Home truths: Joanna Page on drinking snowballs and the Christmas job she dislikes the most

I love the lead–up. There’s that change in the air and an excitement, like I’m about to go off filming, like something new is about to start. I’m obsessed with Christmas. I love watching the kids’ music concerts and plays, sitting at home while everybody’s in school and having a glass of sherry while wrapping presents slowly, putting The Holiday on for the first time. I also like the bit after Boxing Day when we’re all over the place, drinking from 10am, eating chocolate all day and we can finally sit down and play kids’ games and cards.

Snowball cocktails! From the age of seven or eight, I was allowed a Snowball because [back then] they weren’t classed as alcohol! I buy pre–made Snowballs in little green bottles. I’ll pour two into a glass and continue drinking them for the rest of the day.

Buying the children’s Christmas presents, wrapping everything up and putting them under the tree. I love a trip to John Lewis to get mum’s presents, then I always see things that I like, which I buy for myself and make James wrap them up for me!

Food shopping. I do the food shop online, then send James out. I’m not interested in buying booze. I couldn’t care less about stuffing and I do Bisto gravy. I like a nice free–range, organic turkey, but I’m not at all precious about the cooking.

Diptyque vanilla candles and making mulled wine. I also have a good recipe for a hot gin cocktail. The smell of that is Christmas to me.

All out! We’ve got a tree in the kitchen, a tree in the living room, and the kids have white trees in their bedroom. [Love Actually director] Richard Curtis once gave me a huge blow–up penguin, which we used to put outside the front of the house every year, but not any more because it makes such a noise!