As the big day is just moments away, kitchens around the world are likely to become a hive of activity. With a number of meals and food items to prepare ready for the holidays, seasonal recipes will always be a popular addition to any home over the festive period. 

Here are three great Christmas recipes that are sure to bring the Christmas spirit to your home:

Mulled wine

Whilst admittedly not a food, mulled wine is still an important part of Christmas. Making this seasonal drink is not as difficult as some may think and the method effectively consists of heating red wine whilst adding spices and fruits to the mixture. One of the simplest ways to alter or improve any food or drink, spices and seasonings can be purchased in pre-packaged forms for a number of uses from manufacturers such as Schwartz.

To make mulled wine, follow these steps:

Pour one bottle of red wine into a saucepan along with 1 orange (cut in half), 60g of Demerara sugar, 1 dry bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick and some grated nutmeg.

Heat the mixture gently until the sugar has dissolved.

Take the mixture off the heat and stir in 60ml of gin or sloe (if desired).

Strain and serve warm.

Mince pies

Another festive favourite, mince pies are an integral part of the holidays. Making your own is a great way to embrace the season and is relatively easy to achieve. Taking under an hour to prepare and 10 to 30minutes to cook, these festive favourites will be on your Christmas table in no time.

To make mince pies, follow these steps:

Butter a 12 hole pie tin thoroughly.

Put 350g of mincemeat into a bowl and stir thoroughly until the liquid is spread evenly throughout.
Place 200g flour, 40g caster sugar, 75g ground almonds and 125g unsalted butter into a food processor and blend until a fine breadcrumb mixture is produced. Slowly add one beaten egg to the mixture whilst blending.

Bring mixture together with hands and leave to chill for an hour after wrapping in clingfilm.

Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut out 12 circles using a fluted pastry cutter.

Press the pastry circles into each hole of the pie tin and fill with mincemeat.

Cut another 12 circles of pastry to form the lids of the pies.

Seal the edges together by applying light pressure with your fingertips, make a slit in the top and brush lightly with milk.

Chill for half an hour then bake on 200~c for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Oat biscuits

A popular dish for children and adults alike, these biscuits are easy to make and are a great way for kids to get involved over Christmas.

To make oat biscuits, follow these steps:

Cream 115g of butter with 115g of soft brown sugar, until a light mixture is formed.

Sift 115g of plain flour and add 2 beaten eggs a little bit at a time, stirring into the mixture. 

Add 1tsp of baking powder, a pinch of salt and 1tsp of vanilla essence, mixing well. 

Add 150g of rolled oats and 150g of chocolate chips to the mixture. You can also add nuts such as almonds if you want.

Stir the ingredients together thoroughly and leave the mixture in the fridge for at least one hour.
Spoon the mixture into small portions on a greased baking tray.

Bake in the centre of the oven at 200~c for about 20 minutes, or until the biscuits start to turn golden.

Of course, not all Christmas recipes have to be festively inspired and your favourite dishes, such as Spaghetti Bolognese, can still be enjoyed at this time of year too. In fact, pasta recipes are easily customisable with spices and can therefore be easily adapted for the Christmas season.