I think it's more important to make the mincemeat than the pastry. Shop bought pastry is fine, it tastes OK, however shop bought mincemeat is awful, you can't beat homemade mincemeat. It's really easy to make, mainly a case of weighing out dried fruit, peeling and chopping apples, zesting and juicing oranges and lemons and then cooking the mincmeat in a low oven for a few hours before bottling it. The result tastes fabulous and your kitchen will smell authentically Christmassy, plus you have lovely homemade mincemeat to use and sufficient to give as presents.Get all the family involved with, little ones can help weigh and stir, older children and grate and chop and everyone can stir the mincemeat clockwise and make a wish. Traditionally you are only supposed to eat mince pies during the 12 days of Christmas and they must be eaten in silence (I love this concept especially when my children are being noisy) so you should eat your first mince pie no earlier than Christmas Eve and make a wish when you take your first bit, they should not be eaten after 12th night - 6 January. But that depends if you believe that bad luck will befall you or not. Always leave one out for Santa on Christmas eve, he loves them.