What makes a classic family Christmas special? We ask our senior photographer.
We speak to Milly, our Senior Marketing Photographer & Designer, about what makes her Christmases special, what she enjoys about the big day and the festive traditions within her family.
Milly, what makes Christmas special for you?
For me, Christmas Day in the countryside with family has a magical way of turning even the simplest traditions into something extraordinary. From helping Mum set the table, to gathering for games with my little nephew after lunch - every moment of the day feels wrapped in warmth and laughter. Now that my nephew, Max, has gotten a bit older, it's been so special watching the day through his eyes, it really makes everything feel so much more magical. I also love seeing the different generations (and Monty the sausage dog) come together in such a cheerful atmosphere.
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What do you enjoy most about Christmas preparations?
One of my favourite parts is decorating together during the run-up to Christmas. Mum always brings down her festive box, brimming with fairy lights, paper chains, ornaments, and dinner candles. Unpacking it has become a tradition in itself, a little ritual that signals the start of the holidays and fills the house with festive joy. We like to make an event of it by putting on some Christmas music, lighting some candles to add to the cosy atmosphere, and preparing some snacks and drinks like mulled wine or hot chocolate.
How did you arrange the Christmas dinner table?
This year, the dining table felt especially beautiful. We started with a simple white tablecloth, then laid out Mum’s holly-printed vintage plates. These were originally my Grandmother’s, so it feels extra special knowing that they’ve been passed down between the generations and will continue to do so in the future. It's also a lovely way to keep my Grandmother's memory with us during the day.
The plates feature a delicate border of holly and red ribbon, which tied into the other decorations we used, such as the holly print crackers, the holly tray (for mince pies) and the red velvet bows we tied to the tree. Both are such classic, timeless Christmas motifs, and each generation feels a nostalgic warmth towards them, which really helps add to that ‘Christmas feeling’.
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My Mum arranged delicate bud vases with sprigs of winter foliage cut from the garden, and each place setting had a handwritten card tied with twine around red gingham napkins, perfectly pulling together the colours of the season. The finishing touch was the red and green dinner candles, something she wouldn’t normally light during the daytime, but for Christmas their soft glow created a cosy atmosphere that carried on well into the evening.
For the tree, we used a combination of red and white striped bows, smaller velvet bows in red, mint and pink, and the Fragments of Fashion baubles. I really liked using the bows, as while they're a big trend this year, they still feel like a traditional choice that complemented the rest of our decorations. I can see myself coming back to these each year in some way, as the ties on the back make them easy to fasten to anything. I chose the patterned Fragments of Fashion baubles for their traditional, festive prints, and because of the story behind them, which is a great concept to support.
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A big thank you to Milly Greene, our Senior Photographer and Designer, as well as her family, for letting us capture some special Christmas moments with them.
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