Team Thornback & Peel shares some of its favourite Christmas traditions both past and present…

Emma Shipley, Studio Manager: “I have married into a family that does a family photo for their Christmas card each year. My husband is one of 3 boys and his parents started taking a photo of the 3 of them when they were about 6 years old. As and when each of the brothers has married and had children the new wife/child is then included in the Christmas card photo. We think of a new theme each year and we now have an amazing ‘catalogue’ of photographs from the past 30 years.”

Louise Gibbs, Retail Manager: “My Mum knitted us all stockings when were were about 2 or 3 and we still get them out every year – even though we’re all in our 30s now. A couple of years ago she knitted one for my brother’s then girlfriend (now wife) and I think as our family expands, more stockings will gradually start to appear. We love them to bits!”

Craig Yamey, Graphic Designer: “On Christmas Day, after all the presents are open, I join my sister and her family up at the Ponds on Hampstead Heath and we all JUMP IN! It’s the greatest way to clear the cobwebs and shake off the Christmas Eve drinking!”

Emma Guest, Social Media Manager: “It’s Christmas Day 1980, and Granny has bought all the grandchildren a sledge for Christmas. This is a photo I took of my sister Caroline in my Gran’s garden. There’s no snow and we live in Cambridge surrounded by fenland. This image still makes me laugh. I love the blind optimism. We were kids, it was Christmas and we were darn well going to enjoy our new sledge.”

Penni Panayiotou, in-house Printer and Production: “One year I played an Angel in our Nativity play. I was quite a shy child, so a non-speaking role was always my preferred part in plays. I particularly like the foodie part of this holiday and a few years ago I actually started to refer to Christmas as ‘Feastmas’ instead, so Happy Feastmas to you!”

Juliet Thornback, Co-owner: “I love the ritual of choosing the tree.  It has got to be lovely and bushy and not too lopsided. I’m in charge of putting up the lights and the red glass star at the top, but then it’s down to my children to do the rest… Once they’re in bed I might move a decoration or two… and our cat usually removes a few.”

Delia Peel, Co-owner: “Our favourite telly to watch after an enormous Christmas lunch was the Pink Panther films -Inspector Clouseau and Cato Fong had us crying with laughter.”

Wishing you a very Happy Christmas from everyone at Thornback & Peel! What are your favourite things about Christmas?