Come with me for a properly festive London day out. I head up to a “London village” for lunch (I know, not an actual village-village), grab a flat white for the walk, and then have a really good browse of the shops for Christmassy bits and homeware inspiration. I pop into places like Oliver Bonas (so many cute gift ideas) and do what I always do at this time of year—have a rummage in the charity shops and keep my eyes peeled for bargain finds and little details you can use at home. Later on I’m with Helen Lederer, and honestly, this bit is such a treat. She’s unwrapping the most beautiful family crystal glassware (Czech glass—so sparkly, so heavy, so special), and we start planning a bold Christmas tablescape with candles and baubles. My big takeaway: get the “good stuff” out, especially at Christmas—use it, enjoy it, and don’t let it live in a cupboard forever. We also chat practical bits like how to freshen up a vintage beret (sniff test first, obviously) and why I’m very much “never in the dishwasher” when it comes to crystal. Then it’s off to the panto, and back home I’m getting ideas together to festive up the roof garden for winter with a few plants, bulbs, and some free tree trimmings I found on the pavement.