The Festive One
Hello everyone,
It’s that time of year again - time for the GUFAB Christmas newsletter. If you had exams, we hope you are feeling less stressed now that they’re over. With Omicron on the rise, hopefully you’ll be staying safe and getting booster-vaccinated soon. In this month’s newsletter, we have some short news stories first, then a Xmas special feature from GUFAB, an article on a food-uncentred Christmas, reflections on Covid, and a good ol’ book guide. Over to the recipes, we encounter some sweet treats taking inspo from classic flavours such as carrot, gingerbread and cranberry. Enjoy and have a jolly time over the festive period.
The Body in the News
Content warning: discussions of eating disorders, body image issues and insensitive marketing.
GUFAB highlight a couple of articles in recent news, exploring the complexity of body image discussions around children.
From May next year, all adverts for cosmetic procedures targeting under 18s are to be banned in the UK. This comes in light of body image pressures identified as a growing concern among young people and is designed to counter them. There are also concerns about wider mental health and potential complications of the procedures advertised. Recently, rules have been tightened for advertisements likely to target young people with social media influencers seeing their posts banned for mislabelling adverts, for example. However, success will be measured by the practicality and influence when the policy begins.
In related news, a survey given to secondary school pupils in Wales came under backlash for asking pupils whether they thought they were “much too fat... or much too thin, or about the right size.” This kind of language does not provide benefit in discussions around health and bodies, rather perpetuating insecurities and focusing on looks over health. With most eating disorders developing in adolescence, the way we discuss our bodies and feelings relating to them should be sensitive, considered and thoughtful. A spokesperson for the survey responded by saying it directed participants to seek help at the end and start due to the sensitive topics covered. However, the negative criticism from many including eating disorder survivors and former Senedd members (the Welsh parliament) shows its insufficiency and lack of thought regarding young people’s mental wellbeing.
GUFAB (re-)writes Christmas
In this section of the newsletter members of the GUFAB committee offer some reinterpretations of traditional Christmas values.
Peace - Aysha
Peace as a Christmas value seems rather ironic at times. The bustling festive season replete with bright lights, brighter jumpers and no end to events running never did complement the type of peace I imagined. For me, peace used to mean having no exams, lighting candles and spending quality time with no rush.
It’s a bit like world peace: the flying doves, sunny cities and international friendliness that fit in a perfect utopian scene. Interestingly, individual peace often seems to be characterised as resolving difficult feelings, or learning to live in uncertainty and embrace change. I guess peace is a very different concept depending on how we look at it. Maybe Christmas is peaceful after all then - because it’s not quietness and soft candles that bring true peace, it’s the joy when among people you love, the rush of a busy social calendar. Or maybe it’s no one thing, it’s you living your life, happily. It’s embracing life, adorning the darkness with fairy lights, and greeting the cold with a warm scarf. Peace as perfection seems the wrong way to go about it - against nature even. Dress up in your pyjamas, cover your table with cute trinkets without thinking of instagram and just live your imagined life. To adapt a quote, the peace is in the living, not the perfecting.
Love - Thalia
Long-time readers of the GUFAB newsletter might remember our valentines edition all about self-love. Although we discussed the pros (love) and cons (constant self-love as an unattainable standard) of self-love, directing love towards yourself this Christmas might be the perfect way to subvert the requirement to unconditionally love those around you. I’m spending this Christmas by myself - by choice. Instead of going to stay with my Mum and facing the uncertain circumstances around my parents recent separation, I’ve decided to be a recluse in Glasgow. We don’t always feel like spreading love (spread love not covid lol) on the designated days, and we might feel like our energies are better spent on ourselves. Wherever it’s directed, love is an intense emotion which can’t be mustered up merely because it’s the right time of year.
Gratitude - Aysha
Gratitude is a grounding force, and one which is so easily forgotten in the spin of everyday life, especially at busy times like christmas. I read once that it is the strongest tool for emotional harmony that one can use, and I agree. It’s not always being grateful for the biggest, and most obvious things either. Some things can be life-changing, but swirl in the backs of our minds. Take exams for instance - I’m not saying we should be grateful for the stress and cramming etc, but exams simply come as part of the opportunity of education. The fact that we are all at university can be a target for gratitude - it is an upward mobilising, perspective enlarging and fun experience that many do not have. I’m sure many have been thinking of things we are grateful of during the pandemic - the gift of health, of living in a country where vaccines are readily available, and perhaps of your family being together during a tough time. Whatever it is, however small, the positive reflections matter. They are the things that build us up to be able to cope with negative, tougher experiences, and bring hope/resilience to them.
Generosity - Thalia
Gifts are my love language. This is perhaps the worst love language to have - focused on material things and adding pressure to those around you to buy the perfect gift isn’t exactly ideal. But I can’t help it - the joy I feel when someone I care about gives me something thoughtful beats out all other expressions of love for me. Even the perfect gift from someone I don’t like is enough to win me over. Generosity through gift giving can mean many different things - something homemade, secondhand, or purchased locally. Gift-giving doesn’t have to mean endless consumption cycles of material goods, no matter how much this is encouraged at Christmas. Be generous to those you love and to yourself this Christmas - give yourself a little leeway to do what you want and don’t feel constrained by Christmas traditions.
Taking the food out of Christmas
Food can be a large part of the Christmas season - from mince pies to eggnog, there is no shortage of different seasonal specialties you can eat right now. But, here at GUFAB, we understand these might not be the most comfortable surroundings for all. To make the season less food centred, treating it as one feature rather than everything, here are a few other festive ideas to focus on instead.
Christmas markets - a beautiful way to wander on snowy days, and surround yourself with pretty trinkets or inspirations (without having to actually buy them or kit your entire house out).
Decorating the house (with crafting) - have you tried making origami xmas decor, like little stars and trees for your sideboards/coffee table/anywhere (they’re just too cute).
Ice skating - ice skating is a sure-fire way to indulge during winter. If it gets cold enough, some of the walking routes about town turn into mini rinks, thanks to ever-handy Glasgow weather too - forget the entry fees.
See a play/panto, or arrange to see one in the new year. There are some great theatres in Glasgow, with brilliant talent. It’s always a good way to start the new year.
Play board games with family! Or a jigsaw (500 pieces is the sweet spot for my lot). Make Christmas day about quality time, not just the dinner itself. Each could bring a game/idea and you could fill an afternoon easily.
Focus on connecting with your loved ones. Sometimes families only see each other at events like this, or even if you see them a lot, carve out some time this year to spend a wee bit more time. Maybe it’s through gifting/thoughtful letters/calls, but be sure to reach out to those scuppered by travel restrictions/alone this festive season.
A tale of two Christmases (spoiler: they’re both covid-infected)
With the new Omicron variant, it’s hard to identify whether we’ll be in lockdown soon or not. Mask provisions have come back in force in England, and we’re being asked to cut down socialising numbers. For the second year in a row, there’s a chance that Christmas might not be what it usually is. This added uncertainty can have a tough effect on those of us who are already anxious about the festive season. These anxieties can come from, as discussed above, food and eating around others. Also, the pressure of perfection is high around Christmas - from looking your best at the Xmas party to having the prettiest decor. It can be a strain. Maybe you don’t see your family often, and only gather at events like this - in which case the travel restrictions may be causing you a lot of pain.
It’s hard having to deal with coronavirus at a time when you are expected to have lots of fun but instead are left with memories of a Christmas past. Or when you are already struggling with the pressure of perfection and being a certain type of way, and this only adds to your stresses, not relieves them.
I suppose it’s difficult to know what to say at a time like this. Often in times of uncertainty, I feel like disconnecting and turning to loneliness, which you might want when overwhelmed too, but I think it doesn’t help.
Staying connected when it is so easy to be disconnected is a powerful thing.
Hosting Christmas events on FaceTime, and virtual platforms, however weird and 2020 they might seem, are one way to celebrate the season safely without being alone. And texting a friend to check up on them if you haven’t heard from them in a while is another thoughtful and small gesture that can foster love.
Control the things you can control - a big one? Your reaction. How you react to the restrictions and the changes is up to you. Of course it’s useful to let out your frustration, but don’t stick with it for too long. It’ll only get in the way of the moments you actually want.
In times of uncertainty, maybe you could establish new traditions to help cope. These could be a focus and a gentle reminder that every cloud has a silver lining.
Christmas Books
Sometimes, especially at this time of year when everything’s very busy, it can be comforting to lose a few hours in a book, escaping into the folds of a whole new world or simply a different one. And this is where the best inspiration/reflections can arise from too! We’ve curated a selection of books for all tastes to get into during the Christmas season - (Also can double up as a last minute gift).
Going traditional?: A Christmas Carol - an absolute classic, couldn’t disagree with this one for yuletide. However, if you want a different spin this year - check out Samantha Silva’s retelling: ‘Mr Dickens and His Carol’
For the ultra busy reader: A Literary Christmas - it’s not actually that literary, but an anthology of funny, old, modern, atmospheric tales compiled by the British Library. Penguin Book of Modern Christmas also available!
Not into true crime: Murder Most Festive - big small-town cosy mystery vibes, for those who like dramas with a thick layer of icing on top.
Light hearted: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse - meditative and deep in a lighthearted way. Perfect gentle book for someone who’s feeling a little delicate.
Deeply honest: My Body, by Emily Ratajowski - a collection of autobiographical essays and feminist reflections. Insightful and personal writing which deals with sexuality, patriarchy and various relationships.
Greek geeks: Ariadne - Immersive greek mythology, from a female perspective. Definitely has aesthetically pleasing vibes right down to the cover.
To check trigger warnings before reading - I’d recommend looking at StoryGraph (an Amazon alternative).
As a reminder, for books on food and body discussion, the GUFAB library is open to all, with a marvellous selection of books to loan. Check out the books we have here and feel free to email us at gufabpositivitysoc@gmail.com with any requests.
Yuletide yums (recipe section)
Chocolate and cranberry muffins
Ingredients
Cupcakes
250g caster sugar (to be used at two points in the recipe)
75g chopped cranberries (fresh or frozen)
450g plain flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
170g butter
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
150ml natural yoghurt
100ml milk
100g chopped pecans/walnuts
75g chopped chocolate (white, milk or dark)
1 tbsp grated orange rind
Topping
85g icing sugar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp finely chopped cranberries (dried are a good shout)
Method
First, mix the chopped cranberries with 50g of caster sugar and leave aside in a bowl for now. Then mix together the plain flour, the rest of the caster sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Chop the butter and add it, rubbing it together with the mixed ingredients so it looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Add the nuts, orange peel, chopped chocolate and cranberries.
Mix the eggs with the milk and yoghurt, stirring into the flour mixture until just moistened - try to not over-mix.
Fill the muffin tins - 2/3rds full. Bake at 190/180 fan for 20 to 25 minutes. Afterwards, leave them to cool for around 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
To make the topping, sift the icing sugar into a bowl, extract the lemon juice and add it to the sugar slowly until it resembles thick cream. Drizzle the icing over the muffins and sprinkle the chopped cranberries over. Yields around 18 muffins.
Cookie batter chronicles
There’s no better way to ring in the festive season than with a relaxing bake. Get the tunes on, and the oven going (you’ll be toasty if nothing else)! Check out these recipes for a couple of different cookie batters (add two jars/ribbons and you’ve got homemade gifts).
Going carrot-y
Alongside the traditional honey glazed carrots that may feature in your Christmas dinner, this alternative recipe provides a cake-ish delight, in bite sized chunks. Carrot cake has always been a favourite of mine, with the unsuspecting vegetable mixing with magical spices to create a sweet treat. This recipe converts the tastiness of the cake with the convenience of a cookie (easily transported).
Ingredients
140g cream cheese
140g icing sugar, plus 3 tbsp
½ tsp vanilla extract
350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting your hands (don’t forget them!)
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spices
140g softened butter
140g soft light brown sugar
1 egg beaten
200g finely grated carrots
Zest and juice of 1 orange
3 tbsp finely chopped walnuts
Method
Firstly, create your topping - the icing on the cookie. In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, 3 tbsp of icing sugar and vanilla extract. Put this in the freezer to firm for 30 mins.
For the actual cookies now! Combine flour, baking powder and spices in a bowl. In a bigger bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Beat in the egg and then the carrot. Tip in the dry ingredients and mix to form the dough.
Next, grab a baking tray, and line it with baking parchment. A sustainable replacement to baking parchment is silicone baking pads, if you’re interested.
Anyway, continuing - dust your hands with some flour, and divide the dough into 14 balls and pop them onto the sheet. Flatten each one into a thin circle with the palm of your hand. Add 1 tsp of the cream cheese mixture made earlier to the centre of each one, then carefully wrap up the dough around the filling to seal it in. Pinch the top and roll it back into a dough ball to stop any of the filling leaking out - it’s presumably disastrous if the cream cheese escapes.
When all the balls are sufficiently shaped, use your palm again to flatten them slightly, then put them in the fridge to chill for 30 mins.
At this point, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6.
Bake them for 20 mins until they look golden and festive (crisp, rather). Remove them from the oven, let them firm up for 10-15 mins on a tray and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Mix the icing sugar with the orange juice until the consistency is good for drizzling. To top them, drizzle this mixture all over the cookies, sprinkle with some walnuts and orange zest. Leave them to rest (or set, to be technical).
It’s best to eat them fresh on the day you make them, but they do keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Gingerbread dreams
Our next is a classic xmas-y bake - gingerbread cookies. It’s the perfect leisurely thing-to-do for these cold winter afternoons, and this recipe will not fail - fingers crossed. These are quite chewy!
Ingredients
Cookies
200g unsalted butter, cut into pieces
50g finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
240g icing sugar
60g unsulphured molasses
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
250g plain flour
Coating
50g granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground ginger
Method
Firstly, using a medium pan over medium heat on the hob, melt the butter until it’s foamy (around 3 minutes). Continue cooking the butter, stirring and scraping it frequently with a stiff silicone spatula, until the sputtering has subsided and the solids look deeply browned (3 to 5 minutes).
After removing this from the heat, whisk in fresh ginger and ground spices. Scrape the butter and any brown bits into the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using a hand mixer). Set aside until cool, slightly solid, but still creamy. That should be about 20 minutes in the fridge/2 hours at room temp.
Add icing sugar, molasses, vanilla, salt and baking soda to the cooled butter.
Mix on low with the paddle attachment - stop once to scrape the bowl and paddle - then continue until its creamy and combined (about 1 minute).
Add the egg and mix on medium until pale and fluffy, but stopping once to scrape the bowl and paddle (about 2 minutes). Add flour and mix until evenly combined, about 30 seconds. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days before baking. Handy you can make the mixture in advance!
To prepare the sugar coating: Stir together the sugar and ground ginger in a wee bowl. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper and arrange the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Using two spoons, scoop the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon portions (30 grams) (not into your mouth yet!!). Roll the portioned cookie dough into balls and coat in the ginger sugar. Arrange on the sheet tray at least 1 inch apart and bake until set and lightly browned around the edges, about 10 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Voila! Enjoy the cookies, they yield about 24 portions, so might be an ideal spontaneous festive treat for a flatmate.
Finally, we hope this is a happy, peaceful time for everyone to celebrate and unwind after the semester, however you choose to do it. You have all worked so hard this year, and deserve a good break over the winter. Recharge, reconnect and relax. But, if you’re not feeling it or know someone who’s struggling - check out the links below. Support is always available.
We look forward to welcoming you all next year, with events and more GUFAB activity.
This newsletter was written by Aysha Sohail (she/her) and edited by Thalia Groucott (she/her).