When you attend a Friendsmas event at Angela Scanlon’s house, it pays to expect the unexpected. The TV presenter and broadcaster sees the element of surprise as an unmissable addition to any festive gathering of friends – which means her guests might find themselves being welcomed to her north London home by a full-blown Christmas choir, a drag act, or even a cheeky stripping Santa ...
“I love a bit of entertainment, and putting on something unexpected is always a lot of fun,” the former Strictly Come Dancing star says, laughing. “I love it when everyone’s sitting down and there’s a sudden knock at the door. Everyone’s wondering who it is – and, oh look, it’s sexy Santa. You just want a talking point, really.”
But the playful antics contribute to something incredibly meaningful: the enduring magic of spending time with those who really know you. “The beauty of getting together with friends you’ve known for a long time is that they knew you before you were a mother, or whatever it is you’re deemed to be,” says Scanlon. “There’s an understanding there that means you can be fully honest with each other, and connects you with those parts of yourself that you sometimes forget about. It means you can really unleash the weirdo within.”
For Scanlon, 40, the ideal Friendsmas doesn’t involve exchanging expensive gifts, laying on lavish meals or decorating the house from top to toe. Her secret is to ditch any expectations, and simply enjoy catching up with the people who know her best. “I’m not into perfection,” she says. “When you get your friends together they can come as they are and leave their worries at the door. No one’s putting on a show: you can wear cosy socks with your sequins, if you’re that way inclined.
“Whatever you serve your guests may not be perfect, but it will be made with love. And after dinner you can kick off your shoes and just curl up on the sofa. It’s the kind of familiarity that lets you stay up nattering until the early hours of the morning.”
When it comes to throwing the perfect festive shindig, Scanlon, who lives with her husband, Roy Horgan, and their two young children, has plenty of tips on how to make things go with a bang. “I love a theme to set the tone and get people in the mood, whether it’s fringing and feathers, elegance, or even Mexican,” she says, with a flourish of her berry-red taffeta skirt (a festive favourite of hers).
“I also very much enjoy mixing friends from different worlds: people I’ve met through work, friends from Ireland I’ve known for years, the school crowd – plus a few plucky strays. Some of my friends get a bit anxious at the idea, but I love that all my favourite people get to meet each other.”
With Scanlon and her family heading to Ireland for Christmas each year, catching up with friends in the run-up to the big day is an essential part of the season. Past celebrations have included an Irish-themed Christmas meal featuring her granny’s legendary potato and herb stuffing, wreath-making (“In my head, someone who makes wreaths has got their life together”), and volunteering at the London Irish Centre.
“What I love about celebrations with friends is that you get all the fabulousness and merriment and joy without the teenage triggers family Christmases can bring,” Scanlon laughs. “Your parents will always be your parents and your home will always be your home, so no matter how much you try to grow out of those dynamics, they tend to just happen.
“But with Friendsmas you don’t find yourselves fitting into those roles. It’s totally chill, and there are no expectations or judgment – on your outfit, your life choices, your menu, your drinks ...”
Scanlon also sees Christmas gatherings as the ideal way of slowing down and taking stock with the people she’s closest to at the end of a hectic year.
“It’s the ideal time to look back at what the year has brought and acknowledge those people who’ve been in your life and supported you over the course of it,” she says. “At the stage we’re at, work is intense for many people, and there are often small kids involved. But with those really good, solid friendships, you can pick up where you left off. You might not see each other all the time, but when you do, you know you’re going to really enjoy each other’s company.
“At Christmas there’s so much focus on consuming and performing and showing that you’ve got the perfect tree and the perfect living room for that tree ... When actually, the real gift is other people’s presence. Just sitting down across the table, having a few drinks, eating turkey and some chocolates with friends and connecting with the humans you love. It’s gatherings like those that really remind you what Christmas is all about.”
The Perfect Gift
The best people in life deserve the best chocolates, so treat them to Lily O’Brien’s Desserts Collection. Indulgent chocolates based on classic desserts - the perfect gift for the ones you really know.
And don’t miss out on a chance to win a hamper of Lily O’Brien’s chocolates to share with a friend
