Here is everything you could wish for to make your life and your Christmas easy and enjoyable: from party canapés, cocktails and manageable mass catering to scrumptious Christmas cakes and puddings; from no-fuss brunch to quick and easy homemade presents (chutneys, preserves and other delectable standbys) and edible tree-decorations. There is also a green ribbon marker to bookmark your place which I think is another really special touch.

As some of the more English Christmas fare doesn’t suit our warm climate, it would be great to go back to some of these recipes mid-year when we are enjoying Winter. Lawson does a good job of suggesting ways to mitigate the stress of entertaining at Christmas–a holiday that seems to come with heightened expectations and traditions that cannot be forfeited. However, the ingredients are hard to get, and spendy to boot, so unless you're the kind of person who just regularly puts edible gold dust on cookies, or actually owns a fir-tree Bundt pan (or is willing and able to shell out for one), this is going to be a fun fantasy read and not an actual cookbook. Being a watcher of TV's "Nigella Feasts", I am familiar with the author's speaking voice and persona. I am a recent convert to Nigella’s cookery, and am so looking forward to trying some of these recipes this coming Christmas.As will Sam Dixon’s Very Vegan Christmas, a beautiful little book with so much in it, from which, I’m happy to bring you her Vegan Christmas Cake and Vegan Mincemeat Pancakes. If you dust this piece of parchment with a little icing sugar it may help prevent stickage, but don't worry too much as any tears or dents will be covered by icing later. She became, among other things, a newspaper-reviewer on BBC1 Sunday-morning TV programme 'Breakfast with Frost'. It will very likely tempt even the Scroogiest of people to do a big Christmas meal and invite family, friends and even neighbours and good looking strangers over to partake. I wheel this out every year around October time to start my Christmas chutneys, then I move on to the Christmas cake in November.

There are mouthwatering recipes with a seasonal twist and simple menus for feeding friends over the extended holiday season with minimum stress and maximum enjoyment. Helena Garcia’s Book of Gingerbread also features here, and is smile-inducingly represented by her Gingerbread Present Brownies and Gingerbread Eggnog Cocktail. Every last thing in this book looks tasty and worth making, even if you're not normally adventurous in the kitchen. In the last line of the third step it should read "Fold in the rest of the flour, and add the bicarbonate of soda, yoghurt and vanilla extract. Following slots as a culinary sidekick on Nigel Slater's 'Real Food Show' on Channel 4, she has fronted three eponymous TV cookery series broadcast in the UK on the channel.I urge you also to reconsider the seasonal sprout, and go for the Hearty Wholewheat Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Cheese and Potato, a truly satisfying veggie option (and an excellent way of absorbing excess alcohol, I should add). Informative and engaging, Kitchen offers food for both cooks and eaters that is comforting but always seductive, nostalgic but with a modern twist, from “express” style recipes for the time-strapped, hectic week or leisurely slow-cook dishes for weekends and special occasions. As well as offering the reader an array of inspired new recipes – from clams with chorizo to Guinness gingerbread – Nigella rounds up her no-nonsense kitchen kit must-haves in the way of equipment and magical standby ingredients. If you’re really organised, you could have all the catering done by end November, and spend the rest of the silly season drinking Nigella’s cocktails. Oh dear: I am trying to keep this brief, but am finding it difficult as there is just so much food to celebrate at Christmas.

In the middle of the book she has a huge Main Event section that deals only with the Christmas meal. This book was OK - to be honest I only skimmed through it (had it out from the library), but didn't find anything particularly a stand-out for me. Granted, most of this food is very holiday'ish and if you are anything like me and ate this rich food everyday, the hips would be continuing their outward journey.As Nigella says: "The Christmas rituals of the home are, even if not based around faith, essentially an act of good faith. With her no-nonsense approach and inspirational ideas, combined with reassuring advice and easy-to-follow, reliable recipes, Nigella Christmas is guaranteed to bring comfort and joy, and make sure the season of good will stays that way. If you feel in need of some real seasoning this holiday, then get this book for yourself, well in advance of Christmas.

Christmas can feel like quite a stressful time of year, but with the calmness of Nigella on your side, the Christmas food preparation can be made much more manageable. Her down-to-earth approach to cooking and entertaining, and her self-admitted indulgent love of eating are as apparent in her cookbooks as they are in her media appearances. Above all, she reminds the reader how much pleasure there is to be had in real food and in reclaiming the traditional rhythms of the kitchen. I'll admit that I'm not overly keen on fruit cake, but having declared I would bring dessert to my in-laws for Christmas I decided on this. I’m the proud owner of all of Nigella Lawson’s Cookery Books and I can honestly say I use them all, regularly.This was pretty nice but needs another flavour as a contrast (would make a great lunch with tomato salad). Next up, we have the Ginger Pig’s Christmas Cookbook, from which I’ve chosen the Ginger Pig Venison Bourguignon Pie and Boxing Day Bubble and Squeak for you. By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions.