There's nothing like spending Christmas at Grandma's house. The cosy atmosphere, delicious home-cooked food and familiar security of knowing that Nan's got Christmas covered. However, that warm festive feeling she gives isn't a fluke, it's been handed down through generations of wise and wonderful women who've worked hard to sprinkle seasonal magic effortlessly over the holidays. So, without further ado check out Grandma's Christmas tricks that we're handing down to you...
Grandma's motto is 'always be prepared'. So, have an extra couple of gifts wrapped under the tree should unexpected visitors arrive. Chose generic gifts that everyone would appreciate such as confectionary or scented bubble bath. An extra box of mince pies and perhaps saving a little extra room at the Christmas table is sensible too.
Back in the day, not everyone was fortunate enough to own a Christmas stocking and so pillowcases were hung out on Christmas Eve for Santa to fill instead. On the plus side, a standard Oxford pillowcase is approximately 50cm x 75cm so much bigger than a stocking. With this in mind, why not add a vintage twist to the mantel this year with a pretty pillowcase-style sack to fill to the brim?
Remember foraging in the woods when you were young for autumn leaves and pine cones? Well, savvy grans used them to create money-saving Christmas decorations with a homely and rustic twist. Sprinkled with glitter or painted festive colours, they make superb table place holders next to handmade crackers, wreath embellishments or woodland garlands.
Nans can never have enough jam jars. They are collected, sterilised and stored throughout the year and then re-used wisely to make jams, gifts and candle votives at Christmas. This stylish centrepiece is so simple yet so fresh, using just natural foliage with glass jars and votives.
Attention to detail makes such a delightful difference. Don't spend a fortune on expensive Christmas napkins and tablecloths that might go out of fashion. Instead, give plain linen a personal touch with a sprig of embroidered holly and the user's initial in the corner. Or, go a little further with a beautiful table runner that could become a family heirloom.
Here's a frugal idea to make use of last year's Christmas cards. Pack them away with the decorations and use them as this year's gift tags. Use decorative scissors and a hole punch to tie on coloured ribbons or string. For a fully eco Christmas, pair your homemade tags with brown paper wrapping.
Just like the larder, the games cupboard is always well-stocked at Grandma's house. Make sure you have plenty of games from traditional playing cards, family favourite board games to more up-to-date quizzes. A good tip is to have something that appeals to all ages; a child would choose to pin the nose on Rudolf over Trivial Pursuit, whereas Granddad will probably prefer the latter.
Paper-cut snowflakes look simple yet festive displayed on windows. It's a fun project to do with the grandchildren too. Start with lightweight pieces of square paper. Fold in half and then half again. Fold two sides into each other to create a cone. Cut off the excess at the widest end and snip one side to make the jagged edges. This video tutorial offers a visual guide.
Here's another simple Christmas decorating idea that Gran will have grown up with. Paper chains are an easy craft project for any celebration and look especially pretty at Christmas when made with festive colours or last year's wrapping paper. Cut out strips of paper the same size, loop one through the other and secure with glue. Keep the chain going for as long as you require. Check out this handy tutorial by Hobbycraft.
Thread a train of popcorn with a needle through cotton, fishing or floral wire for a retro Christmas tree garland that costs pennies to make. Add a pop of colour with dried or fresh cranberries. These also look great hung on trees outside and offer birds and wildlife a Christmas treat.
Baking with Gran is a tradition that will never go stale so cook up decorations to hang on the Christmas tree. Bake and decorate familiar festive shapes. Just be sure to make a hole in the dough big enough to thread ribbon and string through for hanging. Salt dough can make a colourful alternative too.
Impress guests just like Grandma used to do with a special showstopper. This stacked cookie Christmas tree is the perfect centrepiece. The three-dimensional bake creates an impact that's so easy to recreate. Cut, bake stack and decorate is all it takes. This Christmas cookie tree recipe shows you how.
Refresh guests with ready-made drinks that warm the belly and up the Christmas spirit. Whether it's delicious spiced mulled wine or a fruity alcohol-free punch, decant it into large bowls with ladles, jugs or glass dispensers with taps so guests can help themselves.
Although they may have gone out of fashion with the notion that a woman's place is in the kitchen, it's a simple fact that an apron is a practical garment for homemaking. So, whether it's a pinny, tabard or even last year's Christmas T-shirt, keep your Christmas outfit spotless with a touch of festive protection. It can be whipped off at a moment's notice when guests arrive.
From wipeable placemats to machine-washable napkins and tablecloths, make life easy for yourself by choosing practical items you don’t need to worry about using. If there are going to be pets and young children, consider protecting any finely upholstered furniture with slipcovers or throws so everyone can relax and enjoy themselves without worrying about stains and sticky finger marks.
Gran's Christmas table just wouldn't be the same without a Mr and Mrs Christmas salt and pepper shaker or Santa's sleigh-shaped gravy boat. Start the tradition yourself, with familiar Christmas characters to make the family smile each year.
While it’s easy to look back with rose-tinted glasses at family dinners and imagine that everything on the table was made from scratch, it’s an almost impossible scenario when catering for a large group. Grandmas know that a jar of cranberry sauce can be spruced up with the addition of fresh cranberries and a squeeze of orange juice and that part-baked rolls are the work of minutes. Consider outsourcing dishes that are messy to make at home. If you like to have more than one dessert on offer, make your signature dish from scratch and buy the others from a really good bakery or store.
No one likes scrubbing a well-used baking tray so slash the cleaning time by lining trays with compostable baking parchment. You’ll be thankful when the honey-glazed carrots start to caramelise!
Ever wondered how Gran managed to get Christmas dinner on the table all at the same time without stress? The possibilities are she is either a culinary goddess or there is a chance she may have cooked the turkey on Christmas Eve. Yes, it is possible. The method is to roast until the interior temperature is 170 °F in the thigh and rest it for 30 mins. Separate the juices and drippings. Carve. Refrigerate in the drippings or broth. Then, reheat the next day for 45-50 minutes. Simple!
Gran's utility cupboard will always have a good stock of simple white pillar candles and so should you. Whether it's a simple rustic display on a wooden chopping board or a more elaborate centrepiece - ambient candlelight creates a cosy and welcoming atmosphere to Christmas décor.
Christmas stockings are usually hung on Christmas Eve by children but are appreciated at any age when they come from Gran too. So, grab your needles and yarn and start knitting an authentic stocking with festive embellishment to fill with small treats.
Bring the outside in by adding real foliage to your Christmas decorating scheme. On your next trip out to a wood or park pick up a fallen branch to hang decorations from or lay some fragrant fir branches on a windowsill. Using nature to decorate your home at Christmas is an authentic tradition that has been tried and tested for generations.
Having probably lived through hard times at some stage, grandparents have learned how to make do and mend and to stretch food a lot further than you and I. So, use your turkeys giblets to make delicious gravy and save the bones of the turkey to boil up a delicious post-Christmas detox broth.
Grandma knew that oranges decorated with cloves will make the house smell amazing and inviting for the holidays. Otherwise known as pomander balls, they can be hung with ribbons on Christmas trees or set as a colourful display in the hallway.
Do you remember we mentioned saving jam jars? Here's another reason to. Gran's pickle recipes are the best! From pickled onions to red cabbage, beetroot, and gherkins, homemade pickles will go down a treat with cold turkey and Boxing Day bubble and squeak.
Cleaning queen Aggie MacKenzie says you can never have enough clean cloths to hand at Christmas which we're sure every gran already knows." Look for a high number of plastic fibres per square inch. Those fibres cause friction, breaking down dirt and lifting it away from the surface. This is a very eco-friendly way of cleaning. They can be washed hundreds of times in the washing machine or in the dishwasher. But do change your cloths every day," explains Aggie.
Boxing Day bubble and squeak is a delicious medley of leftover Christmas vegetables that's super heartwarming to enjoy on Boxing Day. Grandma's favourite root vegetable dish is so easy to make and can be embellished with cheese or even a fried egg. Mash together Brussel sprouts, potatoes, carrots and any other vegetable left. Fry up on the hob with bacon and bake in the oven. Delicious!
A well-equipped Christmas craft box can save any last-minute Christmas glitches. Stock it with luggage labels, bakers' twine, snow spray, old Christmas cards florist wire, Christmas motif stamps, buttons and ribbon and keep it stored with the Christmas decorations so it's not raided throughout the year.
Don't forget the familiar rituals that we repeat and adore each year. Popping mistletoe around doors and headboards, carolling by the fire, winter walks and cosying up in amongst the Christmas lights with hot chocolate are all simple pleasures that make the holidays special. Be wise like Grandma and swap real mistletoe for faux if you have small children and pets as the berries are poisonous.
Here's yet another use for all those jam jars and Mason jars too. They are such a great way to package up homemade gifts with a personal touch. Fill the inside with treats and decorate the jars to match. Thrifty and practical too – we can't get enough of them. Filling ideas can be as simple as sweets and candy to more lavish perfectly measured ingredients with a recipe card and festive cookie cutter attached.
Take yourself back to those days sitting on your nanny's knee as she patiently taught you simple crochet stitches. They say crocheting is like riding a bike, once you get going again how to do those half double and moss stitches will come flooding back. Then, put your rekindled craft to use my knitting up delightful woollen ornaments to decorate the Christmas tree every year.
If you were to open your Grandma's kitchen cupboards we bet they would be full of long-lasting tins and packets packed neatly for 'an emergency'. Take inspiration from her stocks by shopping for long-life food and drink early. If you don't have room to keep everything indoors, pack storage boxes in the garage and that will act as a natural refrigerator. Remember to make note of what you have gathered.
Gingerbread houses date back to tales from Brothers Grimm when Hansel and Gretel stumbled upon the witch's house made from candy. Nowadays they make a fun Christmas countdown activity to do with children. If kept safe from nibblers it will make an impressive addition to the dessert table on Christmas Day, too.
Love this? Feel nostalgic with these vintage images of Christmas past
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