Dear Carla,

As the winter months close in I find myself constantly reaching for bigger and bigger mugs of tea. When once a bone china cup would suffice, now I am reliant on mugs twice as big as my hand for sustinance.

With this in mind I rather feel that your mother would benefit from a warming Afternoon Tea for two. Considering your location my personal choice would be a Tea at Harrods for Two, which I can warmly recommend for the delightful silver service and exceptional range of tea.

Our Orient Express journeys happen to be incredibly decadent day trips departing from London, making them ideal as a treat for you and your mother. I took Mr Annabella on a steam train trip last year, for a reminiscent voyage into the Shropshire hills. It all went extremely well until Mr Annabella discovered that he had left his camera at home and proceeded to sketch the passing countryside (very badly) on our luxury napkins.

If you’re looking to get your mum a traditional christmas gift you might consider a large box of Thorntons chocolates. They slip down nicely with the occasional glass of traditional Christmas cheer.

Finally, Name a Rose is a truly thoughtful personalised gift she will treasure for years to come.

And now my dear, I must get back to assisting the office with organising their secret santa, they really are disorganised. I am considering throwing their “efforts” into the bin and substituting them with my own, superior, secret santa gifts.

Best, Annabella

Dear Sylvia

Alas! My dear I am afraid that you are correct in thinking that the theatre tour and dinner has been taken down. This is because Drury Lane are currently having a rejig before Oliver! begins – a delightful show wouldn’t you agree? They are busy flinging sets around and making a terrible mess, so I rather fear your friends would find their tour quite hazardous at this point.

We do hope to re-instate the tour after the dust has settled and Oliver! is in full swing, but I’m afraid I can’t say exactly when this will be. Might you consider a Theatre and Dinner for Two package instead? For around the same price your friends can enjoy an exciting evening out at a show of their choice – I remember the thrill of the stage from days gone by, the face paint, the costumes… but that is quite another story.

Do let me know if you require any other assistance, a friendly emailification over tea perhaps.

Best, Annabella