To thank you all for supporting us in 2023 we have put together an array of festive goodies from our brilliant authors and inspired by their books. From cocktail recipes to fiendish puzzles to an extract from Mistletoe Winter and more. Enjoy!
Rebecca’s Festive Gin Fizz
In Graeme Macrae Burnet’s Booker-listed novel Case Study, Rebecca is partial to a Gin Fizz cocktail. Here’s a festive twist on Rebecca’s favourite tipple.
You will need:
One shot of gin (or two, it is Christmas after all!)
A handful of cranberries
2 tsp of caster sugar
Soda water
A slice of orange
Method:
Add the gin, cranberries and sugar to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until the outside of the cocktail shaker feels cold.
Strain into a glass filled with ice and top with the soda water.
Garnish with a slice of orange and a few cranberries.
Enjoy!
How to Survive Christmas
Haley’s How to Survive Christmas toolkit:
Practise your gracious smile for when you open yet another pair of festive socks from your mother’s uncle’s granddaughter’s cousin, just like last year
Elasticated waistbands only – there is no worse feeling than needing to loosen your belt or undo a button because you ate a generous helping of your Christmas dinner and didn’t dress appropriately
Take advantage of the post-Christmas dinner nap for some well-deserved alone time
Drop subtle coughs throughout the day and complain of the beginnings of a sore throat so you have a worthy excuse for why you can’t participate in karaoke in the evening
If you put books on your Christmas list, you have the perfect excuse not to talk to anyone (… Just saying.)
Make your own playlist so you can avoid listening to Michael Bublé/Mariah Carey/Slade/Wizard/Shakin Stevens
Take the batteries out of the doorbell so you can ignore unwanted carol singers on Christmas Eve
If your family demands you wear a Christmas jumper, convince everyone that you’re allergic to nylon
Perhaps incorporate a fancy hat or hairdo into your Christmas day outfit to avoid having to wear a hat from a cracker, or worse, a Santa hat…
Help Shona solve a Christmas mystery
Morningside librarian Shona McMonagle has been sent on a mission to the North Pole by Marcia Blaine just days before Christmas. Help her solve the mystery so she can return home for Christmas in time.
Intern Elf has accidentally deleted the spreadsheet of information Manager Elf had made about the gifts Santa’s elves have left to make before Christmas. Chief Elf has recruited Shona to help the elves work out who is responsible for making which present, and who each present is for and where each present is to be delivered to. Luckily, Junior Elf has an excellent memory and is able to provide some clues so Shona can help the elves out.
The elf responsible for making the baby doll was to deliver the gift to London
Junior Elf was not responsible for making the rocking horse or delivering to Devon
Manager Elf was responsible for making the noisiest present
The elf making a present for Peter is to deliver the present to Scotland
Blake lives in Devon
The elf delivering a present to Edinburgh was not responsible for making action figures
Lucy lives the furthest north in England
Intern Elf was responsible for making the present for the child whose name appears first alphabetically
Susan lives in a capital city
Chief Elf is using her skills as a racing jockey to make her present
The elf with the most responsibility at the North Pole is responsible for making Peter’s present
Blake asked for Action Figures this Christmas
Andrew Millham on the Robin Red Breast
Singing Like Larks author Andrew Millham shares a poem about the robin. You can read more about the Robin Red Breast and other birds in Singing Like Larks.
What do your (festive) dreams mean?
Interpreting Dreams author Clare Gibson, a.k.a. Mrs Symbols, shares what your festive dreams might mean. What is your subconscious telling you?
Did you have a pleasant, happy dream that involved gathering together for Christmas dinner? For instance, did you dream of sitting down to Christmas dinner with all of your family members? If so, then you may have experienced a wish-fulfilment dream, an unconscious signal that you have been missing the comfort and security that being together with your family brings you.
If you’re the designated cook this year and you dreamed of overcooking the turkey, it may be that you’re worried about failing to meet your accomplished sister-in-law’s impossibly high standards. If so, relax–it’s being together that counts.
Christmas is such an important family holiday for many and any Yuletide dream may speak of your relationship with your nearest and dearest rather than of the birth of Jesus. So, did the lights of your dream Christmas tree illuminate happy memories of Christmases past spent in the bosom of your family or signal your dread of the inevitable family bickering? If you’re feeling the absence of a loved one at Christmas, don’t be surprised if they turn up in your dreams – sometimes that can be a comfort when you miss someone.
An extract from Mistletoe Winter
Here’s an extract from Roy Dennis’s collection of essays, Mistletoe Winter.
What we love about Christmas
Team Saraband share their personal favourite aspects of Christmas.
Sara
Christmas pudding! Brussels sprouts! The Sound of Music! Games! Sherry!
Rosie
The Muppet Christmas Carol is my favourite Christmas film and possibly my favourite film. No script will ever come close to sparking the kind of joy that 'no cheeses for us meeces!' does.
Ellie
I’m not usually a napper in the everyday, but there is something so special about conking out on the sofa after stuffing yourself silly with Christmas dinner. Bonus points if a Wallace and Gromit rerun is playing on the television while you doze off.
We’d like to thank all of you for joining us this year, and the generosity of those who supported our Crisis at Christmas campaign.
Still not finished your Christmas shopping? We have one last favour for you… just one click will take you to a gift that will keep on giving all year…
From all of us at Saraband, we hope you have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. See you in 2024!