Excruciata Reees-Mog, tackles the thorny issue of how rich people can enjoy their splendid Christmas celebrations without getting annoying comments from poor people.
Greetings my lovelies. I do hope you are looking forward to a lovely Christmas. Things are coming together nicely in our humble pile. The groundsman dropped off a lovely tree yesterday, although I’m note sure I appreciated his tone when he asked me where he should stick it. Silly man. It always goes in the drawing room. The chambers maid will be along later to decorate it. It’s always a lovely tradition for the children and me to watch the staff decorating the tree and us helping them with advice on where the baubles should go.
A couple of people have mentioned that some people are struggling with money this year. Not sure why we should be concerned, after all like death and taxes (well not strictly true as we don’t pay tax), the poor are always with us. I’m assured by darling Jakey it’s because they don’t budget very well and don’t make use of offshore hideaways for their money.
Friends have been asking how to have their fabulous parties and soirees without getting scowled at and pithy comments from journalists. This of course depends on the location of your abode. If, like me, you have a manor house nestled in a few acres then it is very easy. No one can see or hear what is going on. The deliveries from Fortnum and Mason go to the kitchen entrance so no-one sees the vans coming through the front gates. To avoid gossip in the village I drop hints that I am having a charity dinner and pop a few quid to Lucinda who runs the WI. She mixes it up with some money that they’ve raised so it looks like I have donated loads. So when loads of Rollers and Bentleys turn up everyone assumes it’s for the charity dinner.
If you are one of the inner-city rich slumming it in Kensington or Knightsbridge you may need to be a bit more inventive. While I’m sure most journalists won’t travel out to Suffolk to snoop, you are just an Oyster card away. You may not have the benefit of a rear tradesmen’s entrance to your property to evade their prying eyes. If you haven’t done so already, ask the manager at establishments like Fortnum and Mason, Harvey Nichols and Harrods about having a premier account. Don’t bother getting one of your staff to look on their internet page, these are not mentioned there. You have to speak to the manager.
These fantastic premier accounts come with options for delivery. I have used the horse and carriage delivery option before when we were having a 1920s weekend. They will deliver in a plain white van with plain boxes if you ask them. No one need have a clue how much good food you are buying in.
We like to have entertainers around house when we are having a shindig. This year I got Lucinda at the WI to drop comments that we might have a group of Ukrainian refugees stopping off. The entertainers usually look poor and destitute so would easily pass for refugees. You can try something similar if you have entertainers.
Do let me know of any tips you have. We are going to have a great time with lashings of bubbly and Charley. Just hope I don’t wake up in bed with a male stripper like last year.
Photo credit Photo by Pixabay https://www.pexels.com/photo/acorn-advent-blur-bright-278508/
