Nigel Slater enjoys the run-up to Christmas in this issue of Observer Food Monthly
Christmas has grown on me. The month of December is now the time of year I look forward to most, and nothing more than the few days running up to The Feast. The reflection of Christmas lights in the windows, the rustle of wrapping paper and most of all, the scent of a tray of mince pies baking in the oven are things I have waited for all year long. (You can follow my excitement unfolding day by day in our extract from The Kitchen Diaries II.)
Despite a lifelong fear of receiving gifts, I do still have a mental wish list of presents that I might like to find in my Christmas stocking and am fascinated by other people's. For our special Christmas issue, we have asked some of our favourite contributors from René Redzepi to April Bloomfield to tell us what they are secretly hoping for.
Not being the best wrapper of awkwardly shaped presents, I tend to give something that either comes in a box (Rachel Khoo tests the best chocolates for us) or can be handed over without (we have Eric Lanlard checking out the top high street Christmas cakes). And with this year's bumper crop of cookery books, OFM gives you the rundown of the top titles.
Then there is the new year to think about. A lot of people are now treating New Year's Eve as the time to produce something wonderful in the kitchen (it's a good start), so we have assembled feasts from everywhere from China to Scandinavia to intrigue and inspire.
And that's not all. We have Viv Groskop's Christmas nightmare (might ring a bell or two), the highlights from Jay Rayner's year at table, Stanley Tucci's Life on a Plate and, joy of joys, lunch with Clare Balding. And that just leaves space for me, and everyone here at OFM, to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a new year filled with delights, both culinary and otherwise. Cheers to you all.