We’re hiding it well (the office currently boasts a single piece of tinsel and the world’s smallest fake Christmas tree), but here at Grocer Towers we are starting to get pretty excited about the festive season.

As readers of The Grocer will be only too aware, when you start thinking of Christmas at about the same time of year ‘normal’ people are thinking about BBQs, it’s easy to get all Grinch-like by year-end.

But, as we put the finishing touches to the penultimate issue of the year, a little seasonal joy is stirring – helped by the arrival of the odd box of mince pies or choccie biscuits (though we were bitterly disappointed there was no pug puppy in our pack of McVitie’s Victoria).

And a story we posted online earlier this week about the foods eaten by the typical Brit on 25 December sparked debate in the office around weighty issues such as whether boiled spuds should be served alongside the roasties, and whether it was the done thing to have Yorkshire pud with Christmas dinner.

As more members of The Grocer team revealed the foods that made their Christmas special, we felt it only fair we share our festive faves with our loyal fans:

Beth Brooks, deputy news editor: Stollen has been a must-have in the Brooks household ever since my dad came home with one because he couldn’t find any ‘good’ Christmas cakes. When we were kids, we used to fight over who’d get the end pieces. And we’d always eat the lump of marzipan first.

Adam Leyland, editor: Bendicks Bittermints. I was about eight when I first ate one of these. My first exposure to a premium product, this was as far removed from an After Eight as a Harrods Christmas Hamper is from a KFC Bucket. I still savour them today but, weirdly, I only seem to eat them at Christmas, and only at my parents’ house. And worryingly, I’m not going to my parents’ this Christmas.

Edward Devlin, deputy finance editor: Finely chopped sprouts fried with bacon and lots of butter. Because butter makes everything ok.

Claire Farrell, shopping reporter: Yorkshire puddings with excess gravy - as I’m Northern.

Emma Page, PA and editorial assistant: Jelly with brandy butter. My mum and I eat gluten-free and could never eat Christmas cake back in the day when gluten-free products were only available on prescription.

Simon Gwynn, FMCG reporter: Sprouts and chestnuts. Because sprouts are mandatory, and chestnuts elevate them from unpalatable to divine.

Ian Quinn, chief reporter: Killer cheese, gallons of Bordeaux and Dino (Dean Martin, not the wine).

Samantha Dack, account manager: Pigs in Blankets. My sister is vegetarian, and every Christmas lunch served at her house is a variation on red cabbage and chestnut casserole. A bowl of pigs in blankets upon my return home is (and always will be) a hands-down Christmas cracker of a treat, and will always will taste better than red cabbage.

Megan Tatum, senior features writer: Brussels sprouts. They’re one of my favourite vegetables but everyone else in my family feels the need to be stereotypical and detest them so it’s the only time of year I can insist they’re on the plate!

Vince Bamford, buying & supplying editor: Chocolate-covered Brazil nuts. For as long as I remember, my mum has bought me a box of these for Christmas. One year, when I was old enough to know better, I ate the whole box in bed and suffered indigestion so bad I was convinced I was having a heart attack. I’m not proud.

Mark Dishman, sub-editor: Satsumas because they are juicy, refreshing little treats in a season dominated by stodgy, heavy meals. And you can pretend to yourself that you are in some way having a healthy holiday.

Kevin White, senior reporter: Pigs in blankets. Because they taste amazing.

Julia Glotz, managing editor: I grew up in Germany, so Christmas to me means Plätzchen (that’s Christmas biscuits to you Brits). In my family’s case, at least 10 varieties – homemade, of course. From the classic Ausstecherle (plain butter biscuits cut with cookie cutters and decorated with sprinkles) to Zitronenherzen (lemon hearts), Bärentatzen (chocolate biscuits known as ‘bears paws’), Nusshörnchen (filled with hazelnuts) and  double deckers with rosehip jam, they sum up the taste of Christmas for me. My favourites, though, are Vanillekipferl (vanilla crescents) and Zimtsterne (cinnamon stars) made to my German grandmother’s recipe - the taste of Christmas since I was a little girl. (And every year, when I try to bake them myself, I am driven to distraction trying to find vanilla sugar or rosehip jam in a British supermarket).

Nick Figgins, senior designer: Yule log because it’s just not Christmas without one.

Nathalie Osborne, designer: Cold roast potatoes with a bit of Primula cheese.

James Halliwell, features editor: Champagne for breakfast, followed by smoked salmon on little bits of brown bread with butter, lemon juice and cayenne pepper around 10am.

Alec Mattinson, finance editor: A nice dessert wine because it’s rare you get a legitimate excuse to drink it at lunchtime without some accusing looks.

So there you have it (at some length) – the festive goodies that make Christmas for us.

And in this weekend’s magazine, you’ll be able to see what is going on with the pricing of some of these items (though not the Zitronenherzen, I’m afraid), as we present our Christmas Grocer 33 round-up and reveal the retailer that delivered the cheapest festive basket of goods.

Topics