Christmas lover from Essex has her tree up all year round

Lewis Adams/BBC Jane Malyon smiling at the camera while standing in front of a Christmas tree in her living room. She is wearing a black and white striped jumper with a red jacket over the top. — Jane Malyon says every room in her house has “tell-tale signs” of Christmas

A Christmas super fan who keeps her tree up all year round admits her festive way of life strikes a “fine balance of eccentricity and bonkers”.

Jane Malyon ensures stockings are filled, presents wrapped and crackers laid on the table 24/7, just in case her adult children come to visit her in White Roding, Essex.

The 67-year-old said George, 35, and Edward, 40, spent most of their lives abroad and would often show up without prior notice.

“The solution seemed to be let’s be in Christmas mode at all times – we call it Christmas standby,” Mrs Malyon says.

The mother-of-two, who is speaking to the BBC in front of her fully decorated Christmas tree, concedes she is “seasonally challenged”.

“We’re not bonkers, we don’t have a 20ft inflatable reindeer outside or wear Christmas hats the whole time, but every room has some tell-tale signs,” she says.

The table at the Malyon family’s house in White Roding, near Chelmsford in Essex, is always decorated with crackers and festive cloth

Lewis Adams/BBC Jane Malyon sat at the table holding a cracker. The table cloth has red and white checkers and has napkins, crackers and glasses on it. Mrs Malyon herself is smiling at the camera. — The table at the Malyon family’s house in White Roding, near Chelmsford in Essex, is always decorated with crackers and festive cloth

The inspiration came after both of her children found themselves unable to return home throughout December.

George was too busy travelling the world with the Cirque du Soleil and Edward was in Toronto, Canada, where his partner worked at a hotel, Mrs Malyon says.

On a previous occasion, George had “caught a plane, a coach, two trains and a bus” to spontaneously arrive at the family home.

“They might literally appear and we want to make a fuss of them,” she adds.

“So it adapted into always having a Christmas stocking at the ready, always having some presents at the ready and always having a turkey in the freezer.

“Often, without any notice, we go hurtling into mad Christmas mode.”