And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.   [Luke 2:8-20]

Christmas Jumper of the Day

Today's Christmas Jumper of the Day comes to us care of Helen AND Elizabeth Leia! 

Nothing more needs saying about Elizabeth - she's a Princess! But a knitted R2D2 with reindeer horns and Christmas lights? This is some kind of genius. 

And it reminds me of that great Star Wars Christmas joke: 

Darth Vader: I know what you’re getting for Christmas.
Luke: How do you know?
Darth Vader: I can feel your presents.

Helen, we salute you. 

You Will Need 

vegetable oil for brushing 
350 g (12oz) plain white flour
5ml (1 level tsp) bicarbonate of soda 
10ml (2 level tsp) ground ginger
125g (4oz) butter or hard margarine
175g (6oz) light soft brown sugar
1 egg
golden syrup
extra flour for sprinkly

For icing: roll our icing and colouring or piping icing. 

Before you start: one to 190C (375F) or Gas Mark 5

Instructions

1. Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ginger in a mixing bowl and mix together. Cut the butter or margarine int very small cubes and add them to the flour. 
Using the tips of your fingers and your thumbs, pick up a little of the flour and a couple of pieces of butter or margarine, and rub them together to make the pieces of butter or margarine even smaller. As you do this, let the mixture fall back into the bowl. Keep rubbing the ingredients together until all the big lumps have gone. Mix in the sugar. 
2. Crack the egg open on the side of a small bowl and let all the egg run into the bowl. Hold a metal tablespoon in hot water for a couple of minutes, shake it dry, the quickly used it to spoon 60ml (4 tbsp) syrup into the bowl with the egg. 
3. Using a fork, mix the syrup and egg, then pour into the flour mixture. Mix everything together and tip it out on to the work surface sprinkled with a little flour. Squeeze everything together with your hands to make a dough. 
4. Cut the dough in half. Sprinkle a rolling pin with flour and roll out one half of the dough until it is very thin. Using biscuit cutters, cut out gingerbread men. If you are using currants or sweets for the eyes, now is the time to put them on. 
Carefully lift the biscuits on to the oiled baking sheets. Repeat with the other half of the dough. 
Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the biscuits look a little darker in colour (don't worry if they seem soft - they will soon become crisp as they cool). 
Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool completely. 
5. Decorate the biscuits turning the head into Rudolf's jaw/mouth, the arms into his ears and the legs into his horns.