Chestnuts roasting on an open fire Jack Frost nipping at your nose Yule-tide carols being sung by a choir And folks dressed up like Eskimos

Everybody knows a turkey

And some mistletoe

Help to make the season bright

Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow

Will find it hard to sleep tonight

They know that Santa’s on his way

He’s loaded lots of toys

And goodies on his sleigh

And every mother’s child is gonna spy

To see if reindeer

Really know how to fly

And so we’re offering this simple phrase

To kids from one to ninety-two

Although it’s been said

Many times, many ways

Merry Christmas to you.

GINGERBREAD FOR CHRISTMAS

Ingredients

75 gms castor sugar

1 tsp cinnamon powder

2 tbls golden syrup

1 tsp ginger powder

1 tbls black treacle

1 tsp mixed spice powder

1 tbls water

Finely grated rind of half an orange

100 gms butter

Half teaspoon baking powder

225 gms flour

Put together sugar, syrup, treacle, water, spices and rind in a saucepan and bring to the boil stirring all the time. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and the baking powder. Gradually stir in the flour until you have a smooth dough. Add more flour if sticky.

Roll out the dough to quarter inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes and arrange on baking trays. Bake in oven at 1800C for 10 to 15 minutes or until biscuits feel firm. Leave to cool.