Caroline Conran’s Christmas Celebration

I like a feeling of abundance at Christmas, with generosity and overflowing glasses, dressing-up, jokes and crackers, and a table covered with fruit, flowers, chocolates, candles and silver sugared-almonds; the extravagance makes everything seem heightened and exciting when Christmas day finally arrives.

Drink lots of champagne, starting well before the meal and continue through the first course, which is an exquisite salad topped with poached eggs and fried green coriander. If you don’t like the idea of eggs, you could have small grilled goats’ cheeses instead with a few lightly grilled walnuts.