The Victorian Christmas was one of the most familiar Christmas themes we had to eventually cover.

The brass instruments were borrowed from my brother-in-law and his mother, and one of my colleagues at work, who played in orchestras, was able to advise us on how hold the instruments so it would look as if they were being played.

The musicians and singers were photographed in a studio situation, lit with strong warm light from one side and soft blue fill-in light all around. This was combine with the photo of the outside of Ashurst Lodge illuminated from the inside at dusk. The interior of the ‘drawing room’ and its people were added behind the window frames. Costumes were mostly borrowed from my sisters, who seem to have most things I ask for when creating historical Christmas cards.

The ‘drawing room’ in the picture was my design studio at Ashurst Lodge for many years.