WELCOME
Itssss the most wonderful time of the year ! ( Please tell me you sang that in your head ... Or even better out loud !)
Well , OK , not quite , but having been living all things festive at iKHQ since the turn of autumn it seems only right that you can now join the iK elves and I as we officially begin our countdown to Christmas in Kent .
With last year ’ s seasonal damp squib ( thankfully ) now a distant memory , it ' s time to stop doom-scrolling the festive woes of turkey and present shortages and instead focus your attention on , wait for it , the biggest issue of your favourite Kent magazine ... EVER !
That ’ s right fabulous readers , our first gift to you this year is a record-breaking 228 pages just bursting with all you need to countdown to Christmas is Kentish style ( take a rightful bow # teamsideways !)
Whilst I ( and the rest of the ed team ) recover with a sherry or ten and the sales team fight over the Cadbury Roses , which we have officially cracked open in homage to this issue ( and not just as we are utter festive gluttons ), it is now time for you to enjoy some seasonal cheer and a delight in a whole sleighload of inspiration to help you prepare for your own Kentish celebrations .
With days outs , events and seasonal shenanigans back on the festive menu we bring you a whole heap of not to be missed diary fillers starting on p15 ; and as you get ready to be socially-undistanced
( hoorah !) we ’ ll help you up your bling game to prepandemic levels with our picks for your party outfit starting on p141 .
Wanting to take a step back and escape the joyful overload ? Never fear , for we have rounded up a plethora of properties just waiting to host you for a perfect winter staycation . From cosy boltholes and country cottages to proving that seaside escapes can be a year-round affair , be inspired from p41 ; you can also read all about our stay at the beautiful The Dunes , one of our cover star ’ s Bloom Stays stable of Kentish boltholes just beckoning to be enjoyed , read all on p46 .
Of course , Christmas also means shopping , and lots of it . Whether you are a shop-til-you-drop with a gingerbread latte in hand superstar , or fall into the needs-must , panic-buy camp , we have you covered with not only our roundup of Kent ’ s best shopping hotspots from p48 , but a massive 40 pages of giftspiration too . From must-have toys to quirky eco gifts and the latest tech , find everything you need for her , for him , for them , for the kids , and for everyone in between starting on p57 .
As attention turns to the big day itself , we showcase the local producers who can fulfil everything from your turkey centrepiece to your veg , we ’ ve even got your caffeine fix sorted ; read all from p95 . We also have some of the most delicious traditional treat recipes , with a little festive twist many of which can be made in advance , or simply devoured … get your bake on from p105 .
When it comes to your home , be inspired to create your own winter retreat with rich warm shades of green and tactile touches on p166 ; and whether you are a tinsel traditionalist or are looking to shake up your bauble game , we also highlight this year ’ s top Christmas decor trends from p155 ; we ’ ve even thrown in some top tips as to how to choose and look after your tree from p175 .
We ’ re off to start our celebrations ( and recover from the Roses / sherry blowout and finishing this issue ) and get to as many fabulous events across the county as we can , be sure to let us know what you get up to too @ insidekent .
Let the countdown begin Kent !
www . insidekentmagazine . co . uk
@ insideKENT
Publisher Adam Ready Editor Samantha Ready Features Editor & Administration Manager Karlene Gannon Deputy Editor Polly Humphris Features Writer Jess Marshall Features Writer Ashleigh Britten Features Writer Olivia Riccini Senior Designer Dave Leo Yogore Graphic Designer Lorna Morris Graphic Designer Kareena Ross-Cumming Sales Manager Jen Crisp Senior Account Manager Jerry Barrett Account Manager Sian Jowett Contributors Abbas Kanani , Edible Culture , Kathryn Danzey , Marc Farmer , Mina Khan , Morleys Farm , Prof . Bijayendra Singh Cover : Perry Farm , Wingham by Bloom Stays © Bloom Stays
insideKENT Magazine is published by Sideways Media Ltd , Coachworks , Dover Place , Ashford , Kent TN23 1HU www . sidewaysmedia . co . uk For general enquiries , please contact hello @ sidewaysmedia . co . uk or 01233 226519
For all advertising enquiries , please contact Adam Ready on 01233 226519 or email adam @ sidewaysmedia . co . uk For all editorial enquiries , press releases or news stories , please contact insidekent @ sidewaysmedia . co . uk
© Copyright 2021 . The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher . Neither the publisher nor any other person associated with the production and publication of this magazine make any guarantees , warranties or claims as to the accuracy , currency or truthfulness of any of the contents of this magazine . No part of this magazine may be copied , reproduced or transmitted in any form without the publisher ’ s written consent . No responsibility is taken for unsolicited editorial , images or photographs published . While every care is taken , prices and details are subject to change and the publisher takes no responsibility for omissions or errors . Publisher is not responsible for any variation in image colour due to printing processes .
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