CHRISTMAS...ALREADY?

When Christmas falls early...



It's mid-November...just. 

There are already Christmas trees decorating the shops. 

Is it me or is this incredibly early?


Yesterday this DesperateAngloHousewife took a walk into the city centre, enjoying the last wave of autumn "heat." I walked into Galleries Lafayette to find myself in a Christmas wonderland. Such was my surprise that I actually walked straight out for a reviving espresso.

There is an economic crisis...apparently. Should we be encouraged to start spending already?

I was obviously not the only person on the planet to be surprised by this early-onset-Christmas-syndrome displayed by retailers. Every national TV station was commenting about it last night. I learnt that marketing research had revealed that this is what the customers want (according to Galleries Lafayette, Paris). It makes people "happier,"...the Christmas spirit, putting them in a better frame of mind. Shopping cheers up the public...Just how happy are the spending public going to feel when January comes around and they kick off 2011 in debt?

I am the first disciple of "retail therapy", but surely in this time of financial difficulty we should be pulling in our horns rather than accelerating into full blown Christmas shopping mode 7 weeks in advance?

Shouldn't we be encouraging frugality and giving of ourselves rather than stocking up on presents we really can't afford? Let's encourage giving beautifully baked Christmas cookies, home-made chocolate truffles, Christmas fudge... These are surely the gifts which touch our hearts the most where we have taken the time to make something delicious and individual with made with love stamped on it. This, to me, is the true meaning of Christmas.


Here is my kiwi Christmas favourite...


Christmas Chocolate Truffle Fudge Cake


125g butter
1/4 cup fine white sugar
2 tablespoons Golden Syrup
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoons drinking chocolate
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 packet plain biscuits crushed ( petit beurre, if in France)
1/2 cup raisins/sultanas
1/2 cup chopped dried cherries/cranberries (I prefer cranberries!)
1/4 cup chopped dried crystalised ginger
1/3 cup chopped candied orange peel
1/4 cup chopped walnuts


250gr dark choc with 50gr butter melted for icing


Heat butter, sugar, milk, golden syrup. Add cocoa, drinking choc, and half the crushed biscuits...mix by hand until smooth-ish. Add remaining ingredients, mix.


Press into a rectangular tin/flan dish (20 cms).
Spresad over melted dark chocolate and butter icing. Allow to set. Cut with a sharp knife.
Stores well in a sealed container in the fridge.






Comments

  1. Totally agree with your comments. Just not used to seeing xmas so early in France. Will be making your xmas fudgecake asap. Looks amazingly calorific!!
    Great blog, am such a fan.
    Geraldine

    ReplyDelete
  2. mmmm sound fantastic, will try x

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  3. More xmas treats PLEASE!! I am lost for ideas and made your fudgecake which is incredible. Thanks Suzy. Me too, love this blog. Would but the book of the blog just to cheer myself up. Please write one!!!!!!!!!
    Was that you on Masterchef this summer, I heard it was a kiwi woman from Bordeaux???

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love this blog, it is simply delicious, simply hillarious!

    ReplyDelete

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