Here at STAG Mumbler, we are always keen to hear your recommendations of things for our Mumblers to do during the holidays. If you have any suggestions, or you’re running a festive business, activity or event, simply drop us an email telling us all about it at stag@mumbler.co.uk and we’ll get you listed!

We are adding to this page all the time, so please keep checking back.

The perfect Christmas present is here!

Book afternoon tea at The Parsonage Hotel & Spa and enjoy Boxing Day in style.

You can book via our website or contact us on 01904 728111 to talk to a member of our friendly team for more information.

3 courses of your Christmas favourites for only £28.50 per person.
Book your table now!
FEAST brings the fun to the school holidays, offering loads of different activities for everyone to take part in, helping children and young people in North Yorkshire to stay engaged, active, fed – and warm – this Christmas.All children and young people across North Yorkshire can get involved in a range of activities, with free places and a free meal for eligible children and young people, thanks to funding from the Department for Education. Some of the activities we offer are specifically for children and young people with special educational needs, and many others are inclusive for those children.
If your child is eligible for benefits-related Free School Meals or is made eligible by exception (see the website FAQs for details), you will receive a voucher from their school. This will enable you to book school holiday activities that are part of the FEAST programme for free, using the online platform HolidayActivities.To see all the fantastic activities on offer and learn more about how to claim a free place, visit the FEAST website. You can also get the latest updates on new FEAST activities and resources by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Further info available via the events page 

Sunday 3rd December 2023

Come down to support your local community organisations and businesses and have a great time with all the family.

Further info available

Sunday 10th December 2023
FREE ENTRY
Over 30 stalls booked!
The Courtyard Play Cafe will be open selling festive afternoon teas, hot drinks and other tasty homemade food!
We can’t wait to see you there!

15th December, in partnership White Rose Football Club who will have food and music from 6pm.

The Parsonage Hotel and Spa, Escrick, York, YO19 6LF

T: 01904 728 111
E: sales@parsonagehotel.co.uk

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
TWITTER

 

The Parsonage Hotel and Spa, Escrick, York, YO19 6LF

T: 01904 728 111
E: sales@parsonagehotel.co.uk

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
TWITTER

Our annual Black Tie Dinner Dance is back again.
Join us here on Saturday 16th December 2023 and enjoy a night full of elegant dining and entertainment.
Limited space available, enquire today!

 

The Parsonage Hotel and Spa, Escrick, York, YO19 6LF

T: 01904 728 111
E: sales@parsonagehotel.co.uk

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
TWITTER

Roast potatoes

Ingredients

Littleseed Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil, or try our Potato Wedges Oil for extra flavour!

6-8 medium potatoes

2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

Few sprigs of rosemary

Salt

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 220C. Peel (or not!) and halve the potatoes, boil for 5-6 minutes to part cook them. Drain and toss in the seasoned flour.

Remove the potatoes from the flour and toss in lots of oil. Fry on the hob for a few minutes until the edges are crisp then transfer into a roasting tin. Sprinkle with some salt and pop in the rosemary springs. Cook for about 30 mins or until golden brown.

See their full range of fabulous oils here (we’ve tested them here at STAG HQ and were so impressed)

Some people find cooking a turkey super stressful, and extra stress is one thing none of us need this year. We’ve suggested some top turkey tips that we hope will come in handy.

1. Don’t have a turkey, try a different meat. We could never sacrifice it at STAG HQ, but we hear from many families who go for an alternative.

2. Don’t get one so big. Yes, we know how great it is to bring out the giant turkey on the Christmas family heirloom plate, but think about how much meat is often leftover, so downsize!

3. Make sure you plan ahead and allow enough time for your turkey to defrost.

4. Make sure you have a tin big enough to hold it.

5. Most people get anxious that their turkey isn’t cooked through. The purchase of a meat thermometer should help take that stress away.

6. Make sure you have room in your oven. We made the mistake of trying to be organised and ensuring the turkey fit in the oven, and it did, beautifully. What never crossed our mind was where all the other blumming veg was going to go!

7. Allow the bird to reach room temperature before placing in the oven and it’s fine to take the turkey out and let it rest with some foil over it while you’re finishing off the rest of the veg.

8. Sit your turkey on a layer of root vegetables, they caramelise beautifully and will make for some super tasty gravy.

9. Write down all your timings, what time things will go in the oven, the temperature and when they need taking out.

10.When you’ve finished and it’s cooled, pop any leftovers straight in the fridge or you could end up eating turkey that’s been left out in a warm house for hours.

 

Finally, don’t forget Mumblers, if all ends in disaster, it’s really not the end of the world (unless of course there’s some badass food poisoning involved) but seriously, it’s just a piece of meat and it’s really not what Christmas is all about. Just dazzle them later with your Mum/Dad Christmas dancing and bring out the Quality Streets and all will be forgotten! Don’t stress that your crap turkey will ruin the Boxing Day sandwiches, just slap on plenty of cranberry sauce or grab the leftover gravy and slip in the ultimate Friends inspired Moist Maker.

Bolton Percy Christmas Market 2023

Saturday 25th November 2023 1pm-4pm

Lots of stalls (many new for 2023) – showcasing locally-produced home and garden decorations, tasty treats, hand-made confectionaries, beautiful jewellery, crafts and gifts for all the family. Choir performance at 3pm from the children of Appleton Roebuck Primary School plus Santa himself between 2pm and 3pm!

All Saints Church, Main Street, Bolton Percy, North Yorkshire YO23 7AQ

Cawood Christmas Fair 2023

More info coming soon

Dessert and baking inspiration

Cheese Board: Do you know you can freeze many cheeses? Cheese makes a great dessert or nibble board when everyone gets the munchies later into the evening. You can freeze what’s left, or even use it to make yummy cheese toasties the next day.

Forgotten the chutneys? Don’t worry, honey makes a delicious drizzle for cheese.

Christmas Pudding Ice Cream: Do you have leftover Christmas Cake or Pudding? Don’t let it go to waste, whizz it up in a blender with vanilla ice cream. You can also add a little tipple such as sherry or baileys and mixed spice. Serve once frozen with your favourite sauce.

Cookie perfection: If you’re looking for the perfectly shaped cookie (especially if making as gifts), place the cookie dough balls in the bottom of bun/muffin tins. This will give them a perfect round shape and ensure they’re all the same size.

Golden Roast Potatoes

Laura Ford, a nutritionist from Melbourne reveals her secret recipe to ensure the perfect roast every time!

‘The most addictive potatoes you’ll ever eat are these honey butter roast potatoes,’ Laura wrote in an Instagram post. The perfect balance of sweet and salty with the crispiest edges. Sorry in advance because honestly you won’t be able to stop eating these guys.’

Honey butter roast potatoes
INGREDIENTS

2kg red baby potatoes, cut into 1cm slices
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
50g butter (use vegan butter if vegan)
All purpose seasoning
Salt and pepper
1 – 2 tbsp honey (depending how sweet you like it, 1.5 works for my tastebuds)
Fresh thyme leaves to garnish (optional)

Full recipe here

Check out Laura’s website for a wide range of recipes

 

Leftover wine?

Don’t let leftover wine go to waste, simply pour it into ice cube trays and use it at a later date for when you’re cooking casseroles, stews and other recipes.

Living North Christmas Fair 2023

9th – 12th November 2023

Join us for a jam-packed day of shopping, food, live music and more as our Yorkshire Christmas Fair returns to York Racecourse!
We’re thrilled to invite you to the biggest and best seasonal shopping event in the North, with more than 250 carefully-selected stands, from artisan designer-makers, local food producers and fashion retailers to homewares, gifts and accessories, and of course special Christmas decorations.

Melted Snowman Cookies

We love these Melted Snowman Cookies from Delish.

These can be adapted for the time you have, either make everything from scratch and make or buy the cookies one day, decorate them the next.

YOU WILL NEED

  • 1 dozen baked sugar cookies
  • 6 marshmallows, halved at an angle
  • White cookie icing, for decorating
  • Black cookie icing or melted chocolate, for decorating
  • 12 orange sprinkles, for noses
  • 24 mini M&M’s, for buttons
  • Chocolate sprinkles, for arms

Full directions available here 

Reindeer Gingerbread Cookies

Whether you make these from scratch or simply decorate a bought gingerbread, the choice is yours. We love these ones from Waitrose.

YOU WILL NEED 

  • 125g butter
  • 100g dark brown muscovado sugar
  • 4 tbsp golden syrup
  • 325g plain flour
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • Writing icing to decorate

Full instructions available here 

Selby Town Council Christmas Market and Christmas Lights Switch On – Saturday 2nd December 2023

With over 40 stalls to browse through, entertainment from local school choirs, BLS, dancing turkeys and DONKEYS. Not to mention a special visit from the man in red 🎅. Start your Christmas shopping, enjoy sipping on warm mulled wine whilst singing along to some carols to get you into the Christmas spirit.

The Shed – Event Catering Services

Event Catering services for busy parents from “The Shed”. We are a small family business with a passion for good food, we offer a range of services;

Event catering– a range of options both delivered or served at your choice of venue or home, all home made by us, prices starting at £7.50/ person, we can cater for vegans, vegetarians, gluten free etc.

A bit of a treat, home delivered Grazing platters/picnics starting from £10/ person, a treat for two or ideal for a night in at home with family or friends.

Dinner party at home– difficult finding babysitters? Why not try our private dining service? We cook, serve, and clean up for you and your guests in your home, priced from £35/person for a 3 course meal.

Contact us on the following;

Top Gravy Tip

Get it ready nice and early and pop it in a thermos flask. It will keep it nice and warm, leaving you with plenty of time to focus on other things.

York Christmas Market 2023 (formerly St Nicholas’ Fair)

16th November – 22nd December 2023

The festive alpine chalets will return to line Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square for this year’s York Christmas Market, creating a Christmas wonderland of local traders and artisan products.

It’s a great opportunity to enjoy the Christmas lights in York, sip on a hot chocolate and buy a few Christmas gifts for friends and family.

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