Easing Gently into the Start of Christmas

Our Norfolk creative workshops often come alive in the quiet moments as much as the busy ones, and at this time of year those moments feel especially precious. As the winter term comes to a close at Reef Make and Do, the shift from workshop bustle to the gentle beginnings of Christmas brings a welcome pause and a chance to reflect on the months of making that have shaped our community.

After a wonderfully ful

l run of workshops this term , I am now at home easing into Christmas with my family. It always feels like a sudden change of pace. One day I am laying tables, making bread, and checking soup pots, and the next I am standing in my kitchen with a cup of tea wondering where to begin with the lists and wrapping paper. There is a mixture of relief, tiredness, and a soft sense of anticipation.

Once the workshops finish for the term the house feels different. Quieter. Softer. Rounder at the edges. I find myself thinking back over the people who have walked through the doors this past term and the things they have made. Beautiful reduction lino prints. Pottery tiles. Bold and joyful paintings. Willow wreaths. Silver clay jewellery. All created in rooms filled with warm conversation and that steady hum that appears when people are deeply focused yet relaxed.

It is always at this point in December that I realise how much these gatherings shape the rhythm of my year. Hosting them is busy, but it is the sort of busy that fills rather than drains. There is something deeply reassuring in the way adults who have never met settle easily together at a table, sharing scissors, ideas, cake, and conversation as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

As I pause before the new term begins, I am reminded of how important it is to carve out time for creativity. Not as an achievement or an obligation, but as a steadying presence in the week. January often catches people by surprise, so having something creative to look forward to can make those early winter weeks feel lighter and more hopeful.

If you enjoy starting the new year with a little colour and making, you may like to browse the early workshops and courses already open to book. The first workshop of 2026 is my Lemon Preserves day on Tuesday 6 January, where we will make lemon curd, lemon mayonnaise, and preserved lemons. It is one of my favourite ways to brighten the quietest month of the year. Gift vouchers are also available for anyone who would enjoy a calm and creative day out. They arrive instantly by email and have been very popular this season. You can explore our full range of workshops, courses and weekly classes on the website, and I will be adding more new workshops over the holidays, including sessions with two new makers.

Wherever you are this week, I hope December is gentle. If you are hosting, I hope it feels manageable. If you are resting, I hope it is peaceful. And if you are somewhere in between, I hope you find a few quiet pockets of calm to enjoy.

If you have time why not try this lovley Stollen recipe. It is a great 'get ahead'

recipe as you can make it now and then freeze it until you want it.

Christmas Stollen

A rich and fragrant loaf that tastes even better after a day or two. The recipe is for one large Stollen bread but you could make two smaller ones.

Ingredients

For the dough

500g strong white bread flour

100g caster sugar

2 teaspoons fast action yeast

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon mixed spice

200ml warm whole milk or 1 large egg, lightly beaten

150g unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into small pieces

For the fruit mixture

200g mixed dried fruit

75g mixed peel

75g raisins

75g glacé cherries quartered

Finely grated zest of

1 lemon

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

3 tablespoons rum or orange juice

200g marzipan shaped into a neat sausage about 18cm long

For finishing

50g unsalted butter meltedIcing sugar for dusting 

Method

1. Place all the dried fruit, peel, raisins, cherries, lemon zest, orange zest, and rum in a bowl. Mix well and set aside for at least one hour to allow the flavours to plump and absorb.

2. In a large bowl or stand mixer combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, cinnamon, and mixed spice.

3. Add the warm milk and beaten egg and bring together into a soft dough. Knead for ten minutes by hand or for about seven minutes in a mixer with a dough arm until smooth and elastic.

4. Add the butter a few pieces at a time, kneading well after each addition. The dough will soften and appear sticky at first but it will come together. Continue kneading until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough feels silky.

5. Knead in the soaked fruit mixture until evenly distributed. This will take a little patience but it is worth doing slowly so the fruit does not tear the dough.

6. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and leave to rise in a warm place for about one and a half to two hours until doubled in size.

7. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a rectangle about 30cm long. Lay the marzipan sausage along the centre. Fold the dough over the marzipan, pressing the seam to seal, and shape into a neat oval.

8. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Cover loosely and allow to rise again for about forty five minutes until slightly puffy.

9. Preheat the oven to 180C.

10. Bake the Stollen for thirty five to forty minutes until golden brown and firm. If it browns too quickly you can cover it loosely with foil.

11. While still warm brush the entire loaf generously with melted butter. Leave for ten minutes then repeat. Dust thickly with icing sugar and allow to cool completely.

12. Wrap tightly in greaseproof paper and then foil. Stollen keeps very well for several days and the flavour improves as it rests. You can also make it now and freeze it.

Enjoy!