It's Christmas time, and Macca has a long list of presents that he would love to buy his friends. But when he checks his piggy bank, he realises that he's spent all of his savings. Oh no! This heartfelt celebration of friendship and kindness is the perfect Christmas story.
For over 150 years, crackers have been a traditional part of Christmas festivities in the UK, but who was the creator of this wonderful innovation? Little is known about Tom Smith, confectioner and cracker creator, but Peter Kimpton draws on a wealth of archive material to relate the story of Tom Smith and the Christmas Cracker. From humble beginnings as a confectioner, Tom Smith created a highly successful company through the manufacture of crackers. The history of the company is richly illustrated by contemporary trade catalogs and company artwork. Today, the Tom Smith Group is proud to be the official supplier of Christmas crackers to the Royal Household, a tradition long held since the beginning of the 20th century.
This January, discover feel-good recipes that restore, revive and rejuvenate, and help you enjoy the simple pleasures of food. Whatever your day looks like - there is a recipe here that is just right. Whether it is a quick and comforting noodle bowl or a hearty slow-cooked pie, this book celebrates food's power to restore, revive and rejuvenate. But it isn't just about the food on your plate: it's about how it gets there. Stirring Slowly celebrates time spent in the kitchen. Wile away a happy hour stirring a creamy black dhal, or give your undivided focus to flipping caramelised apple, ricotta and hazelnut pancakes - because cooking nourishes you inside and out. 'The sort of book that has you immediately plastering its pages with post-it notes... the writing is warm, encouraging and moving' Nigella Lawson
In 1969, John Julius Norwich, the legendary popular historian, gathered together the favourite things he'd come across in the last 365 days into one short charming pamphlet. Initially just a treat for his friends, it rapidly turned into a huge word-of-mouth success. And soon the arrival of John Julius Norwich's latest 'Christmas Cracker' became as essential a part of the English Christmas experience as holly and mistletoe. Norwich had a brilliant eye for a story and telling detail, and his Crackers are full of jokes, warmth and wit. Here in one bumper book is his final and 50th Christmas Cracker, alongside all the very best bits as picked out by his daughter Artemis Cooper. This is the perfect Christmas gift.
Coming Un Stuck is a cookbook like no other. Carrying a strong message of hope about how time and good food can heal, it is also Sarah¿s gift to all those struggling to come to terms with a shitty time in their lives. Think `food therapy¿ for anyone who suddenly find themselves on their own, cooking `sad arse dinners for one,¿ while binge-watching Netflix! And that¿s just the start of the honest nourishment you¿ll find within the pages of Sarah¿s book. Sharing 100 of her favourite recipes, Sarah conjures up real food for real people that work for every occasion; from `start the day right¿ breakfasts to easy dinners, entertaining, and all those `stuff-this-shit dessert¿ moments in life, when hedonism is the only way. Sarah even gives you tips about creating the right ambience for entertaining (mood lighting, music, et al) and thoughts on choosing wine and whiskey. Sarah¿s recipes are a lot like her ¿ maximum impact for minimum fuss.
The fourth hilarious story about the irrepressible penguins of City Zoo, from award-winning author Jeanne Willis. An Awesome Animals title – meet the world’s funniest animals!
A classic Christmas gift book, reissued with new cover artwork by Quentin Blake For more than 40 years, John Julius Norwich has been sending out his Christmas Crackers—a personal collection of quirky quotes and literary odds and ends—to his friends instead of a Christmas card. Here, Quentin Blake has made his own selection of favorite pieces and has illustrated them in his own trademark style. From curious dictionary definitions ("Carphology. Delirious fumbling with the bedclothes," Concise Oxford Dictionary) and tortuous palindromes ("Live dirt up a side-track carted is a putrid evil") to 18th-century accounts of drunken pigs and Benjamin Franklin's account of inventing bifocals, this cracker is stuffed with surprising, offbeat, often hilarious gems. Enlivened by Quentin Blake's witty illustrations, this book is a perfect stocking-stuffer.
How do you survive Christmas when your life is literally on the line, never mind your heart? Maybe Piper should not have gotten involved with an unsuitable man in the weeks running up to Christmas. To say it caused confusion and conflict that could lead to chaos when pretending to be something else, did not cover the half of it. Only the dude went and kissed Piper under the mistletoe whilst she made the mistake of falling for him, even if he was dressed like a woman at the time. Did Piper get more than she bargained for when trying to win some much-needed money? As this Christmas was supposed to be better than last year after that one turned into a sad event that Piper will never forget. However, the start of this season was looking up for the lonely single mother since landing a job at HOBBITS as an in-store demonstrator. Could this Christmas turn out to be a cracker? Hell, it might go with a bang if she is not careful at the Christmas party. As a misunderstanding has every chance of bringing her world down to make it two Christmases on the trot to go from good to bad. Will Piper gain a better life for herself and her baby if she takes a leap of faith? On the other hand, would it be better all round for Piper to leave it before things get even more complicated than they are already? So rest up for a while and settle down to enjoy this sentimental but very British, humorous and heart-warming novel since a feel-good festive read is bound to leave its reader in a merry mood.