Twas two days before Christmas and all through the land,
Odd socks had gone missing - they had other plans.
A good job then that Santa - would soon be on his way
With thousands of parcels all tucked up in his sleigh
With glorious paper, and ribbons and bows,
New socks are coming to warm up your toes!
But who'll pull Santa's sleigh - with the reindeer on strike!?
Will he be reduced to riding his bike?
But what's that I hear? - that familiar jingle?
Is it, can it be... the voice of Kris Kringle?
"Now Fairy...Now Wizzo...Now Witchy...Now Robber"
Socks pulling a sleigh - I've seen nothing Odder!!
So on Christmas Eve, when you're tucked up in bed
Happy and sleepy and warm and well-fed
While Mum and Dad munch on mince pies and hot toddies
Above all our heads will be flying The Oddies!!
Making sure Santa gets from the first house to the last
And on top of all that - that he does it fast!!
Lets hope they fly straight and lets hope they fly right!!
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!!


Merry Christmas everyone!
From all at The Oddies X

10 days to go!! My tree's going up this weekend and very excited I am too! Why not make some Oddies themed Christmas cookies to hang on your tree?! If they last that long they'll make a tasty snack for Santa and the reindeer on Christmas Eve! The recipe I'm afraid is plagiarised from Nigella - she who must be worshipped!! - and can be found in its original form on the BBC food website. Word of advice - and in the immortal phrasing of Blue Peter - ask an adult to help!!

Ingredients
For the biscuits
100g/3½oz unsalted butter, softened
100g/3½oz soft dark sugar
300g/10½oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 large free-range eggs, beaten
4 tbsp clear honey
set of Christmas cutters, or make cardboard sock shapes to cut around.

For the icing and trimmings
300g/10½oz instant royal icing sugar (made to packet instructions)
3 tbsp watergold or silver sugar balls or sprinkles
florist's ribbon or wire for hanging


Method
1. Preheat oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.
2. Place the butter and sugar in a clean bowl and mix together vigorously with a wooden spoon until the colour and texture of the mixture becomes pale.
3. Place the mixture into the bowl of a food processor and add the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and freshly ground black pepper. Blend the mixture. While the food processor is blending, gradually pour the eggs and honey down the funnel of the food processor's lid into the bowl until a dough has formed (you may not require all of the liquid if the dough has come together before it is used up). If the dough is too dry add a little water to the mixture. If the dough is too wet add a little flour to the mixture.
4. Halve the dough. Wrap one half of the dough in cling film, place it into a freezer bag, and place it into the fridge.
5. Place the other half of the dough onto a floured work surface. Roll the dough, with a rolling pin, into a disc to about 0.5cm/¼in thick.
6. Using a set of Christmas biscuit cutters, cut sock shapes out of the dough. Re-roll the remaining dough and cut out more shapes until the dough is used up. Remove the second half of the dough from the fridge and repeat this process.
7. With the pointed end of a small icing nozzle, puncture a hole just below the top of each decoration (through which ribbon or wire can later be threaded to hang them).
8. Arrange the decorations on a baking sheet lined with a layer of reusable silicon baking parchment and cook for 20 minutes or until they are cooked through and golden-brown in colour. Transfer the decorations to a wire rack to cool.
9. Prepare the icing according to the packet instructions (the icing texture should be liquid enough to be easy to apply but thick enough not to run off the decorations).
10. Ice the decorations using a teaspoon (use the tip of the spoon for dripping the icing onto the decoration and the back of the teaspoon for smoothing).
11. Sprinkle the gold or silver balls over the decorations and press them gently onto the icing. Cut the ribbon into short lengths and thread the ribbon through the holes in the decorations. Tie the decorations to what ever needs decorating with the ribbon.

If any of you make these, why not send me some pictures - or even better, cookies - so I can be in charge of...um...Quality control!

Merry Christmas!!
Dan.

Friday!! At this time of year that can only mean one thing - A weekend of Christmas shopping!! Crowds and queues and bad tempered Dads - the spirit of Christmas prevails!!

Well...If you want to avoid jostling with the great unwashed then why not do your shopping via the wonders of the internet!? Leave the post...Person (my posty is a very nice lady so I don't want to subscribe to gender stereotypes!) to carry your bags and put your feet up with a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie!

With this in mind The Oddies have just introduced a new super fast next day delivery option on the website - www.oddieworld.com leaving you with plenty of time to get your prezzies suitably festooned with paper and ribbon and shipped off to the North Pole before Christmas!!

Still thinking of tackling the crowds?! My advice...Take a pram, great for clipping the ankles of those who dare to get between you and the last (insert most important gift on your list here)!!

Have Fun!!
Dan.

Ps. - Happy Birthday Kate and Sam, who both turn twenty something this Sunday!!

Picture: Cub Scout Oddie

Roll up, Roll up!! Any struggling graduates out there?? - Did you know that The Oddies could be your springboard to fame, fortune and (slightly less glamorously) career stability?! Seriously though, the rolling internship programme at Oddies is a really good way to get some essential work experience whether you're looking to get into publishing, marketing or....Sock manufacture.

If you're finding it hard to break in to the career of your dreams and you're passionate about kids books then drop us a line!! It might take a while for a position to open up - no, you can't have my job!! But I can tell you from personal experience that you get taken a lot more seriously when you've got some practical work experience under you're belt!! - Notice that I don't actually have a job yet....But I am getting a lot more interest, I promise!!

So...If you're interested get in touch through the 'contact' section of the website - www.oddieworld.com or if you have any questions leave me a message on here and I'll get back to you!!

Have Fun!!

Dan.

December!!! A big candy cane shaped, gingerbread scented Christmas greeting to everyone!! I know it's a little bit early - but the first door on your Advent calendar will be opening today and anyone who's been anywhere near a shop in the last week will know that the season of good will has well and truly arrived!!

Our office Christmas decorations went up today! - which is probably why this post has such a festive theme!! - the mere sniff of tinsel and I revert to my five year old state!! Unfortunately Christmas doesn't affect us all with such jolliness!! Kate, the helmswoman of Oddieworld (if Grant's the captain!!), is apparently allergic to Christmas trees!! It's a genuine problem - the whiff of a pine scented air freshener and she's bunged up till New Year! - maybe these Grinch like tendencies mean that I shouldn't reserve a space on the mantel for her Christmas Card!!....

For those of a less Scroogey disposition have a look at the website - www.oddieworld.com for loads of Christmas pressie ideas as well as fun games and activities to keep yourself busy whilst Mums doling out the Christmas chores!! Better have a look quick or you'll be stuck peeling brussels!!

Have Fun!!
Dan.