Laura Carmichael in the Old Vic Tunnels

Actress Laura Carmichael, 26, plays Lady Edith, the eternally lovelorn middle sister in Downton Abbey, and is currently starring alongside Anna Friel in Uncle Vanya at the Vaudeville Theatre. She lives in North London

‘I love The Old Vic Tunnels, they’re so mysterious. There’s a Northern Lights-themed party this year so there’s an arctic chill to the tunnels. You can quite easily get lost among the 300 Christmas trees and forget what time of day or night it is.

Given the freezing conditions, my reindeer onesie wouldn’t be out of place here. Jonathan Ross gave us three Crawley sisters one each after we went on his chat show last year and I think it will feature quite heavily on Christmas Day. I already plan to wear it to the Uncle Vanya Christmas party. It’s going to be tricky if I get Anna Friel as my Secret Santa. She’s got great taste, so any present will have to be something really classy. I’ll probably text Rhys [Ifans, her boyfriend] to ask him to recommend something.

I’ll be spending Christmas in Romsey, Hampshire, with my mum, stepdad and sisters. I’m sure we’ll all sit down at 9pm to watch Downton. It’s nerve-racking watching yourself, thinking about how many millions of people are also watching it. This year we go to Scotland on a Grantham family holiday; the scenery is beautiful and there are plenty of good family meals.

On set, we normally eat the most at breakfast. We get sausages served by the footmen and they’re really good, so I always have seconds. I’ve started calling it The Breakfast Club because, as the only female character left unmarried, I’m the only girl who eats downstairs.

I can’t divulge whether Edith finds love this Christmas but you will see her editor again — he just happens to be in Scotland.’

(unclevanyatheplay.com)