Tis the most wonderful time of the year

Home Made Christmas Presents

This week has been a busy week with work, well at least that's what it's felt like. Either way I'm glad it's Friday.

It's also the start of the last weekend before . It's time to relax and enjoy the final lead up to the big day. The have been bought, and just need to be wrapped. The cards have be written and long since posted. And there is a mound of baking that is calling out to be done - my cutters are feeling neglected.

We have the final shop to do too, but that won't happen until Wednesday/Thursday next week. I think it will be an early start of Eve.

Today is the pubs version of Black Friday - Booze Friday. Apparently people will drink more tonight than any other night of the year - even New Years. The pubs are gearing up for mayhem, as are the emergency services. I will of course be at home with a hot chocolate, cuddling into my favourite Akita, and Guy will be hard at work until 22:30 - I doubt I will be awake when he gets home.

I can't think of anything worse than getting drunk at . These days it takes me far too long to fully recover that I'd probably be still feeling awful on Day. But that didn't stop me from making favoured vodka for everyone at work as a present. I made a and a Buttered Candy Vodka. I have no idea if they taste ok as I couldn't take them. The buttered candy one smelt VERY strong though. So far they have gone down very well - although obviously no one has actually tasted them yet.

It's surprising easy to make - just vodka and your choose flavouring. I'd started work on them on the weekend by filling two large mason jars with three litres of vodka (it's best to use a good brand of vodka otherwise it will be harsh on the throat), and then add crushed candy canes to one jar and crushed buttered candy to the other. Let them do their thing for 4/5 days, stirring once a day to ensure all the sugars dissolve and there you have it flavoured vodka. Obviously when the time comes to decant into small, portioned size jars/bottles, you need to use a muslin cloth to ensure there are no littler bits left over, and you must sterilise each jar as well, but other than that it's plain sailing. It only took me about an hour to prep and about an hour to distil.

I then had the fun of decorating with ribbon and present tags. The end results were quite good - if I don't say so myself.

I like the idea of home-made . I find I'm drawn to it more and more each year. Home-made jams and pickles. Jars of hot chocolate mix, or cookie ingredients. One of the girls at work was going to make soap - which I thought was a lovely idea. I think it's much more personal. It's not just the idea or thought, but also the time and effort that they spent that makes it so special.

I think more people should give it a go. It also takes away some of the commercialism that seem to plague this time of year so often. It's not cheap, which is a common misgiving, unless you are making huge batches or have left over ingredients and jars. And the results will differ depending on your experience and skill level - hell even your mood or stress levels will effect each one. But again that's what is so nice about this idea - at least that's what I think.