The Gentleman’s Christmas of Jean-Philippe Charest

For the holidays, we wanted to hear from some of Gentologie’s friends and collaborators. We asked them how they celebrated their Christmas. We called this ‘The Gentleman’s Christmas of…’ because Christmas is all about being a gentleman (if you’re wondering how, we have some tips here). We continue this series with The Gentleman’s Christmas of Jean-Philippe Charest, our Scotch passionate and Columnist at Gentologie.

The Gentleman’s Christmas of Jean-Philippe Charest

What does Christmas mean to you?

Primarily, it’s a time of year to unwind and spend quality time with loved ones.

How is Christmas spent in your family?

With a blended family, there are lots of Christmas parties. Between family, in-laws and dinners with friends, we try to find time to relax. We also have a tradition with the kids: we start by unwrapping presents with the traditional Christmas pyjamas, which we put on before continuing to unwrap presents. We usually do this in very small groups.

What does your family eat at Christmas?

We take advantage of this period to try out new gourmet recipes. But as we have quite a few “réveillons,” it goes without saying that there’s always a more “traditional” supper on the menu. We also like to reminisce about our summer travels, so we always organize a themed supper featuring dishes typical of the country we’ve visited. This evening with friends is usually very festive and lasts until the early hours.

What does your family drink at Christmas?

Wine, lots of wine, especially the fine bottles we’ve collected throughout the year in preparation for these dinners. But also a lot of sparkling wines to make it more festive. Of course, there’s always a good bottle of Scotch to finish it all off.

What would you like to receive for Christmas?

Honestly, I don’t really care. I always prefer to spend time with family and friends, which is, in my opinion, the best Christmas present. That said, a good bottle of Scotch or some golf equipment always makes me very happy.

 What do you like to give at Christmas?

I always try to find THE gift that will give the most pleasure to the people who are going to receive it. In this case, the hardest part is often not going crazy and buying lots of things.

What are your Christmas wishes for Gentologie readers?

Peace and quiet at this time of year.

We hope you enjoyed The Gentleman’s Christmas of Jean-Philippe Charest. To read his various articles (we forget to publish some, but they will be online in the next days) on Gentologie, click here.