It’s almost December, which means it’s almost Christmas, which means it’s time to start thinking about holiday films. I have a usual list that I like to tuck into at this time of year. Die Hard, a plethora of Disney/Pixar creations, Home Alone, and so on.
For a film to be Christmassy, it has to follow a very strict set of instructions, at least in my mind. Being about Christmas is not one of them. It needs to be feelgood, with a happy ending. It needs to be something you can fall asleep while watching, without missing too much of the plot. It needs to be funny. One film that fits all of these criteria, and is one of my favourite Christmas films, is The Holiday. Fun fact: I went to see The Holiday in cinemas when I was 14 years old because my mother made me. Thankfully, I liked it.
The Holiday fits all of the above criteria. It is about as simple a film as you could imagine, and its sweet and funny and, for extra points, is even set at Christmas. The star of the film is not Cameron Diaz, or Jack Black, or Kate Winslet or even Jude Law. It is ‘the cottage’. You know the one.
It would be nice to spend a Christmas at The Holiday cottage. Thatch just so, smoke whisping into the sky from the chimney as snow falls softly all around. I’m not sure if that cottage is real, nor do I remember a recent Christmas where it snowed. But, if I were tempted to make Christmas at The Holiday cottage a reality, you could do a lot worse than Wye Cottage in St Day, Cornwall. It’s for sale with Lillicrap Chilcott for offers in the region of £375,000.
The thatch is correct, the red door is a lovely touch and the windows and chimneys fit the bill. The property offers three bedrooms, a bathroom and two reception rooms. Have a look at some pictures.
I feel it should be illegal for something to look this cosy. Recently restored by its owners (including a rethatching five years ago), the property also comes with about ⅓ of an acre of gardens, which contains three timber garages and a workshop.
On the edge of the village of St Day, there are plenty of amenities within walking distance, which is always handy. But why would you ever want to leave?
Credit: Strutt & Parker
An utterly enchanting neo-Gothic masterpiece in 20 beautiful acres of Wiltshire — and it's even unlisted
Hawking Down House is a glorious country property that's full of potential. Penny Churchill explains more.
-
Classical style meets fun and flair in a seven-bedroom manor in CornwallAt Polstrong Manor, the current owners have combined period charm and elegant modern interiors to create a flamboyant country home 10-minutes from the beach.
-
Two halves make a sublime four-bedroom home in Kent's North DownsA contemporary extension to a traditional clapboard house brings light and life to Lavington House.
-
The week in property statistics: Service charges reach record highPlus, how first-time buyers prop up the mortgage market, why you need to move north if you want to live by yourself, and house-price growth slows
-
A seven-bedroom oast house for sale in East Sussex, where your dreams can run riotUnlisted, yet full of character, this property in the High Weald National Landscape is an eccentrically furnished family home that screams fun.
-
Character, history and comfort combine in a four-bedroom farmhouse in NorfolkWillow Farm near Southburgh is that rarest of things — a perfect combination of period charm and modern elegance in some of England's best countryside.
-
A Grade I-listed Georgian townhouse that's part of the fabric of Bath's historyWith 5,500sq ft set over six floors in the centre of Britain's most architecturally rich city, there is much to love here.
-
17 delightful homes for sale, as seen in Country LifeOur round-up of some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life this week includes a wonderful Cotswolds home and a happily affordable cottage in the West Country.
-
'This is the most money you'll spend on anything ever': The things that really matter when buying your first home in LondonIt’s easy to dream of what the ideal first-home in London might be, but when the cost of living in the capital is this expensive, being near a Gail's isn't as important as you think it is.
