Turkeys, trees and all the trimmings - how to have the perfect 'Oxfordshire Christmas'

As the nights draw darker and the faint flicker of fairy lights gets stronger, the city’s traders are stocked up and ready to offer the most coveted goods for the Christmas countdown.

No Christmas dinner is complete without an array of cheeses, wines, meats and of course, a Christmas tree, and shoppers can support their local businesses to capture the perfect Oxfordshire Christmas.

Whether that is to enjoy with a football team-sized family or as a quiet intimate dinner between couples the county conjures up an Yuletide offering for all.

Reporters Naomi Herring and Karen Ruiz explore how to have the perfect Oxfordshire Christmas, starting with the main course.

Peach Croft Farm

A sensational centrepiece to most Christmas dinners is a tantalising turkey or glorious goose, thousands of which in the county will come from Peach Croft Farm, Abingdon.

The farm has 2,500 geese weighing in at about 16lb and 7,500 turkeys ranging from 10lb to 30lb ready to be sold for the big day.

Over 75 years, three generations have been proudly helping line the stomachs of many during festive feasts with its free-range turkeys and geese.

Farm owner Bill Homewood said: “We supply many local butchers in the city and across Oxfordshire, from Wallingford and Cholsey right up to Banbury then out across Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. We have the one-day-old chicks come in during April, May and June and then rear them ready for Christmas dinners with turkey or geese.

“If a butcher orders 100 turkeys, often they will order about 20 per cent of that in geese.

“So it is a limited but a growing market for geese and the turkey is still the firm favourite.”

Peach Croft Farm proves the perfect poultry addition to any Oxford Christmas dinner and the locally sourced meats will be sold in butchers including Alcock Butchers in Summertown, Golsby Butchers in Eynsham, Hedges in the Covered Market and Michael Cain Family Butchers in Cumnor.

The Tree Barn 

If Oxfordshire-grown Christmas trees are good enough for The Ritz, it is good enough to spread a special sparkle through the festive front rooms of families in the county.

The Tree Barn is currently growing about 120,000 Christmas trees in about seven species ready for sale from Saturday.

The tree nursery, in aptly named Christmas Common near Watlington, supplies trees from 60cm tall right through to an impressive 12ft.

Owner Andrew Ingram said: “We anticipate selling 6,000 to 7,000 wholesale trees which are leaving here now for lots of buildings across Oxfordshire such as several the Bodleian or the Ashmolean and many college buildings.

“Our trees also go to a lot London hotels such as the Ritz, plus two or three big garden centres in Oxfordshire.

“We also anticipate selling 7,500 to 8,000 trees from here, predominantly this will be the Nordman Fir as it holds its needles better than others.”

The tree nursery also offers Norway Spruce, Serbian Spruce, Blue Spruce, Lodgpole Pine and Korean Fir.

Hook Norton Brewery

Hook Norton Brewery provides the perfect brew for Christmas time as well as the perfect gift. 

This time of year the brewery supplies its most popular beer export called Twelve Days, known for its strong, nutty taste and has become popular across the world, even travelling as far away as Australia.

Marketing manager Mark Graham said it’s the perfect beer to enjoy in front of a log fire. The dark beer has won several awards including a silver medal at the International Beer Challenge Awards in 2016. 

Mr Graham said: "It is a seasonal beer so it is only served in pubs in December but available all-year round at the brewery. 

"For Christmas Day you’re probably looking at something like the Old Hooky, it is our second most popular beer. It was first brewed in 1977, and it goes very well with roasted meat. 

"You can go for a double stout to go with a chocolate dessert and our flagship IPA to go with your cheeseboard."

Oxford Cheese Company 

Those who didn't manage to fill-up on turkey, stuffing and pigs in blankets can fill their boots with a Christmas cheese board conclusion topped with an Oxford Blue.

The perfect complement to a red Bordeaux can be found among a variety of cheese at the Oxford Cheese Company in the Covered Market. 

The shop has become a staple in the city centre as shoppers often queue up for its broad range of European cheeses including locally sourced produce.

Staff say the current favourites include the Oxford Blue, which is a semi hard, smooth creamy English cows milk blue created in the city by the owner of the Oxford Cheese Company in the mid 1990s.

Manager Jessica Defouloy said: “Our aim is to provide customers with the widest possible choice and we always carry cow, ewe and goat milk artisan cheeses from these countries. 

"Other favourites alongside the Oxford Blue include 2 Year Aged Red Leicester, College White with Truffles, Artisan Emmental and Vacherin Mont D’or.

"We also have a small range of interesting wines chosen with cheeses in mind to offer something special to customers in the centre of town.

"We are always happy to spend time with our customers to advise on the most appropriate mixes of cheeses for any event and this is particularly important for many of them at Christmas."

Oxford Wine Company

OXFORDSHIRE may not be known for it worldly wines but traders are making sure to includes the county’s offering among it seasonal stock.

More than 900 wines are at Oxford Wine Company in Botley Road but if it’s something different you’re looking for, staff recommend the Cotswold’s Sweet Cheeks cider.

A festive alternative to the traditional Bordeaux is the Cotswold Cider Co’s Sweet Cheeks, a spicy twist on traditional cider making it a perfect addition to any Christmas meal.

Emily Silva, 28, shop manager at Oxford Wine Company said shoppers should aim for variety and quality at the dinner table. 

She said: “Christmas is our favourite time of year at Oxford Wine, and this year we will be going the extra mile with gift ideas, festive mixed case offers, and plenty of staff on hand with recommendations. 

“I like to have a mix of classics as well as a few surprises in my wine rack at this time of year – perhaps white Burgundy and red Bordeaux, but then something like a quince liqueur or an ice wine.”

The wine shop has a small staff with a long history in wine trade, but shoppers can choose to have their orders delivered as well.