Christmas at Home with Dick and Angel Strawbridge
Christmas at the Strawbridges’ gaff is surely as festive as it gets so, before they hit the road for their UK-wide Dare to Do It tour, we caught up with the iconic duo to see how they deck the halls of their famous 19th-century chateau for the festive period.
Ever wish you could up sticks, move to France and find a residence in a fairytale castle with 12 acres, a walled garden, an orangery and a moat? Same hun.
That’s exactly what engineer Dick Strawbridge and his wife Angel Adoree did on their Channel 4 hit series Escape to the Chateau.
“In the heart of the French countryside, a magnificent chateau sat uncared for and abandoned, until this intrepid British couple unlocked its front door, fell in love with its grandeur and embarked on an adventure to restore its former magic, uncovering its hidden history along the way.” It’s truly renovation tv gold.
From tearing down walls to designing their own heating system, Dick and Angel have transformed all 45 rooms since the start of the show in 2016. Now in its eighth series, the couple is currently building an iconic drinking den-meets-observatory in the attic with views of the sky and the stars. How’s that for a room with a view!
Christmas at the Strawbridges’ gaff is surely as festive as it gets so, before they hit the road for their UK-wide Dare to Do It tour, we caught up with the iconic duo to see how they deck the halls of their famous 19th-century chateau for the festive period.
Favourite Family Tradition…
Putting the Christmas tree up as a family with Christmas songs, mince pies and Port for the grown-ups!
The most delicious thing to cook…
Mince pies is a family fave and tradition…but we also love a cooked ham over Christmas, and on Christmas morning, we love it on buttery toast with English mustard!
Christmas tipple of choice…
Eggnog! But we do love a ‘vin chaud’. The kids enjoy a warm grenadine…which is like a hot Ribena!
Something you’re hoping to receive…
Hard one. We don’t wish for anything tangible. Having family time to just be together over the festive period is all we ever want…Arthur & Dorothy are different of course and they have just written their list to Père Noël!
Decoration you’ve had the longest…
Our oldest decoration is 10 years old from when Dick & I got together and came to France for our first real holiday. It was the moment we fell in love with France and decided to change our path together! We bought this decoration as a memory…and we cannot believe the journey it’s been on! Our tree is full of memories…we keep every decoration the kids make and it’s a delight putting it up!
Where you’ll be spending Christmas this year…
At the Chateau!
Favourite part of Christmas…
Stopping and seeing the children’s faces when they see Father Christmas has been!
The time you eat your Christmas Lunch…
Late afternoon, when it’s ready.
Christmas Eve plans…
It will just be the four of us, getting ready for Père Noël to come and snuggling in front of the fire with a movie!
Christmas day attire…
Christmas jumpers and a little sparkle.
Christmas TV special you’re most excited about…
We don’t get to stop and watch TV until the week before Xmas so no idea yet, but we do love to watch anything that has the kids in fits of laughter.
Favourite Christmas Song…
Bing Crosby – White Christmas
