If you are an expat about to experience the festive season abroad, you will be in for a different experience and meeting people who have very different experiences of Christmas.

In Australia and New Zealand, it can be a happy go lucky open house affair whereas in the UK, it is more serious and a formal family oriented occasion. If you have no family around you can always invite some expat friends around to share a meal as there will be many bachelors’ in the same boat.

When my children recall past Christmases, spent in the Gulf they usually find that the simplest things give off the greatest glow of happiness. For example, we were sitting in the courtyard garden enjoying turkey in the UAE, and when it started to rain, they danced for joy!

I am lucky that I have the time this year to prepare a very traditional celebration. However, in years gone by when we did not have time, we would go out for a family meal to a hotel. When we lived abroad and had no children, we celebrated with friends by having a barbecue in the desert.

Festivals and celebrations are never about how much money you spend; they are about spending time with friends and loved ones. It is also about taking time out from the hustle and bustle of life. Everyone benefits from the freedom to focus on the really important things in life, which is freely giving your time to others.

There is pressure from the shopping industry to make the festive season picture perfect. Many people spend more money that they can afford, giving presents to people they don’t need. That said, everyone likes to feel remembered at traditional times of the year, and it is always lovely to receive a card with a note inside saying: “How are you doing?” This year, instead of giving presents to neighbors, I am inviting them around for a chat, coffee and a homemade mince pie.

Traditional dishes may bring back the magic of our childhood, and it can be hard work for the cook. Many women feel under pressure to produce a perfect meal, but relax; nobody is really expecting perfection. The fact is: you get better at cooking these dishes as the years go by. I really enjoy the feeling when I am preparing traditional food and passing these traditions and recipes on to my children. I feel this is part of my gift to my family and friends

As I say every year, I think during traditional celebrations, it is time to take a break and allow ourselves to believe for a short while that the usual rules of healthy eating do not apply. Have a little of everything, but really take time to savor the taste. I am a great believer in there being a time and place for everything, and Eid, Diwali, Christmas and other festivals are a time to enjoy and indulge a little.

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Can you suggest how to make perfect roast potatoes? I am cooking a traditional dish but want to cook really crispy roast potatoes.

— Misha
 
I learned to do roast potatoes from my mother.

Maris Piper potatoes are the best. Cut them into even-sized pieces that are not too small. Put them in some boiling water for about 10 minutes. After draining them, dry them with a paper towel to remove excess water. Put back in the saucepan with the lid on and give them a hefty shake, so they get all fluffy around the edges. Pre-heat the oven to 220 C. Put about three tablespoons of goose fat (you can use white beef lard or corn oil) in a roasting tray and heat in the hot oven. When the oil is hot, carefully take the tray out of the oven and transfer to a direct heat on the hob and put in the potatoes, so that when they hit the fat they’re going to get lovely and crispy. Turn them over, baste them and place them back into the hot oven. You need about 45 minutes to an hour. They’ll be nice and crisp and crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.

­— Alva