Even if you are visiting Greenway House and Gardens in the middle of summer when all of the beautiful tress and plants are in full bloom and the sun is reflecting off the River Dart you just can't help but think how wonderful the old place must look at Christmas and what a brilliant experience it would be to spend some time there.
Well, thanks to the National Trust is is possible to get a further taste of the house that Agatha Christie often referred to as the best place in the world. They've put in place the 12 days of Christmas which means that Greenway is somewhere that simply must be visited over the Christmas period this year.
Such a special place
For anyone who is not familiar with Greenway, it was the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie's holiday home and the National Trust have basically managed to bring it back to exactly what it was like when Agatha and her family spent such idyllic holidays there.
As far as the Christmas celebrations at Greenway go, mention must first be made of the fact that from the day after Boxing Day to New Year's Eve there is no charge for entry. This represents quite a saving, especially for families but it will be busy so be sure to book that car park space otherwise it will be a very long walk.
A meal fit for a king
Something else which will prove really popular in the Greenway celebrations is bound to be the Festive Feast. This actually takes place around the impressive mahogany table in the dining room at Greenway and as this is where Agatha and her family used to sit down together and eat. It's bound to be quite a memorable occasion. For three courses it is only £20 per head and just to be able to say that you've eaten at Agatha Christie's dining table has to be worth some bragging rights don't you think?
Other highlights over the Christmas period include the singing of carols in the courtyard whilst drinking the mulled cider, made from a recipe which has been handed down through the years by the Christie family.
The perfect pud
Yet another unique event is a class which shows how to make a traditional Christmas pudding. Whilst the pudding is cooking you can enjoy a wonderful lunch in the kitchen. When you are fed and refreshed the pudding should be ready to take home for the rest of the family to sample.
The National Trust should be congratulated for putting these Christmas events on at Greenway. It would be far easier for them to simply sit back on their laurels and just put up some Christmas decorations because Greenway would sill get lots of visitors.
As it is though, the extra steps that they have taken means that if you are in this neck of the woods in December, a trip over to Greenway should most definitely be on the cards.
Do you know of somewhere special which lends itself perfectly to the Christmas festivities and which is able to share its delights with everyone over the festive period?