So....... we are here! Its the 25th of November 2021. We officially have a month till Chritmas Day! I have 5 more days till i start eating Mince Pies!!!!
Picture is from M&S advert
What is a Mince Pie? I get asked this question often. Many people think it is a meat based pie, and i suppose in the normal way that would be a good assumption to make Cottage Pie, Sheperd's Pie are made with minced beef and lamb respectively. However, at Christmas in England, a Mince Pie would be a little pie made of short crust pastry and filled with mince meat. Mince meat being a mix nuts and dried fruit such as raisins, sultanas, mixed peel. It is often very very sweet and if we are lucky, it is laced with brandy.
For our family, it is usually the 1st of December that Christmas begins. We trim our tree while eating mince pies and sausage rolls, we drink our first festive bubbly (Christmas playlist on of course). It is also when our daughter begins the countdown to Christmas Day with her advent calendar. We make our, i buy 24 little gifts and wrap them up with a little card indicating one of the 24 days. Her part of the deal is to write on the back of the card something she is grateful for, then hangs it on our tree. I think it is a nice way to remind her (and us) of how fortunate we are.
Usually if i am in Kuala Lumpur, we try to, as a company, do our part in the charity events that we are invited to participate in. Although it is the busiest time of year for us, we include the less fortunate in our plans somehow, usually this means holding a few cookie and cupcake decorating workshops where donations are collected and channeled to various charities, or delivering festive treats to the less fortunate.
This year, I will be trying to do my bit in Singapore. A dear friend of mine is holding a charity event called Voices of Empowerment via her online portal https://www.voiceswellness.com a site that promotes wellness in body, mind and spirirt. The soul beneficiary of the fundraiser is www.willandwell.com
Many of us take for granted the fastening of buttons and drawing on zips to get in and out of our clothes. To pull our pants up and down when we need to relieve our bladders. Consider what it would be like to not have the dexterity in your fingers to do this, or the strength or mobility in your hands to put on the most basic items of clothing. Makes you think does it not? This is exaclty what Will & Well Singapore do. They make clothes and adapt fashion for everyone. Inclusive fashion. The funds raised by Voices Wellness will allow people who need Will & Well most to have access to their services.
I shall be participating in their Wellness Challenge weekend via a donation, and I am also donating my time in the form of a private baking session for the auction. Please do show your support and generosity for such a worthy cause, and perhaps bid in the auction for me to give you a personal baking class.
To find out more and to make your donations, click the link below:
https://www.voiceswellness.com/voices_of_empowerment_fundraiser/
If you are very organised and have your gift list and party lists at the ready, do get your orders in for our Christmas Kits! If you place your order before the 6th of December, you will automatically receive 20% off all Christmas Products.
Our Vanilla Snap Snowman baking kit is super easy (see video) to bake for yourselves or maybe even to take to a christmas "do". Do we even dare to consider this might be a possibility?
Sending you love and happiness to start your festive season. To the eating of many a panettone and mince pie!!
Vanilla Snap Snowmen :