It's time to deck the halls, to eat, drink and be merry. Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year here, and the celebrations are already in full swing in our showrooms. Lights twinkle in the trees, beautifully-wrapped gifts tied with velvet ribbon nestle underneath the verdant branches of the spruces, flickering candles are a-glow and the scent of woodsmoke, fir and spiced citrus is in the air.
Outside, bunches of holly and mistletoe from the farm are ready to be hung in their forever homes and frost gilds with silver the statues and troughs in the antiques courtyard and terracotta pots in the front yard. Across the lane, the sleepy woods have all but revealed their winter skeletons, the last vestiges of gold and russet slowly tumbling to the floor as temperatures follow.
Through the old wooden doors to the converted hop kilns, shelves in the candlelit Gift Shop are laden with carefully-chosen presents from hand-thrown pottery to silk scarves, etched glassware to funky socks, hand-knitted hats to jewellery boxes and designer clocks. Sleepy Jellycat sloths snuggle up to perfect ponies and jolly dinosaurs while unicorn water bottles, old-fashioned games and teeny tiny Tractor Ted wellies delight little ones.
Visit our Gift Shop here.
On every table and every piece of cabinetry in our Neptune partner store, textured ceramics, sparkling glasses, pressed linen and foraged treasures from the woods create fabulously festive tablescapes to inspire you to style your own deliciously decadent Christmas table. From faux greenery, designed to delight this Christmas and for years to come, to jewel-like baubles, Champagne coupes to cocktail shakers and cutlery, there's everything you need to create a showstopping backdrop for your Christmas feast.
Explore Neptune by Holloways here.
In the Glasshouse, our award-winning farm-to-fork café, the delicious aroma of pumpkin spiced lattes, freshly-baked cakes and treats from the farm tempt shoppers to linger for brunch, lunch or afternoon tea.
With fairy lights wound around the beams, the counter laden with sugared mince pies and a giant tree twinkling in the middle, it’s an enchanting spot. Every menu is imbued with the joy of Christmas, from spiced parsnip soup to a local game terrine, Bailey’s creme brûlée to a fabulously festive Kir Royale.
“There’s always such a buzzy atmosphere at this time of the year,” says Katie Holloway, the Ballymaloe-trained daughter of owners Edward and Diana Holloway. “The home farm and kitchen garden is the beating heart of all of our menus and in winter, it's all about braised short ribs from our beef cattle, wild mushrooms and game from our shoot. But Christmas isn’t Christmas without a bit of indulgence, and the kitchen has been busy feeding fruit cakes, baking mince pies and piping macarons for our festive afternoon teas."
As the cheerful ring of chinking glasses subsides in the Glasshouse, across the courtyard, the Gallery Showroom is a hive of festive activity. On every wall hangs mesmerising original artwork – the creation of critically-acclaimed artists including landscape painter Antony Bridge, wildlife artist Shelly Perkins and Tracey Elphick, with her gorgeously colourful mixed media still life.
Gorgeous knitwear, coats and jackets, party wear and accessories tempt well-heeled shoppers as they explore the new-season collections in the pop-up boutique by Bodega, the renowned Cheltenham womenswear brand.
Wednesdays in November and December mean Bodega’s Style Events, where owner Sarah-Jane Worboys and her team showcase their new AW collection, with personal styling from their in-house experts.
“Christmas at Holloways really is the most magical time of the year,” says Diana, who founded the contemporary country living furniture retailer with Edward more than 30 years ago. The showrooms are always full to the brim with beautiful gifts, stunning tree and table decorations and fabulous food and drink. It’s a delight to welcome faces new and old to the celebrations.”
For weeks, the team have been decorating trees, creating stunning tablescapes and dressing the showrooms to tempt shoppers for the festive soiree, which this year runs until December 12th. Months of planning has gone into a series of spectacular home and garden design events and exhibition, and furniture orders have been flying out of the door in readiness for family gatherings.
“There’s always so much excitement in the showrooms at Christmas,” adds Diana. “It really is the most wonderful time of the year.”
This year, traditional Christmas at Holloways celebrations have taken an exciting twist with a series of Thursday daytime talks and demonstrations by renowned home and garden designers.
The Ledbury Flower Farmer, Rozanne Delamore, has already inspired green-fingered guests with her incredible floristry arrangements using blowsy chrysanthemums, crab apple, eucalyptus and silvery honesty from her winter cutting garden as well as foraged greenery from the fields and woodlands which surround her Herefordshire smallholding.
On November 28th, Val Bourne, award-wining author and the Telegraph’s gardening writer, charms with tales from Spring Cottage, her extraordinary organic garden in the Cotswolds. In 'A Year At Spring Cottage', she explains how, for 60 years, she has worked with nature and existing eco systems to create a truly incredible plot, full of colour and scent.
Val is the best-selling author of countless gardening books, including The Natural Gardener, The Living Jigsaw and the Ten-Minute Gardener series. She writes for Saga, Hartley Botanic and Crocus as well as the Telegraph.
On December 5th, guests will hear from Edward Bulmer, architectural historian, world-renowned interior designer and natural paint pioneer. Edward, who lives in Herefordshire with his wife Emma, has worked on most of England's finest country houses including Goodwood House, Broughton Hall, Chevening and Pitshill House. He is the author of The Colourful Past, and will be brining copies to sign.
You can buy Edward Bulmer Natural Paint in our Interior Design Studio. Shop here.
And on December 12th, it’s the turn of Holloways interior designer Annie Blackledge who, for more than 20 years, has been transforming clients homes. In The Art of Tablescaping, Annie will reveal how to create show-stopping tablescapes for the finest festive feasts.
“We’re thrilled to have such inspiring speakers with us this year,” adds Diana. “It’s a great time to reimagine your interiors and start thinking about how you’d like your garden to look next season, and Edward, Val, Rozanne and Annie are the best of the best. For more than 30 years, we’ve been helping customers create beautiful homes and gardens, and we’re delighted to be hosting such well-respected names in the world of design.”
Talk-only tickets cost £15, or book an experience – a deliciously seasonal two-course lunch or elegant afternoon tea in the Glasshouse from just £34.50. Click here to book a ticket-only event, or here for a dining experience in the Glasshouse. Or call us on 01886 884665 and our team will book you in.
There's still chance to refresh your living and dining rooms for your Christmas guests. From elegant sofas to generous dining tables, cabinetry to conservatory and garden room sets, shop our Clearance Sale for immediate delivery.
