Nigella reveals how to enjoy the run up to Christmas and how some of her sanity-preserving short cuts can make even the most routine recipes redolent with festive sparkle. Nigella begins by gathering inspiration at the Christmas Market in Salzburg and adds a few twists of her own back in the kitchen with her aromatic spiced ham and Christmas cake. Dealing with large numbers of hungry people invading our homes, all capable of defying the laws of nature by being perpetually hungry, is a Christmas challenge. Although the idea of canapes seem to resonate 1970s, they are always greeted with gratitude and Nigella presents some simple guides to getting them right. Salty combinations of Parma ham, creamy goats cheese and figgy wraps are quick and simple to assemble as are Nigella's spicy mini ribs are and her irresistible crab cakes. Saving the day is Nigella's never-failing hangover cure, a Cuban chorizo and black bean soup.

Nigella Lawson sets out to cook a Christmas lunch that attempts to marry the weight of Dickensian expectation against the modern worries of today's chefs. For many, a laser-thin line exists between salmonella and leathery disappointment and the thought of spending Christmas night in A&E makes most of us lean towards the safety of an overcooked bird. With an affection for turkey, there is no alternative to Christmas lunch for Nigella and she sets out to deliver her method of preparation with a super-spiced, juicy roast turkey. Accompanying the bird on its final journey are pancettta and chestnut sprouts, gingerbread stuffing and maple syrup parsnips, all finished off with Fanny Craddock's gift to the world - vodka flamed Christmas pudding.

Baking, Mulling, Larder filling, and fun food to hang on the tree are at the heart of this programme. Nigella’s last minute Christmas Cake is a revelation. It’s also worthwhile having a few substantial standbys lurking in the fridge at this time and Nigella’s Spiced and Glazed Ham does the trick. And perhaps the new millennium is the right moment to revive the odd retro classic such as Gravadlax but with a Nigella twist!

Nigella Lawson enjoys the run-up to Christmas and prepares her Christmas larder in advance. Cooking at Christmas is a wonderful piece of slow-down therapy but that doesn't mean that you have to be tied to the stove the entire time. Getting ahead and filling the freezer can be the answer to a Christmas prayer. Nigella cooks roast pumpkin and sweet potato soup with a Stilton swirl, mincemeat pies and her Star from the East, and a lamb and date tagine; all wonderful to eat straight away or to store in the freezer for the arrival of last-minute guests.

Nigella Lawson enjoys the run-up to Christmas and prepares her Christmas larder in advance. She starts early by filling her shelves with homemade seasonal beetroot and ginger chutney, bright red chilli jelly (fabulous with cold ham and spiced beef), spiced fruits steeped in Ximinez sherry (poured over Cornish ice cream) and winter spiced vodka. Nigella also makes her Christmas puddini truffles and cookies, showing that Christmas doesn't have to come 'off the shelf'. There is a sense of homely Christmas industry but it isn't all solitary work. Nigella opens her doors to a few friends for a pre-Christmas brunch featuring an espresso Martini, triple cheese and onion strata, a glazed and toasted vanilla cake brioche and an antioxidant fruit salad.

Nigella Lawson enjoys the run-up to Christmas and prepares her Christmas larder in advance. She takes a trip to Paris to explore the chocolate haven of this famous city and, armed with inspiration, she then demonstrates a few sweet recipes including a chocolate rocky road and her favourite Christmas pavlova. Nigella has a series of short cuts and culinary tips that will transform the familiar Sunday rib of beef to become a Christmas treat with her port and Stilton sauce. Also on the menu is a Thai beef salad and poinsettia cocktail.