Don’t let Tier Restrictions ruin your Christmas

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Ideas for celebrating while in lockdown

I think we’ve all accepted Christmas 2020 is going to be a little bit different. Rather than dwell on what we’re missing out on, here’s a list of things we can still enjoy regardless of what rules are in place.

1. Get Your Bake On

Channel your inner Mary Berry and get creative in the kitchen. If you need any Christmassy inspiration, check out my blog post https://northeasteats.home.blog/2020/11/25/festive-bakes-foodie-makes/amp/

2. Enjoy A Winter Walk

As temperatures start to drop, hunt out your hats, gloves & scarves and go for a seasonal stroll. National Trust have brilliant COVID secure measures in place with timed entries and one way systems (bookable entry slots are released every Friday for the following week).

3. Festive Film-athon

Lock the door, pull the blinds and snuggle on the sofa to enjoy a day of Christmas movies – just don’t forget the popcorn! I’ve listed our favourite festive films here https://northeasteats.home.blog/2020/12/08/our-top-10-christmas-movies/amp/

4. Schedule FaceTime/Skype/Zoom Video Chats

I wonder how many more hours of video calls have been made throughout 2020 compared to last year. When we can’t see people face-to-face, video calling is definitely the next best thing.

5. Get Crafty

From wreaths to wrapping paper, hampers to snow globes. There’s something deeply satisfying about creating items yourself. Pinterest is full of ideas for homemade Christmas crafts. So, grab the ribbons & fake flowers and get the glue gun turned on.

6. Go Virtual

Most companies have had to adjust the way they operate this year and a lot have moved experiences on line. Quizzes, escape rooms, murder mystery nights, pantomimes – when we can’t have the usual Christmas night out, these are a good way to “meet up” and have a laugh (and you can do them in a PJ’s!). Last week we tried an online experience from https://thepanicroomonline.net and thoroughly enjoyed it.

7. Drive In Movie Experience

Get cosy in the car and enjoy a festive film. There’s a few Drive In Cinema Experiences popping up throughout the North East, a quick google will bring up any still with availability.

8. Games Night

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a game of monopoly, am I right? And now Evie & Harry are a little older, I don’t feel guilty playing to win! We also enjoy Cluedo, Articulate and Dobble. What are your favourite board games?

9. Keep Your Traditions

Whether its Elf On The Shelf or Christmas Eve Boxes, writing to Santa or making gingerbread houses – if you have any traditions, do them and go totally OTT with them all! If you don’t have any Christmas Customs, maybe this is the year to start one.

10. Enjoy a more relaxed pace and a less hectic December

Yes, we’ll miss seeing friends and family but the thought of not having to rush about with that feeling of panic does have a certain appeal. I’ll be fully embracing a quieter Christmas with these three 😊.

Our Top 10 Christmas Movies

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For me, as the kids become older, movie afternoons become more enjoyable. Their film choices improve massively and they can actually sit for 90 minutes without becoming bored. Talk about a parenting win!

Below are a list of our festive film favourites that we’ll be sitting down to enjoy this December.

1. Home Alone (PG, 1990, 1hr 43mins)

Eight-year-old troublemaker Kevin must protect his house from a pair of burglars when he is accidentally left home alone by his family during Christmas vacation.

2. The Muppet Christmas Carol (U, 1992, 1hr 29mins)

The Muppet characters tell their version of the classic tale of an old and bitter miser’s redemption on Christmas Eve.

3. Elf (PG, 2003, 1hr 37mins)

After discovering he is a human, a man raised as an elf at the North Pole decides to travel to New York City to locate his real father.

4. Gremlins (12, 1984, 1hr 47mins)

A boy inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town.

5. The Christmas Chronicles (PG, 2018, 1hr 44mins)

The story of sister and brother, Kate and Teddy, whose Christmas Eve plan to catch Santa Claus on camera turns into an unexpected journey that most kids could only dream about.

6. The Christmas Chronicles 2 (PG, 2020, 1hr 52mins)

Kate, now a cynical teen, is unexpectedly reunited with Santa Claus when a mysterious troublemaker threatens to cancel Christmas – forever.

7. Love Actually (15, 2003, 2hr 25mins)

Follow the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during the frantic month before Christmas in London.

8. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (PG, 2000, 1hr 50mins)

On the outskirts of Whoville lives a green, revenge-seeking Grinch who plans to ruin Christmas for all of the citizens of the town.

9. The Holiday (12A, 2006, 2hr 18mins)

Two women troubled with guy-problems swap homes in each other’s countries, where they each meet a local guy and fall in love.

10. The Polar Express (U, 2004, 1hr 40mins)

On Christmas Eve, a young boy embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express, while learning about friendship, bravery, and the true spirit of Christmas.

That’s our list. What’s your ultimate Christmas movie? Let me know in the comments

North Pole Breakfast Ideas

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December is the ideal time of year to indulge in some special Christmas traditions and a North Pole Breakfast is a lovely way to welcome in the festive season.

You can combine this Christmas tradition with the dreaded Elf On The Shelf, many families start both of these on the same day as a way to welcome their mischievous festive friend back for another year.

Below are a few ideas for what to serve during your North Pole Breakfast – just remember, this is a special treat that only happens once a year so it isn’t going to be the healthiest but embrace and enjoy the blowout, it’s Christmas after all!

SANTA PANCAKES

Pancakes, fruit, nuts, chocolate and squirty cream – guaranteed winner in our house. I tend to serve pancakes up as a Grazing Board and let everyone help themselves – maximum effect with minimal effort.

PULL-A-PART PUFF PASTRY NUTELLA CHRISTMAS TREE

Like a giant pain au chocolat – amazing!

DIPPY EGGS AND SPECIAL SHAPE SOLDIERS

One thing I’ve found out about dippy eggs is everyone has their own way of achieving them. I’m a 5-mins-in-to-boiling-water-and-hope-for-the-best kinda girl. Nine times out of ten it works but there is the occasional fail. For a North Pole Breakfast, I serve the dippy eggs with festive shapes cut out of toast.

CINNAMON BUNS

Now, these do take time but they’re so worth it! Fresh out the oven and drizzled with water icing, these sweet bread rolls flavoured with the ultimate Christmas spice are absolutely devine!

Find my Cinnamon Bun recipe here https://northeasteats.home.blog/2020/12/04/cinnamon-bun-recipe/amp/

SNOWMAN HOT CHOCOLATE

Get creative with marshmallows and edible ink pens to make these little cuties, perfect to warm you up on a frosty morning!

If you don’t fancy spending too long in the kitchen, check out what the supermarkets have on offer – the Christmas tree crumpets are a favourite with us!

Festive Bakes & Foodie Makes

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Get Christmassy in the kitchen with these child friendly sweet treat recipes.

1. Chocolate Rice Crispie Christmas Puddings

Who doesn’t love chocolate rice crispies? They’re an absolute classic! Super quick and super easy, the recipe can be found here https://northeasteats.home.blog/2020/11/17/chocolate-rice-crispie-christmas-puddings/amp/

2. Reindeer Shortbread Biscuits

3. Christmas Tree Brownies

4. Snowman Cupcakes

5. Christmas Crunch Popcorn

6. Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake

7. Meringue Christmas Trees

8. Hot Chocolate Stirrers

Walking With The Snowman and The Snowdog – North Tyneside 2020

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Over the coming weeks, enjoy a (socially distant) Christmassy walk around North Tyneside’s town centres following The Snowman and The Snowdog trail.

This winter, North Tyneside’s most prominent shopping areas are delighted to welcome Wild In Arts festive sculpture trail celebrating Raymond Briggs’ quintessential Christmas characters, The Snowman and The Snowdog.

The ‘Walking with The Snowman and The Snowdog’ trail is made up of 20 stunning sculptures featuring twelve giant Snowman and eight Snowdog.

Each of The Snowman figures have been reimagined with stunning designs and decoration relating to the song, ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’.

The sculptures are waiting to be discovered in and around North Tyneside, specifically Wallsend, North Shields, Killingworth, Tynemouth and Whitley Bay.

The trail is centred around North Tyneside’s shopping areas to hopefully encourage those completing the trial to support small businesses and shop local in the run up to Christmas.

An interactive app costing 99p, which includes a trail map and sculpture information, is available for download in the app store with the proceeds going to St Oswald’s Hospice.

Alternatively, you can visit https://walkingwiththesnowman.co.uk/event/north-tyneside-2020/ to view all of the sculptures and download the trail map there.

After visiting each sculpture, you can share your ‘snowfies’ with the sculptures using: #SnowmanandSnowdogNT

Local artist Lisa Kirkbride designed the A Partridge in a Pear Tree Snowman, which can be found outside “For the Love of the North” at Spanish City in Whitley Bay. Prints and Christmas cards based on Lisa’s design can be purchased in-store, online and in selected St Oswald’s Hospice shops.

You can also bring home the magic of The Snowman and The Snowdog Trail North Tyneside 2020 with Snowdog figurines available in-store at “For the Love Of The North” or online at https://www.snowdogarttrails.co.uk/shop/.

The Snowman and The Snowdog trail is available from Saturday 14th November through to the end of January 2021 so plenty of time to get out there and find them all.

If you do manage to spot the sculptures, I’d love to know which one(s) is your favourite, we have ours!

This initiative is organised by North Tyneside Council and Wild in Art and is supported by the North of Tyne Combined Authority.

Treasure Trails – the fun way to explore

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If you follow us on social media, you’ve probably seen me mention Treasure Trails before. We absolutely love them! We’ve completed five trails in 2020 so far. If you’ve never heard of them before, I’ll share a little info about them below.

What is a Treasure Trail? A real-life adventure that fires up the imagination and gets you exploring the most interesting parts of the UK. Treasure Trails are a captivating challenge that combines mind-twisting clues with fascinating stories. Best thing about them, they’re suitable for the whole family!

How does it work? You follow the self-guided Treasure Trail through the winding backstreets and hidden corners of villages, towns and cities around the UK. Cracking the clues along the route to unlock the story and solve the mystery.

“Follow the trail, solve the clues, see the sights”.

We’re a fan of the Murder Mystery style trails but there’s also Treasure Hunts and Spy Missions available. The trails we’ve completed have all been about 2-3 miles to walk and take about 2 hours to complete.

We’ve always chosen trails that are centred in and around places we’ve visited loads of times before. Despite this, each trail has shown us something we’d never seen before and most of the clues still made us think. Knowing a place doesn’t give you an advantage when completing a trail, which I really liked.

The Treasure Trails are priced at £9.99 and can be bought from https://www.treasuretrails.co.uk. Check out how many trails are local to you, you might be pleasantly surprised. I certainly was! I think the trails are great value for money. They’re brilliant for getting the kids out and exploring. The trails can still be enjoyed under *current* COVID restrictions, just remember to keep your distance and follow the guidelines.

Once you’ve completed your trail, you can submit your findings on the Treasure Trails website where you’ll also be entered in to their monthly prize draw.

Overall, Treasure Trails offer a fantastic day out for everyone for less than the price of your average takeaway! Massive thumbs up from all of us.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve completed a Treasure Trail and what you thought about it.

Gary The Ghost Chocolate Cake

30th Oct 2020 northeasteatsandkidsBaking With Kids, blyth, cooking with kids, foodblog, foodie, foodpics, halloween 2020, instafood, lovefood, nebloggers, nefollowers, nefoodies, newcastle, newcastleeats, newcastlefoodie, northeast, northeasteats, northumberland, Things To Do 2020, Tyne And WearLeave a comment

A quick guide on how to create this little cutie (it’s a good one if you’re not overly confident with fondant).

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

mixer
3 x 6” round tins
1 x 1/2 split ball tin (if you don’t have this, a Pyrex dish works just as well)
cake board

INGREDIENTS

7 eggs (weigh your eggs in their shell, this will determine how much of everything else you need. These eggs were 420g)
420g caster sugar
420g margarine
380g SR flour
40g cocoa powder
200g butter
400g icing sugar
1kg white fondant

Preheat your oven, Gas Mark 4 or equivalent. Cream your margarine and caster sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in your eggs, SR flour and cocoa powder. Mix until all combined.

Split the mixture between the four tins and pop in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until fully baked. Take out the oven, remove from tins, allow to cool then trim your tops.

Make your buttercream by mixing the butter and icing sugar with a dash of milk. The longer you let that mix, the nicer your buttercream.

On your board, start stacking and filling – sponge, buttercream, sponge, buttercream and so on.

Once stacked, apply your crumb coat. You can pop a couple of skewer/straw supports straight through your cake to make it a little more stable (just remember to watch out for them when it comes to eating!). Let the crumb coat set, I usually leave it for about an hour. If you can fit the cake in a fridge, it’ll take about 30 mins to firm up.

Now to cover. Knead your fondant to soften it up. Roll out on a lightly dusted (either corn flour or icing sugar) surface to about the thickness of a £1 coin. The fondant needs to be big enough to cover the cake in one go. Carefully, move the rolled out fondant from your bench and drape it over your cake. Concentrate on smoothing out the top then let the sides fall. If the fondant is a bit too big, grab a pair of scissors and cut away any excess. Using black fondant, add eyes and a mouth. Blush optional. Place Gary in the centre of your Halloween table to show him off.

If you’re thinking of giving Gary a go and have any questions, drop me a message or leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you.

Ice Bar at STACK

5th Feb 20205th Feb 2020 northeasteatsandkidsblyth, Days Out With The Kids, nebloggers, newcastle, northeast, northeasteats, northumberland, Things To Do 2020, Tyne And WearLeave a comment

Currently the coolest place in Newcastle ❄️

Last week we were invited along to Stack Newcastle to check out their recently opened New York themed Ice Bar.

With temperatures ranging between -5°C and -10°C your 20 minute time slot is the perfect amount to enjoy everything in the bar before the cold starts getting to you!