Alice
What Christmas movie will you be watching over the Christmas period?
As cheesy and cliché as it is, ‘Love Actually’ is my all-time favourite. It’s just so charming and sentimental. ‘Little Women’ is also my go to at this time of the year; I think I can get away with labelling that a Christmas film because some of the most pivotal scenes are set during Christmas time. It’s a joy to watch from beginning to end.
What favourite Christmas song will you be listening to on repeat?
Let’s be honest, ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham is an absolute tune (can’t go wrong with the combination of sleighbells and synths). I also love a bit of ‘Fairytale of New York’ by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl on karaoke. ‘Mary’s Boy Child / Oh My Lord’ by Boney M is most likely to persuade me to have a little dance.
What will you be reaching for first when you sit down for Christmas dinner?
3 words: Pigs in Blankets. That is all.
And finally, what drink will you be sipping over the festive period?
My favourite way to treat myself is with posh tea. At Christmas time, I’ll put in an order at Fortnum & Mason. At check out, you can select your Title. In the past, I’ve been ‘Lady Alice Monk’ and even ‘Her Royal Highness Alice Monk’. This year I’m feeling ‘Viscountess Alice Monk’. It just makes me feel so important when the parcel arrives. My favourite is the ‘Sundae Tea’ – based on the iconic American sundae dessert. It’s literally a pudding in tea form.
Ant
What Christmas movie will you be watching over the Christmas period?
I actually prefer Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, and one of my Christmas Eve traditions is to watch ‘A Christmas Carol’. I think the Alistair Sim version is my favourite but The Muppets runs it a close second.
What favourite Christmas song will you be listening to on repeat?
Over the last couple of year’s I have grown to love ‘Must be Santa’ by Bob Dylan but my on repeat choice is actually a Christmas album by Thea Gilmore called Strange Communion. It’s probably more a winter album than a Christmas album but it definitely gets a few plays around this time.
What will you be reaching for first when you sit down for Christmas dinner?
Brussel Sprouts with chorizo, fried off with a little chicken stock. Lovely.
And finally, what drink will you be sipping over the festive period?
Shiraz, Australian.
Matt
What Christmas movie will you be watching over the Christmas period?
As a specifically Christmas movie I’ll go for Mickey’s Christmas Carol, with Mickey Mouse as Bob Cratchit and Donald Duck as Scrooge. It’s a classic tale and I love the animation. Christmas is also a great time to watch favourite movies, and I’ve recently enjoyed Amelie very much so I’m likely to watch that again
What favourite Christmas song will you be listening to on repeat?
The Bach Christmas Oratorio will be getting more than one play, in the recording directed by John Elliot Gardiner. Paul McCreesh’s recording of Handel’s Messiah will also feature. 2021 has been a great year for new music so I’ll be revisiting some of my favourites including Bach recordings by Daniil Trifonov and Vladimir Ashkenazy, Stephen Hough’s Schumann, Igor Levit’s Shostakovich, the Gramophone award winning Josquin disc (purchased from MIA members Presto Music) and fine new releases by Sheku & Isata Kanneh-Mason, Renee Fleming, Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys, Katherine Priddy, Seth Lakeman, Spiers Boden, Manic Street Preachers, Neil Young, Sting, Jon Boden, Josienne Clarke, The Killers and Transatlantic.
What will you be reaching for first when you sit down for Christmas dinner?
All of it! Broccoli and roast potatoes are special favourites, but it’s all good.
And finally, what drink will you be sipping over the festive period?
I don’t drink a huge amount of alcohol, but there’s a bottle of Malbec waiting and Hobgoblin will make an appearance. As always, there will be plenty of coffee and Earl Grey tea and (much to the horror of Ant, Alice and Brontë) I’ll be partaking in some hot Winter Spice Ribena.
Brontë
What Christmas movie will you be watching over the Christmas period?
I absolutely love the Grinch (Jim Carrey version) and without fail watch it every Christmas. I think it’s delightful and gives me that festive feeling every year (I love the songs too). I’ve also become a fan in recent years of the ‘The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show’ (on Amazon Prime) and force my family watch it on Christmas Day most years. It’s packed with a few new Christmas songs as well as classic covers that are absolutely gorgeous and I love it.
What favourite Christmas song will you be listening to on repeat?
I have a few favourite Christmas songs…Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses is probably top of my list, closely followed by Last Christmas by Wham! I also love a few carols, Silent Night and Once in Royal David’s City make me feel very Christmassy every year.
What will you be reaching for first when you sit down for Christmas dinner?
First food on my plate is definitely pigs in blankets and i’m a huge brussels sprouts fan but the thing I look forward to most on Christmas day is probably my Dad’s gravy. He’s a pretty spectacular cook, everything he makes is delicious but the gravy is second to none, so that’s what i’ll be most excited for when we all sit down for Christmas dinner.
And finally, what drink will you be sipping over the festive period?
Baileys! It’s festive and delicious (plus i’m all for any excuse to drink what is, essentially, a glass of cream). I’m also, of course, a big fan of a nice glass of bubbly on Christmas Day.
It goes without saying we would like to wish you a safe and peaceful Christmas and we’ll be back with more updates in the New Year.