An Alternative Christmas

Baker Kids Christmas Cookery CourseIf you’re one of those people who cringes at the sight of shop windows turning Christmassy on November 1st, then you’re probably fed up with the commercialization of this time of year and the rush for presents too. So here’s some alternative Christmas pressie ideas from the Baker family. For the past few years we’ve been doing a handmade Secret Santa for adults and a fun activity (and small present to unwrap!) for some of the children. It’s been great fun. Try these:

Alternative Christmas Present Ideas

Hand Baked – we’ve created our own hampers full of sloe gin, ras el hanout (Moroccan spice blend), jams and chutneys, lemon curd, chocolate truffles, elderflower cordial etc… and of course fresh bread for the table. You could even go the whole hog and make Christmas Cakes or puddings too.

Hand Crafted – i dusted the sewing machine off and made textile table bread baskets from recycled materials, and vintage tea cup candles. We’ve also received embroidered Loaf couches. You may have seen these in the Cookery School being used to prove dough if you’ve done the Bread: Back to Basics course.

Baker Kids Christmas Cookery CourseShare a Skill – Last Christmas we invited all seven of our Baker nieces and nephews to the Cookery School for their very own course making bread, pizzas, pitta bread, humous and lots more. Then we sat down and tucked into our food creations for lunch. It was a fantastic opportunity to spend time together and teach them new cooking skills, especially as we don’t all live in the same city. And it went down a treat. We threw in some some baking gifts to unwrap too (novelty biscuit cutters etc).

Baker Kids Christmas Cookery CourseYou could try this in your own kitchen, or think of a different skill to share, or as an alternative plan a day trip somewhere fun together instead. Everyone has a skill, passion or place they’d love to visit with their loved ones. So be creative.

Try baking, making your own hamper or food related paraphernalia or go on an adventure somewhere new together as a family or group of friends.

If you’re still stumped – here’s a little bit of Loaf help along the way. Try the following:

  • Bake – Bake beautiful bread to your heart’s delight. Make you’re own bread using peels, baskets, scrapers & knifes, or give the gift of bread making equipment from the Loaf Cookery School.
  • Read Up – Pick up a bread making or foraging book then recreate the magic in your own kitchen or give a gift to a loved one. Check out our Mini Loaf Bookstore  (pictured below) in the Cookery School. We currently have: Dough by Richard Bertinet ; Bread Matters by Andrew Whitley; & Food for Free- by Richard Mabey. We’ve also got The Handmade Loaf by Dan Lepard coming soon.
  • Give the Gift of Learning –  buy a Gift Voucher for a loved one at Loaf Cookery School.

For any of the above pop into the Cookery School, call 0121 458 7682 or email Nancy on info@loafonline.co.uk . Unfortunately we cannot deliver books or cookery school equipment by post.

Gift VoucherMini Loaf Bookstore