Читать книгу Official Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook - Regula Ysewijn - Страница 33

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To create a garland for decorating a mantelpiece or even a bookcase or window, you will need some

twine and a pair of sturdy garden scissors. Long trails of holly or various vines, such as plants of the

Parthenocissus genus (Boston ivy and other climbing members of the grape family), can serve as the

base. Bind together a couple of long trails to achieve the length needed for your garland, twisting them

around each other to create a good base for tying on lots of other greens. You want your finished

garland to look abundant. If you’re not up to a bit of flower crafting—though simple bouquets of

unscented white roses or other white flowers are always nice—you can fill a number of vases of

different sizes with greens and then cluster them together to give a look of luxury. Arrangements of

both flowers and greens with a bit of height were very much favored in the Downton era. If you have

tall glass vases that resemble oversized wineglasses, this is the place to use them.

Of course, such bountiful foliage displays would not have been seen in working-class homes in the

Edwardian period. But people found simple yet still lovely ways to dress up their houses. Paper chains

were popular, often made in a variety of colors by children in the family. You need only scissors,

construction paper in different colors, and a glue stick, double-sided tape, or a stapler (in the past, a

homemade paste of flour and water would serve as the glue) to make these charming chains: First

cut uniform strips of paper. Strips about eight inches (20 cm) long and one inch (2.5 cm) wide are a

good size. Glue, tape, or staple one strip into a ring, making sure it is secure. Then thread a second

strip through the ring and secure it the same way. The two links should sit at a rough 90-degree angle.

Continue to add links until you have a chain the length you want.

BEFORE DINNER

In the era Downton is set, it was common to have a Christmas drink before going through to dinner,

which was always held in another room. In the series, the staff and guests are seen enjoying cups of

wassail, but cocktails were also incredibly popular in the stylish 1920s. For an authentic feel of the

period, you can prepare Wassail and serve it from a large punch bowl that has matching cups. If you

opt instead for cocktails, they should be already prepared and on a tray when the guests arrive.

At Downton Abbey, this would also be the time to sing a holiday carol and propose a toast. Then,

when it was time to continue on to the dining room, the host would accompany the woman with the

highest status—today that might be his mother—and the hostess would accompany the man with the

highest status—today perhaps her father. Of course, it is also fine to dispense with concerns about

status and go through to dinner in whatever pairings are comfortable for everyone.