Tuesday 4 December 2012

It`s Christmas Time

Well, December is upon us again and Christmas time is just around the corner, back in June we had rather optimistically aimed to be spending Christmas in our Victorian house, mmm we seem to have been wildly wrong in our estimation of the refurbishment programme. Nevertheless, we continue to move forward each and every week and can now report that finally the re-plastering has reached the ground floor with the staircase completed, I am sure with some extra effort the upstairs can be in some way habitable in the very near future.
So, our plans of Christmas in Albert House will have to be for next year and hopefully it will be a good old fashioned Victorian themed affair, a Dickensian extravaganza with snow falling outside and family arriving with the sound of fresh snow crunching under their boots, the Christmas tree has to be a floor to ceiling beauty just as it would have been when Prince Albert introduced this tradition during the 1800`s, with guests dressed in a Victorian fashion and invited to a glass of Port in front of a crackling log fire as Christmas carols play in the background and the traditional Christmas roast Goose is well underway.
The reality this year will be more like me being the character Bob Cratchit in Charles Dickens 1843 novel "A Christmas Carol", you know, the poor bloke who Scrooge never lets have a day off, well that's me this year!
So perhaps we have to look forward to the New Year, perhaps a James Bond themed evening where the dress code is strictly Black Tie, I`m not talking fancy dress but the full blown formal dinner suit. Nothing beats the understated beauty of a classic Tuxedo, a work of art, the jacket has to be single-breasted, one silk covered button with pure silk peak lapels, and always kept buttoned, jetted pockets and definitely no flaps. Finished off with a white crisp linen or silk handkerchief in the top pocket.
Trousers should be worn higher than normal on the waist, flat fronted with silk down the sides and plain bottoms, preferably held up with buttoned braces.
The shirt has to be a crisp white with a fly front or studs, nothing too fancy but I do like wing collars to show off the black silk bow tie, and of course the classic cuff links are essential.
 Personally I`m not a fan of the cummerbund I think it more suited to Jack Sparrow or a Matador. Finally, finish off with red socks and a pair of slip on black patent shoes.
James Bond indeed, get ready to give the liver a good kick-in!