Advent
Light, symbolism, preparations and traditions at Christmas, two films and my favourite Christmas carol sung by the Blind Boys of Alabama and Chrissie Hynde
Light, holly, green wreaths - what do they symbolise? :
1 In the beginning was the Word: the Word was with God and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things came into being, not one thing came into being except through him.
4 What has come into being in him was life, life that was the light of men;
5 and light shines in darkness, and darkness could not overpower it.
Gospel of Saint John, 1, 1 - 5
I am not a very regular churchgoer these days, but I do believe and my faith has helped me profoundly in the most difficult times in my life (redundancy; miscarriage; divorce; a failed adoption). Some of my darker stories - perhaps to be shared at some time in the future - when they are well-healed scars and not open wounds.
Yet, I believe passionately that one should not thrust one’s personal belief system down anyone’s throat, metaphorically speaking. “No Religion” as the great but grumpy Van Morrison sings (backing vocals Brian Kennedy).
One only has to reflect back on history to understand that religion can be manipulated by fundamentalists on any/either/no side: the Crusades; the Spanish Inquisition; the Reformation; the Troubles in Northern Ireland; the Balkan wars and the ongoing Israeli/Palestinian conflict are just some examples.
And yet Christmas is still today a global celebration and tradition and sadly, yes - a modern, commercial phenomenon and exploitation.
I feel passionately that it is important to understand and respect the traditions and symbolism around the great world religions of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism etc.
For Christians, the Light - the advent candles by the altar in church; the single candle light in the front porch window at night in the pitch black countryside; the Christmas tree lights; the turning on of the Christmas lights in city centres around the world - symbolises the coming or arrival
Photo author: at Home Christmas 2020
Photo author: at Home Christmas 2020
(adventus in Latin; avvento in Italian; avènement in French) and the hope that the birth of Christ will save us. The prickly holly and red berries symbolise Christ’s thorny crown and blood as he was crucified and died to save us from original sin (the darkness).
Watercolours author
Christians believe that this sacrifice was Love, Unconditional Love. As Richard Curtis so beautifully and aptly named that perennial modern Christmas film favourite - Love Actually - in all its glory, passion, pain and anguish.
YouTube: Top Twenty Moments 20 min Emma Thompson and Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now still make my eyes well up immediately, as does the Beach Boys’ God Only Knows in the closing final scene. 2 min 58 sec
The green, holly & ivy braided circular Christmas wreath, hung on many a front door, represents eternal life - as a result of that sacrifice and unconditional love.
Photo author
Advent - a time for preparations:
Advent, in the Christian church calendar, is the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas. The first of four Sundays in Advent occurs on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. In church, there is a wreath made of green foliage, in which are placed four candles - three purple and one pink.
Photo Grant Whitty Unsplash
One candle is lit on the first Sunday of Advent with a second, third and fourth being lit on subsequent Sundays.
Whilst today, in some homes, it is common to put up Christmas trees and decorations at the beginning of December, when I was a child growing up in Ireland, and still today as an adult, a Christmas tree was/is not procured, put up and dressed until the fourth Sunday of Advent. And the Christmas Tree was/is not taken down until the day after the 6th of January - the Epiphany/Little Christmas/Twelfth Day/Last Day of Christmas or Nollaig na mBan*.
The Epiphany is the day that the Three Wise Men, the Magi, journeying from the East and following the star of Bethlehem, arrived, to visit the baby Jesus, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Photo Adobe Stock
It is considered unlucky in Ireland to take down the Christmas tree and decorations before the twelfth day of Christmas, a custom which is still recognised and practised by many.
Other decorations I will put up to celebrate Christmas much nearer the time will be a homemade wreath on our front door; holly and fairy lights on our front bay window ledges and a small crib, with little figures of baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, an ox and a donkey, a shepherd and lambs and the Three Wise Men.
Photo author: A Christmas decoration carved from olive wood from Bethlehem, bought in the Mission Dolores Basilica in 2014 (formerly called Mission San Francisco de Asís, built in 1776, using the indigenous Native Americans as forced labour); it is the oldest surviving building in San Francisco, after the 1906 earthquake
Stir Up Sunday and Christmas Pudding:
Traditionally, a Christmas pudding is made on Stir Up Sunday - the Sunday immediately before the beginning of Advent - as evocatively described in
’ recent Substack, where she generously shares her mother’s recipe. I was delighted to see nuts - walnuts and almonds - in her recipe. I love the crunch of a nut in a Christmas pudding and cake.
Though this Christmas, there will be just the two of us (and that’s absolutely fine - quiet and contemplative is good and necessary sometimes); it will be our last Christmas in our first and current home for
Image: Milly_Illustrates
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the last 31 years, and I will probably buy a small Christmas pudding, using recommendations from Good Housekeeping. Tip - always warm the alcohol before attempting to flame and pour over your steamed Christmas pudding, ready to present at the table. I warm a double measure of Irish whiskey (Jameson or Bushmills) in the microwave for 5 - 10 seconds, before lighting.
Another tradition at Christmas, if you have younger children, is the annual Nativity play. Sadly, whilst the adoption of our son irretrievably broke down many years ago now, I still remember his first Nativity play with us, where he was surrealistically dressed as a cowboy, and the children sang a haunting song about buffalo on the plain. I am not sure I ever figured out the link between the North American Great Plains and the Nativity. However, there wasn’t a dry eye in the school hall.
If you enjoy cooking or eating good food, then planning, shopping, choosing, preparing and cooking foods for Christmas will take some time and your attention.
For Christmas Eve, I like to cook ham, following our mother’s recipe, and serve it with colcannon and madeira gravy. In France, Knorr make a lovely cheat’s version madeira gravy, which if you’ve shopped, prepared and cooked the ham, the colcannon and dessert from scratch, could be a godsend. Afterwards, I serve a homemade trifle, adapted from our mother’s recipe, when we were children.
A recipe for Baked Ham at Christmas:
Our mother always ordered a whole ham, with the bone in. But then, we were a traditional Catholic children, with five children to feed, and any guests that dropped in over the Christmas holiday period. It was a magnificent sight to see, coming out of the oven. There was always some to spare for sandwiches, another meal and/or a solitary, secretive midnight snack from the fridge.
Photo author: Our mother’s magnificent whole ham, who knows how many kilograms, prepared and cooked from scratch, on her own, despite debilitating arthritis, Christmas 2021, when she was 86. Currently 89, she is still going strong.
I still soak my ham overnight in cold water in a large stock pot, even though modern curing methods don’t use the same high levels of salt. I drain the ham the next morning, refill the cleaned stockpot with cold water to cover the ham, then add a stick of celery, a carrot, a bay leaf, some peppercorns and one or two cloves. I bring the water to just below the boil and then simmer gently for about 30 minutes per 500g, plus an extra 15 - 30 minutes. Use your judgement.
This year, I have purchased just over a 1kg ham for the two of us, with enough for a second meal, sandwiches and the aforementioned midnight snack(s).
Allow your poached ham to cool and only then, remove the skin with a small, sharp knife, taking care not to remove the fat layer. When buying, I always choose a smoked ham joint, with a generous, uniform layer of fat, as when this is roasted, grilled or blow torched - you will get a divine outer layer of sweet, mustardy, crisply rendered fatty deliciousness.
Now, with your small sharp knife, create a pattern of diagonal criss crosses on the fat. Be careful not to cut down into the meat layer.
Photo author
Then, place a clove in the centre of each diamond of fat.
Photo author
Next, using a brush, liberally apply mustard (I use French Dijon, our mother uses Colman’s English mustard) and then pack on a layer of brown sugar.
In the past, I have mistakenly used soft brown sugar - but it absorbs moisture from the atmosphere with time, losing its crunch. Through trial and error, I have found that demerara brown sugar gives me the best crunch.
Photo author
Photo author
Our mother usually puts pineapple rings on the ham surface, pinned on with cloves (which I love), but I find that if you are cooking a small ham joint, the pineapple rings do not leave a sufficient layer of exposed mustard and sugar to caramelise.
Photo author: my minimalist 1 kg ham joint
I have experimented with popping the ham in a hot oven or under the grill for 15 - 20 minutes, to caramelise the mustard and sugar coating. But now, thanks to a kind gift from my sister, I use a blow torch, which gives me better control over how much of a caramelised burnish I want. If you are using a hot oven or grill to caramelise the sugar and mustard coating, please ensure that you line your baking tray with several layers of parchment paper and/or foil, or else the inevitable pool of escaping caramelised sugar will leave an unholy mess for the poor person who is washing up afterwards. In my case, that would be my patient husband Mr. C.
Colcannon with Leeks & Sprouts:
Colcannon and Champ are traditional Irish mashed potato recipes. With colcannon, cabbage, kale or other greens are added. Whereas, with champ, spring onions or scallions are added.
You need to use proper floury potatoes for your colcannon. Well, I am Irish. I use Red Rooster, King Edwards or Maris Piper. This is not the time for your waxy, French potatoes. You know your family and can decide how many potatoes you need to prepare. Both Rachel and Darina Allen (Ballymaloe House and Cookery School, county Cork) recommend 1.5 kg of potatoes for 4 people.
In my recipe, I follow Rachel Allen and add non-traditional sweet leeks. I have swapped the cabbage for sprouts because they are seasonal at Christmas.
I initially clean and peel my potatoes and then rinse in water to remove any excess starch.
Place the potatoes in cold water, add a pinch or so of salt; bring to the boil and simmer for 15 or so minutes.
Whilst your potatoes are cooking, wash and then thinly slice your leek(s), removing any grit. Finely shred your sprouts. I always search out tiny, baby sprouts. I find larger sprouts too strongly flavoured and sulphurous. Sauté in a frying pan with lots of butter. Season with salt and cracked pepper and add 1 tablespoon of water. You do not want them to brown - so use a greaseproof/baking parchment cartouche, if necessary. Do not overcook - you want to preserve the sweetness of the vegetables.
When your potatoes are cooked, drain, place a clean tea towel and lid over your saucepan and allow the potatoes to steam for five minutes. Now mash and then add warmed milk and butter. Be generous with the butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. You can make your mash more smooth by carefully using a hand stick blender. But do not over mix, as you do not want wallpaper paste.
Now add your sautéd leeks and sprouts and some cream. Mix through and garnish with chopped chives and/or parsley. Then serve.
If you have any leftovers, when cooled down, place in the fridge. You can reheat for another meal or using your hands, mould into patties, lightly dust in flour, making an Ulster potato bread, before frying in the pan with (more) butter for breakfast or brunch. Bacon, sausages, black and/or white pudding and eggs are optional extras - as desired.
A Childhood Christmas Trifle:
I know that many chefs do not agree with adding jelly to a sophisticated, adult trifle. I apologise to Nigel Slater (one of my culinary heroes, he writes so beautifully, doesn’t he?), but for me a Christmas trifle cannot exist without jelly and sherry or another appropriate alcohol, depending on what fruit and cake/sponge combinations you are using.
Photo author: Last year’s Christmas trifle in our 34 year old Galway crystal bowl - an engagement gift from my mother and father (long since chipped).
I usually use two packets of jelly; some hot boiled water; a double measure of sherry; Italian savoiardi sponge fingers (my mother uses a sliced Swiss roll cake); a tin of mixed fruit; a large tub of fresh Madagascar custard (M & S and Tesco are good in the UK). I have never liked Birds, apologies to those that love it.
I have experimented in the past, with various fresh fruits, tinned raspberries, tinned mandarins, tinned mango etc. Michelin chef and UK professional Masterchef judge Marcus Wareing, in his television programme Marcus Wareing At Christmas episode 4 uses tinned pears and bought Jamaican ginger cake. Jamie Oliver, UK chef, in his television programme Jamie’s Family Christmas episode 4, advises not to use kiwi fruit or pineapple as the fruit base in your trifle. This is because the enzymes in kiwi fruit and pineapple digest and break down the protein (chains of collagen fibres) in the gelatine.
Dilute the torn up packets of jelly in a bowl. Add hot, boiled water, following the instructions on the packet. Stir until dissolved. Alternatively, feel free to make your own jelly from scratch, using gelatine sheets. Marcus Wareing makes his homemade jelly using the juice from the tinned pears, water, sugar and gelatine sheets (soaked in cold water first). Add measured sherry or other appropriate alcohol, to your cooled jelly and mix. Submerge your sponge fingers. Then add the fruit and mix again. Allow to cool and chill in the fridge overnight.
The next day, add your chilled custard. Again, if you wish, you can make your own custard, but that might just send me over the edge on Christmas Eve. Marcus Wareing uses two litres of Ambrosia custard from cartons, to which he adds four sheets of pre-soaked gelatine, a sprig of rosemary, grated clementine and nutmeg. So, if bought custard in a carton is acceptable to the exacting, high standards of Marcus Wareing, who am I to disagree?
Then whip your large tub of double or whipping cream. You can add a teaspoon of sugar if you like.
Add the whipped cream layer and use a fork to create soft peaks on the surface. Decorate with grated chocolate and/or clementines. A crumbled Cadbury’s chocolate flake is another good option. Or for a retro feel, sprinkle with hundreds and thousands.
Another Christmas film and my favourite Christmas Carol:
I must have 20 - 30 Christmas films, but there is a second film for me, an older and more classical black & white It’s a Wonderful Life, that for me just wouldn’t be Christmas without watching it. It was directed by Frank Capra in 1946 - one year after the end of World War Two. It is long (2 hours 10 minutes) and I feel you do need to concentrate - but it’s a perfect gem about redemption - and again, it always makes my eyes well up. In the film, an angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed. But please don’t watch it in colour - it really is much better in the original black and white.
Video: YouTube Paramount trailer for It’s a Wonderful Life
In the Bleak Midwinter is my favourite Christmas carol. It pulls at my heart strings and makes me deeply reflective.
The poem was written by the English poet Christina Rossetti, in 1872. Here, I share with you the first and last verses:
In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow has fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago…
…What can I give him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give him,
Give my heart.
The poem has been set to two different music settings, by Gustav Holst and by Harold Drake. Both are popular and are often sung as Christmas carols. Holst's is a hymn tune called Cranham, published in 1906 and Darke's is a complex anthem, composed in 1909, and intended for a trained choir, rather than a church congregation.
I like both sung versions, they are melodically similar, yet Drake’s version is considered more complex.
There are many modern sung versions: Jamie Cullum, Jack Savoretti, Annie Lennox, Ward Thomas, Jessie Ware and even Wolf Alice. I am very partial to James Taylor’s version, but I think my favourite is the Blind Boys of Alabama and Chrissie Hynde. I was privileged to see and listen to the Blind Boys of Alabama at the Brighton Pavilion, one winter, many years ago, with my husband and our young, adopted son. A Christmas carol to enjoy and savour as you make your own preparations in Advent for Christmas. I listen to it, writing my Christmas cards:
Video YouTube: In the Bleak Midwinter, The Blind Boys of Alabama and Chrissie Hynde
Pencil drawing author: In the Bleak Midwinter
Exactly how I make my Ham (via my mother and Irish Grandmother). I must look out for the Knorr Madeira gravy when I’m in Brittany. I was an infant teacher, I remember the Nativity Plays, ensuring every child had a role, we started planning at the first staff meeting in September! I’m reading a lovely book, called In the Bleak Midwinter, with a daily meditation using Rossetti’s poetry as a prompt.
A beautifully written and crafted article which some personal memories and touches but also provides plenty of treats for the rest of us
Thoroughly enjoyable read