just a black bow tie is good for me (oh and 2 mince pies and a carrot - come on, it`s the season to be jolly!)

I think men in pullovers look infantile. I much prefer a wicked white shirt - starched and sparkling clean. I agree with the apron, though. A grubby white shirt is an instant no-no.

I'm all in favour of a jolly jumper, as long as it's 100% pure cashmere, crew-neck and in a glorious muted colour. And seeing as cashmere is THE biggest-selling single item on the high street at the moment, it is going to be pretty hard to avoid it as the festive season approaches.
The general rule with sweaters is to keep it calm and cool: as soon as reindeer and snowflakes start coming into the mix, it's curtains - unless you are celebrating Christmas in a Tyrolean hut half way up an Alp (in which case, anything goes). Bearing in mind you are likely to come into contact with a turkey at some point in proceedings, it would be wise to invest in a pinnie. Fat-splashed cashmere is never a great look.