We love Christmas, but we know many people have become jaded by the seemingly endless Christmas shopping. If you lost your festive cheer during a depressing dash around the department store, we intend to bring it back. So with only a fortnight to go until the big day, we’ve compiled a list of 14 brilliant things to make this Christmas.

1. Mince Pies

No Christmas is complete without a tasty mince pie on Christmas Eve. And rather than buy a box from your local supermarket, why not get busy in the kitchen with this unbelievably easy mince pie recipe from The Beeb. Just remember to leave one spare for Father Christmas.

2. The Belvoir Christmas Corker

Bursting at the seams with flavour, this fruity twist on the traditional glass of champagne is a treat for all. This corker of a cocktail will help waken your senses and definitely boost your Christmas spirit.

10ml Belvoir’s Elderflower Cordial
4 Fresh raspberries
35ml Gin
25ml Lychee juice
5ml Lemon juice
Top with Champagne

Crush the raspberries in a shaker and add all other ingredients. Shake and strain into a high-ball glass and top with Champagne. Garnish with a lemon slice and fresh raspberries

3. The Blue Peter Advent Crown

You remember the Blue Peter Advent Crown, don’t you? The one with all the coat hangers. wrapped in tinsel. You watched Noakes, Purves and Singleton make it, but did you ever make it yourself? Well, this Christmas, opportunity knocks because full instructions can be found online!

4. Christmas Crackers

The first Christmas crackers didn’t crack. They were simply sweets, often with mottos or poems inside. Then, in 1860, Thomas Smith decided to add a little spark to these festive treats with a small strip of saltpetre (potassium nitrate) between two strips of thin card. Pulling both ends of the card creates friction and, finally, the crack.

Why not give your Christmas crackers a personal touch by making them yourself? Kits are available to buy online, or pop into your nearest craft store.

5. Paper Chains

If you can’t deck the hall with bows of holly, surely the next best thing is some homemade paper chains. Go loopy with endless streams of gummed coloured paper. We suggest a corner-to-corner arrangement (and a healthy dollop of Blu-tack).

6. Christmas Pud

It is a testament to Christmas indulgence that, after a massive roast dinner, we still find the space for Christmas pudding. If you want to make your own, why not follow Delia’s recipe? Alternatively, you could follow a 1945 recipe favoured by writer George Orwell.

7. Winter Berries Relish

Want to add the Christmas feast this year and wow your guests? Then try Belvoir’s Winter Berries Relish. Packed full with prunes, figs, apricots and orange this fruity relish will give added zest to your dish.

1 onion chopped
½ Red cabbage
1 tbs Fresh ginger, grated
50g Belvoir’s Winter Berries cordial
50g Ready soak prunes
50g Ready soak figs
50g Ready soak apricots
1 Glass white wine
Juice of 1 orange
100ml Chicken stock
1tbs Fresh thyme

1. Sweat off the onion in a little butter. Add the ginger followed by the white wine and Winter Berries cordial. Simmer for 5 minutes then add the remaining ingredients
2. Cook ½ a shredded red cabbage very slowly with 100g of Winter Berries cordial and 100g water for approx 1½ hours to give a perfect winter veg to accompany this dish

8. A Snowman

The question on everyone’s lips this Christmas (and every Christmas) is “Will we have a white Christmas?”. Here on the farm, we think it’s vital that when the weather outside is frightful and the first snowflakes begin to fall, to get your mitts on and build an outstanding snowman. We’ve found the best tips on how to make a brilliant snowman. It’s far more complicated than you think! And if you want to be a bit more original, why not take some inspiration from the International Snow Sculpture Championships in Breckenridge, Colorado.

9. Edible Christmas Tree Decorations

Dickens’ A Christmas Carol embodies everything we think of today as a traditional British Christmas. The Victorians were infatuated with the extravagance of Christmas. And one thing that we are delighted has stuck is edible Christmas decorations.

Thread popcorn on a piece of string or bake your own tree decorations. They make fantastic last minute presents for unexpected guests. And when the festive season is over, what’s better than tucking into your Christmas decorations?

Check out these gingerbread trees, cut out some gingerbread circles and add some fruit sweets to make your decorations that more colourful.

10. Origami Snowflakes

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without folding up some paper and cutting holes in it. Slightly addictive, origami snowflakes are the quickest and easiest way to keep the kids entertained. For origami snowflakes novices, find out how to make three beautifully different snowflakes.

11. A Donation

Because it’ll brighten up someone else’s Christmas too.

12. A Nativity Scene

If you’re feeling very crafty this Christmas, why not attempt to make your own nativity scene? If paper and glue aren’t your thing, try it with Lego. Or simply arrange your scene online and click ‘print’!

13. Belvoir’s Winter Spice

Dazzle your taste buds with this spicy festive treat. This scrumptiously fruity cocktail is perfect for the designated drivers at your party, though if you want to spice things up and appeal to everyone then why not add a drop of rum!

15ml Belvoir’s Winter Berries Cordial
35ml Pomegranate Juice
35ml Cranberry Juice
5ml Fresh Lime
All Spice

Pour all ingredients into a high-ball with cubed ice and garnish with mixed berries

14. A Christmas Playlist

Many spirits have passed through the mouth of The Pogues’ lead singer Shane MacGowan, but who’d have thought the spirit of Christmas would come from the man’s lips? When he sings the opening line of Fairytale of New York, many a humbug’s heart will melt.

Put all your favourite festive hits in one place, ready for a good-old-fashioned singalong on Christmas morning. Or if you’re using Spotify, you could just play someone else’s favourites.

As the final firework illuminates the night sky and the last embers on the bonfire burn out, our thoughts turn towards the next seasonal celebration – Christmas!

We love the Christmas period. There’s a real sense of magic in the air. And plenty of good food and drink on the table.

Belvoir Fruit Farms Winter Berries cordial is the perfect tipple at Yuletide with its fruity blend of elderberry, blackberry, orange, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. We’ve always considered it a delicious, alcohol-free alternative to mulled wine.

So when we heard that Delia Smith had used our beloved Winter Berries cordial in her Mulled ‘Wine’ For Drivers cocktail recipe (you can find it in her new book, Delia’s Happy Christmas) it’s safe to say we were thrilled.

When told about Delia’s seal of approval, Pev, our owner, said he was “Absolutely delighted. This year we have celebrated 25 years of making the country’s finest cordials and this endorsement from one of the most respected names in the industry is the icing on the cake.”

So what better way to celebrate this brilliant news than with a new competition?

Christmas dinner dreaming

Perhaps the best thing about Christmas is getting the family together for a big roast dinner. It’s just a shame you have to peel all that veg beforehand.

So if you didn’t have to cook Christmas dinner, who would you choose to prepare your festive feast instead?

Delia? Gordon? Jamie? Perhaps you’d plump for ex-England rugby player and Celebrity Masterchef winner, Matt Dawson? Or maybe you’ll decide on Stephen Fry – even if he can’t cook, the after dinner conversation will be terrific.

Or perhaps you’re fed up of turkey, and would prefer something a little different. Why not choose Ching-He Huang from the Beeb’s Chinese Food Made Easy? Or Ray Mears for a spot of wild food!

Tell us in a comments who you would like to cook your Christmas dinner and why, as well as what would be on the menu.

Writers of the ten best entries will each receive a copy of Delia’s Happy Christmas and two bottles of our delicious Winter Berries cordial.

The closing date for entries is Friday 27th November so we can post your prize in time for Christmas. Riveting terms and conditions can be read here.