It would be an understatement to say that Vogue Williams has had a lot on this year. Whether she is travelling the UK on her My Therapist Ghosted Me podcast with co-host Joanne McNally or is busy as a brand ambassador for Yankee Candle, the mother-of-three has kept a tight schedule all year long, something she is looking forward to putting on pause, she says chatting exclusively to HELLO!, as she winds down for Christmas.
Spending Christmas in Scotland
"We're going to be in Scotland on Christmas day," the 38-year-old reveals, explaining they will be catching up with her husband, entrepreneur and former Made in Chelsea star Spencer Matthews' family who live on the Glen Affric estate where the pair wed in 2018. Vogue looks forward to this fuss-free downtime and cannot wait to tuck into lots of delicious food.
"I love Christmas day lunch, being so full where you have no room for anything else but you keep eating all day!", she says. One thing Vogue is sure of though is that she will be trying her best to keep Spencer, 35, out of the kitchen. "Spenny is very good at cooking but he's also very messy so I'd almost rather do it myself because he's so messy that it just takes you triple the amount of time to clean up!," she jokes.
Making time for fitness
Fitness lover Vogue reveals that amongst the cooking, she might even have time to work out. "There's a good chance that I will train on Christmas Day because it's only half an hour out of my day! I know a lot of people don't want to do that and that's fine to let the routine slip over Christmas. It's whatever suits your lifestyle so I just enjoy it so much that I keep it up," she tells us.
Keeping calm
Spending Christmas away from home has meant Vogue has got all of her ducks in a row and can look forward to a calm festive period. "I love everything to do with Christmas so all my presents are bought, wrapped, sent to the right people, packed away," she says. "All my Christmas decorations have been up a very long time and I've even got my Christmas decorations up in Ireland so all is go and organised. I have to be organised because I've been quite busy….being organised makes me feel better."
But that doesn't mean that Vogue doesn't enjoy a touch of the Christmas rush and reminds us to enjoy the inevitable chaos: "I think just try and be organised but realistically Christmas is kind of madness and its meant to be like that! It's meant to be chaos in your house, it's meant to be fun and I don't think you need to be stressed if things aren't exactly how you want them or if things aren't perfect. The imperfectness of Christmas makes it perfect."
Traditions with her children
Getting all of the Christmas admin out of the way means Vogue can look forward to quality time with her three children – Theodore (or TT as she lovingly calls him), five, Gigi, three, and baby Otto, one, and start creating Christmas traditions with them. "Our main ones are Winter Wonderland [in Hyde Park], we go to Lapland [UK] and we always have matching PJs," the doting mother shares. Vogue says that the festive period also allows time to reignite traditions that she loved as a child back in Ireland.
"We always do stuff with each of the cousins when we can. So we're going to the panto – that's one of the traditions I have from my granny," she tells us. "She used to buy us all tickets to the pantomime for the Christmas presents and we'd all go. I go to the same pantomime with my kids and my brother's kids will be there too because it's in Ireland. So I've kind of carried on that tradition as well and they love it."
With being so busy this year, time with not just husband Spencer but all three of her children means more than ever to Vogue. She jests about how everyone wants to meet up during December and how hectic of a month it is, making time at home even more cherished. "Next week it's going to be a lot of me and Spen," she says. "We're going to be home in Howth and I just want to spend as much time with Spen and the kids. We will do things like going for a run together or a nice walk but I've been away so much time this year touring that I'm desperate to spend as much time as possible with the kids."
Vogue's wishlist
Vogue lets us in on whether she and Spencer are big on gift-giving and we have to admire the star's practical approach. "I never really have anything that I want. This year I got him to buy me an armchair that I wanted for my house!," she says laughing. "He was like 'an armchair?!'."
Instead, the former Heart Radio presenter makes it about surprising those around her and creating special memories with them. "I just got [Spencer] some clothes that he really likes because he loves getting clothes. I like figuring out really cool stuff to get around me that I know what they want," she says. "I keep track of things a long time before Christmas and I like to buy them for Christmas so when it gets to Christmas they are like 'Oh you remembered!'."
What she is buying her children
Her sweet children will also have lovely presents to enjoy on Christmas Day though Vogue reveals they are not big on writing Christmas lists. "My kids weirdly don't do that! I kind of plant ideas in their head because they have got lots of toys and what can I get that they don't have!", Vogue says. "So I'm kind of like, 'Wow Gigi this would be brilliant' and then she's like, 'Yeah I want that!' so Gigi is getting a Barbie Dreamhouse because I always wanted one when I was younger and TT is getting a little go-cart thing and then Otto will get little bits and bobs."
Dressed up or dressed down?
The ever-glamorous Vogue is going to be opting for a more relaxed look than we are used to seeing her in on Instagram or a fabulous red carpet this Christmas. "I will start out very not glam and then I will go to glam for probably an hour and then I will go back to a tracksuit!," she says. "I like to dress up only because I love the idea of picking out a Christmas day outfit, I've got the kids in matching Christmas clothes so I've got their outfits ready for Christmas Day and I bought this skirt from Paco Rabanne x H&M that I've wanted to wear for ages that I've saved for Christmas day. I'll wear it for an hour and I'll get back into really comfy clothes."
Creating a cosy home
It is clear that Vogue is all about making the most of the time at home and taking in all the cosy vibes – something which is enhanced by her array of gorgeous Yankee Candles. As an ambassador for the iconic brand, Vogue says she is all about layering festive scents in her home. "I have had the three on the go on the house," she tells us. "I've got Magical Bright Lights at the front door, I have got the Shimmering Christmas Tree over by my TV and I have Holiday Cheer on my kitchen counter and I've had them all going for the last three weeks and I thought I'd never get through them but they're nearly gone!
"I do all three because you walk through the front door and everyone's like 'her house smells so nice and Christmassy' and it creates a cosy and warm atmosphere when the place feels really Christmassy," she adds.
Looking to 2024
Beyond the festivities, Vogue looks forward to another busy year of work as she teases the release of a new fitness app called Flexy Fit with personal trainer John Belton as well as some currently top-secret projects she has in the pipeline.
DISCOVER: Exclusive: Vogue Williams shares upcoming big family milestone
As far as family life, Vogue is excited for more quiet quality time with Spencer and the children amongst their busy work schedules. "As much as I'd love to get married again, I think I've done it enough. Even for me! So I don't think we're ready for a vow renewal," she reveals. "I just think that we're just planning a nice year ahead with the kids and we've got a lot of work goals that we want to separately achieve and together so I just hope it will be as busy as this year."
Vogue Williams is the Yankee Candle® Signature ambassador. Shop her favourite fragrances at www.yankeecandle.co.uk