Christmas is my favourite time of the year. Whether we have family to stay, or if it’s just my husband and I surrounded by all our animals, I always try to make it special. I love everything about Christmas, from the decorations to the feast, and I always tend to go a little over the top with it all!

Last year, we had only just moved into our house here in the North Yorkshire countryside, and it was a desperate rush to get everything sorted before the winter weather set in, so I didn’t get round to decorating like I usually would. This year, however, I have more than made up for it and I have gone all out with everything! I know animals don’t understand the concept of Christmas, but I also know that they enjoy treats, so why shouldn’t they be spoilt a little too?

Christmas starts with a carol concert at the local church on Christmas Eve. It is literally a stone's throw from our house, along the lane, and it is a lovely atmosphere. Last year, our first here, was so lovely. The locals made us feel very welcome as we got to know them. Although we don’t get a chance to attend every monthly service at the church, and I am not a particularly religious person, there is something very special about the service on Christmas Eve, so we have made it our mission to attend this for as long as we are able.

The dogs each have a Christmas stocking, special Christmas blanket and treats. They even enjoy a Christmas turkey lunch with us. The other animals on the smallholding also receive little treats, and, of course, nothing stops just because it's Christmas! I decorate the smallholding with lights around the stables and put decorations in the trees to make things look magical – this is a tradition we have kept up for decades, even when our own children were little, and we toast the lights going up with a hot toddy to get into the festive spirit!

I have enjoyed discovering new places this year to go Christmas shopping, and Northallerton’s shops and markets are amazing – I particularly love the department store, Barkers, that has been a well-loved institution since 1882!

It has been wonderful walking around the smallholding and the country lanes collecting holly and ivy to make my own Christmas wreaths for the door and the stables, and it is nice to know that the sloe gin I made a few months ago will be ready for tasting on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas morning, there are no lie-ins for us, and we do not have lazy breakfasts around a roaring fire; absolutely not. Whatever the weather, it is business as usual and, before we even begin to think about ourselves, we make sure the animals are catered for with fresh water, clean bedding and food.

As soon as the weather begins to get colder, the ponies and donkeys are stabled overnight, so the first job is to let them out. If it isn’t raining, then the donkeys enjoy being in the paddock with the field shelter. If it is wet, I escort them into a clean stable and provide them with breakfast indoors. My two ponies are miniature Shetlands, a very hardy breed who prefer to be outside in all weather, so they are allowed free rein to come and go as they please, with shelter available if they want it.

The goats are very much like the donkeys when it comes to rain; they hate getting wet! So breakfast is served inside if it’s raining. The pigs have deep bedding of sheep fleece, straw, and blankets in their arks, and they spend a lot of their time indoors during the winter, coming out for treats and feeding. I like to make it extra special by providing them with seasonal treats of fruits and vegetables to bring a little more variety into their diets.

It is, of course, important not to overindulge animals, as giving them too many treats can have an adverse reaction. Moderation is key, as is making sure that any treats fed are healthy and nutritious. I always stock up on hay, straw and shavings prior to Christmas and make sure I have sufficient dry animal feed to see me through the festive season, as inevitably feed stores and shops will be closed for some of the time; everyone needs a rest!

Ensuring the birds are well fed is also a priority, and I concentrate on buying high-energy bird feed such as fat balls and mealworms, which will give birds that all important boost during the cold winter months. Fresh drinking water is vital and I always ensure that this is accessible after cold spells when it may ice over.

The sheep were sheared in early October, so their fleeces have grown back nicely in time for the colder weather, but they too have shelters with mats and straw bedding to protect them from the worst of the weather. They like the occasional biscuit treat, with ginger and digestives being particular favourites. All my animals are kept as pets, so yes, I do spoil them rotten!

Once all the animals have been fed and the stables have been mucked out, it's time to go back indoors. The whole process can take up to two hours, so by the time we get back inside, we are usually cold and hungry! Christmas morning for us, after all the animals are sorted, starts with a bucks fizz and a cooked breakfast. We don’t eat our Christmas meal until later in the day, as we find it much easier to provide for the animals and sort out any jobs on the smallholding first. A huge lunch usually puts my lights out, and falling asleep on the sofa isn’t an option when you run a smallholding, regardless of whether it is Christmas or not! A hearty cooked breakfast sets us up for the day, and I can then get the turkey in the oven and prepare the vegetables for later.

Television during the festive period doesn’t feature much for us, and certainly not before evening. If we have any spare time at all once the animals are sorted, we will take the dogs for a walk – I love doing this when the meat is cooking and all the chores are done, especially on Boxing Day when we all enjoy the fresh air and exercise, not just the dogs!

So, Christmas on the smallholding, though busy and sometimes chaotic, is very much a magical time focussed around the animals. I enjoy every minute of it, from the choosing of the gifts, the decoration of the house and smallholding, and the cooking of the feast. Christmas is a wonderful time to be enjoyed with loved ones and to be thankful for everything we have.

Whatever you are doing this year, I wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas and a wonderful New Year.


You can find Allison on Instagram countryliving_writer or visit her website here