Christmas in July can be a great excuse to gather friends or family for a feast, or equally, to just embrace the idea of making some of the recipes you love that traditionally only appear around December 25. Or perhaps it's a chance to try some festive baking at a time when having the oven on is a welcome way to ward of the winter chill!
Whatever your aim, here are a brace of recipes for your mid-year festive cooking.
SMALL DELIGHTS
This recipe takes inspiration from cold winter nights in Sweden, where friends gather for drinks and warm spiced nuts by the fire. Credit: Murdoch Books / Greg Elms
GREAT BAKES
Credit: Hardie Grant Books / Lizzie Mayson
"It’s super simple: you boil everything down, and the native ingredients add so much punch. This is the cake I make every year and people love it. It celebrates our Australian nuts, muntries, quandongs and spices such as pepperberries. It’s really got everything, and it’s the easiest Christmas cake you’re ever going to make," says Nornie Bero of her festive recipe. Credit: Geoff George / Mary Makes It Easy
See her making them in season 3 episode 12 of Mary Makes It Easy, streaming now at SBS On Demand:
Fruit mince tart with sage pastry Credit: Alan Benson
Fig cookies (cucidati) Source: SBS / SBS Feast
MAIN EVENTS AND GREAT SIDES
Credit: Mary's Kitchen Crush
A glazed ham is a marvellous centrepiece for a celebration, and you can make the glaze for this recipe up to 2 weeks ahead and refrigerate until needed. Pumpkin, spinach and chickpea filo pie Credit: Donal's Cook, Eat, Burn!
These crispy-edged roast spuds are a potato lover's dream. Credit: Norton
Credit: Mary Makes It Easy
AND OF COURSE, PUDDING
Christmas Day pudding Credit: China Squirrel
If you have a little more time, this darker-style pudding is rich with spices, dried fruit, glace cherries, orange juice and grated apple. Find more ideas in SBS Food's . 
