Escape to the Chateau (2016–2019): Season 7, Episode 6 - ... at Christmas - full transcript

(birds chirping)

[Narrator] In the heart
of the French countryside,

a magnificent Chateau stood
uncared for and abandoned.

Then, six years ago,
everything changed

when an intrepid British
couple.

-Turn, turn. turn, turn,
Wow.

[Narrator] Unlocked
its front door.

- Everything is gorgeous.

[Narrator] Fell in love
with its grandeur

and embarked on an adventure.

- It's so incredibly important
to bring it back to life.



Since they moved in,
engineer Dick Strawbridge

and his wife, designer Angel,
have transformed almost all 45

rooms, including four
sumptuous guest suites

for their wedding
and events business.

But despite their hard work,

their dream often
resembled a nightmare.

- You should not be able to
see the sky out of your roof.

- Behind every romantic
story is the reality.

[Narrator] This year
life at the Chateau

has been rather different.

- I'm on Heron Island

[Narrator] With no weddings
and events to host.

I think we need a roof
garden up here.

[Narrator]They can tackle
bigger projects than ever.



- This I'm thinking he's
a big swimming pool.

- I've got a headache

[Narrator] and there are lots
of surprises in store.

- Come on, let's have a little
look. I got a couple open.

[Narrator] As the
Chateau reveals more secrets.

- I love it, it's so me.

[Narrator] and now, inspired
by a 19th century ledger.

- This is all the way back
to the start of the Chateau.

[Narrator] The family is turning
traditions from the past.

- It's looking like a Reef

that my family would
expect from me.

Not perfect.
And a little bit wild.

- This is the original
meat pie that was a mince pie.

[Narrator] Into a magical 21st
century Christmas.

(celebrating)

(enchanting music)

[Narrator] Christmas is coming
to the Chateau.

- You got it?
Yeah.

Two, three.
Right.

- Great.
- I'm in the lead.

- Oh, you're going first.
Okay.

- See me, I go first.

- But I feel like singing
a song when I'm holding this.

- Let's go.

- Oh, it smells incredible.

- It's lovely warm in here.

[Narrator] Getting a
ten foot high

Christmas tree into the
house is one thing.

- Two, three up all the way.

[Narrator] Positioning it
perfectly. Quite another.

- Good size, isn't it?

- Yeah, that's a great size.

[Narrator] All Dick needs to do
now is make sure it's straight.

That's easier said than done.

- I feel a bit twitchy.
I may have to stand back.

- This is where I live
for quite a long time.

While Angela says rotate
it left then

it right backwards and
forwards until she's happy.

It's not wonky.

Darling, you let go.

Is it staying there?
Oh, my goodness me.

- Is that right?

- That's the straightest
tree we've ever had.

- Don't tempt fate.

- We probably got
to move it back a bit,

but.

(laughter)

- Darling, I'm usually
here for 45 minutes.

We're taking these things.

- But this is gorgeous.

- So you're quite happy,
I can get up?

Come on. Stand here,
look.

- Yeah, that's good.
- Looks really good, isn't it?

- Lights.

Are they working?

- I didn't get that far.

[Narrator] Dick may
be a top notch

engineer, but nothing ever

prepares him for his
annual tree light tussle.

- I don't remember
what this is for.

All I want is lights
to turn on.

What's going on here.

I am naturally quite grumpy
and untangling

lights that look like they're
tidy those nightmares.

What we do here
is we do spirals.

This is my preferred method
of lighting a Christmas tree.

They're going get
moved anyway.

Who are we kidding?

[Narrator] But the
lights are not just a

technical challenge for Dick.

They're an artistic one too.

- So you're just
chucking them up are you?

My fear is that we're

missing quite
a lot of the front

- Told you she'd
move them all.

It looks good to me.
- Lovely.

Perfect.

[Narrator] But before
the tree can be

finished, they've a crucial
Christmas decoration to make.

- We have a new addition
to our family.

Petal

[Narrator] This year's tree
would
not be perfect without Petal

- Petal just wouldn't be Petal
without her little towel.

Aren't giving her
a little jumper.

And that is gonna go into here
starting to look like Petal

now.
It's quite sweet.

The kids, I think they're

going to be quite excited
about a little Petal.

They don't know that
I'm doing it yet.

Be a big surprise.

[Narrator] With Dorothy
and Arthur home

from school,
it's time to transform

the tree from ordinary
to magical.

(excited children)
(laughter)

- It's quite a big
tree, isn't it?

- What do you think?

Lovely, Dorothy, well done.
You put it on this bit here

[Narrator] To make their tree
extra special,

every single decoration has
either a meaning or memory.

- Oh Arthur, lovely.

- Who are we missing?
- Petal.

Up there between
your mommy?

[Narrator] And now
Petal is part of that

Strawbridge family tradition.

- Hold on.
How does that look?

- Perfect.

[Narrator] With everything
in place,

it's time to turn
the magic on.

- Here we go.
You ready, bumper

- Oh, I can see Petal.

Every year we should
do our Christmas tree.

- Do you know what
that is called?

- Tradition?

- That is tradition. That is
just like a twinkle tree.

- I think it actually
looks magical.

(adventurous music)

[Narrator] Christmases
have been

celebrated at the Chateau
since the 19th century.

And for this year's
festive feast.

Dick keen to take inspiration

from the Baglioni family's
150 year old ledger.

- Going through the ledger
and looking at some

of the ingredients that were
brought around Christmas time.

Because this is all the way

back to the start
of the Chateau.

Then you have to go
through the months.

And there is December

and in December, there's
a lot of shopping of salmon.

There's a lot of meat
bought down here.

Charcoal and sardines being
bought just before Christmas.

[Narrator] The variety of the
food not only gives an insight

into what the Baglioni's ate,
but how they lived.

- And at Christmas we've got
things like flagrant oysters

and that's sort of thing
we were talking about.

But the poorer
food was snails.

That was 1879.

I wonder what
they did in 1880.

Next year they're still
eating sardines.

So fish.
It's interesting.

More salmon in
Decembers, ah,

they've got chestnuts.

The 18 of December they
got their oysters in.

When's is the
payment going out?

The payment for oranges.
Okay.

And every Christmas stocking
has an Orange or a Walnut or

something like that
in the bottom of it.

We haven't changed
that much, you know.

Knowing the ingredients

that they were using,
it's a matter of going back

to the old cookbooks
and see what we can find.

It's that Christmassy recipe.

[Narrator] Luckily, Dick
doesn't have far to look.

- It's interesting looking
back through these books,

the very earliest Mint pies
have got meat in them.

But then the later editions
they've gone to being

completely sweet pies, which I
think we have to explore.

[Narrator] And Dick is
keen to share his

plans for a 19th century
feast with Angel.

- Just going through some

of the ledger at different
times of the year.

You see different things being

bought on every December
that I looked at, salmon was

being bought towards
the beginning of the month.

- Every Christmas,

my grandma would always buy
an entire salmon and it was

always on our table
of Christmas.

- It never crossed my mind to
have snails for Christmas lunch

and you know, I never crossed

my mind to put meat
in a mince pie.

(laughter)

- I think it'll be interesting

to see if we suddenly
taste something, I think.

Why aren't we doing
this every year?

- Yes, I agree.

I know I would actually love

to make as part of our
tradition,

a tradition of finding
something new every year.

- By the time you're my age
of maybe running out.

(laughter)

[Narrator] But it's not just
the food that Dick would

like to recreate.
- If I was to say to you,

what is your image

of Christmas going
back to Victorian,

that's the sort of time
we're talking about.

What's your image
of Christmas?

- I've got a picture in my
mind of a Victorian table,

and it is very stylized
with lots of kind of aspect.

- Mine's not the table.

So I got this thing
in my mind, were you,

you've got a street scene

with people selling
roasting chestnuts.

People skating on the tams

with lamps, gas lamps
in the background.

- When we first came here,
I think in the old boot room,

there was a box
of old skates or blows.

- I can remember those.
No, they're old rusty things.

- They probably skated
on the ice outside.

[Narrator] But
imagining an idyllic

Victorian skating scene
at the Chateau is one thing.

- It's freezing.

[Narrator] Bringing
it to life, quite another.

- You're serous about
skating at the Chateau?

- I love ice skating.

I haven't been
since pre us but,

- I'm not built for it.

That's not true.
- Oh darling.

I knew the last
time I skated

it was probably
before you were born.

And that's for a very
good reason.

[Narrator] But as the Chateaus
moat hasn't frozen over,

Angel's had to come up
with the 21st century solution

for Dick's 19th
century vision.

- There's a thing,

ice skates train on it,
and ice hockey people use it.

It's not ice, it's moat ice.
Put it down,

use it for a few weeks
and then put it away.

[Narrator] And she's already
found the perfect place for it

the Chateau is 250
square meter terrace.

- What size are we
talking about?

(crosstalk)
- woah, woah, woah, woah.

Corners.
Let's start negotiating.

Come on, put one there.

Step up, up, up, up, up.
Wait, wait, wait.

Negotiation starts.

- Wait, Stop it.
- Stop it.

We pay by the square meter.

Really?

How big is it?

- I'm gonna go limp right

now, don't move
anything, please.

- You're joking.

4,5,6,7,8.

- Yeah, it's huge.

That's about 40 m2.

Let me see.

This is me skating.

(laughter)

- What?

(whistling)

(laughter)

- What's so funny?

You haven't even
seen me on skates yet.

When you see me on
skates it's gonna be worse.

(upbeat music)

[Narrator] Christmas
at the Chateau 150

years ago would have been

filled with fine food
and festive treats.

- Look at that sun.

- The sun is going down
quite quickly.

[Narrator] But
whatever the century,

few things beat a traditional,
crisp wintery walk.

- I look all those
beautiful pine cones.

- This is pine come central,
watch this.

Pull it down.
Oh.

- Oh, look at those.

They are beautiful.

[Narrator] And as they head
into the woods,

- Wow.
[Narrator] Dick soon spots

something that always
guarantees a very Merry
Christmas

- Look up.

What can you see?

- Mistletoe

(big kiss)

- Ah, mistletoe.

[Narrator] Christmas
may still be a few

weeks away, but for Dick,
it's come early.

- Close your eyes, trust me.

Come here. Close your eyes
and open your eyes.

- So it's a lovely old ladder.

- I thought that this would be
a lovely Christmas present

to the library and you and us
as a family to the Chateau.

[Narrator] But this
is no impulse

buy because for the past five

years, the ladder has
been on Angel's wish list.

- Every thing is a
round shelf,

and we just sit
here with our books.

We have a ladder, right?
Okay.

- This may not
happen in phase one.

[Narrator] So when
Angel says present,

she actually means project.

- You don't want that ladder to
look like that there, do you?

Well, I do.
But on wheels.

- That's not exactly
what I knew.

[Narrator] Not only
does Angel want

the ladder to be on wheels,
but for it to glide

effortlessly around
the 19th century turret.

- However, I have no issues.

If it is genuinely impossible.
- Nothing's impossible.

[Narrator] As far as
Dick's concerned,

he has just been given
a Christmas conundrum.

- It's a big challenge.

[Narrator] And it's a
hard one to solve.

- So anyway.

Happy Christmas.

(laughter)

[Narrator] Was the
Victorians may have

lit a candle for every day
of Advent this year,

Angels designed a calendar
that's guaranteed to fire up

Arthur and Dorothy's
imagination.

- Every day we're going to come
and open a drawer and there's

going to be
something in there.

And we've got something.

You guys have to make,
something.

- We can make it
in to anything?

- You can make
it into anything.

But you are only allowed
to use what's in there,

your imagination and
glue and scissors.

Put your finger in and
pull it out together.

That's it.
Perfect.

- I didn't mind.
Oh, okay.

- Hold on.
Right.

Should we go down
into our work area?

Come on, let's go
down and see.

[Narrator] With a
drawer filled

with a treasure trove
of beads, charms and twine.

Arthur and Dorothy are soon
hard at work,

and it seems they've inherited
former jeweler Poppy Steve's.

eye for finery.

- I make a necklace for you,
a lucky necklace.

- Okay.

What one were you
trying to put on?

- Silver spiral.
- Oh this one?

- Yeah.

Yeah, it's perfect.

- You hold that in one hand
and that in that hand.

Okay, now put it in,

you see?

Brilliant.
- Well, I did.

-ha ha, amazing.

Grand dad is gonna
be so proud.

[Narrator] And like her mom,
Dorothy is a perfectionist when

it comes to design
and details.

- All right, so it's
this one next.

-No, no.

- Yes it is, you've
just done that one.

- Mom, I know.

[Narrator] And just as Angel

hoped, it's clear that the new
advent calendar is about

to become a firm family
favorite for years to come.

- Alright, hold on.

I think this is looking
incredible.

And it really goes
with your shirts.

- Mommy, I love it.

(laughter)

[Narrator] Over
at the workshop

it's time for Dick and Quintin

to transform the new
library ladder.

- Let's get this bad boy in.
- You ready?

- Let's go this way Quintin.

[Narrator] Into a moving
masterpiece using a metal ring

that should, in theory,
act like a curtain track.

Sliding the ladder
around the room.

- The idea is that all these
feet sit on the top shelf.

Okay?

Screw into the shelf, screw
into the wall?

- Yes.

[Narrator] But there is
just one slight problem

at around 2 meters

in diameter, it won't
fit through the doors.

Dick, though, thinks
he has a solution.

- Alright, we're going
to cut it over here.

Then we're going to be able

to squeeze it in to get it
up and over and set it down.

Hoping his plan will work.

It's time to put
it into motion.

- You got it?
- Yeah.

- Quintin. guide me. I can't
see you're in charge of all this

Oh, badly driven Quintin.

Now, you do not like to bash

anything Quintin, no
bashing of anything.

- Okay.

[Narrator] And once
they've managed

to manhandle the ring in.

- Stop second, bend
your end smaller.

[Narrator] It's only a
matter of somehow

raising it three
and a half meters up.

- I'm glad this isn't heavy,

sharp and hard
to get up in the air

lifting it up.
Well done.

Grab the bottom with me.

See if you can get that up.

Okay, I got the bottom one.

It's not in the right place,

but it's up, hooray.
-Yay!

- Oh, that was hard.

(drilling)

[Narrator] Now the countdown
to Christmas has begun.

Arthur and Dorothy can start
writing their wish lists.

And this year they're hoping

to impress Santa with their
high class calligraphy.

- We're doing your
special school

joined up

best writing
for Father Christmas, correct?

- You're only allowed
four things.

- I can order more?

No, you can't order
from Father Christmas.

It doesn't happen like that.

- Dear Father Christmas,

cheeky chops.

Christmas.

(family crosstalk)

You want a bath or a cot?
- Bath.

Write baby, baby.

This is a bilingual
list because it's a babe bath.

So baby bath is a babe bath.

Finished.

- That's lovely baby.

(crosstalk)

- Can you get some
dog treats for Petal?

- Oh, that's nice.
- That's lovely.

- I'll feed Petal.

I've got to say Dorothy,

(laughter)

- Thank you.

Thank you.

[Narrator] Letters written.

It's time for the express
mail to Santa's Grotto.

- How are we going to
post it to Father Christmas?

- In the fire.

- Fastest way to the
North Pole. I heard.

Are you ready?

I didn't see any kisses

Better put a kiss
on the outside.

Just saying, here we go.
We're going in now.

It's nice and hot now.
You ready?

It's going in now.

Here we go.

- Oh, yeah,

oh, yeah.

- Here they go.

I can hear them.

There they go.

(Christmas music)

(Christmas music)

[Narrator] Soon though,
there's another festive

delivery at the Chateau.

800 Kilos of faux ice
to the skating rink.

[indistinct]

That'll do it.

[Narrator] But Dick an Angel

aren't letting Dorothy

and Arthur in on the secret
just yet.

- That's Daddy.

That's for daddy

actually, la la la.

Things are getting to it.

[Narrator] Before he
can start building

the skating rink,
though Dick has his hands full

trying to work out how to fix
the libraries three and a half

meter high ladder
to its circular rail.

- If I put my ladder

onto here at an angle
like this is the wrong.

Yes, and you walk up
and it's nice and safe.

[Narrator] But when
the ladder is not

in use, a bit of jiggery,
pokery is needed.

- It just hangs in there
nice and flush.

Which means when I'm sitting
in my chair at the end reading

my book, the ladder is not
in the middle of the tower.

[Narrator] Unfortunately, that
means Dick's o level in math

is about to get
a bit of a workout.

- This bit here,

when it swings out is
an arc and it's a bit short.

I basically need to have

a ladder that has a bit
added on the bottom.

When it's out.
- Right.

- I'm going to cut
the ends off my ladder.

(adventurous music)

Two little feet.

Then,

that's where it lives.

[Narrator] Dick solution
might be a bit

Heath Robinson,
but I could have just work.

(enchanting music)

[Narrator] And now, after
five years of waiting,

the Chateaus Cherished library
is about to be completed.

- Keep coming.

Keep coming.

[Narrator] Or so, Dick hopes.

It hangs like
a library ladder.

- Yes.

- Now, if you watch,
look at this.

- Oh, that was very smooth.

- The rollers are
working there nicely.

Yes, we come to hear
we pull it out.

Yes, we flick the
little catches out.

- Okay.
Yeah.

- To here and to here.

- Okay, that is quite fab.

I think we need another
brake when it's down.

Another catch.

- No.
- No?

- Because when
you press on it,

it doesn't move.
- Well that's clever.

[Narrator] With the
ladder in place,

Dick very gentlemanly insists

on ladies going first.

- Hurry up, the
rack seems solid.

Would you like to book babe?
- Yeah, please.

Climb to the very top.

(laughter)

- It's really
solid, were done.

- All books are accessible.

- That's amazing.

Did you like the
Christmas present?

- It's nice, It's old,

it's wooden and it works.

Well done.

[Narrator] Christmas is coming

to the Chateau and in
homage to their homes

19th century origins.

Dick an Angel want to this
year give it a cozy Victorian

vibe, which for them
include ice skating.

- Right somewhere
over there, Steve.

[Narrator] So with the
help of Pappy,

Steve builder mate Steve,

and roofer mate,
Steve. Dicks building

the family their
very own ice rink.

At least that's the plan

- To actually work
on an ice rink,

you have to be called
Steve, apparently.

That's the size of our rink.

It's 5 meters by 8 meters.

You have to get used
to the fact I don't skate.

So when gravity starts
taking me down this Hill.

Yeah, this side had
better be strong.

[Narrator] But it's
not long before

Dick's careful calculations
are also heading downhill.

- It's not a meter.

Alright, that's interesting.

[Narrator] The sheets of
ice may be fake,

but the fact they're
smaller than expected.

Unfortunately, isn't.
- We're going to take away

eight times four,
we're going to take away.

Our foot is going
to be a foot shorter.

- Right.

- We're going to do
this empirically.

And that just means we're
going to guess as we go along.

(laughter)

- I think it's a
good size now.

[Narrator] And once
they've leveled

the ground with a thick layer
of sand, the fun can begin.

(upbeat music)

- What's really worrying,

by the way, is how
slippery this is already.

I can
hardly balance.

(festive music)

[Narrator] Five years ago,

Angel and her mother,
Jenny and baby Dorothy

established a much love
tradition at the Chateau,

an annual trip to gather

winter foliage for the
Christmas decorations.

And this year
all three generations are keen

to continue the chance
to bond amongst the branches.

- Let's go through
the enchanted woodlands.

Listen to the sounds.

I've got my Christmas hat out.

I've got the girls with me.

It seems like Christmas

[Narrator] as well as festive
greens, Angels on the lookout

for red berries to give her
decorations a burst of color.

- Mom, I'm glad I got you
with us because your tall.

It looks absolutely
amazing, hold Grandma

so she doesn't fall over.

Thank you.

[Narrator] And as
soon as she's back

at the Chateau, Angel's keen

to create a Christmas wreath
that was stretched across both

doors of their rather
grand entrance.

- That's going to be
half my wreath.

And that is going to be
the other half of my wreath.

And as you open the door.

Da DA DA DA DA DA DA.

[Narrator] The word
wreath originates

from the old
English for twist.

And it doesn't take long
for Angel to discover why.

- I'm Just gonna twist as much
as this as I can around this.

And it will start to create

my layer that I can
stick bits into.

I love of cable
tie.

That's not gonna move
out of there now.

[Narrator] And once
she's built a strong

base, Angel can begin
to be creative.

- I've got a lot of dried
eucalyptus around the place.

It also smells amazing.

And that's why I want
it all over the wreath.

It's looking like a wreath

that my family would
expect for me.

Not perfect and a
little bit wild.

[Narrator] But to
ensure it's a true

Strawbridge creation, Dick,
Arthur and Dorothy will be

the ones adding their
finishing touches.

(adventurous music)

[Narrator] Downstairs
in the kitchen,

Dick has started to create his
Victorian festive feast.

- Making mince pies as
we do every Christmas.

But this is the original meat

pie that was a mince pie who
are making with lean beef.

[Narrator] Inspired by
the ingredients

in the Baglioni family ledger
and guided by his 19th century

cookbooks,
he's hoping the more savory

version will be a hit
with his 21st century family.

Add some suet, beef suet.

Here we go.

This smells really
Christmas already

but it's got meat in there.

[Narrator] And while
Dick's Victorian style

pies may seem quite different

to modern day minced pies, they
do have something in common.

Sweet, dried fruit.

There's a part of me

that actually wants
the children to really,

really like these,
because if they do

it's something that's
a tradition from the past

that comes all the way
forward to 21st century.

Wow.

[Narrator] Keen to find
out what's going

on, Arthur's volunteered
to act as his sous chef.

- This is a pastry which is
made with lard.

Put some lard on it,
which is animal fat.

Put in here and swig it
all the way around.

Look, see.

- Yeah.
- That's one.

Keep greasing that,
look, I'm bringing this.

This is our fashion thing,

watch you put in here and goes
all of this pouring away.

Do, do, do, do, do, do ,do
do, do,

look at that.

Pop it away and let's
mix it up.

We're kneading it.
kneading it.

Knead it?

Yes.

Flour over there.

- Can I do something?

- Were working, good?

- Yes.

No, no, no.
Stop, watch,

listen, you have to be a very
good nose because you're

nearly almost get your
own pin, aren't you?

Yes.

- Good job.

Do me a favorite Arthur,

go get the meat

- Mystery meat time.

Mince meat.
It's minced meat.

- Smells like something

of Christmas with having
[indistinct]

(laughter)

(upbeat music)

- Right here please,
young man.

Well done.

[Narrator] But cooking's not
the only family affair.

Because Angel would like
Arthur and Dorothy to add

the final touches
to the Chateaus

supersized Christmas wreath.

- And if you look
at those bits in there

[Narrator] and the
decorations are being

given a Victorian twist.

- To go with the oranges.

They used to take the humble
Warnock and killed it.

Take that over by there. Arthur
you get some of of the Oranges.

- Oranges.
- Oranges.

Right?
If you put things where you

want it to be, Mommy and Daddy
will make sure we get it on.

Okay?
- Okay.

(festive music)

- Go up, put it around
something and twist it.

So see if you can
do it by yourself.

Arthur, come here, gorgeous.

Work out the way you want it

to go, and then you twist
the end around.

(laughter)

- I think they add a really

wonderful bit of color.
- And smell.

- And smell, exactly.
- So this is the first bit.

[Narrator] And once
everyone satisfied

with their work,
it's time to put their

combined creativity
on display.

- Look at this.

Everybody out.

(children laughing)

- Okay.
How's that?

Oh, what do you
think, children?

- We love it.

- You like it?
- Yeah. Good.

- And it will smell amazing.

(enchanting music)

[Narrator] Last Christmas,
the festive oyster picking

trip was a boy's
own adventure.

But this year,
the whole families come

to Penestin
on the Brittany Coast to Hunt

for some of the best
wild oysters in France.

- You see those post over

that direction, the
island over there?

That's where I think where
the big oysters are.

- Oh, really.
- But we're gonna see.

Everything you see
now is treasure.

[Narrator] Oysters have been

a traditional Christmas food
in France for centuries.

And collecting them is fast

becoming a Strawbridge
tradition, too.

- What have you found babe?

Oh, show that to daddy.

- Yep.

- Oyster?
- It is an oyster.

This one's just a bite.

Okay.

Not big but it's not terrible.

(screams)

You find a Biggie?

Well done.

[Narrator] As the old
Chateau ledger

showed oysters were a firm

family favorite
in the 19th century.

- All across there.
That's off now.

[Narrator] last time Arthur
tried
them, he wasn't impressed.

But now Dick come prepared
to give him another go.

- We're just going to
do this, watch.

I'm going to do a little
hole in the end of this.

Suck it in, suck.

That's good.

That's yummy.
That's yummy.

- How was that.

(adventurous music)

- Big one.

[indistinct]

[Narrator] Luckily for Arthur,

Dick bought along homemade
pumpkin soup to warm up his

young family
of oyster catches.

- Right. I'm sitting here.
This is my seat.

Oh, yes.

The other one.

There's a little more.
- Cheers

Cheers darling.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

(laughter)

- That is heaven.

I've had the best day ever.

Is it a tradition that
the girls can come now?

- Do you think the girls
come next year as well?

(laughter)

You can't miss out on this.

- I can't miss out, honestly.
It's glorious.

(laughter)

- We can take our
tradition that way.

You take your
tradition that way.

(enchanting music)

[Narrator] 150 years ago,

the Baglioni family would
have spent the winter skating

around their Chateaus
frozen moat.

Today, Dick and Angel are keen
to recreate the fun,

but with their own
21st century version.

- It does look very
special sweetheart.

- Very Victorian darling.

- I think it looks great.

[Narrator] But it's not just
the ice that's artificial.

- I have bought something

for the first time in my life
that I never thought I would

buy. A fake Garland,
but I didn't want to spend two

days making a Garland this big.
So, I'm doing a little cheat.

I'm going to put some little

bunches of real
stuff over the top.

[Narrator] Dick, though,

is yet again battling
with a long line of lights.

- There's, like
Christmas tree lights.

Only bigger.
- I know.

Well, I love a twinkler.

- Hold this for me here.

- Yeah, just like that.
Yeah, you got it?

- Yeah.
Twist it around.

- Just loop it over.
- Yeah.

Oh, look, Ange.

- Brilliant, fantastic.

I just think it
looks glorious.

I think the children are going

to really feel like they're
having a special Christmas.

It's enough cold, that wind.
- That breeze, isn't it?

- Yeah

- It's just to get you in
the mood for Christmas

- Going like this we
could actually have snow.

The irony of that would be

very funny that we've
built an ice rink

- And then the moat freezes.

(laughter)

[Narrator] It's the
night before

the Chateaus Victorian
Christmas feast.

And though the rest

of the family are sound
asleep, Dick and Angel are

busy honing their
homemade cracker skills.

- Really feels like
Christmas to me

when we
do things late at night.

(laughter)

Now, to think of all the
present wrapping and you know.

[Narrator] Not only
are the crackers

carefully crafted, but filled
with small personal presence.

- Arthur's present is
so special for him.

There's going to be rules

associated with this
pin lock, by the way.

And the very simple rule is.

He's not allowed to open
it without my permission.

[Narrator] For Dorothy,
there's even a vintage vibe.

- I've got this sweet
little broach.

- That's lovely.
- I think she'll love it.

[Narrator] And not
only other crackers

hand made
the Christmas chuckles come

courtesy of Pappy Steve.

- The first one of dad
jokes has gone in.

I'm secretly really looking
forward to the when we have

the time to actually stop
and do things like this.

I get almost teary
thinking about the year.

- Yeah, I know what you mean.

- And it has been a year.

Do you know what Arthur
and Dorothy keep his garden?

- Yeah.
(laughter)

(festive music)

[Narrator] As a
Victorian Christmas

is being held at the Chateau,

and the whole family will be
enjoying a 19th century feast.

Angel's came to ensure

that the dining room
is just as magical.

- The old French linens,
they're all hand stitched.

[Narrator] Whether it's
handmade or homemade.

- Arthur and Dorothy.

[Narrator] There's
always the personal touch.

And to finish everything off

a winter forest
of festive foliage.

- Love it.

(laughter)

[Narrator] In the kitchen,
Dick's busy preparing his

Victorian hors d'oeuvres
of oysters and snails.

- That smells good. Really
nice flavor, some stock.

That's what gives
the snails the flavor.

[Narrator] But the
Chateau kitchen isn't

just filled with
an earthy aroma.

There's also the sea salt

scent of the family's
handpicked oysters.

- The kids did well.

I might have to invite
the girls back next year.

(festive music)

- Hello.
- You look lovely.

[Narrator] Soon the whole
family is gathered.

And this year's Chateau
celebrations are promptly

launched with a glass
of Dick's homemade sloe gin.

- Dorothy, I know you're
very good at Front host.

Can you tell that to
Grandma, please?

Thank you very much.

- Oh, Perfectly delivered.

[Narrator] And for the younger
members of the family.

- Dorothy grab your glass.

[Narrator] Another Baglioni
favorite, French grenadine.

- Merry Christmas family,
Merry Christmas Dorothy.

- Merry Christmas mom.
Love ya.

- It was months ago, but we
got them for Christmas.

- It's quite nice, isn't it.

- Who wants to do
this next year?

- Yes. A good thing to do
every year. I love it.

- I want to do it until I'm 18
so I can actually have it.

- Let's go eat.
- Are you hungry?

[Narrator] Right across
the hall, Angel's.

Christmas table is
ready and waiting.

- Have a seat.

Have a seat.

- Great.

I like that sound, Mr.
Strawbridge.

- Thank you very much, Love.

Are you ready for more?
Merry Christmas.

- Merry Christmas.

- Yay!

(cheering)

- What?
What is this?

- Wow.

- Pin lock.
- I knew it would be a pin lock

- Can you see how to pull out?
There are rules.

You only open it when you get

permission to open it.
To see the end of it's

not gonna point the end.

It's got slightly rounded
then to make it safe.

What do you think of it?

- I love it.

The best pin lock ever.

- You know the beauty about
making homemade crackers.

They're unique.

There's no other cracker
quite like that in the world.

[Narrator] And Pappy Steve's
humor is also one of a kind.

- What do you get if you cross
a barrel of hay and a moat?

- A Strawbridge.
- Yes.

[Narrator] It's time, though,
to focus on the food

- Coming down

[Narrator] And find
out whether Dicks

21st century family will like

his Victorian appetizers
of oysters and snails.

- Good?

- The best snails ever.

- I agree Arthur.
(laughter)

But they are really good.

I think I'm oyster
more than snails.

- Really?
- Arthur it's a tie.

[Narrator] And following
the surprisingly

successful starter,
the fish course.

- Salmon.

- Well, in that case darling
you'll have your share.

- Dig in.

That's right,
Bon Appetit

[Narrator] And to Dick's delight
it's soon clear that salmon is

as populate today as
it was 150 years ago.

- Do you think we should be

having salmon as part
of our Christmas?

- Yes.
- Yes.

- So salmon on the
menu next year?

[Narrator] And it's
not long before

another tasty tradition is
established at the Chateau.

A Christmas goose.

Oh, that's stuffing, guys.

- Oh yum, I love stuffing.

- I even notice that all

the vegetables are
seasonal vegetable.

Because traditionally,
they could only use

the vegetables that he
had out in the potter.

So this is very traditional.
Do you know something?

I think goose is
the way forward.

- I'm loving it.

I'm loving the goose son.
They're wonderful.

[Narrator] But outside,
there's an even

bigger surprise waiting
for the family.

And it's truly magical.

- Come on.
Come and look at this.

(screaming and cheering)

- Who is going on
the skate, first?

Mommy's off.
- I love you.

I am smiling from ear to ear.

- Well done Dorothy.

(laughter)
- Oh no.

Must be holding on to you.

What's really funny?

You're saving me, Arthur.

(cheering)

- Wait for me.
Wait for me.

Mr.
Strawbridge?

Yes, Mrs.
Strawbridge?

You have the happiest wife.

[Narrator] But before
the evening is

over, there's one more taste
of the past still to try.

Dick and Arthur's meaty
minced pies.

What do you think?
what do you think?

- Good hell.
- Oh, wow.

- It's a B five.

- I was just going
to say that.

- No.

We're gonna start roasting
the chestnuts on an open fire.

Here they go.

- Is it me or does it
feel like Christmas.

- Yes!