What is ‘The Essence’ of Christmas? – Lucy Coleman

Is it the family gatherings and the marvellous dishes created in the kitchen? The Christmas decorations, or the smell of freshly baked mince pies? Perhaps it’s the subtler notes of fragranced candles with orange, cinnamon, pine, and a vast variety of smells that conjure up the festive season for you.

For me it’s about… the Christmas chaos, with so much to do and never enough time to fit everything in – even though my trimmings go up in November, if I can talk my other half into it! But I love every single minute of it.

What I miss about Christmas now we no longer live in an old cottage (and we’ve had a few, over the years) is the smell of woodsmoke…

But it’s not simply the smell; there something so romantic about the crackle of the logs, isn’t there and, of course, the lights go off. My remedy is two-fold. It involves candles, roses, and hearts… and a small glass of our favourite, French Christmas apéritif, Myrtille liqueur over crushed ice.

It’s all about the ambience and you can never have enough candles. Whether it’s fig and pomegranate which I bought on sale in January, or Yankee Candle crackling woodfire tee-lights:

… it’s beginning to feel a LOT like Christmas! Wishing everyone a peaceful, happy, and healthy holiday!

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