CHRISTMAS SPIRITS

Festive fare is something I quite enjoy over the Christmas season. I love anything strong-flavoured so you will always find me scoffing Stilton cheese and a glass of port, Christmas cake or pudding along with any really peaty whisky!

I also enjoy baking at this time of year and laying in the odd case of wine. But as I get older I have decided there are some things the shops simply do better than I, or indeed, some of my fellow baker-friends.

Here is one example: Marks and Spencers mince pies. Maggie served these the other night along with a glass of mulled wine - her own recipe - and whether it was the fact that we had just walked an hour in the cold afternoon to get to their house or the fine ideas that came from the wine ... but I really have never tasted better! So I went and bought myself a packet of them to have for my 4 pm sugar boost!

At the social gatherings this past fortnight mulled wine has been served quite often, probably because church halls, churches (well, Glasgow Cathedral) and community halls are struggling to get the heating up. (At Mairi's work they canceled their Christmas party as there was no heating in the gym where it was to be held.) Again, I have never tasted better than one group's Tesco Mulled Wine. So 6 bottles had to be put in the trolley to help things along these cold evenings!

All the lovely Christmas cards are rolling in. Ours get printed every year from Peter McA's artwork. This year we are really late because of change of printer and bad weather, I am afraid. They arrived yesterday so you will get yours eventually!

Lastly, the one other thing that is keeping up my Christmas spirits is Alexander McCall-Smith's book Love Over Scotland. If ever I get stuck on a desert island I hope that somewhere there will be stashed a trunk full of his wonderful books!