So while it may seem like the world is at war with us at the moment, with a new hit every day, remembering the important things in life is essential to getting through.
While Christmas can seem like consumerism gone mad, it is also a rare chance for us all to gather together our family and friends for some quality time and it does not have to blow an already tight budget.
These are simple but effective recipes which you can adapt to your budget to make for a flavoursome, entertaining season.
Joan Bishop has used a luxury ingredient in salmon but in a way that can go far as an entree or an indulgent main.
To keep costs down but flavour up, Alison Lambert has turned to fishing to secure her hero ingredient and then to the Otago Farmers Market for in-season vegetables and nuts to dress up her accompaniments.
If you have a crowd coming, popular Australian chef Donna Hay provides some inspiration for the traditional turkey and pavlova.
And with her television show shining the spotlight on how hard it is to grow vegetables at altitude, Nadia Lim shares her hard-won advice on growing redcurrants and blueberries and suggests bright and tasty ways to cook them.
If you are wondering what to do with that bottle of sherry in the liquor cupboard, wine columnist Mark Henderson explains there is more to this ‘‘nana drink’’ than many of us expect.
Rebecca Fox
Lifestyle editor
