Monique Bowley - Podcast creator, baker & trifle maker

Hello and welcome to the first episode of A Christmas Binge, your new favourite Christmas listening tradition.

The mince pies have been in the supermarket since October, maybe you've been Christmas shopping since August, but it's officially December so the approved Christmas countdown can begin.

My name is Brittany Stewart, I'm a Melbourne-based journalist, host of another podcast, Beauty Island, and an absolute Christmas obsessive.

A Christmas Binge is all about celebrating the spirit of the season by chatting to interesting people to find out how they celebrate. Each episode in the lead up to Christmas, I sit down with someone and ask them about their favourite Christmas films and music, the food that fills their Christmas table in terms of what goes on the dinner table and of course, their unique Christmas traditions.

Follow Monique Bowley: @moniquebowley

Follow host Brittany Stewart: @achristmasbinge @brittanybeautybts

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This week, I'm celebrating with Christmas with Monique Bowley. Where to begin with her?

She makes podcasts at the ABC, established the Mamamia Podcast Network, was the founding president of the Adelaide Branch of the South Australian Country Women's Association, created a fundraising op-shop, a travelling vintage clothing store raising money for the homeless and disadvantaged in Adelaide, is a former professional basketball player having played for Australia AND was a finalist in the first season of The Great Australian Bake Off. (And she'll hate me for saying all that because she is also one of the most modest people I've ever met.)

She cooked me dinner, we ate homemade brownies, and then she turned her living room upside down into a makeshift podcast studio so we could talk all things festive. She shared the revelation of how Adelaide celebrates Christmas including a special festive parade, the rather vicious Kris Kringle her family does every year, her signature trifle recipe, and the Christmas tree conundrum she's facing after falling in love with a $1200 Christmas tree in Vogue.

Now just a word for this episode and the whole season; I am so privileged to have had family and Christmas experiences that make it a time of year that I love. I know for many people, for many different reasons, find Christmas a very difficult period. So I just wanted to flag that this podcast largely deals with the positive and often indulgent side of Christmas, and we're very lucky to have the privilege and freedom to talk about things like the food we're eating and the way we celebrate and gifts and family. If it's a topic you find hard, this might not be the podcast for you right now.

But if that is you, I would really love to hear your thoughts and feelings about Christmas if you're open to sharing for a special little episode later in the month - get in touch and email me at [email protected] or send me a DM on Instagram @AChristmasBinge. I'll also be sharing some ways you can give back this Christmas so listen out in each episode for that.

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