READ THE TEXT BELOW AND CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION IN BOLD (ACTIVE OR PASSIVE VOICE) Is your house

ready for Chris !as"

Max Davidson offers the essential guide to preparations: from tinsel and trees to guest loos and granny flats. By Max Davidson 14 Dec 2012 From telegraph.co.uk/property/ !4"00"/#s$your$house$ready$%or$&hristmas.html 'ever mind the turkey and plum pudding. #s your house ready %or &hristmas( )he %estive season is notorious %or stress$testing %amilies and %inding the %ault lines in relationships that have survived the rest o% the year. But it can expose the *eak spots in properties+ too. )hat daintily %urnished spare room does not seem such a good idea *hen it is housing your ,%t -in .rother$in$la*. /our shiny ne* oven may look like the last *ord in chic+ .ut *hy didn0t you measure it %or the turkey( 1et0s not %orget those t*ee ornaments+ 2ust *aiting to .e knocked over .y marauding toddlers. 'o house is per%ect+ .ut i% you can0t dream at &hristmas+ *hen can you( #t might not .e possi.le to .ook 'igella to *a%t around *ith mince pies and canap3s+ .ut here is the next .est thing4 the ingredients %or a %antasy &hristmas house. )ips+ tricks and homes %or sale+ to help you create a *inter *onderland+ *here nothing could go *rong. 1 Buy an old church or live nearby /ou may not make it to Midnight Mass *hen push comes to shove+ .ut it is nice to have the option. 5 church *ith a proper old$style vicar+ not one o% those stand$up comedian types reading his sermon %rom an i6ad+ is also highly desira.le. /ou could al*ays .uy a house near.y a good church or snap up a church conversion. 2 A little place in the country #t is sa%e to say that %or most Britons+ &hristmas con2ures up images o% stone cottages on country lanes and cosy little ca.ins surrounded .y *oods. Mead Farm+ an 1-th$century %armhouse+ is %or sale in Farnham &ommon+ Buckinghamshire. #t %its the .ill per%ectly. 3 A minimum of t o televisions Fe* things are guaranteed to cause a ro* over &hristmas more than a di%%erence o% opinion a.out *hat to *atch on television. )he 7trictly &ome Dancing &hristmas special or an old Bond %ilm( /ou are never going to agree. #% you *ant everyone to .e happy+ multiple screens are essential. ! At least three loos" all ell stoc#ed ith reading matter # dou.t i% # could survive &hristmas at all *ithout regular and extended visits to the loo. 8ere+ # read .ack num.ers o% 9isden until li%e .ecomes a .it more .eara.le. But the strategy %ails i% there is a long :ueue o% %ello* desperados outside the door. ;ne loo per guest is the optimum. Don0t %orget to leave light$hearted material to hand e.g. old copies o% 6rivate <ye. $ A sturdy chandelier

#% you are going to do mistletoe+ you should do it properly. )he least kissa.le in$la*s lose their terror i% the setting %or the kiss is appropriately old$%ashioned. )his is *here the sturdy chandelier comes in. % A fara ay guest room ;vernight guests at &hristmas come *ith the territory+ .ut i% they can .e kept at a discreet distance+ their snoring+ a.lutions and domestic ti%%s *ill .ecome more tolera.le. 5 separate granny *ing+ pre%era.ly in the next county+ is o.viously the ideal arrangement. & A dual'purpose ine cellar &onvincing your other hal% that =%ridge space> is essential i% *ines are to .e served at the correct temperature can .e a struggle. 7o a cool *ine cellar+ can come into its o*n at &hristmas. 5nd not 2ust as a place o% re%uge during the post$lunch game o% )rivial 6ursuit. ( An impressive hall ay # am a sucker %or a ma2estic &hristmas tree ? the .igger+ the .etter. 5nything less than nine %eet 2ust looks stingy. But a grand tree needs a suita.ly high$ceilinged setting. )hink @one 9ith the 9ind and Aivien 1eigh greeting %ello* guests in a *hite .all go*n. ) An oven the si*e of Battersea +o er ,tation Forget the gas .ills. 'othing creates more stress at &hristmas than those dinky ovens+ *hich 2ust a.out manage the turkey+ or the trimmings+ .ut never .oth. &ue culinary mayhem and last$minute scurrying to the micro*ave. For a 21st$century t*ist on the traditional range oven+ try Bangemaster0s selection in a variety o% contemporary shades. 1- At least t o fridges <very year+ it is the same story. )he %ridge *hich has done nicely %or the rest o% the year is too small at &hristmas. # leave %ood out in the garden shed+ at the mercy o% rats and %oxes. 5 .ackup appliance *ould come in very handy+ and is availa.le %or less than many people0s turkeys. 11 A nearby pub 5t some point over &hristmas+ every mem.er o% the %amily *ill *ant to make a :uick dash to the =Dog and Duck> %or a restorative tipple. 9hy not cut out the 2ourney+ and live in a converted pu.( )he ;ld 8al% Moon+ in 8eath%ield+ <ast 7ussex+ is @rade ## listed and dates to the 1!th century. 12 A sho 'off mantelpiece 9here else are you going to display your &hristmas card %rom the Beckhams( ;r+ %or that matter+ the &amerons+ Bransons or the Duke and Duchess o% &am.ridge. 9e all like to keep up *ith the Coneses+ and the season o% good*ill is no exception. 1assco in south$*est 1ondon houses a collection o% mantelpieces and architectural anti:ues. 13 .ill that be all" madam/ 8o* many o% us %antasise a.out having our very o*n Ceeves over &hristmas( )o set the right tone+ e%%icient .ut not pompous+ you can0t .eat a .utler o% the old school. )he British Butler #nstitute has registers o% sta%%+ and o%%ers training i% you *ere considering taking it up yoursel% 1! A splendid dining room

Do you *ant your nearest and dearest to see you s*eating and .ent dou.le as you .aste the turkey( Dining rooms may have gone out o% %ashion+ superseded .y open$plan kitchens+ .ut they really come into their o*n at &hristmas. 1$ A local charity shop #% you are going to get rid o% all those un*anted &hristmas presents+ *hether they are cele.rity memoirs or dodgy pullovers+ it is nice to do it the next day. ;ther*ise guilt sets in+ and you hang on to them %rom misplaced politeness. ;n the ;x%am *e.site you can enter your postcode to %ind the nearest store 1% A magnificent fireplace 7anta may go to the gym these days+ and need less *riggle room in the chimney than in his Aictorian heyday+ .ut he is not going to emerge %rom a solar$po*ered radiator. For a selection o% %ireplaces and accessories+ try 7olopark reclamation centre in &am.ridgeshire 1& A doghouse /ou can0t very *ell exclude Booney+ the six$month$old *eimaraner puppy+ %rom the invitation to your in$la*s to stay over. But you can insist that he is kennelled. 1( A state'of'the'art shredder # can0t .e the only person *ho gets depressed .y the mountain o% *rapping paper and other detritus that accrues over &hristmas. #t seems so *aste%ul+ not to mention a hassle to clear a*ay. 8o* nice to recycle the lot at the click o% a .utton. 1) A stout shovel )hat *hite &hristmas o% your dreams may not materialise+ .ut .est to .e prepared i% it does. #% Dncle Bon and 5untie Marge think they can use t*o inches o% sno* as an excuse %or staying another *eek ? you *ill need to get shovelling %or dear li%e. 2- 0he star attraction &hristmas *ouldn0t .e the same *ithout %lashing lights and shiny tinsel. )hey are more taste%ul than some o% the options on the high street. Finally+ remem.er that *hether you pre%er a sno*$covered ca.in in the *oods+ or a cottage next to a pretty church+ there is no accounting %or taste. /our dream home could .e another0s decoration hell. 1uckily it0s only %or a couple o% days+ and it only comes around once a year.