The spirit of Christmas past

Alice Taylor, the bestselling author of To School Through the Fields, looks back on writing an ode to her favourite time of year, the traditions to savour, and her most precious festive memories

Alice Taylor at home in Innishannon in Co Cork Picture: Clare Keogh

‘Christmas,” Alice Taylor says, “is a kind of darning together of all your lasting Christmas memories to make your complete one.” A process that could well be describing her latest book, Home for Christmas. Part memoir, part festive compendium, its 18 chapters recall her earliest Christmas memories and journey right through each significant festive moment and ritual, punctuated with chapters on baking, decorating and corresponding, each memory giving licence to share the Christmas ...