[New shoot]

We have loads of it at work - Matchmakers, After Eight Mints, even those horrible sugar coated fruit jellies that my mum used to insist on having, plus blast from the past drinks like Babycham to wash it down.  Isn’t it funny how we all get sentimental over these things and feel we have to buy them every year. 

Our house cannot function over Christmas unless OH has one of those big boxes of wine gums by his side and a preferably a box of fudge to keep it company.  I’m happier with a box of Lindor, especially the black wrapper ones and a bottle of fizz 

What’s your must have ? 

[mumofstig]

A box of chocolate brazils is on my must-have list along with a bottle of Baileys 

[Plot 1 Problems]

1. Pate by the bucket load
2. Bottle of port
3. Bottle of pricey single malt (normally my Christmas present)

[Christine]

What’s your must have ?

Someone else to wash up and clear up else it'll be beans on toast with a spring of holly on top. 

[AndyRVTR]

Thorntons original toffee for me!

[perris]

Advocaat, dates, and satsumas are legacies of Christmas past here. They're actually all delicious, so I don't know why we don't eat them more often!

[Growster...]

Chocolate orange here...

The nuts we get usually finish up over the wall for the squirrells around March!

[GraciesGran]

Not a lover of Advocaat but my mum was and it brings back memories.  Dates and satsumas are a must but only but them at Christmas.  Also buy a bottle of sherry which as my sister would tell you brings back memories of mum after 3 sherries tipping the sprouts in the washing up water - kettle of boiling water to rinse them off and no one knew. Who needs the perfect Christmas?

[JayG]

Food-wise, it's (gammon) ham sandwiches for Christmas Day breakfast - it was an expensive luxury when we were kids and despite it being much cheaper now I still insist on keeping the tradition going.

Drinks-wise, we each had a tiny liqueur glass with a small quantity of creme de menthe after Christmas dinner - I can still remember the powerful peppermint flavour, the wonderful slightly tipsy feeling, and the long wait until the next Christmas before our next alcoholic beverage! 

(Needless to say the interval between alcoholic beverages has decreased significantly over the years!  )

[mumofstig]

Thinking about Christmases past, I can relate to most of these posts 

[jaydig]

The one thing that sticks in my mind from Christmases past is the smell of proper, dirty celery. We only ever had it then, and it was bought fresh and unwashed and the scent of it was something we never get these days unless you are clever enough to be able to grow your own.  My grandad's brother lived by a canal and he grew the best celery I've ever tasted and it was so tender that it almost snapped at a touch. That and clementines, again a treat only for Christmas.
The scent of pine from the Christmas tree because back then most of them were real, until the time we all moved on to those awful silver tinsel things, brings back many memories.

[rowlandwells]

drinks wise well I like a drop of CBL Export not a lot I'm not a spirit drinker but a glass of Guinness goes down nicely and I to do like my chocolate Brazils my wife would eat chocolate till the cows come home as well as a tine of toffies

we also have pork pie for Christmas breakfast this has been a family tradition  carried on for years from my grandmothers days and if we stay at home for Christmas  I like to make my own stuffing again from my grandmothers recipe

[Subversive_plot]

Fruitcake.
Not the ready-made type from the store (horrid), but a proper one, made at home, aged for a month with a couple of shots of rum or whiskey added during aging, and topped off once a week or so.

I have a good recipe from my mom, but don't make it because in our house, I would be the only one eating it.  One son hates fruit, Mrs. Subversive can't have the sugar, older son might eat some when visiting but mostly it would be me (too many calories).

[Goosegirl]

My mum's breadcrumb and thyme stuffing balls, those horrible sugar-coated jelly things I always got a box of as a present (the name's on the tip of my tongue), Christmas cake with almond icing, a clementine in my Christmas stocking and a big box of Bassett's liquorice assortment.

[mrs bouquet]

My mum's breadcrumb and thyme stuffing balls, those horrible sugar-coated jelly things I always got a box of as a present (the name's on the tip of my tongue), Christmas cake with almond icing, a clementine in my Christmas stocking and a big box of Bassett's liquorice assortment.

Newberry Fruits  ??    Mrs Bouquet