insideKENT Magazine Issue 81 - December 2018 | Page 66

CHRISTMAS
With Love From Kent cont.
Arty Farty Retreat // Southborough
www.artyfartyretreat.co.uk
“Christmas has always been a very magical time
for me growing up, just hearing the first few bars
of “Fairytale of New York” has me reaching for
the mulled wine! I was lucky to have lots of
traditions in my family, which we still do to this
day. I still go to Midnight mass (which is probably
the only thing left of my Catholic upbringing!)
and whenever we are together for Christmas
Eve, my sister Roisin and I still have a midnight
feast, which now includes my niece if she can
stay awake long enough. We always start
Christmas morning opening presents from
Father Christmas, which are left in the fireplace
and wrapped with black bin liners. I once voiced,
when I was 7 or 8, that Father Christmas had the
same wrapping paper as we did, they’ve been
in black bin liners ever since – my parents still
do this for myself and my sister at 32 and 29
years old. Each year we pick a theme for our
Christmas presents, from Disney characters to
Hogwarts houses and countries, our husbands
now join in with this tradition too!
“We have some newer traditions too such as
Christmas Eve boxes, usually made up of a
Christmas film and new pyjamas, that we then
wear after dinner feeling very snuggly and warm.
And somehow since we’ve all got older, alcohol
for breakfast is perfectly normal on Christmas
Day! Merry Christmas!” — Nell Price, Owner
Catchpole & Rye
// Ashford
www.catchpoleandrye.com
“Our traditional Christmas
work day always happens on
the last day before the
Christmas shutdown. In the
morning, we all enter a raffle
with a variety of prizes on
offer, followed by a
customary hot chocolate
filled to the top with whipped
cream. This is almost the
highlight of the day.
Sometimes we add different
flavours and chocolate bits
to try and make the best hot
chocolate ever, almost like a
competition! We always take
it turns each year to prepare
the hot chocolate, so the
stakes for making the best
are very high indeed!
Traditional Christmas lunch
is always at the local Kentish
pub around the corner, with
its resident ghost! After lunch
we draw the raffle and we all
share Christmas cards and
gifts at that point. The day
concludes with Christmas
cake and tea back in the
office, before finally finishing
an hour early!”
— Rita Rendo-Castro,
Head of Marketing
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Longfield Village Butchers // Longfield
www.longfieldvillagebutchers.co.uk
“Although we all love Christmas Day with our
families, our favourite Christmas tradition is actually
on Christmas Eve. The build-up to Christmas is very,
very busy as we prepare everyone’s lovely Christmas
meat – so by the time Christmas Eve comes round
we are all tired and ready for a few days off. So on
Christmas Eve we open at about 5am, but it’s all
hands on deck – staff, family, all of us pitch in
together. We have bacon rolls, Christmas coffees
from Costa, get out mince pies and chocolates for
the customers and turn up the Christmas tunes on
the radio. The atmosphere is great and gets us all in
the Christmas spirit!” — Michael Jones, Owner