15: Moonshine

Day 15 is hung by the chimney with care.

Bless their little cotton socks. 

Come Christmas Eve and children nestled snugly in their beds, I suggest a little sugar plum vision for the grown-ups. What better way to gather courage for morning's barbaric assault on the Christmas tree? Indeed, what better way to put the sparkle back in Santa's eyes and return the rosy to his cheeks, than to leave him a little of the home-made winter warmer with his plate of cookies?

He works a devil of a long shift after all, out in the cold with no elfin safety legislation to protect him across international airspace, dodging Airbuses, circling Heathrow, spelunking down centuries-old chimneys and smack-dab into coal fires. All this with only a poxy red coat to protect him against the elements. So give a jolly old elf a break. And some plonk.

Welcome Santa, bring your cheer. 

There is of course the classic option: sloe gin. This is ideal if you happen to live by a blackthorn-infested wood and own some heavy gloves. Sloes, very tart on their own, create a delightful, fuchsia drink when drowned in gin and lashings of sugar and left in a dark closet for several months.

Morello cherries, also readily available out in the boonies, create a beautiful deep red tipple, with a nose full of nutmeg and overtones of happiness. Damson plums (above) are nearly as divine for booze as they are for jam. Strawberries, blackberries, rhubarb (kudos to Dawn for this suggestion) and raspberries all drown well. But the best of the lot by far is greengage rum, a golden drink reminiscent of mead. We call it ambrosia in this house, and it is the official Christmas Eve drink.

Ambrosia begins.

Fruity Christmas moonshine couldn't be easier to make. Begin in late summer, as your low-hanging fruit of choice grows ripe. Fill a preserving jar or empty bottle with fruit. Pour sugar over to about a third of the way up. Fill to the top with medium-quality rum, vodka or gin and secure the lid tightly to ward off any space invaders.

The fruit absorbs much of the alcohol, so the resulting drink is more liqueur than liquor. Give it a shake every so often, but mostly leave it alone in the dark until Christmas. Or until a reasonably bad day at least six weeks down the line. Share and enjoy. Remember to leave some for poor Santa, because the guy is subject to the maniacal whims of short people and he doesn't even get a full state pension.

A special toast to Sticky Fingers for suggesting a handful of sparkle to combat the cold, dark days of Christmas anticipation. Cheers.