Our Christmas
How do our favourite celebrities spend their Christmas holidays?
‘Christmas Day is the crescendo’
TV presenter Anita Rani, 45, lives in Hackney, east London, with her digital agency boss husband Bhupinder, 42.
I love my job, so all year I give it my all, but at Christmas, I switch off for two weeks. Bhupinder and I either do a Christmas away or spend it in the UK with family.
When I’m at home for Christmas, I go big with celebrations, and I probably overcompensate because, growing up, we didn’t really do Christmas. Mum and Dad were often so busy running their clothing business that Christmas was a hotchpotch. There was no fixed tradition.
One year, my mum’s elder sister invited us to her house in Edgbaston, where 50-plus relatives had descended. My auntie had prepared a tandoori turkey and I had never seen anything like it. I remember staring at this enormous bird coated in bright red tandoori sauce before watching it being shoved in the oven. I don’t know if it’s a fond memory or if my mind’s been scarred!
When I reached my teens, I remember asking Mum if we could get a tree and decorate it. I’ve continued those efforts into adulthood. Two weeks into December, my house becomes a winter wonderland. The fairy lights – multicoloured on the tree, white elsewhere in the house – come out, the real tree goes up, and we play endless Christmas songs.
This year, I’m yet to make plans. Part of me wants to be abroad because we haven’t been away for a while, but also my fouryear-old niece is at such a great age, so Christmas with her, my brother and his wife in south London would be so memorable.
For me, Christmas Day is the crescendo following a wonderful build-up – going out for dinners, arranging get-togethers, inviting friends over for wine and mince pies. It’s a heavy month but a great one. This year, everyone’s feeling the pinch, but you don’t need to spend a fortune at Christmas. Simply making the time to see people is what Christmas is all about.
On Christmas Day, there are no rules. We might go for a walk, there will always be games, and it wouldn’t be a Punjabi Christmas if we didn’t have spontaneous dancing at some point!
✢ Catch Anita every Friday on Woman’s Hour, on BBC Radio 4.
‘I sing Christmas songs in summer!’
Singer, radio and television presenter Aled Jones, 51, lives in London with wife Claire, 46, and children Emilia and Lucas.
As a nine-year-old chorister in Bangor Cathedral on Christmas Eve, midnight Mass was the most exciting service because I’d not usually be allowed to stay up that late.
As the bells rang just before midnight, I’d nudge the friend next to me and ask, ‘What are you hoping to get for Christmas tomorrow?’ Then at the final ring, I’d go, ‘Today!’ The excitement was off the s
