Celebrating the Season with Skye McAlpine
Writer and tastemaker Skye McAlpine invites us into her world of festive traditions, tablescapes, and holiday joy.
Read Skye's The Christmas Companion & continue on for her Q&A…
Your new book, The Christmas Companion, celebrates the rituals and recipes that make the season feel so special. What inspired you to capture that spirit?
I just love love LOVE Christmas!! So when my editor first approached me about writing a Christmas book, it really was a dream come true for me. The initial idea was that it would be quite a small book - but then once I got started, it just kept on growing… Somehow there were so many recipes to share - for Christmas Day, but also for big celebrations with friends in the build up to the holidays, for Christmas Eve, for NYE and for those halcyon days between Christmas and the new year… And then I had lots I wanted to share about how to decorate the table, the house, the tree; how to plan for the holidays so it’s fun and not stressful; ideas for gift-wrapping and festive crafts; and so on and so forth… It’s a chunky book - and we actually ended up having to cut 20% or so from the final manuscript…
You split your time between London and Venice — how does each city influence the way you celebrate the holidays?
We almost always spend Christmas Day in Venice with my mother - which I love. The city is so magical at this time of year: beautiful and quiet, and looks so pretty with the decorations and the festive shop windows. But I love being in London in the build up to the holidays: we host a big holiday party with all our friends, and I love organising mini celebrations, either smaller dinner parties at home or going to the ballet or theatre with friends. So, I guess Venice Christmas is more about family and being cosy, for me; and the London Christmas is more about the buzz and the excitement of the holidays.
You write so beautifully about the magic of entertaining — what’s your approach to hosting during the festive season?
I love having friends over, so I try to do it as often as I can! And the holidays are the perfect excuse to celebrate with the people you love. I think that during the holiday season especially, it’s important to keep things as simple as possible: sometimes as hosts we can fixate on making everything ‘perfect’ but then put ourselves under so much pressure that we don’t end up having any fun. The holidays especially must be fun! I would say: keep the menu as simple as you can; and plan as much as you can in advance - that really helps things run smoothly, and should stop you from feeling frazzled at your own party! I’ve got lots of practical tips in the book for small things that you can do to make everything feel extra special but which don’t require a huge investment of time or energy…
Do you have a signature dish or recipe that always makes it onto your Christmas table?
For me, it wouldn’t be Christmas without my Christmas Cake! It’s a British Christmas classic: a very rich fruitcake laced with brandy and topped with marzipan. Every year I bake twenty or thirty odd cakes to give to friends as presents; and then we always keep one for our table. I like to decorate my cakes with nuts and whole glacé fruits, but traditionally you top the marzipan layer with snowy white royal icing. It’s originally my mother’s recipe (she would always bake her own Christmas cakes too when I was growing up), and I included a version of it in the book.
Your tablescapes are instantly recognizable — abundant yet unpretentious. How do you approach setting a holiday table?
As far as I’m concerned, in life generally, but most especially at Christmas: more is more!!! I love a table heaving under the weight of sweet treats and flickering candles. I love to use chocolates, sugared almonds, seasonal fruits, whole nuts and chocolate gold coins as decoration. And then lots of candles: a mix of tealights and taller taper candles. Everyone and everything looks better by candlelight. I think there is something special about having a table filled with things that you love and that feel extravagant.
Your book emphasizes slowing down and savoring — what’s one moment during the holidays that you always make time for?
The most important thing for me over the holidays is to spend time with the people I love; so I do my best to make sure that happens! I might invite friends over for a festive afternoon at home with their children; and I’ll get dates in the diary through December for mini celebrations together (whether that’s a series of dinner parties, ‘friendsmas’, at home, a date to go to the theatre together, or even just time for a hot chocolate together before the holidays). I also love listening to Christmas carols - I have them playing through Decemeber and they just make me feel so happy and festive.
What are some of your favorite small traditions that make the season feel like your own?
I love baking my Christmas cakes every year. I also always make gingerbread biscuits with my boys: we make small holes in the top of the biscuits, then tie them with ribbon and hang them to the tree like ornaments. I love that it’s something that we do together. I also love wrapping presents: I set myself up in the dining room, with a good festive playlist and a holiday movie, and slowly work my way through all the wrapping. It’s oddly satisfying. And always gets me in the mood and excited for the holidays.
The holidays are such a sensory time — what scents, sounds, or colors most define the season for you?
I love the scent of a real Christmas tree - I don’t think there’s anything else quite like it. I also think that for instant Christmas mood, quite a good trick it to set a pan of mulled wine to bubble away on the hob: it just smells wonderful and somehow permeates the whole house with a festive mood.
When it comes to dressing for festive gatherings, do you favor the sparkle or something more understated and timeless?
I must say that I do love a bit of sparkle! I love getting dressed up around the holidays: it creates a sense of occasion and makes the evening feel more memorable. I love planning what I’m going to wear…
And finally, when the parties wind down, how do you like to spend a quiet winter’s day at home?
I love pottering in the kitchen, cooking and baking. No surprises there, perhaps, but it’s one of my favourite ways to relax. I’ve got a big stack of novels which are piling up by my bedside table, and which I’m really looking forward to reading over the holidays. I love curling up on the sofa with a good book and a mug of tea. I also love going for long walks, when the weather is cold, clear and dry.
This or That?
Cashmere or silk pajamas? I tend to get chilly at night, so cashmere.
Negroni or Martini? Probably a Negroni, if only because it looks so festive!
Silver candlesticks or mismatched china? Mismatched china. Always.
Velvet dress or crisp white shirt? I do love a bit of velvet! And I always love a dress!
Dinner party for twelve or supper for two? Supper for twelve!
Ballet flats or kitten heels? I live in my ballet flats.
Classic red nail or bare manicure? I love a red mani - it makes me feel put together, even when I’m wearing jeans and a cosy jumper.
Scented candle or wood-smoke fire? I would love a wood-smoke fire, but there are strict restrictions on fires in Venice; so for now I’ll have to do with the candle.
Planned to perfection or deliciously last-minute? I love planning things down to a T, but then can never help myself from improvising, at least a little, at the last minute.
Taxi home or one more nightcap? It really depends on the party!
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