Hello again, Rockstars! In this festive episode, I’m joined by the irrepressible Adrienne d’Souza - queen of Christmas chaos, community champion and one of the funniest, warmest women I know.

Adrienne spent her life at the heart of Christmas: growing up in her family’s toy shops, running the iconic Hamleys and Harrods toy departments, and later running one of London’s best-loved party shops for 15 years. She has seen everything - the queues, the meltdowns, the impossible-to-find toys, and the mega celebs who tried to do their shopping on 23 December with no security.

But this episode is about much more than retail madness. We talk about:
✨ The emotional weight midlife women carry trying to “make the magic happen”
✨ Christmas after losing a loved one, and how Adrienne rebuilt joy after her mum died
✨ Parenting, empty nest Christmases, new traditions and letting go of perfection
✨ Sensory overwhelm and recognising that magical moments aren’t universal
✨ The small, unexpected acts of kindness that become the heart of the season

And Lise answers some of your festive questions, from present wrapping tips (using tea towels!), to the joys of open water swimming.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• The behind-the-scenes reality of Christmas in Harrods and Hamleys
• Adrienne’s first Christmas without her mum — and how she created new traditions
• Why midlife women often feel crushed by expectations
• Thoughts on sensory overload, neurodivergent families and seasonal overwhelm
• Practical ideas for finding calm, connection and joy this Christmas

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Produced by The Good Studio - thegoodstudio.co.uk