at £75 with 12 full-size products. Anyone who has walked past a Lush shop will know just how amazing your 12 days of Christmas gift is going to smell. The festive scents are jaw-dropping, and we know you’re going to be delighted to unwrap something fresh and funky every morning. Lush is proud of the ethical way they do business, and the box and packaging are made from entirely recycled and recyclable materials. What’s inside? Amongst other delights, you’ll unearth a fun polar bear-shaped bubble bar, a glittery, eggnog scented shower gel and a Jingle Bells Bath Bomb. This Lush advent calendar for 2020 is perfect for adults and kids alike.   Ciate Mini Mani Month Price: £59 with a mix of full and travel size – worth £150. With a huge range of pretty colours and a caring formulation, a lick of Ciate nail polish is a lovely way to brighten your day. This advent calendar has recycled, recyclable, compostable and bio-degradable elements and contains 22 mini varnishes, 1 full size and a watermelon flavoured lip oil. The hues are glorious! My favourites are the delicate peaches and show-stopping blues. Fingers and toes can show off a new shade every day! The winter months aren’t kind to our nails so Ciate have gifted their loyal customers with a new recipe of 80% natural ingredients including strength giving biotin, bamboo and bakuchiol for hydration. At the end of December your nails will be thanking you for the loving care, thanks to the Ciate Mini Mani Month advent calendar.   Dior Advent Calendar Price: £340 for 24 miniatures. Dior’s beauty advent calendar for 2020 is fabulous, decadent and a truly deluxe gift for someone very special. It’s one of the most expensive on the UK market but I think, if you can afford it, it’s well worth its price tag. The box is a magical depiction of the Dior Atelier in Paris in wintertime and is just gorgeous! In terms of packaging the glittering black and gold illustrations of a wondrous ballet makes this the most beautiful I’ve had the pleasure of seeing. The products nestled inside the dainty drawers will be a dream come true for any lover of fashion and premium beauty. A tiny bottle of J’adore Eau De Parfum and an iconic Rouge Dior lipstick are just two of the highlights. You will also receive an exclusive Dior Snow Globe that is sure to be a cherished Christmas decoration in years to come.   Elemis 25 Days of Spectacular Skin Beauty Advent Calendar Price: £175 with products worth over £400. Elemis skincare is a huge name in the spa industry and this beauty advent calendar will bring 25 moments of bliss into your life. I enjoyed the shades of blue on the Elemis 25 Days of Spectacular Skin Beauty Advent Calendar box, a welcome change from a Christmas theme that would look great in most bathrooms. I think we all know that sadly, this year, the party season won’t be taking its usual toll on your skin over the festive season. But that doesn’t mean it won’t need the boost that products such as Frangipani Monoi Body Cream and Pro-Collagen Marine Cream will provide.   Dove Nourishing Beauty Advent Calendar Price: £20.00 for 12 minis and pampering accessories Not every woman wants to spend lots of money on a beauty advent calendar and this is an awesome price! Dove is a skin and hair care range who have been delighting their customers for years and this is another hit. The Dove Nourishing Beauty Advent Calendar box is elegant and feminine and is filled with mini samples that will suit the skin and hair of most women and be a useful addition to a toiletry bag. Personally, I love the ethos that Dove promote. Body confidence for women all shapes, colours and sizes. It’s an inclusive brand who have decided that beauty advent calendars don’t need to be costly or require a waiting list to purchase them.   Soap and Glory 24 Days to Roam the Foam Beauty Advent Calendar Price: £42 for 24 travel sizes, miniatures and beauty tools. Soap and Glory is a fun brand with quirky names, innovative formulations and distinctive packaging. Their beauty advent calendar has always been a bestseller at Boots because the value it represents is amazing. The pink, retro-styled box would look ace in a teenager’s bedroom or pink themed bathroom and each individual tube, bottle and tub has a design to make you smile. ‘Sexy Mother Pucker’ is the star of this collection. It’s a lip gloss which gives a non-sticky sheen and a volumised, bee-stung look. You’ll also be thrilled with the exotic coconut body scrub and ‘Hand Food’ a deeply moisturising cream that will keep your hands soft despite the gallons of sanitiser they have been subjected to. For me, the Soap and Glory advent calendar for 2020 is highly recommended for a great start to the …

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