Christmas is always a stressful time for me. Travel is chaotic, gift shopping strains my time and wallet and family dynamics can make our celebration turn sour. But then there’s Meghan Markle’s version of Christmas.
In her new Netflix special, With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration, the Duchess of Sussex shares the ways she is making her holiday special: she hand-crafts Christmas crackers; she paints mugs and plates; she makes cookies for Santa; she wraps gifts with wax seals instead of sellotape; she assembles a wreath from tenderstem broccoli. (All while staying jovial, lighthearted, making many Dad jokes and crucially not stressed).
Even when she goes to make a – seemingly simple – cacio e pepe, she instead whips out an arsenal of kitchen equipment: stand mixer, saucepan, piping bag, and baking sheet, to make cacio e pepe gougères, which I can’t even pronounce. It all feels to me, like way too much work.
And while I would love to incorporate some of these concepts into my own holiday traditions, I just don’t have the time or energy (except for the Dad jokes—those I can handle).
Thankfully, Meghan has expanded her ever-growing As Ever lifestyle collection to include all things merry and bright: signature candles, hot toddy and mulled cider kits, sage-infused honey and sparkling wine. They’re an easy (if not pretty expensive) way for me to capture some of Meghan’s magic. I tried them ahead of Christmas to see what joy they might bring to my world.
Meghan Markle decorates her tree in the holiday edition of With Love, Meghan (Photo: Jake Rosenberg/Netflix/PA)Setting the mood
I set the mood with Meghan’s No. 084 and No. 519 candles, which cost $64 (£47) each and are housed in elegant white ceramic vessels bearing As Ever’s palm tree-and-hummingbirds logo. No. 084, named for Meghan’s birth date, has notes of water lotus, sandalwood and California poppy. The scent, which the Sussexes apparently use in their Montecito home, has “an elevated coziness that feels like a hug,” according to As Ever’s site.
A nod to Meghan and Harry’s wedding date, No. 519 uses Moroccan mint, cardamom and tea leaves to evoke “the feeling of warm sunshine and blue skies, surrounded by love and laughter“ as well “a day in the English countryside”.
The candles smelled pleasant enough to me, but they didn’t really elicit any of the intended feelings or emotions. No. 084 reminded me of my nana’s fancy perfumed bath powder and No. 519 smelled like wet leaves after a rain shower.
But I’m no expert, which is why I turned to Alexis Ufland, a New York-based spa consultant and interior designer who knows what makes perfect scents.
Spa consultant Alexis Ufland says Meghan’s 084 candle has a clean scent and lights beautifully“Both candles have a powdery undertone, which is a very traditional European luxury scent,” she said. “Think Guerlain’s Après L’Ondée or Chanel No 5. American scents are less powdery and more natural, like tomato stem, basil and black pepper, and typically feel more modern.” For her part, Ufland preferred No. 084 over No. 519. “It’s less powdery and cleaner,” she said, “although I don’t smell any sandalwood.”
Ufland thought the candles lit beautifully. The wicks held their shape—one sign of a quality candle—and the scents didn’t overtake the room. But Ufland took issue with the vessel’s design. “The white interior absorbs smoke, so the inside rim darkens as the candle burns down,” she said. “When I reach in to relight it, my hand is covered in black dust.” The bigger problem? “A candle without a lid drives me crazy,” she said. “The lid matters. It lets you snuff out the flame cleanly, so the smoke does not overwhelm the room and overtake the actual fragrance that you just filled the room with.” Noted!
They weren’t Christmassy smelling but they were nice scents that I would use if hosting. The powdery scent of No 84 is actually nice for keeping in a bathroom, and No. 519 is a fresh, clean scent that is great for greeting guests in an entryway or living room/sitting room. The candles are also great for gifting.
The food
Meghan’s sage honey fared much better. I found it to be tastier than her orange blossom honey, with a warm, subtle earthiness that suits both sweet and savory dishes. I drizzled it on roasted butternut squash, and it completely elevated the dish and earned raves from my dinner guests.
It’s a deliciously versatile honey that can be used as a marinade for meats and paired with cheese or ice cream. Another reason it’s better than As Ever’s orange blossom honey: The $32 (£24) jar includes a hunk of edible honeycomb.
The sage honey is definitely something I would use at Christmas. It’s a great addition to a cheeseboard and also for glazing ham or pork. I’d also save a little extra for drizzling on desserts like the loaf cakes and apple pie we typically serve on the holiday.
The drink
As Ever’s mulling kits were hit and miss. Each $16 (£12) set comes with spices and a reusable muslin bag to steep in hot apple cider, or if you’re making a hot toddy, in boiling water.
The spiced cider was flavorful and soothing thanks to a blend of cinnamon, citrus peel, ginger root, nutmeg, clove and allspice. It’s a cozy sip that I can see myself drinking throughout the winter or serving at holiday get-togethers. The hot toddy, on the other hand, was bland.
Though the spice mix contained cinnamon, lemongrass, citrus peel and ginger root, the flavors didn’t come through. I only got hints of sweetness from the honey I added, plus a slight buzz from pouring too much whiskey into my mug.
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To cap off my merrymaking, I popped open a bottle of As Ever’s 2021 Vintage Napa Valley Brut. Made with Napa Valley pinot noir and chardonnay grapes using the traditional Méthode Champenoise, it’s Meghan’s best wine offering yet, as far as I’m concerned. Joshua Lorbes, a sommelier at New York City’s Jack & Charlie’s who previously sampled Meghan’s rosé with me, agrees.
Joshua Lorbes, a sommelier, samples Meghan Markle’s sparkling wine“I’m surprised—It’s good!” he said after a sip. The reason Meghan got it right, he said, was because As Ever uses the same grapes and process used for traditional champagne. The sparkling wine smelled and tasted sweeter and more berry-like than champagne—a result of the grapes growing in the California sun—but was still very fresh and crisp on the palate.
“It’s a great option for a family gathering,” said Lorbes. However, he added, at $89 (£66), it’s quite expensive, and you can get a really good imported champagne for less money.
Though none of these products make an appearance in Meghan’s Netflix special (we do, however, get a cameo from Harry), I think most would make a cheery addition to any home during the holiday season.
In fact, come Christmas Day, you’ll likely find me celebrating Sussex-style: burning a No. 084 candle, sipping 2021 Vintage Napa Valley Brut—but I will definitely not be making gougères.
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