We’re a family of six, me, my husband and four children. 

Christmas is never quiet and I like it that way, even when It’s just us and no other family or friends coming to visit its busy. Someone is always cooking, baking or making something festive. 

Christmas 2020 is going to be so very different to ones we’ve had previously in too many ways to mention here, however lots of our basic family traditions at Christmas will still remain reassuringly the same. 

On the lead up to the big day we decorate as much of the house as possible including the staircases. I love the smell of a real Christmas trees and we always try to have a few in the house, one is usually just the tree and lots of lights because sometimes simple is best however the others will have everything thrown at them by the kids and I usually rearrange a few bits when the kids aren’t looking. 

Our favourite evening of decorating though is making paper snowflakes for the windows or for hanging from the ceiling. We light the fire and everyone grabs a pair of scissors and after drawing, folding and cutting our designs unravelling a snowflake whatever age you are is delightful (and there is nearly always one that just falls apart because of misjudged folding). 

If 2020 is giving us anything positive it’s the time that we can spend with the children and indulge in as many homemade activities as we can, so as to make up for all the difficulties experienced earlier in the year. 

Anmer carol service and lantern parade feels like the start of winding down for us. With a chorister in the family we are busy right up to and including Christmas day but it’s a more pleasurable busy then the rest of the year and full of chances to just sit back and forget everything whilst soaking up some choral music. 

We love having an open house on Christmas Eve with plenty of drinks and nibbles and a chance for the children to run around with their friends and burn off some excited energy (who knows maybe we can recreate it with a zoom and a run round the garden this year). When everyone’s gone home we’ll settle down with hot chocolates and a festive story and open one present from mum and dad (it is always a set of pyjamas to be worn that night!). 

Christmas morning is more often than not started before the sun comes up, little and not so little feet all bound into our room shouting he’s been after they have awoken early and crept downstairs while we sleep! But no one is allowed to open anything until everyone is up and in the living room, we’ve lit the fire and mum and dad have coffee’s in hand. 

I think this year as the pleasure and pressure of hosting will be off we’ll take a longer walk on the beach than normal and hopefully enjoy more time playing with the children’s new gifts but it’s not Christmas without a family board game (maybe it ends well, maybe it ends in tears but there’s usually laughter in between) and dad falling asleep on the sofa. 

Words & Styling by Jo @ling.house.anmer 

Floristry by Jo at Constance Rose

All Images - Photography by Didi @marshesandflint