Presenter and Author Dawn O'Porter shares her home truths and the unusual decorations you'll find on the top of her Christmas tree

I’m all about the food, so sitting down for my absolute favourite meal – the most elevated roast with flavours we haven’t seen all year: nutmeg, cinnamon, lashings of gravy and a perfect turkey with more sides than we need.

Having everyone together, people digging in, pouring endless glasses of wine and chatting away with a silly hat on after snapping open crackers and telling jokes.

Turkey and roast potatoes. Being married to an Irish man there were early conversations about ham and mash, but I just cannot do it. There has to be a whole turkey, even if it’s just the four of us and we have to live off it for a week.

We lived in California for 16 years and Americans just don’t do it the same way because Thanksgiving sort of ruins it.

Don’t hate me, but I’m so over Santa. Despite enjoying the make-believe, the gift part does my head in. Last year, the children chose five things from Santa and it was far too much. I think this year I’m going to say they get one thing from Santa.

Early December, usually. I like the house to feel Christmassy for a while and as we often travel around New Year I take them down early, too.

I go all out. Chris always chooses a massive real Christmas tree that takes up half the living room. We love it.

I always put a stuffed cat at the top of the tree, although last year we chose a stuffed tortoise because we’d just got our new pet tortoise, Sandwich, and it felt right.

I host as much as possible because I love cooking and hate travelling at Christmas. We’ve done it so much I feel I’ve earned the right to stay home. So the invite is always open to everyone in the family.