Christmas at the Ritz

Time for a party, and this year my husband's company party was at the Ritz. Definitely a night for glitz!

You'd have a hard time finding anything more beautifully decorated than the Ritz in London. Trees, garlands, bows, gifts everywhere you turn. Two recurring motifs in the tree ornaments were tea pots and crowns--very fitting, I thought, and I would have loved to take one of those home with me.

We started out in the Marie Antoinette room for cocktail hour,

where the conversation and the guests were lively. One of Mike's colleagues from Scotland came in native attire. He explained to me that since a traditional kilt does not have pockets, they wear a sporran, the Scottish Gaelic equivalent of purse, his being made from seal's skin. 

And you wouldn't be properly fitted out without your knife tucked neatly into your socks. Good to know you're always protected when hanging with a man in a kilt.

Then it was on to one of the highlights of the year, a lovely dinner with good friends who really enjoy their job.

Here's a sneak panaroma into the beautiful scene that night as we enjoyed the carolers in the hall. You'll see smartly dressed guests who had gathered for afternoon tea amidst all the decorations. You'll find in the front the King's College Choir from Cambridge, composed of 16 young choristers and 14 choral scholars. The King's College Choir was first founded by Henry VI shortly after establishing the King's College in 1441. Their function is to sing in daily chapel services, and among many performances they do, they also sing on BBC each Christmas Eve. Since my clip did not feature the young boys, I've added another video clip from their website which showcases their beautiful young voices.

To see full screen, click twice. I think you'll enjoy hearing their beautiful voices this Christmas season and seeing the beauty of the chapel they call home. Enjoy!