Christmas Comforts

Whether you see the words ‘cook, eat, repeat’ as a reassuring reminder of a routine that provides solace and structure, anchoring us in what truly matters in life, or as a draining encapsulation of the drudgery of cooking, you will find much at Christmastime to confirm your views. Even those of us vehemently in the former camp cannot deny the encroaching exhaustion so dreaded by the latter. In truth, I exult in the cooking, but I can get worn down by all the planning and the never-ending clearing up. And yet, at the time of writing, under lockdown and unsure of how expansive Christmas celebrations might actually be in 2020, I feel a wistful pang for those frenziedly mapped-out schedules and shopping lists, those cluttered surfaces, messy tables, even those ever-full kitchen sinks and roasting pans on perma-soak.