Delia Smith: My love of Christmas
Having said that, I have to confess that 20 years ago, when I wrote my first Christmas book and did a TV series, and spent an entire year "cooking" Christmas, I couldn't face the real thing when it loomed, so we took the whole family to Barbados instead. I recall - as we queued at the airport on our way out of the grey December to the sea and sunshine - feeling so thankful I wasn't haring around looking for small sprouts!
Good though it was, we soon returned to our traditional Christmas. Blackened flying fish for Christmas lunch, Santa Claus on a jet ski, and palms swaying to the sound of Christmas carols can never be the real deal. Barbados at other times of the year, yes, but a nip of frost in the air, a glass of mulled wine and a blazing log fire are what we love most.
Our own Christmases now follow more or less the same pattern. My one strict rule is that we prepare everything possible in advance, so that after the big day the house is full of food, there's very little actual cooking during the eight days that follow, and positively no shopping until 2 January. Because Britain more or less shuts down during this time and there are no phone calls or work emails, this is a precious eight days.
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