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How to make mini Christmas cake canapés
How to make mini Christmas cake canapés, a perfect seasonal mouthful.
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The step-by-step, stress-free plan for cooking Christmas lunch, by Tom Aikens
Tom Aikens shares his recipes and advice for the perfect Christmas lunch: turkey, cranberry, roast potatoes and all the trimmings
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With love from Father Christmas: J.R.R. Tolkien's enchanting Christmas letters to his children
For nearly a quarter of a century, J. R. R. Tolkien sent his children elaborate letters and pictures from the North Pole. Ben Lerwill explores the penmanship, kindness and magic that went into Letters From Father Christmas.
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11 of the best gins to buy this Christmas
Our Christmas gin special includes some of our favourites available right now.
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10 perfect Christmas gifts for gadget lovers, from £25 to £3,694.99
Whether it's your eccentric uncle, your half-sibling with an exotic lifestyle or the person you've been married to for 23 years, it's not always easy picking presents for overgrown schoolboys. Lucky for you that Hetty Lintell and Toby Keel are here to help.
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Christmas gifts for nature and garden lovers
If you're after a gift for somebody who loves the great outdoors – whether in their back garden or out in the wilderness – we've got an idea for you.
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Growing your own Christmas tree: Alan Titchmarsh on what to plant and where to plant it
Why buy your Christmas tree when you can grow your own and enjoy these handsome, statuesque trees all year round? Alan Titchmarsh offers his tips.
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Best Christmas gifts for outdoorsy people, from £12 to £9,900
If you're looking for a present for someone who loves getting out and about and finding new adventures, Toby Keel, Hetty Lintell and Alexandra Fraser have picked out some great Christmas gifts for lovers of the great outdoors.
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14 perfect Christmas gift ideas for the man or woman who has everything
From beautiful books and artistic accessories to a weekend away in one of the country's most famous castles, these gifts from our carefully-selected partners offer options for everyone — no matter how tricky to buy for.
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Country Life's Christmas message, from The Bishop of Leeds: 'I wish everyone – the faithful and the faithless – a happy and earthy Christmas'
The Bishop of Leeds, The Rt Revd Nicholas Baines, talks of the relevance of the Christmas story to all and why everyone is welcome at church.
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24 Christmas disasters to make you feel better about burning the turkey, from poisoned guests to 7,000 acres of fire damage
Rough Christmas? Fear not, we have two dozen tales of how it could certainly get worse. Thank Kit Hesketh-Harvey.
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The nativity camels: Unbelievably clever, a tad greedy and undeniably festive
‘They know we’d never take them anywhere dangerous. They trust us so much.'
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Bubbly tips for the festive season: Drink British, ignore the silver spoon and abandon the coupe
Charlie Holland, head winemaker and CEO of Gusbourne, talks to Hetty Lintell about how and what to drink this Christmas.
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Gift ideas for those who love experiences
Experiences are the new kid on the block when it comes to Christmas presents, but their growing popularity is well-founded.
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The best mince pies in Britain 2019: Country Life's ultimate taste test
Mince pies maketh Christmas, but where will you find the very best? To save you the trouble, we’ve tried them all in the great Country Life mince-pie taste off.
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The Country Life Christmas message, by the Lord Bishop of Winchester: Jesus comes into our lives, our celebrations, and can inspire change
The Rt Revd Tim Dakin, the Lord Bishop of Winchester, writes a special Christmas message for readers of Country Life.
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The 12 party games of Christmas
The Twelve Days of Christmas land you with 12 days of enforced revelry. That’s 12 sub-sets of step-relations, 12 afternoons and evenings, 12 tailbacks on the M25. Kit Hesketh-Harvey suggests 12 games to keep you sane.
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Curious Questions: Why do we say 'Merry Christmas' instead of 'Happy Christmas'?
Have you ever stopped to wonder why we say 'Merry Christmas' when for every other occasion we use the word 'happy' instead'? Probably not, but now we've pointed it out the reason will bug you until you've read the answer.
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The utterly inessential shopping list: 16 last-minute Christmas presents
What's that? You haven't done your Christmas shopping yet? Alexandra Fraser will help you put that right.
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How ham can be the real show-stopper of the Christmas table and where to find your one this year
At once sumptuous yet simple, a ham is an age-old tradition that for many is the real highlight of the Christmas feasting. Flora Watkins digs in.
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Curious Questions: Why on earth do we have Christmas trees?
In the middle of winter, we cut down fir trees, bring them inside and decorate them – then let them shed small, spiky needles throughout our homes. Why would we do such a thing? Toby Keel investigates.
