Home Visit suggestions

Written by Santa. Posted in News, Planning

Together, we can make the children’s Christmas really special. Here are some suggestions for your visit. If you have any further ideas, please get in touch on 07514 540724.

A basic visit can include:

Upon Arrival:
I’ll greet every person at the event (including your Elf on the Shelf if you have one). This is a great chance to take video and selfies with me!
I can sit for more formal, posed photos. This could be in front of the tree.
If you choose, I can give out your gifts (perhaps helped by Mrs Claus). I’ll pose with each person for a personal photo opportunity – so have your camera ready. Gifts should only be opened after I’ve given them all out. (TIP: Open gifts all at once, so no one is left out. This makes a great time for me to slip away.)

Some additional ideas to extend the visit beyond the basic 20 minutes:

I can organise a Christmas quiz (individually or in teams)
I can tell awful Christmas jokes (This will probably happen anyway, sorry!) and ask the children for theirs
Mrs. Claus or I can read a Christmas book
We can sing Christmas carols (WARNING: high altitude sleigh rides have left me with an awful singing voice!)
We can improvise a story that involves each child
Mrs Claus can make balloon models for the children (and adults)
I can formally turn on the Christmas tree lights
We can shoot a video (on your phone) for people who can’t be there for the visit.

If any of these ideas seem like something your family will enjoy, please do get in touch.

mike.facherty@tiscali.co.uk
07514 540724

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Yule Log – a brief history and two cake recipes

Written by Santa. Posted in News

Burning a Yule Log was originally a Viking or German custom. Yule is the name of the Winter Solstice festivals in northern Europe. In time, the custom of burning the Yule Log spread over Europe.
Traditionally, a tree was chosen in the forest and felled. The huge log would be decorated with ribbons, and dragged back home on Christmas Eve – ‘Bringing in the Yule Log’. The magical properties of the Yule Log were said to ensure good luck in the coming year to all those who helped to pull it over the rough ground.

Once the Yule Log was taken to the house, it was blessed and wine was poured over it. It was then lit with a torch made from a piece of wood left over from last year’s Yule Log.

The ashes of Yule logs were scattered on the land after The Twelve Days of Christmas to ensure fertility. The ashes were actually good for the crops because they contain a lot of ‘potash’, which helps plants flower.

The most common Yule Log these days is a chocolate covered swiss roll that makes a popular addition to the Christmas table. This log is made of a sponge roll layered with cream. The outside is covered with chocolate butter cream or chocolate icing and decorated to look like a bark-covered log.

Here is a traditional version:
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3049/yule-chocolate-log

Here is a gluten free recipe:
http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/30584/gluten-free-chocolate-log.aspx

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