Hosting your Christmas the Ragdale way

At Ragdale, we love to host. When you walk through our doors, our aim is to lift the weight from your shoulders and let you push the pause button, allowing you to focus on nothing else apart from your relaxation, self-care and wellness. In this blog we wanted to share how you can blend the traditions of your Christmas with a sprinkling of Ragdale and help make yours a little more mindful.

Starting the day right…

Before you start rushing round the shops for last minute buys or trying to locate extra place settings for your Christmas dinner, make sure you start your day right with a hearty breakfast. Our Atholl Brose is a popular choice and is an iconic Ragdale breakfast, plus its easy to make too! If you have a few guests staying with you over the Christmas period, you also can pre-make our healthy breakfast and make your Boxing Day morning a little less rushed.

See below for our recipe to the perfect start to the day.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

175g (6oz) medium oatmeal

4 tbsp clear honey

500g (1lb 2oz) low fat natural yogurt

250g (9oz) raspberries

Pecans to garnish if preferred for a festive finish

Method

Pre-heat the grill. Sprinkle the oatmeal onto a baking sheet and toast it lightly until golden brown. Leave it to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together 2 tbsp of the honey and the yogurt, then mix in the cooled oats. Layer the mixture into serving glasses with the raspberries and remaining honey, reserving a few raspberries to arrange on top. Chill until ready to serve.

TOP TIP: Make this the night before and chill in the fridge overnight – it will taste even better by breakfast time. 

Setting the scene

We always like to create a space that is homely, warm and inviting, so when you arrive you feel like you are walking into a familiar room, full of dedicated team who are ready to cater to your needs and guide you on your relaxation journey. Creating this atmosphere is simple, especially when you are inviting loved ones into your home. By playing calming music, infusing the air with soothing scents and setting the mood with soft, ambient lighting—be it through fairy lights or gentle, low-level lamps, will all help to make your room feel very cosy, inviting and relaxed.

Mindful moments

When you are in your own home, its easy to feel guilty when taking a few moments to yourself. The need to be doing something productive and an ever growing ‘to do’ list always seem to take priority.  It’s easy to become fixated on the task at hand and forget about the pressure you are putting on yourself under. This is a gentle reminder to take a breathe and be present at the wonderful event you have created. Instead of frantically trying to get through the day without a glitch make time for a little pampering, a brisk nature walk (maybe with your guests), some quiet reading or something that helps you relax…we promise it’ll help you feel more in control and less overwhelmed.

The finer details

We believe that attention to detail is so important, it’s the little things that count. We adapt this ethos into everything we do, whether it be through our menus, facilities or a simple smile upon arrival.

Our Food and Beverage Manager, Doug, recommends a selection of syrups to add to coffee or hot chocolate for a post-dinner winter warmer, adding a little extra to the usual hot drink. He also mentions, “Our Ragdale guests love mulled wine and mince pies; we go through thousands of mince pies and gallons of mulled wine over the festive season. Sometimes, the classic Christmas food and drink are the best. Make sure you get all the trimmings too; they’re a classic for a reason!”

Our Housekeeping and Spa Team are always working hard behind the scenes to make sure that all your towels are fresh and fluffy plus topping up luxurious soaps and lotions in our changing rooms and public areas. Top tip to recreating that Ragdale feel is the Sea Magik Everything Wash , you’ll instantly smell that familiar Ragdale smell with a burst of fragrance from Sea Magik. Sea Magik soaps are in all our areas and offer a touch of luxury, so why not bring a little of Ragdale to your bathroom. Sea Magik Everything Wash is perfect for all skin types and is completely natural, so whoever you are hosting this Christmas you are sure to help your guests skin stay nourished and hydrated.

If you have any tips you wish to share to with us for how you host your Christmas feel, please share them with us in the comments below. We love hearing about creative ideas and thoughtful touches that can make Christmas even more special and hopefully a little easier.

However you celebrate your Christmas, we hope that you can create a harmonious blend of fun, relaxation and nourishment and capture those special moments of togetherness.

Merry Christmas from all the team at Ragdale, we look forward to seeing you in the new year if not before.