At last, something with a real feel-good factor on TV. For three nights last week I was glued to Kirstie’s Homemade Christmas.

What a fantastically inspiring program. Of course, for us normal people finding the time (and money – £75 for teddy bear fabric!) is not that realistic, but I did take inspiration from many of her ideas.

Gilding pears with real gold leaf was a touch decadent, but I will certainly be using ordinary fruit – possibly apples, dusted in powdery silver glitter, with a name card inserted into each stalk. I have also tied lengths of ribbon around each dining chair to give the Christmas table a more opulent look (see p38 of the 2009 Dairy Diary for this and more ideas for the table). Instead of hanging up the old tired-looking artificial wreath Kirstie and our gardening book, Seasonal Garden Ideas, inspired me to make my own. Armed with handfuls of foliage from the garden, I pinned and tucked evergreen twigs onto a moss-stuffed wire ring and finished it off with fir cones (collected by my two year old), cinnamon sticks and dried orange slices. It’s a very lovely addition to my front door.

Of course, I haven’t escaped cooking this weekend, I finally – yes late I know – made my Christmas cake. I love the Jewelled Christmas Cake from the 2009 Dairy Diary; it is simply delicious and looks so impressive. It’s a shame my decorating skills are not so impressive, though without having to use icing (which is always a disaster) perhaps this year, I may just create something worthy of the table.