Last year I posted about the origins of Christmas in July so I won't go into that again today but if you would like to read more about Christmas in July just click here.
This year I will be making the same kinds of festive treats and I will decorating the house with just a few things to put us in the Christmas spirit. I've also decided to make mulled wine again as it was so delicious and warming last year.
Mulled wine, variations of which are popular in Europe, is wine, usually red, combined with spices and typically served warm. It is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas and Halloween.
Jamie Oliver's Mulled wine recipe
Ingredients
• 2 clementines/oranges
• peel of 1 lemon
• peel of 1 lime
• 250g caster sugar
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 1 whole nutmeg
• 1 whole vanilla pod, halved
• 2 star anise
• 2 bottles of Chianti, or other Italian red wine
Method
Peel large sections of peel from the citrus using a peeler. Put the sugar in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the pieces of peel and squeeze in the clementine juice. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and about 10 to 12 gratings of nutmeg. Add halved vanilla pod and stir in just enough red wine to cover the sugar. Let this simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved into the red wine and then bring to the boil. Keep on a rolling boil for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until the liquid transforms into a thick syrup. This creates a flavour base because the sugar and spices infuse with the wine.
When the syrup is ready turn the heat down to low and add star anise and both bottles of wine. Gently heat the wine and after around 5 minutes, when it’s warm and delicious, ladle it into glasses and serve.
One song that will definitley be on my playlist for my Christmas in july party will be Ella Fitzgerald's version of Winter Wonderland with Frank DeVol's Orchestra.
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What is your favourite Christmas Song? Do you have any suggestions for songs that I might like to add to my Christmas playlist? I would love to hear your suggestions!
Best wishes and I hope you have a wonderful week,
Please join me each weekend for the Say G'day Saturday Linky Party!
Thank you for your recipe.. This sounds wonderful. I can't wait to try it. Happy Summer, many blessings, marlis
ReplyDeletea great time of year for a christmas lunch when the weather's cold! your lunch sounds lovely : )
ReplyDeletecheryl x
I love that you are doing Christmas in July and so appreciate the recipe as I do love red wine. The links were great as well. I think my favorite around Christmas time is "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas".
ReplyDeleteIt is more like Christmas weather where you are... at least the Christmas that I was used to.
ReplyDeleteI love your beautiful pictures and the warm and cozy feel they bring. I'm putting your delicious recipe away until November.
Happy Christmas in July!
xo Yvonne
Natasha I love Christmas so I enjoy this, nice post, I cant wait arrive Christmas, gloria
ReplyDeletebeauty post!
Sounds lovely, Natasha. I like the idea of Christmas in July. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI've never tried mulled wine. It sounds delicious.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas in July!
Thank you so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh Natasha, your mulled wine looks so delicious....Christine
ReplyDeleteLove and more.......Ria....xxx...
ReplyDeleteYup, that is my all-time favourite Christmas song. You got it in one!
ReplyDeleteWhat a brilliant idea Christmas in July is! I've always found it funny that Australians I know in London talk about our Christmas feeling "like a proper Christmas". I'd always assumed that whatever you grew up with is what feels "proper" but I suppose all those cards with snow and roaring log fires seeps into people's psyches! We always have mulled wine at Christmas and although we use the same spices as that Jamie recipe we always include some spirit, such as brandy, as it really enhances the flavour. Finally (sorry this is turning into a blog post!) a Christmas song I love is Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses. It always makes me feel really happy and festive. And anything from the Phil Spector's Christmas Gift Just For You LP. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteWonderful pictures! I think my favorite Christmas song has to be O Holy Night.
ReplyDeleteBut I love most of them! :)
Hope you all have a great week!
One of my favorite beverages to serve when I have a group coming during the holidays. I save your recipe, it sounds delicious.. Christmas in July for your Sunday Song is a way enjoy a little of my favorite holiday.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
~Emily
The French Hutch
HI Natasha! Oh, this sounds so wonderful to have Christmas in July!! Thank you for the recipe too.
ReplyDeleteThank you for inviting me to join your Sunday Song party. You know, I'm always singing! :)
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
Hello my friend! So good of you to drop by to say "hey!" I'll have to get busy and add to "Sunday Song", have missed it since Christmas. Love the idea of Christmas in July...all year would suit me fine!
ReplyDeleteXoXoXo
Joy @ tomorrowsmemorieskjlb.blogspot.com
and
christmasspiritallyearlong.blogspot.com
Your Christmas in July party sounds fabulous! Have fun!
ReplyDeleteLove Ella Fitzgerald! Any song. And while it is waaaaaayyyy too hot for mulled wine here right now, I look forward to trying this one in December. ;) blessings ~ tanna
ReplyDeleteWow.. you've got me feeling all christmassy ~ and then I went outside and got a reality check. lol
ReplyDeleteThanks for following the spoonful blog ~ I am always happy to meet new friends.
My favorite christmas song.. tough one.. probably Christmas Canon's by the Trans Siberian Orchestra.
Have a fantastic day.
Hi sweet lady...well, I don't drink wine but your drinks here do look wonderful..love this song too..and the beautiful muffins in the post below..wow, they look dee-lish! :D
ReplyDeleteWith it being winter in Australia, Christmas in July makes perfect sense! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI love your blog! I never know where to look first! And I love the Christmas in July...Love to you, keep going we love you!!!
ReplyDeleteYou do Christmas in July? Okay, now that is rocking! I do something similar for my birthday which is Christmas in September. I hope you won't be offended if I include a link. If so, feel free to delete the comment, okay?
ReplyDeletehttp://teachinfourth.blogspot.com/2010/09/3rd-annual-christmas-in-september.html
Now, a list of songs to add to your Christmas playlist? Why don't you give these a try...
"All I Really Want for Christmas" - Steven Curtis Chapman.
"Christmastime" - Michael W. Smith.
"Christmas Cannon" - The Transiberian Orchestra.
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - Jars of Clay.
"The First Noel" - FFH.
"Do You Hear What I Hear?" - Third Day.
And one of my all-time favorites is "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" by Jerrytown (I posted it on Youtube). Man, but I love Dustin Christensen's voice...hope you like it too.
Ella Fitzgerald? You've got taste!
P.S. Sorry I didn't use the linky, buy I had far too many songs I liked..
Hi Natasha - What a great idea - when it's chilly out, Christmas holidays always come to mind!
ReplyDeleteThe mulled wine cider looks yummy...
Joined the Sunday Song - sorry, but I can't actually link onto the hop becuz it keeps saying I'm not linking to my post directly - I linked/posted your Sunday Song button and code on my blog, though!
Enjoy your Sunday and CIJ holiday!
Linda
Love the idea of Christmas in July :) Unfortunately here in my neck of the woods we have been experiencing 100 degree weather for the past few weeks so Christmas will have to wait till December! Frank Sinatra's " Let It Snow" always does it for me. Hope you have a great time celebrating
ReplyDeleteThis is a great recipe i would like to try. Aww so nice to think about Christmas :)
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful idea! Everything looks so great :)
ReplyDeletenew follower from Mom n Baby
Jenny @
www.sippycupchronicles.com
www.whatsthemommybuzz.blogspot.com
love mulled wine funny to see christmas in July though he he
ReplyDeleteI've printed out the recipe and I'm going to be trying it out this Christmas! Thank you so much! Also, love the picture of Ella Fitzgerald, one of my favorites! I'm now one of your followers. Can't wait to see more of your inspirations.
ReplyDeletethis song made me feel so good. we just got in from being out in the hot summer sun. We've hit a record high and thinking of Christmas and snow sounds fabulous right now. ☺
ReplyDeleteI've only tasted mulled wine once. It was Christmas time in Cumbria, England. And it was WONDERFUL!!!
ReplyDeleteMy favourite Christmas song is Sleigh Bells by Andy Williams. I was definitely born in the wrong hemisphere! lol :)
This looks like a wonderful recipe, I'll tuck it away for the December celebration of the season.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being a part of Seasonal Sundays.
- The Tablescaper
Ooh this post really got me into the christmas spirit! My favourite is white christmas and other snowy songs which is rather silly since in Australia we have nice hot summery christmases!
ReplyDeleteDear Natasha, I love your spirit. Your blog is full of energy, fun and love. Merry Christmas and many blessings, Catherine xo
ReplyDeleteThank you for your visit to my blog and for leaving a kind comment. I look forward to the visits.
You've got me excited for Christmas!
ReplyDeleteHi Natasha, what a wonderful post. It is weird to think that our summer is your winter ... no wonder Christmas in July is a great idea. I love your photos and ideas, but thinking of Christmas right now is overwhelming, lol.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by to say hello, I really appreciate it.
Kathy M.
I love Ella Fitzgerald. I also love listening to Christmas music throughout the year. It's hard to believe just 6 more months until Christmas. It will be here before we know it.
ReplyDeleteHow fun to do a Christmas in July party! I've never had mulled wine, bet it smells (and tastes) wonderful!
ReplyDeleteKatherine
I don't think that I have ever had mulled wine either...It does look wonderful...for a few months down the road. How fun to do a Christmas themed party in July...Believe it or not Hubs and I were just talking about Christmas plans...It is NEVER to early to talk about Christmas! :)
ReplyDelete~Liz
Nice blog you have and thankyou for joining mine:-)
ReplyDeleteRegards from Sweden
I'll take a glass of that wonderful wine!!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas song...that doesn't make me cry is Santa Baby by Ertha Kitt....not if you want to see me really cry...White Christmas...it reminds me of home!
Delightful recipe to be tucked away until the snow flies around here....which would be a welcome relief from this gosh-awful heat. ugh!
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful photos, Natasha...I especially like the one with the little scarf on the mug. CUTE idea!!
fondly,
Rett
HI Natasha! Thanks for stopping by! Your blog is so lovely! And this mulled wine sounds amazing! Love that you want to keep the spirit of Christmas throughout the whole year!! That is as it should be!
ReplyDeleteHope you have a wonderful week!!
Hugs to you!
Becky
Thanks for stopping by my Song of the Week. I love your blog! I'll be checking out your Sunday Song. One of my favorite Christmas albums is "Christmastime with the Judds" and I'm not even a big fan of country music but it's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to make that mulled wine. Right now it's 90 degrees here so I don't think just yet!
Oh, what a great rendition of this fun and COOL song for this HOT day in July! I do enjoy this particular Christmas carol so it's a special treat for our White Christmas in July fun. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI have so many favorite Christmas Carols, but I think three of my faves are
Joy To the World
Angels We Have Heard On High
Carol of the Bells.
Have a fun week! :)
Natasha, how wonderful to have you join in the party. When I saw your picture linked up I was thrilled. I would so love sharing some of that mulled wine with you. Yummy.
ReplyDeleteI have so many favorite Christmas songs but my favorite is O Holy Night, especially when sung by Andrea Bocelli. I also love a new one I encountered a couple of years ago. It's by a band called Downhere and the song is titled How Many Kings. Absolutely beautiful melody and lyrics.
Earlier today I posted about one of my favorite song writers, Irving Berlin and included one of his songs from White Christmas. I think I'll join you and link that post here.
ReplyDeleteThank you for dreaming along.
Love and blessings, my dear.
That looks so good, por me a glass and I'll be right there...lol
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas (in july)
Beautiful! We do mulled wine in my home as well and I agree it is truly Christmas in a glass! There is just something about the smell, mixed with cranberries that fills the home. Beautifully done, thanks for adding this lovely post to the Christmas in July party.
ReplyDeleteYum! I found your blog at a Christmas in July party & wanted to invite you to join in on my Christmas in July event.... details here: http://www.stringtownhome.blogspot.com/p/christmas-in-july.html...
ReplyDeleteHave a great Friday!
-Heather
Stringtown Home