Muffins Ingredients 2 medium eggs 125ml seeds oil 250ml semi-skimmed milk 200g golden caster sugar 400g self-raising flour 100g chocolate chips Method Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line 2 muffin trays with paper muffin cases. In a large bowl beat the eggs lightly with a handheld electric mixer for 1 min. Add the oil and milk and beat until just combined then add the sugar and whisk until you have a smooth batter. Sift in the flour and salt (and baking powder if using) then mix until just smooth. Be careful not to over-mix the batter as this will make the muffins tough. Stir in the chocolate chips or dried fruit if using. Fill muffin cases two-thirds full and bake for mins, until risen, firm to the touch and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. If the trays will not fit on 1 shelf, swap the shelves around after 15 mins of cooking. Leave the muffins in the tin to cool for a few mins and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Simone Pasqualini 2D - Cave

I spent Christmas Eve with my family at my aunt’s house. We were about fifteen people. There was a lot of fish, in addition to sweets and dried fruit. We played bingo up to 11 pm, then we walked to the town for the midnight mass to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Simone Pasqualini 2D - Cave

My Christmas day has been a traditional one. I spent it at home with my family like in the past years. We were about twenty people all together around a long table full of desserts, cold cuts, Christmas yeast cakes and dried fruit. After we finished eating we played Bingo, Trentuno and Sinco laughing and having fun. Unexpectedly someone remembered us about the gifts under the tree, so we unwrapped all of them and someone found shirts, someone socks, and the older ones like me and my cousins found money. Obviously what I will remember about this Christmas, like the past years, is the time I spent with my family, sharing joy and emotions that only the dear ones can give you. Maybe this is the best gift that I luckily get every Christmas. Simone Pasqualini 2D - Cave

This New Year’s Eve I stayed at home with my family. We ate seafood salad as a starter, risotto with scampi sauce as main course, fish soup, sauté of mussels and clams, fruit and cakes. Then we played cards and Bingo, waiting for midnight. At five minutes to midnight we got ready to shoot fireworks and at the stroke we shooted them. We drank to 2016 and we ate lentils and cotechino (a big sausage). Simone Pasqualini 2D - Cave