1. Anna Smith, film critic
“I’ve learned the hard way that families require light, cheerful viewing after Christmas lunch. If in doubt, I now reach for Home Alone – guaranteed laughs for all ages – or White Christmas, which has that reassuring retro glow.”
Smith has hosted private film events as part of the La Maison Rémy Martin members’ club
2. Tim Halilaj, award-winning mixologist
“People always run out of ice at Christmas parties, so the night before just fill your freezer with plastic containers of water and then hack these bergs into rugged lumps – they’re more on-trend than cubes. For totally clear ice, boil tap water, let it cool and then freeze it.”
3. Shona Vertue, personal trainer (and David Beckham’s yoga teacher)
“The gym seems like a distant memory over Christmas, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Type ‘HIIT’ into YouTube and do a 30-minute home workout, using nothing but your body weight to induce sweat and burn Christmas dinner calories. If nothing else, it gives you a break from the family for half an hour!”
4. Garrett Moore, party planner and co-founder of Immersive Cult
“Go for candlelight, scattered lamps and dim light. Some people feel self-conscious at parties and they don’t want to feel like they’re being watched, so low lighting is very conducive to good times. And create welcoming spaces where people can sit somewhere quiet and have a nice conversation if they want to. Maybe have a mistletoe area or create a little grotto-type nook. It’s nice for guests to feel like they have options and places to explore.”
5. Claude Bosi, Michelin-starred head chef at Bibendum
“I’m 46 years old, but my mum still sends me a box of Marron Glacé [candied chestnuts] every Christmas. We make a sweet and sour sauce with them at the restaurant that we serve with game. It’s delicious.
“I also have a bottle of Rémy Martin. I serve it with pickled cockle popcorn – it’s a fantastic pairing – with clove or orange added to the cognac to give it a seasonal twist.”
Try Bosi’s cognac and pickled cockle pairing (and other seasonal cognac cocktails and food pairings) at Rémy Martin residency at Claude Bosi at Bibendum
6. Polly Hadden-Paton, professional organiser to Suki Waterhouse and Lily Allen
“I like to keep a few nice bottles, scented candles or tins of biscuits wrapped up in a drawer as fallback presents in case someone unexpectedly buys you something. And if they’re not claimed, that’s even better, as you can just enjoy them yourself.”
7. Wrapologist Kirsten Westlake, from gift-wrapping service Wrapsody
“Double-sided Sellotape is my secret weapon. It’s invisible and makes the finished product appear super slick. Most people come unstuck by using too much paper, which causes bulky, messy folds. The secret is to measure before you cut and use just enough paper to meet by about a centimetre.”
8. Candice Brathwaite, parenting blogger
“One tried-and-tested Christmas save if you’ve got a house full of children is advent stockings. I put them up on 1 December – containing 24 tiny, totally inexpensive gifts. The most important thing is that they aren’t allowed to open their advent presents until the end of the day, so it’s the perfect bribe to try and keep them in order until the evening.”
9. Patrick Grant, fashion designer
“If you’re having a suit tailored, have them cut you an evening suit with both a dress vest and a cummerbund. By this simple expedient, you can wear the same suit throughout the Christmas party season. Just switch between the two, change up your pocket hanky and, hey presto, with one suit you will look subtly different but always impeccable.”
Grant has hosted private fashion events as part of the La Maison Rémy Martin members’ club
10. Florist Anna Potter, from Swallows and Damsons
“Bowls of one kind of fruit such as apples, figs, pomegranates or pears on a table make great centrepieces. Any fruit or vegetable that has an interesting shape, colour or texture looks amazing and harks back to Christmas being about feasting. And a sprig of rosemary looks beautiful on a place setting and also smells great. Or sneak some foliage from the garden and wrap it into a leafy circle to make a mini wreath for each guest.”
11. Jackson Boxer, chef and restaurateur, St Leonards and Brunswick House
“I make up a large ballotine of cured foie gras loaded with black truffles and brandy. It’s good to have on hand to quell appetites if anything goes wrong and causes any delays, or anyone shows up unexpectedly. And it’s outrageously delicious smeared on top of butter-fried cold Christmas pudding – a sentiment heartily endorsed by both chefs Fergus Henderson and Jeremy Lee, who know about such things.”
12. Sam Lyle, co-founder of Pines and Needles
“So many people order trees that are way too big for their room and have to hack bits off. The width of the tree is typically a third of the height, so be realistic about how much space you want it to take up. Trees are like flowers, they need water to stay fresh, so give your tree up to a litre of water every couple of days for the first few days, and then a litre once a week after that.”
Whether you need to impress last-minute guests with some fun, festive cocktails or take Hadden-Paton’s advice and stock up on a few bottles of something smart to keep as emergency gifts, Rémy Martin could just be your ultimate seasonal save – the key ingredient to Bosi’s cocktail menu, the perfect accompaniment to pickled cockle popcorn (of course) and a rather elegant gift
