‘My children have put the joy back into Christmas’

DAISY MAY COOPER Actor and writer Daisy May Cooper on being grateful for Christmas with her kids.

Christmas at home or away? Always at home. Who’s invited? It will be my brother, Charlie, our parents, my kids and my Uncle Trevor.

Decorations: minimalist or over the top? Definitely over the top. Everything gets covered in fairy lights, so the house is football-floodlight levels of bright. And my colour scheme is always red, green and gold. Don’t give me any of this fancy silver nonsense!

Party dress or pyjamas? Christmas jumper. My favourite is a Home Alone one that says ‘Merry Christmas ya filthy animal’. We also always wear the Christmas hats all day.

What’s your favourite tradition? On Christmas Eve, Charlie and his friends come over, then we’ll go to each of their houses to have a drink. We’ll end up in the local pub in Cirencester, and everyone we know always seems to be there. It’s a lot of fun, but it means I’m hungover on Christmas Day every year!

What are your morning rituals? If I have the kids, who are one and three, it means getting up at about 7am and opening presents immediately. Having children has definitely put the joy back into Christmas, they make it so much fun. Although, I never remember to buy batteries for their new toys, so I end up in a queue at one of those 24-hour garages along with all the other parents who forgot to buy double-as.

What’s on your wish list this year? I have this romantic obsession with the idea of going to the pub in the morning while the Christmas dinner is in the oven. I’d love to do that this year.

● Don’t Laugh, It’ll Only Encourage Her (Michael Joseph) by Daisy May Cooper is out now