I keep seeing people on social media getting the hump because it’s ‘only November’ and Christmas is all over the place… Well, to those people, you might want to look away now!
I’m well up for it this year and am just itching to get that tree up. Except it’s in the loft and Jonny won’t get it down until it’s at least December… Perhaps I’m being a pathetic woman here but loft duty is NOT something I consider my own. There’s spiders up there after all so instead, as well as displaying the IKEA Christmas lighting which I bought last week, I’m embracing the festivities though the power of food and drink!
And of course, like any good woman at this seasonal time of chilly nights the drinking is ESSENTIAL and necessary but it HAS to be good. I like warming drinks and seasonal cocktails. It’s the ONLY time of the year I crack open a bottle of sherry and don’t even care that it makes me feel like an old lady. I rather like drinking out of a proper cut glass sherry glass if I’m honest! 31Dover.com invited me to make a Christmas tipple order with them and 24 hours after placing my order for the Warner Edwards Sloe Gin in a gift box it arrived on my doorstep, beautifully packed in a sophisticated black box with a ribbon, card and looking like the perfect addition to sit under the tree. However, as I mentioned, my tree is not yet up so instead it called to me to open it immediately (I checked the time and it was past 6 don’t worry) and enjoy a glass (two if I’m honest, two great big large ones if I’m completely honest) with my Mum. I poured it into sugared glasses (so 90’s fabulous don’t you think?) with sugared lime peel slices as the decoration.
With any Christmas drinkie you definitely need something to nibble on while keeping merry spirits up and i have to say, the Fortnum and Mason mince pies are absolutely astounding. I don’t even really like mince pies if I’m honest, I don’t like the filling OR pastry but when skating at Somerset House earlier in the month where the skate lounge is sponsored by the luxury department store, I managed to hoover down about 8! They were AMAZING! Totally and utterly, wonderfully crumbly and delicious. I’ve never tasted mince pies like them and although the most expensive isn’t always the best of course, sometimes, just sometimes, you have to go with the line of ‘you get what you pay for’! Luxury for sure but they’ve turned my opinion of mince pies upside down.
But… They are Fortnum and Mason nibbles and delicious as they are, with that name, they can only be a treat on my budget! I’m usually a real bargain hunter and for some reason I get massive satisfaction when I find a really good one. This week, while in Asda, I think I may have found the bargain of Christmas. Now I’ve had Asda’s Specially Selected Christmas food in other years and loved it but I haven’t tried any for 2015 yet. By the time I got to their Christmas in July press day they had stopped serving food which was a shame so I can’t really give you a taste opinion but… Serrano ham is Serrano ham and this one I spied in the aisles in only THIRTY QUID and it comes WITH a stand! Show stopping, nibbling for the whole of Christmas, party fodder which can easily be turned into a little snack of an evening to enjoy with the sloe gin. I’m holding a party for our leaving drinks very soon and one of these may just HAVE to take centre stage on the table don’t you think?!
So that’s me, already started on the eating, drinking and being merry. It’s a good job I’ve got a gym membership huh!
I also have an exciting competition to tempt you all into the Christmas ‘spirit’ with me! Fancy getting your mitts on a bottle of Sloe Gin from 31Dover in tme for some Christmas party harding? Well, simply enter my Rafflecopter competition now and be in with a chance!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
P.S, I must just let you know that if you, like me, fancy saving on petrol, supermarket queues, parking and carrying bags but you’d like to buy some special tipples as gifts this season then I thoroughly do recommend the services of www.31Dover.com. Not only were they super fast for next day delivery but my bottle came in the most gorgeous black gift box and included a cool ‘message in a bottle’ card! They offer a wide range of products, Gift packs, Corporate gifting, Barware Limited edition bottles, Large orders for parties and Free delivery on £100+ orders. You can even get an exclusive 10% discount until 20th December with Rocknrollerbaby by entering 31DRUTH when you pay! Happy Christmas shopping with #DeliverMyDrinks!
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Ooooh I love Sherry but have also recently developed a taste for Ant’s Crown Royale Whiskey and being already very organised for Xmas have the perfect excuse to relax and enjoy! xx
I like whisky too… With ginger or just warm water and lemon! x
I love love love love love love love love LOVE sloe gin! My drink of choice is sloe gin and traditional lemonade (with a big wedge of lime) – or with elderflower tonic, yum yum. x x
Oh me too and wedge of lime is perfect. Not tried with a mixer yet but will take your suggestions and run with them. x
A tot of Whisky warms the cockles of your heart..especially when you settle down after a long day christmas shopping! 🙂
I think I need to be a bit more experimental with my drinking this year. I tend to stick to the same things. Although maybe that isn’t a good idea! 😉
Never had a Sherry! I always drink me Advocaat (making snowballs!) ohh could drink them all year round! I’m also feeling very festive lol, but my husband makes me get the tree up for the first of november lol, otherwisehe and the kids say its not up for long enough! lol, its a bit of a tradition for us to be the first on the street with our tree up! Lovely review! You’ve got me in the mood to try some sherry now! x
I have not really tried whisky but I think this year I will give it ago.xx
baileys its so chrimassy
I look forward to Bailey’s at Christmas. It’s the only time of year I don’t feel guilty about the calories.
I tend to mix my drinks Christmas..as you do when you are cooking, but I will probably be drinking more Jack Daniels and coke than anything else, unless I win a lovely bottle of Sloe Gin.
A nice whisky to wind down in the evenings!
i always have a baileys or snowballs it reminds me of when i was younger and my mum used to let me have a little glass
Wine with dinner cased down with scotch
snowballs – so very seasonal
Only drink a small amounts but mat drink a wee bit more
I like whiskey and lemonade at Christmas, it’s warming and gets me in the festive spirit! Hehe.
I would drink a martini with a cherry & umbrella, i do like this.
Bucks Fizz, because it’s traditional in our family, oh and it tastes nice!
Baileys! Thats my drink!
Baileys – its so delicious and almost like a dessert!
Love a hot rum and blackcurrant before bed , yummy x
A nice glass of sherry xx
We have Bucks Fizz for breakfast and throughout the day!
I most like to drink champagne at Christmas because this is the one time of year that I will splash out on such an extravagance.
I enjoy a fine, aged port.
Baileys – it just feels decadent & Christmassy!
I have lately become a gin drinker (not as in “its a problem drinking”!) and loving all the new flavours, so gin will be top of the list this christmas.
Although a wine drinker, I like to have a drink of lime juice cordial and lemonade as it is so refreshing
i usually share a bottle of baileys with my daughter x
Port because it seems to be the only time of year that I end up drinking it even though I quite like it.
A nice cold baileys x
Gin & tonic
malibu and coke my favourite mmmm
I normally drink white wine with lemonade, but i had a birthday drink bought me 2 weeks ago and it was gin and tonic..I think i will be changing my drink tipple this christmas! 😉
we love snowballs! xxxx
I love a baileys x
I love a traditional bucks fizz Christmas morning. Later on it’s red wine
I love a nice champagne
Because it tis the season
Mulled Wine
Champagne 🙂
I love Baileys over ice at Christmas, and some Jack Daniels & coke!
Gin & indian tonic!
J2Os because they taste so delicious!
I like to drink relentless because it gives me energy
I love having a glass of spiced rum! So warming it’s always welcome.
I’m on the red wine at parties normally!
bacardi and diet coke. goes down well with me.
I love a vodka cocktail!
A glass of sherry while I’m cooking dinner and later on a snowball or two – I don’t know why I only ever drink them at Christmas though
I love Baileys because it reminds me of christmas its thick creamy and warms me up on a winters eve
I do love a baileys at christmas!!!
A fruity wine called Black beer and raisins, yummy
I love sloe gin… & baileys. .. yummy
I like a glass or two of Cava, as i find it less acidic than Champagne – and it’s always fun to have some fizz!
snowballs!!!! it reminds me of my parents as they used to drink it every year
I love to have a good port with Cheese at Christmas oh and Gin and Tonic and Wine and if i want to spoil myself Apple Juice 🙂
Its either Baileys, or if that feels too much, Southern Comfort and Coke
A refreshing drink that contains Pimm’s. I find that drink very refreshing and I can have a few without getting tipsy.
sloe gin and baileys
Mulled wine is my fave but I also love a G & T
Would be a snowball for me
I love Champagne with Sloe Gin, it is a little taste of luxury x
Baileys – because it is always my Christmas treat
Baileys to relax with
Baileys because It reminds me of Christmas
A little mulled wine just to warm me up though LOL
baileys with ice
Mulled wine xx
Sloe gin, so this would be ideal!
I’ve never tried sloe gin! I’d love to. My favourite tipple is a good single malt whisky
It’s whatever I have made from this years Garden crop. This year it is to be either Black Cherry Whisky, Boysonberry Gin or Blackcurrent Gin.
Mulled wine is rather nice.
Love a glass of baileys. Delicious
I do like jack Daniels and Coke
I love snowballs. It’s a bit of a tradition in our house!
cider—its my all round tipple
Ginger Wine, because that was what my dad used to let me have a sip of at Christmas when I was little
Gin served very chilled with good tonic water
I like a nice bottle of wine because I love wine haha!
I love disaronno on the rocks – perfect with a mince pie and reminds me of the festive season!
I do like red wine at Christmas. For some reason I only drink RED wine at Christmas (always drink white the rest of the year) it might be something to do with the colour (I have no idea to be perfectly honest). 🙂
I love Sloe Gin at Christmas with a dash of Bitter Lemon 🙂 x
I love drinking Baileys at Christmas.
I love an irish whisky at Christmas x
my favourite Christmas tipple is single malt whisky
A lovely Snowball because it’s just so Christmassy and tasty on a Christmas morning
love advoccat as its a drink we only have a Christmas
There is nothing better than Hot Toddy on Christmas!
So many favorites
Pimms and lemonade, its not just a summer drink
its a lovely time to get the family togtha and reflect on the past year and the future and decied whose turn it is to buy the drinks so its not all on u lol
I enjoy a drink at Christmas to relax and enhance the happiness of the occasion.
I love Baileys, I never buy it though always get a bottle or two for Christmas
hot chocolate with baileys xx
I was dubious about it at first, but my husband has won me round to the good old Snowball at Christmas!
The thing we enjoy the most about Christmas is Watching the children unwrap their gifts!
Always enjoy a glass of Bailey’s or two when I’m writing out my Christmas cards/wrapping presents. Also enjoy a drop in my hot chocolate 😉
Champagne as I don’t have it any other time
Baileys and an odd Snowball !
We always have bucks fizz and bacon butties on christmas morning – it’s delicious 😛
Malibu and coke…..all year around it’s my favourite drink xx
my tipple is gin and tonic…i have read through the posts above and have some tasty ideas to try with my gin.x
I love Amaretto and Orange juice and Bucks Fizz – Yum!
i love tia maria mainly cause its a coffee drink n im a coffeeholic
I usually end up drinking everything at christmas although I am partial to a festive ale!
gin and tonic xx
Cider – great and cheap 😀
I just like a Baileys to pass the time when wrapping a gazzilion presents lol, doesn’t seem so daunting with a glass (bottle) of Baileys!