The rich and spicy fruit cake of England, made a few months before 25 December so that it will mature into a festive cake, is one of the joys of Christmas. It may be topped with halved almonds before baking, and finished off with a sprig of holly. Some prefer a more elaborate iced version: a coating of almond paste, then an icing. A few Christmas decorations, a fir tree, a toy Santa Claus, Christmas bells or an appropriate greeting may be used to give a dash of colour.