The Laboratory

It's taken a while, but the exotic delights of the panettone, once found only in the windows of Italian delis and in miniature in racks at Costa Coffee, has now made it through to the mainstream. Marks & Spencers, Waitrose and Fenwicks now have a plethora of flavours and prices, and panettone looks set to replace Christmas Pudding as a staple of the festive feast. According to Rachel Hall in the Guardian: "Selfridges said it expected to sell three times more panettone than Christmas puddings after selling more than ever before last Christmas, with sales up almost 25% on 2021. Waitrose said the Italian classic was out-selling Christmas pudding, with demand up 40% on this time last year. Although there is a traditional recipe to follow, Selfridges offers six different types of panettone, including salted caramel and chocolate orange. The retailer sells a £150 panettone hamper, which it says is “packed with inventive iterations” and has also added the cake’s flavour to many o...

As we reach the first Sunday in Advent, people are already gearing up for their local carol service, whether in a church or in the community. But you have to feel sorry for the social media intern who didn't quite get the name of the event correct. These are all from 2023, by now you would think the mistake would be quite well-known. But no: At least the last one has sausages to go with the candles.

For many families, this will be the weekend where the "tree in a box" comes out of the loft, gets dusted down, has its branches bent back into shape, and the decoration begins. For others, it's the trip to the Christmas Tree Farm so beloved by Hallmark Christmas movies (more on them later as well). But we are off to London because it's the weekend of the Scandi Christmas Fairs! But disaster has struck! The cinnamon bun machine at the Finnish Church in Rotherhithe has broken. At least their lovely star-shaped pastries and Fazer jellies are still available, plus reindeer stew. And then it's off to see Christmas trees! There are three we recommend this year (and every year). The tree from Norway is on its way to Trafalgar Square. It's been growing for 70 years in Nordmarka, the forests north of Oslo. BBC London News are tracking its travels, currently at the Port of Immingham: St Pancras Station always has a great tree, and this year it's all about books, a c...

Welcome to latest (and we hope greatest) online Advent Calendar yet. When we started these the internet was in its infancy, and as well as inventing blogging and Twitter, Adam was getting total random strangers to visit and comment on eclectic Christmas stuff. We even (apparently) got a mention in a newspaper's Saturday magazine (but they weren't online in those days so we only heard about that). Christmas seems to have come very early this year, especially some Carol Services (more on that later). But Advent has come, as it always does, on 1st December. We'd love to hear about your Christmas preparations, what Advent calendar you have bought (or been given), and any requests for daily pics (Hasselhoff in a Santa outfit? Did that in 2005). Just tweet @robotmaths or send us a message below. Today we celebrate Christmas ornaments. Living in a 1930s semi, we were enchanted by this lovely scene from Homesense. Nothing quite says Christmas like a flamingo in a Santa hat in front...

Along with everything else that happened in 2022, one of the highlights for Adam was getting a freebie from Rymans Stationers, just by sheer determination and Chutzpah. We are please to introduce you to our new little friend, who lives in the hall, and has been given his own set of tinsel and lights. It's MR CLASSWIZ the giant calculator. A very happy Christmas to you all! Sarah & Adam xx

A few random things to fit in on the penultimate day: As usual, the Swedish Royal family have a much better Christmas than ours. Princess Estelle, Prince Oscar, and their parents Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel are going behind the scenes of the ballet Cinderella, and charming us with their brilliant family dynamic. === Every year people work out the "Twelve Days of Christmas" inflation index , looking at the total cost of all the gifts mentioned on the 12th day. This year it has gone up by 10.5%. Even the Three Kings would have been hit by 2022's record inflation. Their gifts of gold, incense and myrrh have kept their value in the commodity markets, reports Waitrose. Gold is around £1500 an ounce, up 40% on last year, and is used in phone technology as well as for jewellry. Incense costs £300 a kilo, harvested from the sap of the boswellia tree. And myrrh, from thorny commiphora trees, is £400 a kilo. === If you were horrified by the M&S Panettonut, or by C...