Abersoch Christmas magazine 2014

Your brand new guide to a perfect Abersoch Christmas

SENSATION MAGAZINE

Boxing Day Walk Christmas

Pick me up, I am

FREE

Recipes to try at home

Christmas colouring

With Andrew Jones

e d i u G ~ n o s ’ t a h W ~ e d i u G ~ n o s ’ t a h W ~

Join us for a fantastic, fun-filled weekend

Christmas

Welsh Christmas traditions

Festive Breaks

Christmas Planner

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Welcome to this exciting first issue of Abersoch Sensation’s brand new Christmas magazine - jam packed full of information and inspiration for Christmas 2014!

Here in the office we’re all feeling fabulously festive after spending the last few weeks in full on Christmas mode and we’re very excited to show what Abersoch has to offer over the Christmas season. We’ve got a full preview of the fantastic Abersoch Christmas Festival Weekend on page 68 and a great selection of local events in our What’s On guide so if you’re looking for festive fun turn to page 78. On page 14 Jo Toft chats to one of the peninsula’s busiest men, Archdeacon Andrew Jones, Ceri James-Evans gives us a run-down of Welsh festive customs on page 70 and in our Homemade Christmas section, starting on page 26, some of the area’s finest chefs show you how to create perfect party food, there’s also Christmas cocktail recipes from Fresh and Mañana as well as a Gluhwien recipe from resident wine buff Dean Pritchard. For the crafters among you there’s a beautiful decoration to make and Abersoch-inspired Christmas colouring for the kiddies. Also don’t forget to take a look at our Abersoch gift guide on page 56 - perfect presents for all the family!

By the end of this issue you should be just as excited about Christmas as we are, ready to dig out your Christmas jumper, watch A Christmas Carol and tuck into a giant box of Quality Street.

Merry Christmas from all at Sensation!

Croeso i’r rhifyn arbennig hwn o Sensation. Dyma rifyn newydd sbon ar gyfer y Nadolig, ac mae’n llawn gwybodaeth a phethau i’ch ysbrydoli dros yr Wyl! ’Rydym i gyd yn teimlo’n hynod Nadoligaidd yma yn y swyddfa erbyn hyn, ac yn edrych ’mlaen i rannu’r hyn sydd gan Abersoch i’w gynnig dros gyfnod y Nadolig, hefo chi. Ar dudalen 68 cawn olwg ymlaen llaw ar benwythnos Gwyl Nadolig Abersoch, ac mae tudalen 78 yn llawn gwybodaeth am amrywiaeth o ddigwyddiadau’n lleol, felly dim esgus i aros yn y tŷ!

Sgwrsio gydag un o ddynion prysura’r ardal dros gyfnod y Nadolig, yr Archddeacon Andrew Jones, y mae Jo Toft ar dudalen 14, tra bo’ Ceri James-Evans yn son am ein arferion ni’r Cymry dros y Nadolig ar dudalen 70. Mae rhai o gogyddion gorau’r ardal yn dangos sut i greu bwyd parti perffaith yn yr adran sy’n cychwyn ar dudalen 26, cawn hefyd wybod sut i greu ambell goctel bendigedig gan griwiau Fresh a Mañana, yn ogystal â chael resipi Gluhwien gan Dean Pritchard. Os mai crefftau ’di’ch petha’ chi – beth am roi cynnig ar wneud addurn cartref prydferth ar gyfer y Nadolig, ac mae yma hefyd ddigon o waith lliwio i’r plantos. Cofiwch gymryd golwg ar ein esiamplau o anrhegion sydd ar gael yn Abersoch y Nadolig hwn ar dudalen 56 – anrhegion perffaith i’r teulu oll!

Erbyn i chi gyrraedd y dudalen ola’- mi ddylech fod yn edrych mlaen cymaint a ninnau am y Nadolig, ac yn llawn o ysbryd yr ŵyl! ’Dolig llawen gan bawb yn Sensation!

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Totally Abersoch

Welcome Croeso

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42 Festive Wine Choice

An extensive guide to buying wine in the holiday season from Dean Pritchard of Gwin Llyn Wines

46 Concocting Christmas Spirits

Festive cocktails recipes from Fresh and Manana

14 20 22 26 54 78 78 64 92 98 10 On the Cover…

Editor Jo Toft Staff Writer Ceri James-Evans Graphic Designer Lauren Griffiths Contributing Design Ben Jones

Senior Photographers Martin Turtle www.turtlephotography.co.uk John Wormald www.totallyabersoch.co.uk Staff Photographer Phae Wood Illustrations Alwen Greenwood Si Toft Lauren Griffiths

With special Thanks to Gina Jones at Lavender House

Advertising Account Manager Gill Blease For advertising enquiries contact gill@sensationgroup.com Managing Director Mark Durston Sensation Group Rose Cottage Abersoch Gwynedd LL53 7DS Tel: 01758 710011 Email: info@sensationgroup.com Website: www.abersochlife.com

All material is copyright and should not be reproduced without the permission of the publishers. All details are correct to the best of our knowledge.

The publishers do not endorse or recommend any of the entries or advertisements in the magazine unless otherwise stated. We advise that you make your own judgments, enquiries and comparisons as with any other form of advertising. When contacting any business we suggest that you confirm the exact type of goods and services offered, the qualifications held and all other relevant aspects of the service that you are seeking. The publishers cannot accept liability for loss damage or difficulties resulting from contacts made through the magazine, from errors, omissions, from claims made by the advertiser of from omissions or inaccuracies relating to advertisements or other material regardless of how caused.

A closer look at our wonderful cover photography taken at Lavender House

14 A Chat With Andrew Jones An interview with the fascinating Archdeacon of Meirionydd

50 Christmas Colouring Time

Lovely hand drawn Christmas scenes by Alwen Greenwood for you to colour and keep

54 Gift Guide

We’ve put together our pick of perfect presents from local businesses

22 An Abersoch Christmas Storytime

56 Gifts For Her 57 Gifts For Him 58 Kids Stocking Fillers 59 Gifts for food lovers 60 Gifts for Abersoch Lovers 61 We’re mad for beanie hats 62 Get ready for Christmas

26 Homemade Christmas Section

Ahead of his performance at the Abersoch Christmas Festival, Sensation recently caught up with Pwllheli-born singer and songwriter Al Lewis

20 Andrew’s Boxing Day Walk Andrew’s recommended route to be enjoyed while digesting the Christmas dinner

A lovely bedtime story written especially for this magazine based around Abersoch

If you fancy getting creative this Christmas we’ve got a few ideas to inspire you

28 Owl Decoration

Make a fab owl decoration with Jo Whitfield from ‘Something a Little Bit Different’

64 Al Lewis

68 Abersoch Christmas Festival Weekend

Join us here in Abersoch for a fantastic, fun-filled family weekend on the 28th, 29th & 30th November!

70 Nadolig Llawen

30 Gifts in a Jar

A Look at Welsh Christmas Traditions

32 Sloe Gin

A guide to buying the perfect real Christmas tree locally

Get creative and give a handmade gift in a pretty jar to a loved one

Step by step guide, from picking the right berries to making this cheeky Christmas tipple

72 O Christmas Tree

74 Home away from Home Local festive breaks

34 Dog Biscuits

How to make a little treat for your canine friend this Christmas

36 A Taste of Christmas – Recipes from local restaurants

37 Chris Chown of Plas Bodegroes 38 Simon Toft of The Dining Room 40 Nigel Skinner of Tremfan Hall

78 What’s On Guide

We’ve put together a good selection of events to keep you busy this Christmas

84 Christmas Planner

A handy planner with useful tips and dates to make the holiday season pass with ease.

90 Last Poem

‘Christmas at Sea’ by Robert Louis Stevenson 6 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

Photography by Phae Wood

Totally Abersoch

20 1422 20 22 26 54 78 78 78 98 92 98 92 64 20 22 14 2014 2220 22 78 9226 98 5426 54 7868 78 78 78 64 98 64 98 92 92 14 20 22 26 54 78 78 64 92 98 Christmas shopping in Abersoch

Gift Guide

Totally Abersoch

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We’ve put together our pick of perfect presents from local businesses, so why not avoid the high street hordes and do your Christmas shopping in the peace and calm of Abersoch in winter? There’s something for everyone whether you’re looking for a gorgeous gift, or a gift experience, we’ve got it covered!

All photography by Totally Abersoch

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On the cover...

All photographs were taken by John Wormald of Totally Abersoch

Our gorgeous cover scene was created by the brilliant Gina Jones at Lavender House. Gina based her scene on a classic Scandinavian look using red, cream and naturals, along with cosy faux fur and touches of on-trend burnt copper.

Gina’s festive scene centred around a Chilli Penguin log burning stove and a table laden with festive treats, Champagne and gorgeous candles.

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Gina’s Style Tips

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- a real fire is a must at Christmas, the fabulous sound of crackling wood and the flicker of firelight are so evocative and just perfect for a cosy winter’s evening.

- use scented candles to add to the festive atmosphere - don’t be afraid to ‘clutter’ tables and surfaces - use decorations in abundance, after all Christmas is all about excess!

- burnt copper is very on-trend this year and works beautifully with festive red and the deep green of the Christmas tree - classic Scandi style always feels Christmassy, these fabulous ice skate cushions are a great choice for a Scandinavian look

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Previous Page: 1. Chilli Penguin Stove £1396 2. Candle Holder £6 3. Tealight Holder £10 4. Tealight Holder £5 5. Tealight Holder £7 6. Table Runner £20 7. Candle £7 8. Bauble £4.50 9. Angel Decoration £8 10. Cake Stand £5 11. Champagne Bucket £75 12. Champagne Flute £12 13. Beret £10 14. Stocking £15 15. Hanging Hearts £4.50 16. Faux Fur Throw £110 17. Ice Skates Cushion £35

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This Page: 1 Hanging Baubles £29 2 Wall Canvas £65 3 Stove as before 4 Wicker Basket £69 5 Rug £25

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With special thanks to Digby who couldn’t resist the cosy fire!

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5 Totally Abersoch

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Words by Jo Toft

Andrew Jones is a familiar face to many, unsurprisingly so as he looks after no less than seven churches here at the end of the Llŷn peninsula.

Despite his extremely busy life Andrew found time to talk to us about his life in the church, his interests and of course, Christmas!

Born and brought up in Pwllheli, Andrew moved away from the area after school to study, something that he’s done rather a lot of over the years. He has studied at the universities of Bangor, Dublin and Jerusalem and lectured at both Cardiff University and St Michael’s College, Llandaff. From childhood Andrew felt a vocation to the priesthood and knew that this was where his future lay. This feeling stemmed from his childhood involvement with his home church of St Peter’s in Pwllheli; this church has had a great influence on his life and as a teenager his social life was very much based around the church which ran a youth club, a Saturday morning drama club, a choir and even a football team.

After training for ministry at Trinity College in Dublin, Andrew was ordained in 1985 and served as Minor Canon of Bangor Cathedral. Following this he served as Rector of Dolgellau, then lecturer in Theology at Cardiff University and Director of Pastoral Studies at St. Michael’s College, Llandaff before returning to the Llŷn Peninsula. He originally served as Rector of Llanbedrog, Llannor, Llanengan and Llangian and later as Area Dean. He has now been here for exactly

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20 years and, since being installed in 2010, holds the official title of the Archdeacon of Meirionydd, making him ‘the Venerable Andrew Jones’.

As Archdeacon Andrew has the pastoral responsibility for the clergy and their families in the south of the diocese and is now responsible for seven churches here at the end of the peninsula, those being Llannor, Llanbedrog, Llanengan, Llangian, Aberdaron, Llanfaelrhys and Bardsey. His archdeaconry is the largest, geographically, in Great Britain and Andrew believes it also the most beautiful scenically. Stretching from Llanidloes in mid Wales all the way to the tip of the peninsula Andrew’s patch takes in a stunning coastline, beautiful countryside, long stretches of the pilgrim trail and of course Bardsey Island.

Andrew is highly educated and I remark that he must’ve spent a long time in education to which he laughingly replies ‘too long’. It becomes apparent that he’s never really left the world of academia, he has a BD, BTH, MA and MPHIL (for anyone who doesn’t know that’s a Bachelor of Divinity, Bachelor of Theology, Master of Arts and Master of Philosophy), which adds up to an awful lot of studying! Not only that but he has also lectured in theology, is currently nearing the end of his doctoral thesis on the Early Church in post-Roman Britain and continues to oversee research students as well as publish his own work.

Photography by Phae Wood

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Continued...

His latest book, ‘Mary - A Gospel Witness to Transfiguration and Liberation’ was published in early September. The book took two years to research and write and is a study of Mary from an Anglican, rather than Roman Catholic, point of view. Andrew usually writes and publishes in the field of pilgrimage (his last book was simply titled Pilgrimage) and he has led pilgrimages in both the UK and Europe. Andrew has also featured in a DVD ‘A Celtic Pilgrimage to Bardsey’ and has appeared on television more than once, notably with the BBC’s ‘Weatherman Walking’ Derek Brockway, in which he led a walk from Aberdaron to Mynydd Mawr. In recent years Andrew believes there has been a resurgence of the idea of a ‘spiritual walk’ and has noticed increased pilgrim traffic across the peninsula, perhaps due in part to the council’s recent clearance and repair of the Wales Coastal path, much of which runs along the medieval pilgrim route.

Aside from his life in the church, and his writing, Andrew’s interests include walking and also cycling, both of which give him the opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy the beautiful landscape by which he is surrounded. He’s attracted to Romanticism and especially loves all things Italian, natural then that he should also speak Italian. He’s also fond of winetasting and I suspect he may actually be a bit of a wine expert!

Andrew is, unsurprisingly, a very busy man. He leads weekly Sunday morning services at Llanengan, Llanbedrog and Llanor, as well as an evening service at Llangian and once a month he also leads a morning service in Aberdaron. Interestingly Andrew was also Presbyterian minister of Llanbedrog for 10 years, looking after the village chapel as well as the church. It’s highly unusual to be involved cross-denomination in this way, but the fact that Andrew was approached and asked to consider the role shows how well respected he is within the community. Having originally planned to take the position for 5 years, Andrew actually did it for 10 years and continues to take one service each month. Quite how he fits all of this in we can only guess!

I suggest to Andrew that he is both very well known within the area and very well liked, to which he adds that he certainly feels ‘well looked after’ by the community. He is connected to five local schools, Llanbedrog, Mynytho, Abersoch, Sarn Bach and Aberdaron and regularly visits these. Weddings, christenings and funerals also regularly bring him into contact with the wider community. St. Pedrog’s in Llanbedrog is particularly 16 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

Llanbedrog church one snowy winter

Andrew on holiday at Vatican City

popular for weddings, Andrew marries around 20 couples a year there and many of these couples, if they are not local, revisit the church year after year on holidays. Andrew enjoys seeing these couples returning and many of them also choose to have their children baptised at St. Pedrog’s which allows him to see the growth of the family he has helped bond.

Andrew is also regularly asked to judge fancy dress competitions, open school fêtes and village fêtes and be

involved in all manner of community events. Over the years he has formed strong links with the Polish community at Pen Rhos, in particular with the nuns who live there as well as becoming friendly with visiting priests. As a result he has visited Poland many times, often spending New Year there. It was on these trips to Poland that Andrew became familiar with an interesting Polish Christmas tradition that he has now brought to the Llanbedrog.

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Continued...

Andrew’s Christmas Having discovered just how much Andrew has going on in his life I was expecting Christmas Day of all days to be a hectic series of services and engagements with hardly a pause for a Brussel sprout - not so, Andrew’s typical Christmas day actually sounds rather relaxed.

After a week that is usually filled with carol services and other festive engagements, Andrew’s Christmas begins on Christmas Eve when he takes a 9pm service in Llannor. He then hot-foots it back to Llanbedrog to take the midnight mass service in St Pedrog’s which starts at 11.30pm. On Christmas morning he leads the Eucharist at 10am before going home and enjoying a brief opportunity to sit down and put his feet up.

Later in the morning Andrew walks up to the Glyn y Weddw pub where he has the honour of judging the sloe gin competition. I think this sounds wonderful and imagine he has the chance to sample perhaps 6 or 7 entries, but apparently I’ve wildly underestimated the Llanbedrogians’ enthusiasm for homemade sloe gin as Andrew tells me that last year there were in fact 17 entries! When he’s sampled each and every entry Andrew announces the winner and wends his way back down the hill in time to sit down for the Queen’s speech. Following this Andrew enjoys a 18 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

Photography by Phae Wood

For the last 15 years Andrew has left the St. Pedrog’s church tree up until the 2nd February, which is Candlemas. On this day the tree comes down and is converted into a cross which then stands outside the church until Ash Wednesday when it is brought into the church. It then stays in the church for the whole 40 days of Lent and the following 40 days from Easter Day until Ascension Day when it is finally taken down (and then removed to the bottom of Andrew’s garden, along with several previous year’s trees!).

This custom demonstrates the significance of the link between the birth of Christ at Christmas and his death and resurrection at Easter. Andrew has heard more than once a surprised ‘Oh look!

They’ve forgotten to take the tree down’, so if you happen to be taking a walk through Llanbedrog in the New Year and you see the Christmas tree still standing proud outside the church, you‘ll now know that it is not in fact due to forgetfulness on Andrew’s part, but a Polish tradition that has found its way to the Llŷn Peninsula!

late afternoon Christmas dinner with friends and finally opens his presents in the early evening.

When I ask Andrew what he particularly enjoys about Christmas, he tells me that for him the church services held during the Christmas period are ‘powerful events’ that hold significance for him year after year. He also enjoys the social activities that centre around the church, in particular he loves leading the carol singing, and catching up with a particular group of visitors that return to the area, and the church, every Christmas. For Andrew the key aspects of the festive season are ‘faith, family and fun’, and Andrew believes Christmas is about striking the balance between the three.

I ask Andrew about the challenge of conducting so many services at Christmas without being repetitive and how he keeps the Christmas message fresh. He explains a method that he uses to teach in the local church schools. He has several shoe boxes filled with old Christmas cards; one box containing images of Mary, another of the star, another of the three kings and so on. Each year he takes one box into each school and explains and discusses the Christmas story with emphasis on that part that relates to the images. What the children say in relation to these images Andrew uses as the basis for his Christmas message each year - what better to get a fresh take on Christmas!

We talk a little more about the meaning of Christmas and I put Andrew on the spot

somewhat by asking him to sum up the essence of Christmas in just one sentence.

He sits back for a moment and stays silent until he eventually says simply ‘Love came down at Christmas’. This phrase comes from another of Andrew’s long-saved Christmas cards and strikes him as meaningful on many levels. In one sense Jesus, son of God, came down to earth at Christmas and spent some time in our midst. Andrew believes the values which Jesus stood for, justice, reconciliation, integrity and honesty should all be considered aspects of love so in another sense ‘Love came down at Christmas’ can be applied to the generosity and kindness that is often shown at Christmas. I mention the feelings of family togetherness which often seem strongest at Christmas and the almost tangible feeling of ’goodwill to all men’ that can be felt around Christmastime; Andrew says he wishes that these feeling were not so short lived. He admits that he always feels a little sad when the tree has to come down and the decorations go back in the box, the challenge as he sees it is ‘to not put anything back in the box’ but to make the love, kindness, generosity and all the other positive and spiritual aspects of Christmas last throughout the year. Perhaps this year we should all leave one Christmas decoration out as a reminder to ourselves not to ‘put everything back in the box’; I think Andrew would like that!

Read on for Andrew’s suggested Boxing Day walk . . .

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k l a W y a D g n i x o B After the excesses of Christmas Day many of us like to blow away the cobwebs with a bracing walk on Boxing Day, something that has become a bit of a tradition for many families. Andrew has suggested a local route that’s perfect for the festive season, taking in some picturesque countryside, two beautiful, historic churches and a cosy country pub!

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DIFFICULTY: Easy - entirely on roads so no uneven ground, although there are some uphill stretches.

LOOS/FOOD STOPS: The Sun Inn, Llanengan SUITABLE FOR KIDS: Yes TOP TIPS! Start the walk late morning in order to reach The Sun Inn for an early lunch.

rew’s

ndrew’s Boxing Day walk starts at Talafon in the centre of Abersoch.

From here set off as though you are heading towards the harbour bridge but instead walk past the Tourist Information and Abersoch Watersports and up the hill towards Cae Du. Continue along this road, past the playing fields on your right and the road will start to bend and rise steeply. Ahead of you will be a small post box.

At this point the road bends sharply to the left and leads you out of the village. Continue along this lane, which will eventually bring you into the village of Llanengan. The countryside here is beautiful and although the hedges are high the regular gateways allow you to enjoy the distant sea views. As you pass Cae’r Eglwys the road bends sharply again, soon after this there is a large gateway where you can enjoy lovely open views towards Bwlchtocyn and St Tudwals East.

When you reach the village of Llanengan continue through the village until you see The Sun Inn on your left. The Sun is a lovely, traditional country pub, both family and dog friendly! The pub will be open from 12pm on Boxing Day and will be serving food as usual so this is a good spot for lunch, or just a quick drink.

On leaving the pub turn right onto the road in the direction you came from then turn left at the first junction where you’ll see Siop Newydd on the corner. Here you’ll find the impressive St. Engan’s church immediately ahead of you, the church is often open and visitors are welcome to go inside. There is a large, impressive churchyard and if you walk towards the back of the church there are fantastic views - supposedly this is the only church on the peninsula with a clear view of the holy island of Bardsey.

Ffynnon Engan, or the holy well of St Engan, is also located towards the far side of the churchyard.

After leaving the churchyard continue along the road out of Llanengan in the direction of Llangian. The road continues for some time through farmland and takes you over a long low bridge, at the end of which you’ll see a signpost for Llangian. Llangian is a beautiful little village full of picturesque houses and dominated by the ancient

Photography by Phae Wood

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Round Walk

And k l a W Boxing Day

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Abersoch - Llanengan - Llangian

s ’ w e ndr

k l a W y a D g n i x Bo A

St.Engan’s church, Llanengan

church of St. Cian. There is a sign outside the church hall which reads ‘Winner! Holder of the highest award for the best kept village in Caernarvonshire’.

It’s easy to see why the village was once awarded this title.

The church of St. Cian is particularly beautiful, believed to date back to the 13th century, perhaps even earlier. It sits beside a stream and is approached through an attractive Lych gate. Like St. Engan’s the church is often open and visitors are welcome. In the churchyard there can be found a small pillar with a Latin inscription which translated reads ‘Melus the doctor, son of Martinus, lies here’.

This pillar, assumed to be either a grave marker or a memorial stone, is believed to date back to the 5th or 6th century and is significant in that it demonstrates the influence of Christianity even in medieval times.

On leaving St. Cian’s turn right out of the Lych gate and head up the hill out of the village. This hill is particularly steep and seems to go on forever but once you’ve reached the top you’re on the home straight and it’s mainly downhill from now on! At the top of the hill you’ll come to the junction with Lon Garmon, with Mynytho in one direction and Abersoch in the other. Turn onto Lon Garmon and head towards Abersoch. This road will take you past numerous caravan sites (deserted at this time of year) and also past 5 Degrees West. As you pass 5 Degrees and start to descend there are wonderful views across the bay. This is a busier road than you might expect so best to walk in single file and keep tight hold of any little ones!

Follow Lon Garmon back into the village and you’ll find yourself on the main road just by the Coconut Kitchen. By now you’ll probably be feeling quite virtuous, having burnt off a fair few of those Christmas calories - perhaps time to indulge in a luxury hot chocolate, or something stronger?

The beautiful view from Cae’r Eglwys on the road to Llanengan

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Written by Ceri James-Evans

Illustrations by Si Toft

It was the night before Christmas and poor Santa was sad.

Amongst all the chaos was no rest to be had.

Leave Rudolph and co in charge of the sleigh and we’ll go grab a gift then be on our way!”

He’d finished his lists and he’d made all the toys which were ready in the sleigh for the girls and the boys.

So the elves hurried off with tired Santa in tow saying “Come on Father Christmas, you choose where to go!”

So the elves gathered round and discussed what to do, saying “Santa-no one ever gets a present for you!

But Santa said: “to be honest I have no idea.

I’m too busy with gifts for everyone else every year!”

So this Christmas we’ll take you to a very special place to choose you a gift and put a smile on your face!

“Well this year is different,” said one little elf.

“This year, for the first time think of yourself.

So they packed up their things and set off with a cheer: Santa, the elves and the seven reindeer!

We’ve landed in Abersoch and we’re certain that here we will find you a giftwe can give you an idea!

And after a while they reached their destination with poor Santa confused at the elves’ celebration!

How about some food?

You’re in for a treat Coconut Kitchen or Fresh?

There’s plenty to eat!

“Ssh,” said one elf.

“Be as quiet as a mouse. we’ve landed on the roof of the famous James Bond house!

Or if you’re particularly peckish and want a quick meal, let’s go for chips Codfather or Creel?”

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But Santa said: “no, though I’d love to have tea I need room for the mince pies and the milk left for me!”

“Superdry?” said the elves.

“Or Boardrider instead?”

“I appreciate the thought but I only wear red!

“Good point,” said the elves.

“Well let’s have a think.

We could head to Mañana or the Tuds for a drink?”

First Light looks lovely.

Offaxis does too but in my line of work just this outfit will do!”

“A DRINK!” exclaimed Santa “I need a clear head to fill up each stocking on the end of each bed!”

“We see,” said the elves.

“So clothes are a no no!

Never mind though, there’s plenty of other places to go!

“No food?” said the elves.

“And definitely no drink?

So that’s no to The Sandpiper, to Blades and to Zinc.

How about Present Thoughts for a bracelet or ring?

Watersports, West Coast if extreme sport is your thing!”

The Dining Room too, Poquito’s or Terry’s.

No pint at The Vaynol to help us get merry!

“I never wear jewels as, I’d lose them you see and with all those mince pies sport just isn’t for me!

Oh well,” said the elves.

“So food’s not your passion, well we’re in the right place to indulge in some fashion!

There’s Alcatraz, Boatyard Coastal Culture, Kin and Co or how about O’shea?”

But Santa said: “No!”

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“Oh,” said the elves.

“So you’re not into sports?

Never mind! Let’s go try Hideaway or Court’s.”

“NO!” shouted Santa!

“We will have to leave.

I’ve got a busy night aheadit is Christmas Eve!”

Beaches are fabulous whether it’s cold or hot and Abersoch beach is the best of the lot!

But Santa just laughed: “I love books and toys but I give all of them to the girls and the boys!”

The elves were all sad heads down in dismay, as they gave up their mission and went back to the sleigh.

And at last, Santa smiled saying: “Rudolph, you’re right!

This is the best gift I’ve seen tonight!

“So if it’s no to all that why not take a venture?

We could go up the road to Aberuchaf Craft Centre.”

But as they set off Rudolph had an idea, “I’ve got one more place to try whilst we’re here.

I didn’t need jewellery or clothing or toys.

I didn’t need gifts like the girls and the boys.

“I don’t see the point.

Let’s just call it a night,” said one tired little elf.

“Because nothing is right!

One more gift idea to put to the test and I’ve got a feeling it will be the best!”

I just needed a walk in the salty sea air with some sand in my beard and the wind in my hair.

Let’s book a hotel room, Venetia is great or The Egryn or Wylfa or Gosling’s- it’s late!”

So he turned the sleigh and got ready to land and Santa saw water and an expanse of sand.

Come on now, my elves we must be on our way but I’m booking a trip to the beach on Boxing Day!”

“What is this?” asked Santa.

“I’ve not seen it before.”

And Rudolph said “Santathis is the sea shore!

“Hooray!” said the elves.

“But let’s give you a tip: make sure you’re around for the New Year’s Day Dip!”

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If you fancy getting creative this Christmas we’ve got a few ideas to inspire you - Read on for DIY gift ideas, recipes, and even some Abersoch inspired colouring for the kids!

So take some inspiration from the next few pages and have yourselves a merry little homemade Christmas!

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Homemade Christmas

Create your own...

Owl Decoration

With Jo Whitfield

Make a fab owl decoration with Jo Whitfield from ‘Something a ‘little’ bit different’ Joanne Whitfi eld is one very she works as a talented lady ! Jo is a registe theatre recove red nurse and ry practitione she also runs he by day (and pr r in the main th r own very succ obably often eatre recovery essful small bu The business be by night as w ro om at Ysbyty sin es s ga ‘S ell) om n back in 2011, et G hi wynedd, Bang ng always had a a ‘lit tle’ bit differe shortly after Jo or. However passion for mak nt.’ ha d he r th in ird child, Harv g things, after friends and th ey. Jo learnt is inspired her having Harvey to knit as a ch to start her ow she made a fe hats and baby ild and has n business. Th w things for hi boots. Since th e first few item m which were en her range crochet items s Jo made to admired by of products ha (hats, ear war se ll w er s e m gr crocheted ow ers, boots, glov own enormou buddies and l hats, berry sly and now in bunting. She al es and wrist w cludes a wide armers), felt na so makes Tutu Jo started ‘Th variety of me banners an skirts, dresses e Cloudy Rabb an d d de it w Em an co hangings and broidered Keep ds, hair accesso rations, key rin family trees th gs, bag sakes’, a rang ries, brooches at can be pe e of freehand and more! On Both the desig rsonalised and m top of this ac ns and the qu hi ne embroidered commissioned. fab designs w ality of Jo’s fin greetings card ith us. She’s ch ished items ar s, wall e amazing, an osen a hangin Christmas fair d luckily for us g owl decora she attended , she’s agreed tion which is a . Although the and are easily to share one of firm favourite owls make be adapted to pe of hers and a her autiful Christm rsonal taste. sell out at the as decorations very first they can be en joyed all year round

To make your owl decoration you’ll need:

• The owl template • A variety of different coloured felt • Embroidery thread, needle & a pin • 2 sequins or very small buttons • Small length of narrow ribbon • Small amount of toy stuffing • Glue (optional)

28 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

1) Decide which colours of felt you would like to use, and then, using the templates, cut out each piece as indicated.

2) Position the larger eye pieces (using picture for reference) on to ONE of the body pieces and stitch them into place.

This can be done using a range of long stitches, starting from the centre point of the eye and continuing out over the edge (shown in pic), moving around in a clockwise motion. (You can use a small amount of glue to help hold the pieces in place whilst stitching if you wish).

3) Add a wing to either side of the same body piece by sewing into place using stitches of your choice. I have used small ‘V’ shape stitches to represent feathers.

4) Add the beak & the centre of the eyes using small simple stitches & then add either a sequin or small button to the middle of each eye for decoration.

5) Decorate the belly section between the wings using embroidery thread & a stitch of your choice. I used a continuous straight stitch with smaller stitches top and bottom to get the effect on my owl.

6) Piece the 2 body pieces together & hold in place with a pin. Starting at the bottom left corner, stitch together using a small running stitch. When you get to the top of the first ear, insert the piece of ribbon (doubled over to form a loop) sandwiched in between both body parts and central to the owl. As you carry on stitching around the owl, ensure that you have inserted the ribbon far enough inside, & catch it in with your closing stitches. Continue around until you get back down to the bottom right corner.

7) Fill your owl with a small amount of toy stuffing (don’t over fill), and close with a few more stitches.

Your owl is now ready to be shown off wherever you want to hang him!

ll at the Christmas Jo will have a sta e Hall on the lag Vil Craft Fair in the mas Festival rist Saturday of the Ch Jo’s beautiful er. mb ve No th weekend, 29 perfect ke ma ’ es handmade ‘mak ke sure you ma so s ssie pre s Christma k. If you’ve enjoyed pop along for a loo over elf decoration go Jo’s make it yours take your owl r, tte be en ev or and say hi, If r - she’ll be thrilled! along to show he are re the r fai craft you can’t make the from Jo, she has a other ways to buy m/ (www.facebook.co Facebook page t), and sells en fer dif bit ttle ali something and Folksy. through both Etsy | 29

Homemade Christmas

Create your own...

Gifts in a jar First of all...

Get creative with your jars Sometimes simple touches are the best - find the prettiest most christmassy piece of ribbon you can and tie a nice big bow around the rim of the glass, or around the middle!

Using acrylic paint you can paint your jar entirely just leaving a area blank as a window to show the contents of the jar. this also works well as a candle holder!

There’s a lot you can do with a humble glass jar - chutneys an d jams always make great presents and can be made well in advanc e of Christmas itself, sewing jars (sm all jars filled with oddments of ribbon , buttons etc, with a pin cushion on the lid) are also great little gifts and mini jars filled with traditional swee ts make perfect stocking fillers. Anoth er great gift idea is the very simple ‘sp a in a jar’, great for girls who love a bit of pampering simply fill a medium sized jar with travel sized beauty treats, nail varnishes etc, can be finished off wit h a handful of wrapped chocolate or sweets for a bit of extra indulgence!

String together some pretty buttons with a colourful piece of embroidery thread or baker’s twine and wrap around the lid

Attatch a hand decorated label with the recipients name or even a picture to the jar using pva glue.

Draw/write your design on bright coloured paper for extra pop!

Decoupage is a nice easy one perfect for young children - just apply torn pieces of coloured tissue paper to the jar with a pva and water mixture, and the glue will dry clear.

You could also use torn up magazines or even newspaper for more interesting designs!

Illustrations by Lauren Griffiths

You can find glass painting kits in most craft shop, and this can be used for many different designs that end up still slightly see-through- ideal if you want to use the jar as a candle holder or lantern as the light will throw out lovely colours through the paint.

30 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

Paint a jar all over with acrylic paint then cover with some scrap lace for an easy elegant design.

You can attatch the lace once the coloured paint is dry using a mixture of pva and water - soak the lace in the mixture and attatch where you want it. Dont forget to protect your surfaces as this can get messy!

'Cookie in a jar'

A great gift that is quick an d simple to make!

get Dont for up the to layer nts to ingredie look make it pretty!

To make your ‘Cookie in a Jar’ you’ll need:

• One of your pre decorated jars from the previous page • All the dry ingredients from your favourite cookie recipe • A piece of card to make the label •Ribbon or string to attach the label • Scissors • Glitter, sequins or anything else to decorate your recipe label.

These make great gifts for children to make and give to their friends - not only do they look great, they’re fun to create and they make baking super easy for little ones. Simply tell the recipient to add 2 eggs, a tablespoon of milk and ½ block of butter to the contents of the jar and mix. Then form the mix into balls, pat down onto a greased baking sheet and bake in the oven (around 180 degrees) for 10 minutes, or until the cookies turn golden.

For our Dark Chocolate & Nut Cookie jar we used 200g brown sugar, 100g caster sugar, 200g dark chocolate chips, 100g mixed nuts, 200g oats and 200g flour. You can use any basic cookie recipe and add ingredients such as dried cranberries or Smarties to add colour to your layers.

The jars look great tied with bright coloured ribbon and don’t forget to take the time to include a pretty instruction label, or your recipient may not know what to do with their gift! For a personal touch you could decorate the lid with the recipient’s name - fun to make and fun to receive!

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Homemade Christmas More handmade gifts in jars....

Sloe Gin A cheeky tipple and a Christmas favourite!

There are a lot of different methods and theories thrown about for the making of Sloe Gin, but it really is a simple process and it is hard to go wrong, you just need a bit of patience to get the best flavour.

First of all you need to track down some sloe berries. September/October is the best time to pick them and it is also the best time to make your sloe gin as for best results it needs at least 3 months to mature. Luckily as I write this the berries are in massive abundance here in Abersoch and the surrounding areas so all you need to do is take the family on a countryside walk and you are bound to run into some. They grow fairly high off the ground so keep an eye out, the berries are recognisable by their dark purpley/blue, slightly cloudy appearance that turns to black when touched. You can tell the berries are ripe when they are firm but you can pop them easily by just squeezing with your finger and thumb. A wrinkly sloe is over-ripe and no good. Pick enough to half fill the container of your choice -either a jar or a sealable bottle is best.

Now there is a lot of controversy over the all important ‘pricking’ of the berries before soaking in the gin, there is an old wives tale that dictates the berries must be pricked with the thorns of the bush from which they were picked or a silver needle for the very best flavour… but obviously a fork or a skewer will do the job just as well if not a bit more efficiently! However my personal method is to pop the berries in the freezer overnight, as this splits the skin of the berries all over and is a bit less labour intensive.

When they are ready get your sloes out of the freezer, half fill your chosen container with them, add sugar (caster dissolves best but any sugar will work) and top up with Gin. The general rule is to add about half the weight of your sloes of sugar, but if you have a sweet tooth add a bit more for good measure. As for the type of gin to use – don’t cheat with a cheap gin, as this can ruin the overall taste. Go for a mid to upper price ranged gin for best results, one with a high juniper content as this compliments the taste of the sloes.

That is enough to make a decent sloe gin but if you like you can add extra ingredients to mix it up a bit – try a cinnamon stick, a vanilla pod, a couple of coffee beans, or even some fresh orange zest.

Seal your container and give it a good shake, then store it in a nice, warm place such as an airing cupboard. Give it a little swirl every day for the first few days until the sugar has completely dissolved then keep swirling the container once a

32 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

After a day or two your sloe gin will turn a lovely red colour

Words by Lauren Griffiths

One for the adults!

My frozen sloes ready for the gin and sugar

Picking sloe berries - a little bit high up for me!

Nicely ripe sloes week until the Christmas season. A light swirl, rather than a hard shake, gives you less sediment and more flavour.

When you are ready to try your sloe gin, (for best results wait at least 3 months) strain out the remains of the sloe berries (and anything else you might have added for flavour) through a muslin cloth, and enjoy. This drink is perfect sipped slowly as a winter ‘tonic’ but it is absolutely fabulous when added to champagne on Christmas day!

If your results are up to scratch don’t forget to enter your gin in the sloe gin competition at the Glyn Y Weddw Pub in Llanbedrog, judged

by Andrew Jones. See our interview with Andrew on page 14 for more info!

All you need is: • Sloes • Gin • Sugar •Simple!

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Homemade Christmas More handmade gifts in jars....

Words by Lauren Griffiths

Home made dog treats

Perfect gift for a n animal lover

Don’t forget about man’s best friend this Christmas! These biscuits make a perfect gift when teamed with one of our previously mentioned jar decorating ideas, or even just as a Christmas day treat for your pooch.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour • 1 cup rolled oats • 1 tablespoon dried or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (this helps give doggies fresh breath) • ½ cup nonfat dry (powdered) milk • ½ teaspoon salt • 2 large eggs • 1 cup peanut butter • ½ cup or more cold water

Method: Preheat the oven to 160°C and lightly grease two baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.

Mix together flour, oats, parsley, milk powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add eggs and peanut butter and stir until the mixture is combined (it will be crumbly). Slowly drizzle water over the dough, stirring as you go. Add just enough water to let the dough come together.

Roll the dough out to about ¼” thickness and use a shaped biscuit cutter of your choice (I used stars and Christmas trees to keep it seasonal!) to cut out biscuits, transferring to the baking sheets as you go. Collect any scraps and re-roll them, repeating until you’ve used all the dough.

Bake the biscuits for about 25 to 40 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and dry and crispy all the way through.

Let the biscuits cool on the pans and transfer to a jar when they’re completely cool. Biscuits will keep for several months in a closed container.

34 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

Tip: You co uld also use a bone shap ed cutter for m ore authenticity !

A perfect Christmas Gift!

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Homemade Christmas

A Taste of Christmas Christmas has become synonymous with food, family and entertaining, with that in mind we asked three of our favourite local restaurants to share some seasonal recipes with us that are just perfect for festive parties. Whether you’re planning a dinner party or drinks and canapés there’s sure to be something here to inspire you, so read on for a mouth-watering taste of Christmas . . .

All photography by Totally Abersoch

Chris Chown and Hugh Bracegirdle Ingredients: 600g loin of fallow deer, trimmed of all fat and sinew and cut into two equal pieces 200g celeriac, cut like little chips 1kg haunch of fallow deer 30g plain flour Large pinch ground cinnamon 100g onion, diced 200g carrots, diced 200g swede, diced 2 sticks celery, peeled and diced 1 bottle red wine 5 bay leaves 1 piece of orange peel 600g red cabbage, shredded 250ml apple juice 50g Demerara sugar 6 medium large redskin potatoes 500ml chicken stock Large sprig of thyme 100g garlic, diced 200g green beans 125 ml port 125ml gin 180g butter 10 juniper berries, crushed salt and pepper

Plas Bodegroes Roast loin of Fallow deer with braised haunch in potato fondant, and a juniper jus Serves 6

Dice the venison haunch, coat with the flour and cinnamon, season and colour in 30g of butter in a braising pan with the onion. Add the carrot, celery and swede and continue to colour. Add the red wine, half of the juniper berries and the bay leaves. Add 500ml water, cover and simmer for 3 hours.

Preheat a large ovenproof cast iron pan, then season and sauté the venison loin in the pan, adding a little butter and turning it to brown the outside evenly. Add the celeriac chips to colour them, then place the pan in the oven for 10 minutes or so to roast.

Place the red cabbage in a stainless pan, add the apple juice and brown sugar, season, cover the pan and simmer for 2 hours or so, but keep an eye and add a little water if it is getting too dry.

Strain off 100ml of the potato juice into a small stainless pan and cook the beans quickly in this.

Lay the potatoes on their sides and cut off a third from the top and a little to flatten the bottom, then hollow it out so you have a shape like a boat. Season and sauté them to brown them on both sides in another 40g butter in a sauteuse or omelette pan, then add the chicken stock, garlic, thyme and 80g of the remaining butter, cover with butter paper and braise in an oven at 180 degrees for about 30 minutes.

36 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

Remove the venison and chips from the pan and rest in a warm place. Deglaze the pan with the gin and port, then strain off 250ml of the casserole juice and 100ml more of the potato juice and add this and the remaining crushed juniper to the gin and port. Reduce until you have a sauce consistency.

Place a potato “bowl” on each plate, fill the bowl with casserole. Place a spoonful of cabbage next to the bowl, carve the loin and arrange on the cabbage and finally add the beans, celeriac chips and sauce.

Cinnamon biscuit of spiced apple with sloe gin custard Serves 6

Ingredients: For the pastry 200g plain flour 60g ground almonds 90g icing sugar Large pinch ground cloves 1 tsp ground cinnamon 120g butter, diced small but kept cold 1 egg yolk Splash milk Caster sugar For the compote and sorbet 400g Bramley apples 100g sultanas Pinch cloves Pinch cinnamon Pinch ground ginger 150g caster sugar 1 vanilla pod 50ml sloe gin 150g whipped cream For the custard 4 egg yolks 40g caster sugar 100ml cream 150ml milk 50ml sloe gin

ok Have a lo e at our slo e on gin recip ! page 32

Combine all of the pastry ingredients in a food processor, keeping as cold as possible. Bring together and allow to rest for at least 2 hours.

Roll the pastry out quickly on a floured cold surface. It should be very thin, and is difficult to work with. Cut into 12 heart shapes, lay on a baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with caster sugar. Allow to rest in the fridge for at least an hour, then bake at 160 ºC for about 8 minutes until the biscuits are mid brown and crisp. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, they will keep in an airtight container for a few days.

Peel, core and chop the apples. Place these into a pan with the sugar, spices and vanilla, cover and stew gently until the fruit is soft but not mushy. Remove from the pan and strain, retaining the strained juice. Cool this juice then add 50ml of sloe gin and churn in an ice cream machine for the sorbet.

For the custard, scald the milk and cream together, and pour onto the egg yolks and sugar, whisking. Heat to thicken, then add the remaining 50ml of sloe gin and cool.

Gently rewarm the apple compote. “Butter” the topside of one biscuit and the underside of another with a little whipped cream and fill with the compote like a sandwich. Surround with custard and add a scoop of the sorbet.

Plas Bodegroes is open as normal (Tuesday - Saturday dinner and Sunday lunch) throughout October and November, then closed from 1st December until the 5th March.

Chris Chown is chef-proprietor at the beautiful Plas Bodegroes restaurant with rooms just a short drive from Abersoch. Chris and his wife Gunna opened the restaurant 28 years ago and since then have gained the highest awards from all of the leading guides, including Good Food Guide UK Restaurant of the Year and a coveted Michelin star. Chris himself has appeared on The Great British Menu and Plas Bodegroes maintains a solid reputation within the area and far beyond. Chris and head chef Hugh Bracegirdle cook a modern interpretation of traditional dishes, prepared using the superb local ingredients that can be found here on the Llŷn.

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Simon Toft

Pine Smoked Salmon A fabulously festive dish for entertaining!

The Dining Room Ingredients: 1 side of salmon 1 barbecue 1 Christmas jumper 2 good handfuls of pine needles For the cure: 4 tbsp brown sugar 2 tsp salt

Lay your salmon on a roasting tray and rub it all over with ‘the cure’, pop it in the fridge for an hour or so. Remove, rinse under cold water and rub off any cure that hasn’t soaked in to the flesh. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Scatter quite liberally with ‘the rub’, rub it in and set aside for another hour.

In your Christmas jumper, bobble hat and scarf nip out and light the main burner on your barbecue. While the barbecue warms up soak the pine needles in water and a little whiskey.

Loosely wrap a couple of handfuls of pine needles in foil, stab a few holes in the top and lay it directly on the burner. When your parcel starts to smoke turn the heat down to medium-low and place the salmon on the grill, close the lid and run inside.

Sit around a roaring log fire drinking cocoa and mulled wine for about 30-45 minutes until the thickest parts of the fish feel just

Ingredients: 12 plump dried figs 6 tsp crumbled Perl Las 6 slices of prosciutto Clear honey

For the rub: 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp smoked paprika 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp mixed spice 1 tsp black pepper ½ tsp salt

firm and start to flake. Proudly carry your fish inside to excited ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’.

You could tuck into this immediately, hot, as a fabulous dinner party centrepiece with boiled potatoes, hollandaise and celeriac ‘slaw (coarsely grated celeriac tossed in lemon & mustard mayonnaise). Alternatively for a drinks bash, allow it to chill thoroughly, slice and present it at your soirée with shredded beetroot, apple & mint salad and Brecon gin cream. To whip up the Brecon cream simply stir the juice of a lemon and a teaspoon of horseradish into a cup of cream and add a tot of decent gin until it’s potent enough for you, pop it in the fridge for an hour or so to thicken - Remember it’s Christmas though, so don’t be shy with the booze.

Hot or cold, serve with festive fizz and lashings of good cheer!

Perl Las stuffed figs - a simple and delicious canapé for your Christmas drinks bash!

Trim the core from the figs and slice open, stuff with about ½ teaspoon of the cheese. Slice the ham lengthways into strips and wrap one around each fig.

Arrange on plates and drizzle with a little honey (call in to Blades Café and get some of Sam’s Bryncroes honey, it’s fabulous).

Si Toft has worked in various restaurants in and around his home town of Altrincham and for the last decade in Abersoch itself. He and his wife Jo opened The Dining Room in 2010, moving to their current more central location in the heart of the village in July 2013. Si cooks what he refers to as British bistro, producing individual and often humorous takes on classic British combinations. He is well known for his famous ‘Sc’egg’, a smoked haddock scotch egg that has to be tried to be appreciated, and his menu features a wide variety of fish dishes and quirky puddings.

The Dining Room remains open throughout the winter, during November and December they will be open Thursday to Sunday but are happy to open additional days to accommodate private parties.

38 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

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Ingredients: 200g dark chocolate 200g unsalted butter 4 whole eggs 160g sugar 160g flour 6g cocoa powder 6g baking powder 6g Nescafé

Cheeky Chocolate Puds

Nigel Skinner

Tremfan Hall

Melt the chocolate and butter over a pan of steam. Add the eggs and mix, then add all the other ingredients and mix into a thick dark paste.

Butter the insides of a 12 slot baking tray with 4 ½ cm wide/2 cm deep holes and then dust with cocoa powder making sure all the butter is covered. ¾ fill the holes with the cake mix and bake in a fan assisted oven at 190 for about 4 minutes (you may have to experiment a little with timings as all ovens vary). The cakes should not be completely cooked and feel a little soft on the top to the touch.

Take them out the oven and allow to stand for a few minutes then tilt the tray and with a teaspoon gently pick them out. Pipe a little whipped cream on the top and garnish with a red current and serve whilst still warm.

Ingredients: 1 packet baby gem lettuce 1 piece of fresh tuna about 6mm thick 1 medium size potato cut into small cubes 8 fine French beans cooked and chopped 2 boiled quails eggs teaspoon of good quality deli tapenade teaspoon fresh chopped parsley tablespoon chopped sun blushed tomatoes 2 table spoon mayonnaise

Tuna Niçoise Gems

Place quails eggs in boiling water and cook for 3 minutes then take out and place in ice cold water for at least 5 minutes. Peel and cut into quarters. Boil the cubed potatoes in seasoned water until soft, drain then leave to cool. Pick off the baby gem leaves, choose the appropriate ones, wash and set aside.

Place potato, beans, parsley, tapenade, mayonnaise and sun blushed tomatoes in a mixing bowl and gently combine, season to taste.

Cut the tuna into long triangles and season. In a hot griddle pan sear the tuna on both sides (the length of time depends on how you like your tuna).

Place a spoonful of the potato mix onto a lettuce leaf, add the tuna on top, garnish with the quails egg and pea shoots and a squeeze of fresh lemon to serve.

40 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

Nigel Skinner is head chef at the majestic country house hotel Tremfan Hall in Llanbedrog. The hotel is a family business, owned and run by Nigel’s mum Sue, together the two of them have succeeded in making Tremfan a destination restaurant that is very well regarded in the local area and a popular choice for weddings and special occasions. Nigel’s food is beautifully presented and wonderfully tasty! Tremfan Hall will remain open Wednesday to Sunday throughout the winter, and will take Christmas bookings 7 days a week during December, they are also open Christmas Day.

| 41

AN FROM

BY DE GWIN

LLYN WINES

With festive entertaining and Christmas Day in mind Dean Pritchard of Gwin Llŷn Wines suggests some wines, spirits and liqueurs to enjoy over the festive period.

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, but what will you be drinking to toast the bearded man in the red suit this year? Well, Christmas comes but once a year so why not spoil yourselves and drink better quality wines. Yes, the supermarkets will be rolling out unbelievable offers, but do you really want to drink mass produced factory blended wines? You wouldn’t eat turkey twizzlers instead of the golden bird, so do it justice and drink something worthy of the celebration.

Everyone loves a glass of fizz - pop the cork and its “fizz o’clock”. Champagne is the pinnacle and this year there will be Champagne offers galore to be had due to the huge increase in Prosecco sales. Stick to the well known brands and you can pick up a bargain. Alternatively, speak to your local independent wine shop; they will be able to introduce you to small family owned Champagne Houses which will be well worth trying.

Fact: Wine value of l g ctua tailin The a bottle re g in a k a in t wine .99 after costs for £5 the fixed tle, t away of the bo duty ) (price ation etc ort .. . p s is n t tra va and nce.

39 pe

Champagne Lallier Grand Cru for example is fantastic value and tastes terrific. The Lallier Grand Cru Rosé is an absolute must try this Christmas, other Grand Marques costing twice as much wither in its presence.

There are lots of sparkling alternatives, Prosecco, Cava, Crémant all ideal glasses of fizz, but this year has definitely been the year of Prosecco and this Italian wonderfizz is now the best selling fizz in the country. For something really different try a glass of Fresita, this Chilean sparkling wine is blended with Patagonian strawberries and is only 8% abv. It’s a really good alternative to Bucks-Fizz on Christmas morning.

The Christmas meal is a marathon not a sprint so start with a light and fresh white wine. Unoaked Chablis (Chardonnay) or a PouillyFume (Sauvignon Blanc) will get the ball rolling nicely and Top Tip: complement most Always bottle o have a spare starters. For the f your fizz o tucked main course, away in f choice the fridg for those well lets face e unexpe guests. cted it turkey is the If its not needed you can bird of choice for always enjoy it once many, but be it the fam ily and friends h turkey, goose or ave reti red to bed.

42 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

duck a red wine such as Pinot Noir or a red from the Rhône (Gigondas, Seguret or Cairanne) would really complement the roasted meat. If you prefer white wine, a full blooded white Burgundy (Chardonnay) or a Pinot Gris would be an ideal partner for the turkey and trimmings. For beef or venison try a Syrah (Shiraz), Cabernet Sauvignon or a Rioja Reserva.

The most important thing to remember is that there are no rules at Christmas. Drink your favourite wine and for one day a year, spoil yourselves. If wine isn’t your choice of tipple then have a glass of beer, there are seasonal special ales available such as “The Merry X Moose” from the Purple Moose Brewery in Porthmadog or a bottle of “Père Noël” from the De Ranke brewery in Belgium.

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more...

Dessert is a must and must be accompanied by a dessert wine. A classic partner for the Christmas pud is the Torres “Floralis” Moscatel Oro. If you are having a chocolate dessert then try the Rubis fortified chocolate wine, it is exquisite and once tasted is never forgotten.

As the meal comes to an end cheese and perhaps some mince pies are wheeled out. This heralds the cry for Port but don’t get the standard Ruby Port, spoil yourself, drink less but drink better, so savour a Vintage Port, a Late Bottled Vintage Port or a Crusted Port. Or why not try the Grant Burge 10 year old Tawny (can’t call it Port as it’s from Australia) made from fortified Shiraz and Grenache. It is rich and so smooth, if you ever get the chance to try the 20 year old Tawny do so, it is one of the best fortified wines in the world.

As usual Whisky, Bourbon, Cognac and Armagnac will all have their fans and don’t forget when it comes to Whisky, Penderyn is a must try. It is the only Whisky distilled in Wales and is available in four expressions - the original Madeira finish, the Sherrywood finish, the Peated and the new Portwood finish. Penderyn also make the superb Brecon Botanical gin.

For those of you who enjoy coffee flavoured liqueurs try the Patron XO Café, this coffee liqueur made with tequila is delicious and, while we’re talking about tequila, try a true connoisseurs sipping tequila such as Jose Cuervo 1800 Anejo. This tequila aged for three years in oak is rich and smooth with no alcohol burn, perfect sipping tequila.

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44 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

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Don’t forget a home-made Gluhwein or mulled wine is always popular especially after a brisk walk on the beach. Try this recipe: Ingredients: (for 10 people) 2 bottles of red wine 2 cups of water 6 cloves 2 cinnamon sticks 2 oranges - cut into bite-size pieces oranges for decoration Put all ingredients in a pot and bring it close to boiling. For additional taste cut 2 oranges into bite-size pieces and add to the wine. Let simmer. Remove cloves and cinnamon stick before serving it into lightly pre-warmed glasses. Decorate glasses with an orange slice. Enjoy.

Whatever you drink this Christmas, drink sensibly and responsibly with good company and remember the water.

Happy Christmas to you all…….

- Dean HO HO HO The Gwin Llŷn Wines Winter tasting will take place on Friday 7th November at the shop. Call Dean or Margaret for more information on 01758 701004.

Win The w e Fact: o the m rld record fo o bottle st cork sea r so le minut pened with d e is he ld by in a Durot Ala t 2001 u e of France in . In sing a Tcorksc rew h handled eo 13 bo ttles o pened f wine .

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Concocting Christmas

Spirits!

Words by Ceri James-Evans Photography by Totally Abersoch

One mention of Christmas, and the first thing on many people’s mind is PARTY! Be it the office Christmas party, a get together on Boxing Night or a session on New Year’s Eve, there are certainly plenty of opportunities to get the glad rags on and have a boogie.

One thing that every good party needs is drink- in plentiful supply! Standard soft drinks, beer, wine and spirits are bound to do the job, but Christmas is the perfect time to get a little more creative and spend time creating some special festive beverages. Here at the magazine, we decided to do the hard work for you (and sampling delightful cocktails certainly WAS hard…) by popping down to Fresh and Mañana for some advice on concocting perfect Christmas cocktails.

We’ve got it all here: traditional fruity fun for dancing round the Christmas tree, sweet and warming liqueurs for relaxing, and even a treat for the kids (or designated drivers!)

So what are you waiting for?! Grab your ingredients and get shaking (never stirring!) - mine’s a double!

Recipes f

rom Fres

h Aberso

Gingerbread Express ALL ABOARD THIS FULLY LOADED, BISCUITY TREAT! •1 measure of vodka •1 measure Kahlua coffee liqueur •1 single espresso •1 measure of sugar syrup •1 measure of gingerbread syrup Shake and strain all the ingredients over cubed ice. Garnish with crushed gingerbread around the rim of the glass.

Black Forest Gateau Martini A TWIST ON THE RETRO FESTIVE DESSERT! •4 Raspberries •4 Blackberries Muddle/crush these in the bottom of the shaker then add •1 measure of vodka •½ a measure of white cacao (a white chocolate liqueur) •½ a measure of Chambord black raspberry liqueur •½ a measure of cassis •1 measure of cream Shake and double strain into a chilled martini glass with a crushed chocolate flake around the rim.

46 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

ch!

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from Recipes soch!

Aber Manana

Bramble Margarita A REAL WINTER BERRY TREAT •Blackberries (about 5 should do it) •1 ½ measures of tequila •1 measure of triple sec •1 measure of freshly squeezed lime pulp •1 measure of crème de mûre •1 measure of sugar syrup Simply blend over crushed ice and pour into a glass!

~ Manana’s Little ‘Chicktail’ AND SOMETHING FOR THE KIDS… •Equal parts of three different fruit juices- we used orange, pineapple and mango but you can get your own (creative) juices flowing!

•Non-alcoholic grenadine Pour your juices over ice and drizzle the grenadine on top.

To Decorate You can use whatever you like to decorate. Some ideas: •Strawberries thrown in the glass •Sliced orange or lime slotted onto the side of the glass •Colourful candy stripe straws •Cocktail umbrellas

Both Manana and Fresh are open throughout winter for delicious freshly cooked food and wonderful drinks.

48 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

TOP TIP: IVE EAL FEST FOR A R D INISH, IP FROSTY F F THE O THE RIM A LITTLE GLASS IN AND E LIME JUIC ME O S IN THEN R! A G SU

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Chistmas colouring time!

Children’s Christmas colouring, created for us by local artist Alwen Greenwood.

Merry Ch r i stm a s Na d oli g l l awe n

50 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

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Nadolig llawen

Merry Christmas

Abersoch

Chistmas colouring time!

In her Abersoch studio, Cregyn, local girl Alwen paints intricate and vibrantly coloured designs on a wide range of glass and ceramic surfaces. All of her designs are hand painted so easily personalised and no two pieces are the same. Alwen also sketches, specialising in animals, although she is regularly commissioned to sketch people’s houses and even their cars! She has created these special, Abersoch inspired Christmas colouring pages for Sensation magazine. Alwen will have a stall at the Christmas Craft Fair in the Village Hall on Saturday 29th November with her Christmassy decorated plates and glasses.

52 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

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Christmas shopping in Abersoch

Gift Guide

We’ve put together our pick of perfect presents from local businesses, so why not avoid the high street hordes and do your Christmas shopping in the peace and calm of Abersoch in winter? There’s something for everyone whether you’re looking for a gorgeous gift, or a gift experience, we’ve got it covered!

All photography by Totally Abersoch

54 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

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Her...

Gifts

For

Ladies O’Neill Purse £16 from Boardrider

O Bag with Fur Trim (Available in various combinations of colours and components) As pictured £162.50 - Basic Bag £35, Lining £20, Handles - £45, Fur £62.50 from Coastal Culture

Ugg Australia Baby Pink ‘Fluff Flops’ £60 from Alcatraz

The Winter Colour Collection Jewellery Priced from £35 from Flipside Handmade Hanging Glass Heart £12 from Wildwood Printed Scarf £18 from Wildwood

‘Quality Drawers For The Lady Of The Manor’ Ladies Undies by Joules £29.95 from Abersoch Boatyard

Statement Necklace and Cuff £18 and £21 from First Light

56 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

GiftsFor

Him...

Wallet with a Faux Black Leather Exterior £20 from Boardrider

Stag Wash Bag £20 from Lavender House

Rip Curl Flash Dry Hooded Vest.

Perfect for adding warmth to your existing wetsuit £39.99 from West Coast Surf ‘Crown Joules’ Gift Pack of Men’s Underpants £14.95 from Abersoch Boatyard

Handy Tin £3.75 from Wildwood

Wall Mounted Thermometer £27 from Totally Abersoch

‘Man Tin’ by The Bright Side £7.99 from Present Thoughts

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Kids

Stocking Fillers...

Wintery Mouse Stuffed Toy £10 from Lavender House

Wooden Spinning Tops 50p from Hideaway

Seaside Themed Pencils £3 each from Totally Abersoch

Headphone Holder £4.99 from Present Thoughts My Little Pony £5 from Courts

Velco O’Shea Wallet £6.95 from O’Shea

Fun Finger Painting Kit £8.99 from Present Thoughts

Animal Pencilcases for Girls and Boys! £7 each from Boardrider

58 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

Flipper @ Flipside Kids Jewellery Bracelets: £4 each, Necklace: £6 from Flipside Jewellery

Fairy Wand £3 from Courts

Socks

Whoever said socks were a boring gift never shopped in Abersoch...

Again!

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Food Lovers...

Treat someone to a tasty meal out Gift vouchers available for any amount from The Dining Room

Abersoch Boatyard

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£16.95 Abersoch Boatyard

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£20

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Decorative Wooden Sign £9.99 from Present Thoughts

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Gift Box of Coconut Kitchen Sauces £24.95 + p&p, available from Coconut Kitchen or www.thecoconutkitchen.co.uk

£4.50

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First Light

For

Great Taste Award Winning Lemon Curd £1.95 from Terry’s Butchers

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Welsh

Gifts For

Abersoch Lovers...

Gifts

A Canvas Print from Turtle Photography Canvas pictures are made using quality pine stretcher bars sourced from well managed forests and matte water resistant canvas. Prices start at £55.

Cwtch A special Welsh word for ‘cuddle’

£5.99

Hideaway

£9.99

Seasalt Nautical print Wellies £39.95 from Abersoch Boatyard

Present Thoughts

‘Picture from my Granddaughter’

Scents of Abersoch Votive Candles £15 from First Light

Cariad ‘Love’

£4.99 Present Thoughts

£7.99 Present Thoughts

Wooden Sign £3.99 from Present Thoughts

£6.99 Hideaway

‘Happy Christmas From Abersoch!’

60 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

Matching Mug and Coaster Mug: £5.99, Coaster: £2.99

‘Llyn’, Hardcover available from www.abersochlife.com

We’re mad for..

Beanie Hats

£25

Boardrider

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Nam

£12.50

£10

First Light

First Light

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£19.99 O’Shea

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£19.99

£18

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Reindeer Ornament £7.99 from Present Thoughts

Figgy Pudding Scented Candle £18 from Totally Abersoch

Wood and Fabric Wreath £12.99 from Hideaway

Goose Fat -Perfect for the Spuds! £2.49 from Terry’s Butchers Christmas Carol Ornament £5.99 from Present Thoughts

20 Christmas Cards £7.50 from Lavender House

Colour in Your Own Christmas Postcards £6.99 from Present Thoughts

Christmas Pattern Napkins £3.60 from Totally Abersoch

Christmas Stocking £7.99 from Hideaway

Heart Hangers £4-£6 each from Totally Abersoch

62 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

Locally Made Wrapping Paper This wrapping paper is designed and printed at Turtle Photography and is £3.75 a roll

Ahead of his performance at the Abersoch Christmas Festival, Sensation recently caught up with Pwllheli-born singer and songwriter Al Lewis to talk about his rural upbringing, new projects on the horizon and where he’d like to see his future go.

Words by Zoe Williams

Meet the soulful singer that delights in the polarities between the tranquilities of his small hometown and the bright lights of the big city. Al Lewis, 30, hails from Pwllheli, but these days you’ll find him residing in Tooting, London, where he continues to nurture his talents. He’s also travelled to the music city of Nashville to widen his horizons and cultivate his love for folk, Americana music.

It was there that he recorded his first full-length album Battles, produced by The Civil Wars’ Charlie Peacock and featuring a reunion with long-time collaborator Sarah Howells of Paper Aeroplanes. It was also where he met fellow singer-songwriter and soon-to-be bandmate Alva Leigh. Earlier this year, the duo began writing songs together after discovering how beautifully their voices and harmonies blended, taking cues from their favourite influences both past and present - think John Fullbright, Sturgill Simpson, Bruce Springsteen and First Aid Kit. As a result, Lewis & Leigh was born.

With voices and a sound reminiscent of Joshua Radin and Schuyler Fisk, the duo make folk-tinged, Americana songs that thrive on climatic vocals, endearing, honest lyrics and warm harmonies that just seem made for each other. It’s clear from the first note of single “What Is There To Do” that their experiences and time spent in the south-east have really rubbed off on them. Alva and Al are now preparing for the release of their first EP, ‘Night Drives’, and if the first two Soundcloud snippets are anything to go by, we’re in for a collection of delicate, comforting songs, with a lyrical depth that will capture the hearts of many.

Whilst Lewis & Leigh remains Al’s current project and time investment, he is looking forward to playing his well-received Christmas single “A Child’s Christmas in Wales”, released last year and based upon Dylan Thomas’s poem of the same name. Al considers the Welsh poet a huge influence on his music, and with the song’s airplay on BBC Radio 2 has come support from the likes of Gary Barlow and Cerys Matthews.

Having put out the single himself in December 2013 with low expectations, Al is excited to perform the Christmas song that holds a big place in his heart.

In this interview, we discover the journey that Al has been on so far in what is promising to be an incredibly bright career. You can catch Al at the Abersoch Christmas Festival Weekend on the 29th November. Tickets for this performance can

64 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

be bought from Present Thoughts in Abersoch.

Having London as your current postcode, do you miss Abersoch and its surrounding areas when you’re not here?

Yes, I do wish the Llyn Peninsula wasn’t so far away... but I’ve certainly come to appreciate it more now that I don’t live there anymore. I really love going back as it’s somewhere that holds a lot of fond memories for me.

You’ve had some incredible success so far in your career with lots of fantastic accolades and awards from the likes of BBC Radio Cymru, and being able to name Cerys Matthews as one of your fans! What inspired you to start playing music of your own? Did you grow up in a musical family?

Not really, I started performing in school, being in a band with friends singing cover songs of the Beatles on the weekends in local pubs and clubs - it grew from there really and after finishing University I decided that music was what I loved to do and that I wanted to try and have a career out of making music.

How do you think the place you grew up in inspired you? Did it, in any way?

My surroundings certainly shaped me as a person, and I think being Welsh I have music in my blood and growing up somewhere rural gives you plenty of time to dream and be inspired by what is around you.

You’ve got a lot of collaborations under your belt - how do you find collaboration in terms of song-writing, recording and live performing? Do you prefer it to working on your own?

I love working with other people as I feel that blend of two people with different outlooks always creates something unique and special. I enjoy sharing the stage with others as it can get a bit lonely up there on your own sometimes!

Tell us a little more about your current project, Lewis and Leigh. How did you come to meet Alva Leigh?

Alva and I met through a mutual friend from Nashville - she had lived there previously and I had recorded an album out there. She now lives in London like me and so we got together and started writing some songs and it clicked and our voices seem to blend well together so we decided to start up our own band!

Photographs courtesy of Al Lewis

| 65

How much do you focus on your own songs and work at the moment, in relation to your other projects? Do you spend all of your time on one project, or do you like to keep working on all of your projects?

I’m currently focused mostly on ‘Lewis & Leigh’ as I think we have the potential to do something really special. The reaction so far to our music has been really positive so I’m excited about what the future holds for the band. But I continue to perform as Al Lewis or as Al Lewis Band in the Welsh language scene - I like to keep as many irons in the fire as possible!

What are your favourite parts of the Llyn Peninsula?

Favourite haunts and spots, beaches and bars?

Some of my favourites are The Sun Inn in Llanengan, where my dad’s side of the family are all from. I also love the Ty Coch Inn in Porthdinllaen, Porth Neigwl, Ty Newydd pub in Aberdaron and Abersoch Golf Club.

You’ve mentioned on your blog that your influences and favourite artists are the likes of Joni Mitchell, John Martyn and Tom Waits - is there any current music that you feel inspired by?

As my new band Lewis & Leigh is predominantly more country inspired, I’m listening to a lot more country and Americana music. I love the new albums by Beck, John Fullbright, Ryan Adams, Sturgill Simpson and First Aid Kit. Did you feel like there was a turning point where everything started to happen quite quickly for you?

Getting my song ‘Make a Little Room’ onto the BBC Radio 2 playlist certainly opened a lot of doors.

The radio is still such a powerful medium for getting your music heard and I certainly had a lot more opportunities come my way after that.

What are your plans and goals for the near future?

I’m heading out to Nashville again in a couple of weeks to perform a showcase for Bob Harris and the BBC out there. Afterwards, my goals are to explore the possibilities for my new band Lewis & Leigh - and to promote our new EP ‘Night Drives’, which is out in October.

Tell us what’s on your playlist at the moment !

Photographs courtesy of Al Lewis

{on christmas:} “I love that time of year and how it brings the community spirit out in people.”

Are you looking forward to performing at the Abersoch Christmas festival, and how will you be spending your Christmas this year?

Very much so, I love that time of year and how it brings the community spirit out in people.

It’ll be great to go back to Abersoch to perform. Christmas for me will be with the family with me in the kitchen preparing the turkey!

Learn more about Al Lewis and his music projects on his website (http://www.allewismusic.com) and keep up-to-date with what he’s doing on his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/allewismusic 66 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

First Aid Kit - Stay Gold Sturgill Simpson - Metamodern Sounds in Country Music Sharon Van Etten - Are We There Jenny Lewis - The Voyager

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Christmas Festival Abersoch

Crowds gather as the children sing carols by the tree at Abersoch’s first Christmas weekend in 2012 - Photo by Totaly Abersoch

Join us here in Abersoch for a fantastic, fun-filled family weekend on the 28th, 29th & 30th November!

In 2012 Abersoch held its very first ‘Christmas launch’, with new Christmas lights up the high street, late night opening in many shops and a very special visit from Father Christmas.

Thanks to tireless organisation by Helen Griffiths from Present Thoughts this was followed by an even more successful launch weekend last year, which saw the event grow with the addition of the lantern parade and also the fantastic Christmas raffle which had some amazing prizes up for grabs. Helen and her elves have once again been working hard this year, the event has now been revamped and rebranded as the Abersoch Christmas Festival Weekend and it set to be far bigger and better than previous years!

68 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

The village will be decorated and lit up to announce the start of the festive season; there will be Christmas fayre on offer in the villages cafes and restaurants, and planned events so far include carol singing, a Christmas craft fair, children’s face painting, a brass band, Santa’s grotto, a lantern parade and a performance by the musician and singer Al Lewis - who you can read all about in our special feature on page 64! The raffle will be running again this year with tickets available from various local businesses and the draw will take place on New Year’s Day. The festival weekend will launch the Christmas season in Abersoch and demonstrate that the village is far from asleep during the winter months.

This is a fantastic weekend for all the family, so if you haven’t visited Abersoch out of season before this is a great opportunity to experience the ‘other side’ of the village and to see

Weekend

that Abersoch can be a beautiful and lively place to visit in the winter months as well as in the summer. Expect large crowds around the village Christmas tree as the children sing carols on the Friday evening and await the arrival of Father Christmas. The village will be abuzz with people during the evening as many shops will be opening late, offering special promotions (perfect for all those Christmas presents) and may even be giving away the odd mince pie! Many of the village restaurants will also be getting involved so expect special offers and a celebratory atmosphere all round. There will be an opportunity for children, (and of course parents), to get up close to the Abersoch fire engine, which will be on display in the centre of the village, and there will also be a strong RNLI presence in the village over the weekend so expect to see the crew out and about.

On the Saturday there will a Christmas Craft Fair in the Village Hall with lots of lovely stalls from small local businesses and hobby crafters - a great opportunity to ‘shop local’ and get ahead on those Christmas pressies.

The festive atmosphere will continue as the Bangor University brass band will be playing throughout the afternoon on The Vaynol patio, followed by carol singers, also on the patio, later on. For the kiddies there will be face painting and street performers to enjoy, and at 5pm the fantastic lantern parade from the Harbour to the Village Hall.

The lantern parade had a huge turnout last year, children are encouraged to make their own lanterns at home, a great festive activity! Early on Saturday evening there will be children’s entertainment in the Village Hall, followed by a performance from Al Lewis and his band, supported by local band Brolly.

Over the whole weekend shops, restaurants, cafes and hotels will be running special offers and offering festive fayre, so if you haven’t experienced Abersoch at Christmas Above: Brass Band performing before, book your accommodation at last year’s launch - photo now and come and join in the fun - it’s courtesy of Helen Griffiths. Middle: set to be a great weekend!

Meeting Sion Corn! Bottom: Abersoch’s firemen getting involved in the festivities

Abersoch Christmas Festival Weekend events:

Totally Abersoch

Friday 28th November: 5.30 pm - local school children will be singing carols around the Christmas tree in the centre of the village, followed by members of the Abersoch fire service displaying their vehicle and a special appearance from Father Christmas/Siôn Corn!

Late night shopping and promotions in many village shops.

Saturday 29th November:

Totally Abersoch

10am - 4pm: Christmas Craft Fair in the Village Hall.

1- 4pm: Children’s face painting (venue to be confirmed) Street entertainers will perform throughout the village centre (times to be confirmed) Bangor University brass band will be playing throughout the afternoon on The Vaynol patio, followed carol singing later on.

5.00pm: Lantern parade from the Harbour to the Village Hall - kids and adults alike will love joining in this fantastic festive parade.

5.30pm - 6.30pm: Children’s entertainment in the Village Hall (nominal entrance fee) 8pm: Pwllheli born singer and songwriter Al Lewis, whose sound is reminiscent of the classic singer-songwriters of the 70s delivered with a modern twist, will be performing in the Village Hall supported by local band Brolly. Tickets available from Present Thoughts, £10. * Please note all details are correct at time of going to press but times and information are subject to change - for up to date information visit www.abersochandllyn. co.uk or check out the official event Facebook page which will be updated over the coming weeks with further details of events and offers - https://www.facebook.com/ events/850627584967393

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Nadolig Llawen!

A Look at Welsh Christmas Traditions Many countries have their own festive customs and traditions, often dating back centuries and Wales is no different. This country, rich in culture and with a strong musical influence, holds many unique Christmas traditions. Ceri James-Evans took a look at a few of them.

Illustrations by Alwen Greenwood

Plygain

Calennig

Wales is famous for a few things (rugby and sheep are two that spring to mind!) and singing is one of these. One Christmas tradition which still exists to some extent in Wales today was Plygain. Plygain was the name of the service that took place between the hours of 3am and 6am on Christmas morning. Before the cock crowed, men would gather in the churches and spend these three hours singing carols. Traditionally, it was only the men who would go to sing whilst the women stayed behind, cooking and preparing the home for Christmas. There would usually be no musical accompaniment to the singing, just male voices in harmony.

By about the 19th century, Plygain had become less of a male only affair. Families would gather in the churches to sing, and music began to form part of the services. As there was no electricity, everyone brought their own candles with them to light up the church; and some people would decorate a special candle specifically for the service. Though this custom is by no means common place in Wales today, there certainly are still Plygain services around.

Believe it or not, the very American tradition of ‘Trick or Treating’ at Halloween may have originated in Wales! Calennig, means ‘New Year’s Gift’ and has the same root as the English word, calendar. Traditionally, young boys would go round houses between dawn and noon on New Years’ Day and ask for small gifts for good luck. The boys might carry branches of evergreen and cups of water, and if you were unfortunate enough for them to land on your doorstep, they might splash you with water (the trick element of today’s ‘Trick or Treat’?!) in the hope that you’d give them some small coins.

Many would carry a calennig in their hands as they went from door

The Calennig apple is easy to make at home!

70 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

to door. This was usually an apple, set on a tripod of twigs and studded with cloves with a spring coming from the top. After New Year, the calennig would often be displayed in the home or given to friends- it was supposed to symbolise good fortune and good crops in the coming year.

You can very easily make your own calennig by taking an apple and sticking three twigs in the base, studding it with cloves, almonds, raisins and finishing it off with a sprig of holly and a candle in the top!

Why not play your part in making sure an old Welsh tradition doesn’t die out?! You don’t have to carry it round houses splashing people with water and begging for change though you might like to!

Making Taffy on Christmas Eve In the often physically difficult working days of yesteryear, it wasn’t always easy to stay awake until 3am to go out and sing Plygain! In order

A Few Welsh Phrases For You To Learn In The Festive Season!

The Mari Llwyd - a slightly more macabre tradition!

NADOLIG LLAWEN – MERRY CHRISTMAS BLWYDDYN NEWYDD DDA – HAPPY NEW YEAR SEREN – STAR IESU GRIST – JESUS CHRIST SION CORN – FATHER CHRISTMAS EIRA – SNOW COCH, AUR A GWYRDD – RED, GOLD AND GREEN

to while away the hours until the service began, families would often spend Christmas Eve decorating the house with holly and mistletoe. They might gather and sing and dance to the harp (a very traditional Welsh instrument) before it was time to head out. One other tradition which was very popular to pass the time on Christmas Eve however, was making treacle toffee.

The traditional Welsh recipe involved pulling ‘strings’ of toffee from the mixture, and these strings would often create letter-like shapes. Many people believed that the young and unmarried could predict their future soul mates’ initials from the letters they produced with their toffee strings! A toffee evening was called a Noson Gyflath in Welsh, and families would often gather together in each other’s houses to make these sugary treats!

Y Mari Lwyd One traditional Welsh custom wasn’t quite so welcome as singing or making toffee, and it’s quite easy to see why this tradition has mostly died out!

Groups of men would make a Mari Lwyd and spend evenings around Christmastime taking it round houses and knocking on doors. The Mari Lwyd, or ‘Grey Mare’ was constructed from a horse’s skull on a stick, with a pulley like system that allowed the mouth of the skull to open and close. The horse would be decorated with ribbons and attached to a sheet, which covered the man carrying the Mari Lwyd.

Other men would wear a disguise to accompany the Mari Lwyd and they would go from house to house. After

knocking on a door and singing, they would then bring a challenge in verse!

It was considered unlucky to refuse the Mari Lwyd so instead, the house owners would attempt to ‘outverse’ the men. This challenge in rhyme and verse would go on until one group couldn’t think of any more replies! Rarely, the house owners might succeed in ‘outversing’ the men, but more often than not they wouldn’t and the prize for the men was to be welcomed into the house for food and drink, and a bit of a party! The prospect of opening the door to a horse’s skull is a little scary, and it would be inconvenient to say the least to have to stand talking in verse on the doorstep when one had children to put to bed- for obvious reasons then, this tradition has mostly died out over the years, though is still re-enacted to this day in some parts of Wales.

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“O

Christmas Tree

The much loved Christmas tree is among the most recognisable symbols of Christmas in the UK, along with the star, the baby in the manger, a hanging stocking and the holly and ivy, it represents much of what we love about the festive period, decorations and presents, while the star or angel perched at the top reminds us what Christmas is actually all about. But where did the Christmas tree come from? After all, it’s an odd idea to cut down a tree, haul it into your house, stand it up again, wind electric lights around it, decorate it with baubles, then spend the next few weeks desperately trying to water it so that it continues to look ‘alive’! In our house we also spend a lot of time fending off the children and the cats, so why do we do it and where did this peculiar idea originate from?

There have been long traditions in eastern Europe and Europe of decorating evergreens as part of pagan and general winter celebrations. The idea seems to have been that evergreen trees and shrubs such as holly and ivy would protect from evil spirits, added to this the colour green was often used in winter festivals as it represented the imminent return of spring.

Like many pagan traditions, the idea of bringing a tree indoors was adopted by Christianity, possibly because the triangular shape of the tree was used to represent the Holy Trinity. Apparently these early Christian Christmas trees were not placed in pots of holders but hung upside down from the ceiling to better represent the Trinity and also as symbolic of Jesus on the cross.

The tradition of the Christmas tree is generally believed to have been first introduced to Britain by German merchants, and of course by the (German) Royal family, though not popularised until the reign of Queen Victoria. In 1848 The Illustrated London News showed a picture of the Christmas tree at Windsor Castle, surrounded by Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their children, on its cover. Within just a few years the Christmas tree became a festive fixture in the homes of well to Brits, and also spread across the Atlantic when

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the picture was reproduced in an American magazine. Many of the Christmas traditions that we are now familiar with actually began in Queen Victoria’s reign - not only the tree, but also Christmas cards, Christmas crackers and even Father Christmas were little known before the mid-1800s.

Today the vast majority of homes will have a Christmas tree from around midDecember, not only that but department stores, pubs, restaurants and even shopping centres and train stations now have trees.

Most towns and villages will also have a tree and a ceremonial switching on of the lights, here in Abersoch our community tree stands outside the Williams’ garage.

The first Victorian trees were decorated with candles, nuts, sugar ornaments and gingerbread, now we decorate our trees with anything from these traditional edible goodies, to colourful baubles, handmade creations made by our children at school and decorations used generation after generation. In my family the best example of this is ‘Father Christmas on his aeroplane’, a glittery cardboard creation made by my Dad in the 1950s, it has adorned our tree every year for as long as I can remember. We also now like to theme our tree decorations, perhaps Scandinavian, red and gold or purple and silver, no doubt there’ll be a few Disney Frozen themed trees around this year, but however you like to decorate your tree and whether you choose an angel or a star to perch at the top one thing’s for sure, you can’t beat a real tree!

Frazer Fir

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Words By Jo Toft Illustrations by Alwen Greenwood Photos Courtesy of Glasfryn Fencing and Sawmill Large tree cut from Glasfryn

Large Norway Spruce

Where to buy your Christmas tree: Here’s a selection of the best places to buy your tree, all within a short drive of Abersoch village.

The Abersoch Garden Centre (5 minutes’ drive) The Abersoch Garden Centre is located just off the main road between Abersoch and Llanbedrog - Christmas trees will be available from the last week in November, and the Garden Centre offer free local delivery.

Types: Nordmann Fir Sizes: range from 5ft to 9ft

Types of tree: There are many, many types of trees that are now commonly used as Christmas trees, below are some of the most popular trees, all of which can be bought locally.

Noble Fir (Abies procera):

A gently fragrant tree, the Noble Fir is also known for its beautifully symmetry and stiff branches which make it suitable for heavy decorations. It has blue-green blunt needles and keeps well.

Abersoch Garden Centre phone: 01758 713098 web: www.abersochgardencentre.com Tyddyn Sachau Nurseries (15 minutes’ drive) Tyddyn Sachau is located just outside Y Ffor, shortly past Bryn Beryl hospital - Christmas trees will be available from the last week in November. * Also look out for their wonderful Christmas display, grotto and great range of Christmas decorations.

Types: Nordmann Fir and Norway spruce Size: range from 3ft to 7-8ft Tyddyn Sachau, Y Ffor, Pwllheli, LL53 6UB phone: 01758 612626 web: tyddynsachau.co.uk

Nordmann Fir (Abies nordmanniana): The Nordmann Fir is now the most popular Christmas tree in the UK. It has non-drop, blunt needles and a lovely deep green colour. A traditional shaped tree with beautiful symmetry the Nordmann is the ‘King of Christmas trees’!

Glasfryn Fencing and Sawmill (20 minutes’ drive) Drive just a little further and you’ll find Glasfryn Fencing and Sawmill, who harvest their own trees from the Glasfryn FSC forest. Trees can be purchased at any time but Glasfryn recommend waiting until the beginning of November for outdoor trees and about the second week in December for indoor trees in order that that the tree lasts into the New Year. Trees are freshly cut from the forest every two to three days.

Norway Spruce (Picea abies):

The Norway Spruce is the traditionalist’s Christmas tree, beautifully fragrant but bushier and less regular in shape than the Nordmann. It does well in pots and outside but needs to be kept cool and watered daily inside or it will drop needles.

Types: Norway Spruce, Noble Fir, Fraser Fir Size: cut trees range from 5ft to 30ft+, rooted available to order from 3ft or 4ft Glasfryn Fencing and Sawmill, Llanaelhaearn Road, Pwllheli, LL53 6RN phone: 01758 750 623 web: www.glasfrynfencing.co.uk

Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri):

A feathery dark green tree, the Fraser Fir has upturned branches which show the beautiful silvery underside of the needles. It has excellent needle retention and is fast becoming the UK’s premium Christmas tree.

Winter time at Glasfryn

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Home away from

Photography by Phae Wood

Home Festive Breaks...

If you haven’t experienced the Llŷn Peninsula in winter it really is worth making the trip; enjoys walks on near deserted beaches with beautiful views of snow-capped Snowdonia, start your Christmas shopping away from the crowds, or just relax by the fire in a cosy country pub. Abersoch itself is an increasingly popular destination for Christmas and New Year and with the majority of the villages’ shops, bars and restaurants remaining open throughout the winter months, it’s a great choice for a festive break. Take a look at our selection of beautiful self-catering properties, there’s something to suit everyone!

Trigfa Totally Abersoch

Goleufryn Perfect for large groups

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A beautifully renovated Edwardian villa in an idyllic setting just yards from Abersoch beach, Trigfa is ideally located for the village shops and restaurants and also perfect for winter walks on the beach.

Beautifully furnished with a charming

is ideal for one large family or two families sharing with a separate floor each.

Sleeps 10 to 12 people - the spacious barn annex is available at an additional fee and sleeps a further 4 guests. Parking for up to 5 cars.

Goleufryn is available through Abersoch Holiday Homes, for further details visit www.abersochholidayhomes.co.uk or call 01758 740992.

Totally Abersoch

This elegant, detached Edwardian house is located on a quiet country lane yet within walking distance of the centre of Abersoch. Fully centrally heated with a host of modern features and many extras including wi-fi, Sky Entertainment package and a games room, Goleufryn

Views of Abersoch golf course and Cardigan Bay

blend of antiques mixed harmoniously with contemporary sea-side style, the property has oak floors throughout and under floor heating. Sleeps 10 people in 5 bedrooms and with two living rooms is ideal for families sharing.

Trigfa is available through Abersoch Holiday Homes, for further details visit www.abersochholidayhomes.co.uk or call 01758 740992.

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Home away from

Home

Festive Breaks...

Rental Properties in the local area

Gorwel Panoramic sea views Located in Abererch, Gorwel is a detached long stone cottage presented beautifully throughout and rated 5 stars by Visit Wales.

The cottage is delightfully traditional but with all mod cons including full central heating with under floor heating (although there is also a log fire) and broadband wi-fi. Gorwel (‘horizon’) is aptly named as there are amazing views from the property across Cardigan Bay. Sleeps 8 guests in 4 bedrooms - currently available for Christmas and New Year at £950/wk.

Gorwel is available through Flagship Holiday Homes, for further details visit www.flagshipholidayhomes.co.uk, or call 01512 308361.

Lleferin Character property One of the oldest properties in Abersoch, Lleferin combines a traditional character feel with modern touches. The house has lots of character and original features and is perfect for Christmas and New Year with a large inglenook fireplace (a good supply of logs is included). Located in Abersoch village, just a two minute walk to restaurants yet set in its own quiet grounds, the property also benefits from central heating and wi-fi. Sleeps 7 guests plus a child in 5 bedrooms.

Lleferin is available through Flagship Holiday Homes, for further details visit www.flagshipholidayhomes.co.uk, or call 01512 308361.

Ty Coed Central Abersoch Ty Coed is a lovely, comfortable family home in a prime central location opposite Abersoch village hall. It is immaculate, tastefully decorated and benefits from double glazing and central heating throughout making this an ideal property all year round. Abersoch’s restaurants, shops, golf club, yacht club and beach are just a short walk away. Sleeps 10 in 5 bedrooms.

Weekly prices range from £850 to £1895.

Ty Coed is available through Abersoch Quality Homes, for further details visit www.abersochqh.co.uk or call 01758 730729.

Arwelfa Lodge Fantastic location Arwelfa Lodge is set in a private, elevated position on Bennar Headland in the centre of Abersoch and enjoys breathtaking views of the outer harbour beach and Warren beach. This luxury 44ft x 20ft chalet is in a fantastic location for Abersoch village, shops, beaches and restaurants and has full gas central heating making it ideal any time of year. Very popular with returning guests, Arwelfa sleeps 6 in 3 bedrooms. Weekly prices range from £600 to £1,285.

Arwelfa Lodge is available through Abersoch Quality Homes, for further details visit www.abersochqh.co.uk or call 01758 730729.

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Christmas

e d i u G ~ n o s ’ t a h W Abersoch ~ Sensation’s What’s On Guide - our guide to all things festive in and around Abersoch! Whether you’re looking for a carol concert or a craft fair, a grotto or a panto or even a day out, we’ve put together a good selection of events to keep you busy this Christmas.

Santa at Abersoch Christmas Festival Weekend last year

Special Events Fun-filled weekend events to put in your diary

The Abersoch Christmas Festival weekend 28th, 29th & 30th November A wonderful festive weekend and a great opportunity to take advantage of late night shopping, offers and promotions in many of Abersoch’s shops, bars and restaurants.

• Street entertainment • Al Lewis performance • Lantern parade • Special offers • Face painting • Father Christmas • Craft fair • Brass band and carol singing For full details up see our special feature on page 68.

Carol Services A chance to take some time away from the madness of the festive season and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas while enjoying a good sing-along!

Sunday 14th December: Oriel Plas Glyn y Weddw Friends’ Carol Concert at 2pm. Tickets £4 - profit and collection towards buying a defibrillator.

Sunday 14th December: 6pm at St. Pedrog’s, Llanbedrog.

Sunday 21st December: 3pm at Llannor, 5pm at St. Hywyn’s Aberdaron, 5pm at St. Beuno’s, Botwynnog and 7pm at St. Engan’s, Llanengan.

Christmas Eve: 11-30pm (midnight mass service), at St. Pedrog’s, Llanbedrog.

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Plas yn Rhiw Christmas weekend 6th & 7th December Plas yn Rhiw, now owned by the National Trust, is a delightful 16th century manor house well worth a visit at any time of year. Over their Christmas weekend, you’ll have the chance to meet Father Christmas and see the house beautifully decorated - a great chance to find some special gifts for all the family too.

Adult £3, Child £3 (includes a gift from Father Christmas) Plas yn Rhiw, Rhiw, Pwllheli, LL53 8AB Website - nationaltrust.org.uk/plas-yn-rhiw

Llandudno Christmas Fayre Thursday 20th to Sunday 23rd November Llandudno Christmas Fayre boasts one of Wales’ largest annual Christmas markets with over 100 craft and food stalls.

There will be entertainment throughout the event including harpists, school choirs and ladies choirs • Entertainment including harpists and choirs • Hand-made and unusual crafts and gifts • Craft Demonstrations • Quality local food produce tastings and samples • Santa’s Grotto (Friday, Saturday & Sunday only) • A Dickensian atmosphere!

Madoc Street, Llandudno, LL30 2TW Website - www.llandudnochristmasfayre.co.uk

Craft Fairs and Shopping Events RNLI Coffee Morning Saturday 25th October,

Christmas Festival Weekend Craft Fair Saturday 29th November

Abersoch Village Hall, 10.30am-12.30pm A chance to buy your RNLI Christmas cards, as well as other craft/gifts stalls, cake stall and raffle.

Abersoch Village Hall,10am-4pm A chance to ‘shop local’ and buy your Christmas presents from small businesses and hobby crafters.

Lavender House Sparkly VIP Preview Evening Saturday October 25th from 6pm Lavender House unveils their new indulgent Boudoir section packed full of women’s gift ideas, a new men’s gift section, this seasons stunning Nordic decorations, beautiful home accessories and much more. To receive an invite to this unmissable event email info@ lovelavenderhouse.co.uk or call 01758 614343.

Oriel Plas Glyn y Weddw Craft and Produce Fair Thursday October 30th from 10am - 4pm.

Stalls, demonstrations, talks and workshops for children. Free entry as usual.

Ysgol Botwynnog Christmas Craft Fair Saturday 15th November, time tbc.

A large craft fair with a great range of stalls, a popular event that’s well worth a look!

Gwyl Celf LlYn Sunday 16th November

National Slate Museum Winter Fair Sunday 30th November, 11am-3pm, Llanberis Get set for Christmas with a special festive fun day for all the family - see Santa arrive at the museum on UNA the engine at 11am and then come and visit him in the beautiful grotto. Bring your letter to him and post it in the Christmas postbox - every letter gets an answer from Santa himself!

Visit the Quarrymen’s Houses all decorated for Christmas, make a Christmas craft to take home and enjoy story-telling, face painting, puppet shows and lots of seasonal cheer!

National Slate Museum, Llanberis, LL55 4TY website - www.museumwales.ac.uk/slate

Criccieth Croeso Dolig Thursday 4th December from 4.30pm A festive evening to welcome Christmas in Criccieth, from 4.30pm in the Memorial Hall, with lights on at 6pm. • Late night shopping • Santa’s Grotto • Entertainment • Christmas lights.

In Mynytho Hall, 1pm Local craft stalls.

Ladies Night at Studio Solo Friday 5th December, 4pm til 8.30pm

Ysgol Llanbedrog Christmas Fair Tuesday 18th November

Join the girls at Studio Solo in Pwllheli for Prosecco, canapés, 20% off all products, £10 off ghd stylers and lots of other gift ideas.

Studio Solo, High St, Pwllheli LL53 5RR • Phone 01758 701877

5.30pm-7.30pm, Llanbedrog Hall

Ysgol Foel Gron Christmas Fair Friday 21st November

WI Christmas Fair Saturday 6th December Abersoch Village Hall, 10.30am - 12.30pm

6pm at the Memorial Hall in Mynytho

Portmeirion Food and Craft Fair 6th & 7th December

Llanrwst Christmas Craft & Food Fair Friday 28th and Saturday 29th November

A great chance to do some Christmas shopping whilst enjoying the beautiful and quirky Portmeirion village. Further Christmas events/activities tbc.

Website - www.portmeirion-village.com Phone - 01766 770000

Friday 28th November, 3pm - 7pm, (includes the Christmas light switch on at 5.30pm) and Saturday 29th November, 10am - 3.30pm.

Glasdir, Plas yn Dre, Llanrwst, LL26 0DF website - www.glasdir.com

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Christmas

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Arts and Entertainment

Christmas

Christmas Display at e ~ Sachau idTyddyn u G n o ’s t a h ~W

Christmas

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hat’s on G W ~

Abersoch

Father Christmas in the playbarn at Greenwood Forest

Perfformiad Ysgol Ddawns Pwllheli 27th, 28th & 29th November Neuadd Dwyfor, Pwllheli Pwllheli Dance School’s annual ballet show - just as popular with the general public as it is with parents! Tickets £6.50/£3.50 Junior’s Performance - Thursday 7pm & Saturday 2.30pm Senior’s Performance - Friday & Saturday 7pm Neuadd Dwyfor, Stryd Penlan, Pwllheli, Gwynedd, LL53 5DE Phone - 01758 704088

The Chimes by Charles Dickens Friday December 5th 7.30pm, Neuadd Dwyfor, Pwllheli Lighthouse Theatre bring their signature style to this classic by the most theatrical of authors. With carols, music and - of course bells. Tickets £10.00/£8.00 Neuadd Dwyfor, Stryd Penlan, Pwllheli, Gwynedd, LL53 5DE Phone - 01758 704088

People’s Theatre Co: The Twelve Days of Christmas by Steven Lee Saturday 13th December

Santa’s Grottos

2.30pm - Neuadd Dwyfor, Pwllheli Clumsy Christopher the Elf is banished from the North Pole when one of his little accidents looks like it might ruin Christmas. Based on the popular Christmas carol, this sing-along musical takes a heartwarming look at the true meaning of Christmas. Tickets £8.50/£7.00 (£28 for a family of 4).

Neuadd Dwyfor, Stryd Penlan, Pwllheli, Gwynedd, LL53 5DE Phone - 01758 704088

Tyddyn Sachau Saturdays & Sundays 11.00am - 4.00pm Tyddyn Sachau garden centre and cafe is located just outside Pwllheli, they have a great range of Christmas decorations and a wonderful Christmas display that kids will love. Father Christmas will also be appearing in his grotto every weekend from 29th November until 21st December.

Website - www.tyddynsachau.co.uk Phone - 01758 612626.

Ffestiniog Railway ‘Santa Trains’ 13th & 14th and 20th & 21st December.

December brings the annual visit of Santa and his elves - join them for a trip along the line. Trains run between Porthmadog and Tan-y-Bwlch and will depart from Porthmadog at 11:00am and 14:15pm.

Santa and his elves pass through the train giving out presents to the children during the journey - with plenty of laughter and jokes along the way! At Tan-y-Bwlch there’s a chance to stretch your legs and take photographs with Santa and his helpers. Adults enjoy a glass of sherry and a mince pie on the ride back.

First Class: Adults & Children (2-15) - £15.50 / Children under

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2 - £3.00 Third Class: Adults & Children (2-15) - £11.00 / Children under 2 - £3.00 Advance booking is strongly recommended as trains are often sold-out well before departure! Phone 01766 516070 to check availability or to reserve tickets.

GreenWood Forest Park Saturdays & Sundays from 29th November until Christmas Have an enchanted time this Christmas; visit GreenWood on 29th & 30th November, 6th, 7th, 13, 14th, 20th or 21st of December to visit Santa’s Grotto. Children can meet Santa, receive a gift and play in the Enchanted WoodBarn. To book call 01248 671493 or email info@greenwoodforestpark.co.uk.

The WoodBarn can also be used without visiting the Grotto.

GreenWood Forest Park, Y Felinheli, LL56 4QN website - www.greenwoodforestpark.co.uk * See also Llandudno Christmas Fayre, Abersoch Christmas Festival Weekend, Criccieth Croeso Dolig and the National Slate Museum Winter Fair for more opportunities to meet Father Christmas!

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Christmas

uide ~ G n o ’s t a h Abersoch ~W

Starlight Players’ last panto ‘Snow White’ - photo courtsey of Terry Mills

“Oh Yes You Will!” . . .See a pantomime this Christmas season that is!

Ceri James-Evans takes a closer look at this fun and festive Christmas tradition.

Every one of us will have different memories of Christmas throughout our childhoods and into adulthood. Whether it be nostalgic recollections of turkey aromas wafting through the house or sweet thoughts of tearing off wrapping paper at goodness knows o’ clock on Christmas morning, our experiences and family traditions shape us and give us all a different idea of what Christmas entails. One experience that is likely to be high up in several Christmas memories however, is pantomime!

Pantomime as a concept dates back centuries and is likely to have derived both from a 16th century Italian tradition of comedy called commedia dell’arte as well as other traditions such as the 17th century masques of Europe and Britain. It is a musical comedy stage production and its main purpose is family entertainment.

The earliest pantomimes were without dialogue (spoken drama was banned outside of certain patented London theatres until 1843), and English versions consisted of five principle characters: the young lovers Harlequin and Columbine, Pantaloon and his servants Clown and Pierrot. Harlequin was usually the main character and the story of the Harlequinade remained essentially the same for about a century and a half, with a few extra characters appearing.

Due to the initial absence of dialogue, pantomimes have always been a very visual art form, with bright costumes and colour and exaggerated mime. Over the years, dialogue has been added and the plot has moved away from the traditional Harlequinade, with the story often centring around a traditional fairy tale. Modern pantomimes usually contain dances and songs, slapstick comedy and gender crossing actors. Audience participation is a must and it’s hard to imagine a pantomime without the obligatory “It’s behiiiiind you…”

Pantomimes are usually performed around Christmas and New Year and for many, going to a panto is an essential part of the festive season. We’ve listed a few options locally so whatever you do this festive period, make sure you get to a panto!

82 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

Pantos Cwmni Martyn Geraint a Theatrau Rhondda Cynon TAf Pantomeim: Pws Mewn Bwts December 7th, 8th & 9th A Welsh version of the famous Puss in Boots adventure, with Martyn Geraint returning as the Dame. Fun, music, dance, special effects and interactivity for all the family, and a great show for those learning Welsh.

Performances: Sunday 7th at 5pm, Monday 8th at 10am & 1pm, Tuesday 9th at 10am. Tickets £10.00/£8.00 Neuadd Dwyfor, Stryd Penlan, Pwllheli, Gwynedd, LL53 5DE Phone - 01758 704088

Cinderella Ynai at Glasdir, Llanrwst Performances: Saturday 28th November at 7pm, Sunday 29th November at 2pm, Thursday 4th December at 7pm, Friday 5th December at 7pm, Saturday 6th December at 7pm.

Glasdir, Plas Yn Dre, Llanrwst, LL26 0Dz Website - www.glasdir.com Phone - 01492 640640

‘Dracula - a Pantomime with Teeth’- Thursday 22nd Saturday 24th January The Memorial Hall, Criccieth The Starlight Players will be performing their annual pantomime in their usual “post-Christmas” slot in January. For 2015 the show is “Dracula - a Pantomime with Teeth”.

Performances: Thursday 22nd January to Saturday 24th January @ 7.30pm with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Tickets will be available later in the year - please see website thestarlightplayers.com for further details or contact Producer Kate Parry on 01766 523658.

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Christmas Planner 1

Be Prepared:

A lot of christmas recipes require a few months to mature for the best flavour now is the time to make your mincemeat, christmas pud and sloe gin!

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15 Rainy Day?

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Why not test out some mulled wine recipes - just to be sure!

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84 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

Order a Hamper

Harlech Foods offer an online service where you can order a hamper as a gift delivered with a personal greeting. Get it ordered now!

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October

The weeks and months in the run up to Christmas can get a bit hectic, so we’re giving you this handy planner with useful tips and dates to make the holiday season pass with ease. Feel free to fill in your own personal events and reminders to keep yourself organised.

Happy Planning!

Winter is Coming..

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Time to stock up on cold and flu remedies for the family!

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A Spot of Shopping Lavender House Sparkly VIP Preview Evening - from 6pm

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Book your Tickets

Now is the time to grab tickets for Al Lewis’s performance at the Abersoch Christmas Festival weekend from Present Thoughts - hurry before they are gone!

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Half Term Begins

Get crafty making homemade decorations and gifts with the kids this week

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Where to Stay?

One month to go until the Abersoch Christmas Festival Weekend - if you are visiting have you booked your accomodation?

Notes

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Christmas Planner Make a List

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Start thinking about who you’re going to buy gifts for now! Make notes in a notebook or in your phone every time you get an idea or you might not remember them when the time comes!

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Plan to Shop

Decide on a day to get the majority of your present shopping done - a trip to the big city, a day spent online shopping or even a trip to Abersoch- see our local gift guide on page 54

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Meet Santa!

Father Christmas will be at Tyddyn Sachau every Saturday and Sunday from now until Christmas!

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the 30 DustDeoff cor Fetch those old christmas decorations out of the attic

Christmas trees now available from the Abersoch Garden Centre and Tyddyn Sachau

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19Home Delivery

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Get your pre-christmas online grocery shopping delivery slots booked now to beat the rush

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Choccy Time!

Buy everyone in the family an advent calendar ready for December 1st

Enter the

21Abersoch Triple Crown

Entries for the Triple Crown open online today, see page 49 for details!

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Christmas Festival!

Get down to the Abersoch Christmas Festival - for more information go to page 68

Notes

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Christmas Planner 1

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Nom Nom!

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School Plays

Don’t forget to make a note of any you need to attend

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The

Try our Abersoch themed Christmas story on page 22

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88 | Abersoch Christmas Magazine 2014

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Baked With Love

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Today is the last date to order Christmas cakes, Christmas puddings, mince pies etc from Blade’s Café

n’t Forget 17ThDoe Br ead Sauce

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Make a note of your local supermarket’s seasonal opening times

... and order your presents online!

Read 2 2 Kids a Story

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Make some freezable hors de ouvres to take to any parties you are invited to at a moment’s notice!

Start that advent calendar

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Freezable Goodies

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Wrap it up

Buy perishable foods, collect the turkey and of course get that gift wrapping done!

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Set the table, prep the veg, buy the last minute gifts, hang your stocking, put out a tot of brandy for Father Christmas and a carrot for Rudolph!

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December Handmade with Love

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Premium ‘Copas’ turkeys need to be ordered from Terry’s Butchers by today if you want them in time for Christmas. Phone 01758 712110

Time to start making your handmade gifts, see our handmade christmas section on page 26

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Post it!

Today is the last chance to send your 2nd class mail for it to arrive in time for Christmas

5 Happy

Christmas!

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Post it!

Today is the last chance to post to countries in Western Europe for it to arrive in time for Christmas

Gobble Gobble

Get your Turkey ordered from Terry’s Butchers by tomorrow if you want it in time for Christmas. Phone 01758 712110

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Take a Walk

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Post it!

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Oh No You Won’t!

Make a note of your local panto dates, see page 84 for some ideas!

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Today is the last chance to post to send your 1st class mail for it to arrive in time for Christmas

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Try Andrew Jones’ Boxing day walk on page 20

Don’t forget to get down to the beach on New Year’s Day for the RNLI Charity Dip!

Notes

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Christmas at Sea

by Robert Louis Stevenson

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Photograph by Totally Abersoch

The sheets were frozen hard, and they cut the naked hand; The decks were like a slide, where a seaman scarce could stand; The wind was a nor’-wester, blowing squally off the sea; And cliffs and spouting breakers were the only things a-lee.

They heard the suff a-roaring before the break of day; But ‘twas only with the peep of light we saw how ill we lay.

We tumbled every hand on deck instanter, with a shout, And we gave her the maintops’l, and stood by to go about.

All day we tacked and tacked between the South Head and the North; All day we hauled the frozen sheets, and got no further forth; All day as cold as charity, in bitter pain and dread, For very life and nature we tacked from head to head.

We gave the South a wider berth, for there the tide-race roared; But every tack we made we brought the North Head close aboard.

So’s we saw the cliff and houses and the breakers running high, And the coastguard in his garden, with his glass against his eye.

The frost was on the village roofs as white as ocean foam; The good red fires were burning bright in every longshore home; The windows sparkled clear, and the chimneys volleyed out; And I vow we sniffed the victuals as the vessel went about.

The bells upon the church were rung with a mighty jovial cheer; For it’s just that I should tell you how (of all days in the year) This day of our adversity was blessèd Christmas morn, And the house above the coastguard’s was the house where I was born.

O well I saw the pleasant room, the pleasant faces there, My mother’s silver spectacles, my father’s silver hair; And well I saw the firelight, like a flight of homely elves, Go dancing round the china plates that stand upon the shelves.

And well I knew the talk they had, the talk that was of me, Of the shadow on the household and the son that went to sea; And O the wicked fool I seemed, in every kind of way, To be here and hauling frozen ropes on blessèd Christmas Day. They lit the high sea-light, and the dark began to fall.

“All hands to loose topgallant sails,” I heard the captain call.

“By the Lord, she’ll never stand it,” our first mate, Jackson, cried. . . . .”It’s the one way or the other, Mr. Jackson,” he replied.

She staggered to her bearings, but the sails were new and good, And the ship smelt up to windward just as though she understood; As the winter’s day was ending, in the entry of the night, We cleared the weary headland, and passed below the light.

And they heaved a mighty breath, every soul on board but me, As they saw her nose again pointing handsome out to sea; But all that I could think of, in the darkness and the cold, Was just that I was leaving home and my folks were growing old.

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