Christmas Cheer for December

So much to do, so much to prepare and so much help from Schwartz!

With December and a cold winter upon us, not only do we have Christmas and New year to think about, but hungry mouths to feed and comfort throughout the next few weeks. It's the ultimate busy month with major meals, drinks parties and impromptu entertaining to plan. At Schwartz we aim to take the headache out of cooking and give you the chance to put your feet up and enjoy festive food made faster.

It barely seems a day since the summer but Christmas is here once more, time for spices, sweet scents and all things Christmassy. The celebrating season seems to loom up faster every year. There's so much to do with stocking fillers, decorating the house, buying presents for far flung aunts and uncles and, if you don't celebrate, just the sheer energy of avoiding it!

This year we're making Christmas easy with step by step baking, herbs and spices, dry pour-over sauces and gravies galore.

Parties In the weeks leading up to Christmas there'll be parties to go to, school plays to attend and tasty morsels to get preparing. For the ultimate in party accompaniments try our tasty Christmas punch, roasted chipolatas, pesto puffs and bite size mini Christmas cakes. We have a whole host of other great party ideas too. Start early on the main Christmas cake too – crammed with great spices, the longer it sits the tastier it gets! If you're feeling creative why not make our Christmas tree cookies or adorn the tree with cinnamon sticks tied with ribbon - sweet spices don't need to stay in the kitchen!

The big day made easy with Schwartz Finally the big day has arrived but with Schwartz having the fussy bits like stuffings and gravies covered, you can enjoy tucking in. Plan ahead and make yours the night before, a gorgeous chestnut stuffing and sausage meat is a family a favourite whilst cranberry sauce with turkey is a must. Finish off with a boozy Christmas pud and classic brandy butter...hic!

New Year, new ideas For the last of the festive meals, end the year with something deliciously different: roast duck with a tangy Christmas salad - delicious and good for you. Finish it off with syllabub and a glass of champers. No need to count the calories, that's for next year!