Serves 4

You will need

225g chopped or grated gruyere cheese
225g chopped camembert (remove the rind)
225g emmental cheese, grated
300 millilitres white wine
2 tsp cornflour
3 tablespoons kirsch (optional)
1 clove garlic (peeled)
Pinch of black pepper

To serve
Cubed bread
Potatoes
Charcuterie
Whatever vegetables you have - tomatoes, peppers etc

Method

Once everyone is at the table tuck in and prepare to enter a CHEESE COMA. Cheese fondue is the best but you may need a little nap after consuming this amount of cheese. I think as long as you have gruyere in the mix you can add whatever cheese you have at home and create your own fondue mix. It might not be typically Swiss if you add cheddar but who cares?

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Here are some of my top picks for gifts which will brighten up bath time this Christmas or look great in a hamper:

1. Yankee Candle, Warm Glow - A crisp scent of frosted leaves on snow-covered trees in the cool air, all warmed by golden amber sun rays. Doesn't it sound divine? A perfect what to create a relaxing bath environment. 
2. Cath Kidston floral robe - Perfect to slip on when you applying your post bath body butter.
3. Father Christmas Bath Bomb, Lush - A perfect stocking filler for £3.65
4. This pastel radio would love lovely in a kitchen but works with batteries as well as being mains powered so it can travel to the bathroom to provide a musical accompaniment 
5. If you're going to have a properly luxurious bath a glass of fizz is essential, this mini bottle is perfect for one. 
6. Cole & Co Fig and Cassis Soap - I had to include something Welsh, I do go on about Wales aaaall the time. This soap is handmade on the island of Anglesey and with a fruity and woody scent is perfect for both the guys and girls in your life. 
7. Lindt chocolate - Lidlt chocolate is my all time favourite, I want this gift myself. Someone run me a bath right now, pop a bath bomb in and leave these chocolates on the side!
8. This Bath Pastille set from Miss Patisserie is great for your Vegan and animal loving friends as it is completely cruelty free but also paraben free.
9. If you're going all out and aiming to impress the Origins Superstars Mini set is ideal. They fit in an overnight toiletries bag or a handbag and are a good way to see what products suit you before buying the full sized ones. 

One of the main reasons I visited Budapest was for the Christmas markets. I wanted to visit one on the continent but Germany can be very expensive because they use the Euro there so I settled on Budapest as a cheap alternative. There were plenty of other reasons I visited Budapest including the hot spas and historical sites but the markets were lovely and Budapest it the perfect city for a festive Christmas break.


Martyn and I were very lucky because there was a Christmas market right on our doorstep. There is a Christmas Market just outside the Basilica (post about the church here) which was only a two minute walk from our apartment. That meant there was a constant supply of mulled wine on my doorstep, we drank a lot of mulled wine so we didn't freeze because it was -2/4 outside for most of our stay. Each hour in the evening the Basilica was lit up with a wonderful light show, some were a bit psychadelic like the photo below.


We drank so much mulled wine on our trip, we bought mugs so it would stay hot and took them home with us. I'm sure they were only around £1.50 each too, bargain.
Some traditional Chimney cakes at the market. Kürtőskalács (chimney cakes) are made from sweet, yeast dough. A strip is spun and then wrapped around a cone–shaped baking spit, and rolled in granulated sugar. During the baking process the sugar stuck becomes caramelized and forms shiny, crispy crust on the cake. You can also have additional toppings like ground walnut or cinnamon powder^.


We also visited the Great Market Hall at the Pest end of Liberty Bridge. It's a great place to stroll even in cold and rainy weather. The three-storey hall is huge and you can pick up plenty of Hungarian paprika here.
They really know how to do Christmas well in Budapest and I felt that once I got home my festive cheer had disappeared a bit. I was excited to get that Christmassy feeling back when ICE International Currency Exchange challenged me to recreate a Hungarian Christmas. I picked up a lot of souvenirs on my trip and some items in the UK to bring a Central European feel to my home. Christmas in Hungary is celebrated with traditions similar to those found in other Central European countries as well customs unique to Hungary.

Hungarian Christmas starts with the celebration of Advent. Advent starts four Sundays before Christmas, at this time families decorate their front yards and tables with beautiful advent wreaths adorned with four candles.Every Sunday before Christmas they lit one additional candle and the last one is lit on Christmas Eve. You can find colorful wreaths in every Hungarian home and I saw some giant ones at the Christmas markets dotted around the city.

The Christmas and gift-giving season starts  early with the Santa-like figure, or Hungarian version of Saint Nicholas, Mikulás (or Szent Miklós)  visiting the homes of Hungarian children on the night of 5th December, on the eve of Saint Nicholas Feast Day, 6th December.
If you're from outside the UK I would love to know how you celebrate Christmas and please share any unusual family traditions you might have, I would really enjoy reading them.

The words Christmas and stress seem to go hand in hand for me at the moment. There's social events most nights, presents to buy, I've got a cold and I'm really looking forward to a whole day off with nothing to do. There isn't just one super cure for a stress free and relaxing Christmas, but there are a few simple things we can do so it doesn't get the best of us.

Make a list and check it twice.
I always find that writing things down helps clear my mind. I have a card list, present list and food list which all get ticked of and give me peace of mind. I also write all parties and things I need to attend in my diary so I won't forget anything. When writing your to-do list you could rate the items on it in order of importance. If the less important things don't get done, don't stress out.

Delegate.
Giving up control isn't always the easiest thing to do, but it can make a big difference. I like to control the menu over Christmas but I don't drive so going to pick up the food can be difficult for me. I've asked Martyn to pick up a few bits for me. I've had to learn to relax when he comes home with Aunt Bessie's roast potatoes instead of regular potatoes which I roast myself. It's not worth worrying about.


Remember you count 
Last but certainly not least: remember that you count too. Don't forget about yourself amongst all the hustle and bustle of making everyone else's life special. When you are out shopping or at home take some time to thank yourself for a job well done. I've been reading a book in bed and getting my lovely Pied a Terre scented votives and diffusers out to create a relaxing atmosphere.
I  have Iris & Vetiver, Plum & Black Amber and Fig Leaf & Cassis scented candles, I can't pick a favourite. It's nice to treat yourself to something luxurious like this or a new hand cream or nail polish.