Almost Home for Christmas

“Christmas is a particularly poignant time for all of us who have lost loved ones. We feel their absence at every familiar turn of the season and remember them in each treasured tradition.” King Charles’ Christmas Speech.

This year Mum and I spent Christmas at The Cadogan Hotel. We don’t really have a tradition of where we spend Christmas. The most important thing is we’re together.

Over the years since Mum had Darcy and then me, we’ve spent them at home …

and we have also travelled to some magical places …

When lockdown forced us to stay home, we started doing staycations. In 2020, we were about the only guests at The Connaught. Last year, we celebrated in full swing at Claridge’s Hotel.

Celebrating at Claridge’s was something Mum had planned for a few years. As it turned out, it was to be our last Christmas with Darcy. It will always be a special place for us.

This year for different reasons, we needed a change of scene. We went to one of our favourite staycation hotels, The Cadogan.

They have always been dog-friendly from the start but we were limited to the bar area at the front of the hotel. But now, we are allowed to dine everywhere in The LaLee restaurant as well as have Afternoon Tea in The Parlour. And I was particularly greeted warmly by all their staff!

Including Santa!

We met another doggy guest, Clementine who has been staying there for awhile. She was keen to come and say hello. She looks like she has some of my crossing.

At Christmas Day lunch I got to order from the Canine Dining menu – which has a list of delicious choices. I got beef tartare – perfect sized portion.

But that didn’t stop me wanting more.

Thank you to The Cadogan for making us feel so at home for Christmas and well-looked after.

May’s comment: Christmas Eve always evokes the child in me. All the excitement of the weeks before brings us to this night. I enjoy watching last minute shoppers hurrying along for the gifts yet to be bought, and retailers though trying to cater to the influx of shoppers, you can tell they are ready to close shop and go home whether to their families or just getting out of there and start the festivities with friends or loved ones. By late afternoon, the streets are emptier and traffic has cleared. And by evening the world outside seem to slow down, a reverence for the significance of the night. In the cosiness of decorated homes, families settling into the evening awaiting for the next morning or for those who celebrate the Eve of Christmas, things were revving up. We do both, from having lived in Germany and Italy, and now living in the UK – I celebrate every part of it! I love Christmas.

For many years, I’ve spent Christmas with an ex- or celebrated with close friends. Despite their acceptance of me, I was always aware I wasn’t family. I had left my family home in Kuala Lumpur at age 18 and have never returned for another Christmas. So it really was my own decision to not be home for Christmas. And even more so when I had Darcy and then George, I would never dream of spending Christmas without them. For after all, they have become my family.

But I have often found that Christmas Day has usually built up to an anti-climax. Once Christmas is over, the pretty lights seems to lose their magic or purpose. People almost waiting in limbo for the next big celebration and along with it, either the sense of sadness at time passing or with hope for a new year.

The days leading up to this Christmas had been at times emotional, not just because of missing Darcy but remembering those days when I knew she was very ill, and did not want to share the news just before Christmas. It was yet to be determined the type of cancer and didn’t know if it was treatable – so really didn’t want to be dramatic about it all. I kept the news to ourselves except for a few really close friends. I made sure it was to be a Christmas we will always old dear as there was no certainty if that would be our last Christmas together.

This year, I really wasn’t in the mood to celebrate. But events just happened and we were swept along. The pretty lights and Christmas trees always help to create the mood. And we sang carols, we visited Santa (wherever they let four-legged furkids in). I had considered being with friends in Dusseldorf just as we had done for Darcy’s first Christmas. But with rail strikes and a timeline we needed to meet, it was a trip too far. We decided to should stay in one of the many dog-friendly hotels in London and George and I will just be together to partake of the celebrations that hotels do so well.

I didn’t particularly want to cook a meal for one either, so I just thought it was easier to check into one of the many dog-friendly five-star hotels in London and partake of the festivities that way. It was to be our first Christmas without Darcy – and maybe the hustle and bustle of celebrations might take away the quietness of home.

The Cadogan, a Belmond Hotel has always been a favourite place to stop for a drink or lunch whenever we’re in the neighbourhood. We’ve had special gatherings with friends for their beautifully presented Afternoon Tea.

The hotel had carefully launched their dog-friendly program slowly and over time they have learnt how to cater to four-legged guests. And what a joy it is to be able to walk into the hotel or any of their restaurants and no one questions their presence but instead we have always been warmly welcomed.

With a hug and warm greetings from the familiar staff, they made us feel we have arrived ‘home’. And to be served a perfect Christmas Day lunch!

It’s one for the memories. Thank you.