We writers are a Scrooge-like lot. Go to any gathering of romance writers and you'll hear the same laments: "I don't leave my computer for days on end," "My wardrobe consists of a comfy nightgown, socks and a hair scrunchie." We deny ourselves a life outside of our novels and, whilst we're inside writing, we deny ourselves such basics as, well, food. Ever conscious of the fact that we don't get enough exercise, many of us keep an eagle eye on our calorie intake. Well, I say it's Christmas and bah humbug to calories! What better time of the year to indulge and reward ourselves for all of our hard work? Besides, eating is a Yuletide tradition.

In Medieval and Tudor England, brawn was a favorite holiday food. It was made from the head and shoulders of a wild boar and served with a peppery relish or mustard sauce. Souse was also made from various parts of the pig: belly, snout, ears, etc. These were placed in a sousing or pickling barrel in autumn and were later served at the Christmas feast. During the 18th century, Yorkshire Christmas Pies gained renown for their intricate construction. The pies were made by stuffing various species of game birds and poultry one inside the other, beginning with a turkey or goose and ending with a woodcock or sparrow. The whole was then placed within a pastry box and baked.

Turkey had been eaten in England since the 1500s, when explorers brought the bird back to Europe from Mexico and Central America. In addition, goose had always been a favorite bird during times of celebration. They were fattened at harvest time and given to the ploughmen and field hands when the work was done. East Anglia was famous for its geese and turkeys, raised on farms in Norfolk, Suffolk and Lancashire. Each year, at the end of August, great flocks of the birds were fitted with tiny metal shoes and driven south to London. The trip took three months, with the birds arriving in time for the great Christmas markets.

In addition to food, drink has always been an English Christmas staple. Perhaps the most well known of holiday drinking traditions is the Wassail Bowl, from the Anglo Saxon toast "Waes Heil," meaning to be whole, or healthy. The large wassail bowl was typically made from either ash or maple wood and was taken round to all the houses in an area by wassailers. They came on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve or Twelfth Night, depending on the local custom, and healths were drunk at every house. Whilst I don't recommend your going wassailing yourself (you'll never get that chapter written!) I do encourage you all to eat, drink and be merry!